3D Mapping with ArcGIS Pro – Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Prerequisites and Setup

System Requirements

• ArcGIS Pro 2.8 or later (3.0+ recommended for best 3D performance)
• Dedicated graphics card (NVIDIA or AMD) with updated drivers
• Minimum 8GB RAM (16GB+ recommended for complex 3D scenes)
• Windows 10 or later

Initial Configuration

1. Launch ArcGIS Pro and sign in to your ArcGIS account
2. Check 3D Analyst Extension:
   • Go to Project → Licensing
   • Ensure “3D Analyst” is checked and available
3. Configure Performance Settings:
   • File → Options → Display
   • Set “Maximum number of features drawn in 3D scenes” to appropriate value
   • Enable hardware acceleration if available

Creating Your First 3D Scene

Step 1: Start a New Project

1. Click Create a new project
2. Choose Map or Scene template
3. Name your project (e.g., “My_3D_Mapping_Project”)
4. Choose project location and click OK

Step 2: Add a Scene View

1. In the ribbon, go to View tab
2. Click New Scene → Global Scene or Local Scene
   • Global Scene: Best for large-scale, worldwide data
   • Local Scene: Best for local/regional data with projected coordinate systems

Step 3: Configure Scene Properties

1. Right-click on the scene in the Contents pane
2. Select Properties
3. In the General tab, set:
   • Scene name
   • Coordinate system (important for Local Scenes)
4. In the Illumination tab, configure:
   • Sun positioning
   • Ambient light settings
   • Shadow options

Adding and Configuring Data

Step 4: Add Base Elevation

1. In the Contents pane, right-click Elevation Surfaces
2. Select Add Elevation Source
3. Choose from:
   • WorldElevation3D/Terrain3D (global coverage)
   • Local DEM/DSM files (for higher resolution local areas)
4. Navigate to your elevation data and click OK

Step 5: Add Vector Data

1. Click Add Data button or use Ctrl+Shift+D
2. Browse to your data sources:
   • Shapefiles (.shp)
   • Feature classes from geodatabases
   • Web services (WMS, WFS, feature services)
3. Select data and click OK

Step 6: Add Raster Data

1. Use Add Data for raster datasets
2. Common 3D raster types:
   • Aerial imagery for draping
   • Digital Elevation Models (DEMs)
   • Digital Surface Models (DSMs)
   • LiDAR point clouds (.las, .laz files)

Working with Elevation and Terrain

Step 7: Configure Layer Elevation

For each layer, set how it interacts with terrain:

1. Right-click layer → Properties
2. Go to Elevation tab
3. Choose elevation mode:
   • On the ground: Features follow terrain surface
   • Relative to ground: Features offset by specified height
   • Absolute height: Features use actual Z-values
   • Relative to scene: Features positioned relative to scene floor

Step 8: Create Terrain Surface

1. Right-click Elevation Surfaces → Add Elevation Source
2. For custom terrain:
   • Use Raster to TIN tool for small areas
   • Use Create TIN tool for vector-based terrain
3. Set appropriate resolution and extent

Step 9: Enhance Terrain Visualization

1. Add hillshade:
   • Spatial Analyst → Surface → Hillshade
   • Adjust azimuth and altitude for best effect
2. Apply color ramps:
   • Right-click DEM layer → Symbology
   • Choose appropriate elevation color scheme
3. Adjust transparency for layered effects

3D Symbology and Visualization

Step 10: Configure 3D Symbols

1. Right-click layer → Symbology
2. For point features:
   • Choose 3D Simple Marker or 3D Object Marker
   • Adjust size, color, and rotation
   • For buildings: use Realistic 3D symbols
3. For polygon features:
   • Use Extrusion to create 3D buildings
   • Set extrusion value from attribute field or fixed value
4. For line features:
   • Use 3D Simple Line or Tube/Strip symbols
   • Configure width and height properties

Step 11: Apply Realistic Textures

1. In Symbology, expand Appearance section
2. Choose material properties:
   • Material: Plastic, metal, glass, etc.
   • Texture: Apply image textures for realism
3. For buildings:
   • Use CityEngine Rules for procedural modeling
   • Apply Multipatch textures for detailed facades

Step 12: Set Up Attribute-Based Styling

1. In Symbology, choose Graduated Colors or Graduated Symbols
2. Select attribute field for classification
3. Configure:
   • Number of classes
   • Color scheme
   • Size ranges (for 3D scaling)
4. Apply to create data-driven 3D visualizations

Advanced 3D Features

Step 13: Work with LiDAR Point Clouds

1. Add LAS Dataset:
   • Create new LAS dataset from .las/.laz files
   • Use Create LAS Dataset geoprocessing tool
2. Configure point cloud display:
   • Right-click LAS layer → Properties
   • Set elevation source and filters
   • Adjust point density and coloring

Step 14: Create 3D Analyst Surfaces

1. Interpolate surfaces from point data:
   • IDW (Inverse Distance Weighted)
   • Kriging
   • Spline
2. Generate contours in 3D:
   • Use Contour 3D tool
   • Set contour interval and base elevation

Step 15: Perform 3D Analysis

1. Visibility Analysis:
   • Use Viewshed 3D tool
   • Create observer points and analyze visible areas
2. Line of Sight Analysis:
   • Use Line of Sight tool
   • Analyze visibility between points
3. 3D Buffer Analysis:
   • Create 3D buffer zones around features
   • Useful for noise analysis, safety zones

Animation and Time-based Visualization

Step 16: Create Keyframe Animations

1. View tab → Animation → Add
2. Choose animation type:
   • Fly-by: Camera movement along path
   • Orbit: Rotate around center point
   • Zoom: Scale-based animation
3. Set keyframes:
   • Navigate to desired view
   • Click Append to add keyframe
   • Repeat for multiple views
4. Configure timing and transitions

Step 17: Temporal Data Visualization

1. Enable Time on layers with temporal data:
   • Layer Properties → Time tab
   • Set time field and extent
2. Configure Time Slider:
   • View tab → Time Slider
   • Set time step and play speed
3. Animate through time to show changes

Sharing and Publishing

Step 18: Create 3D Web Scenes

1. Share tab → Web Scene
2. Configure sharing options:
   • Portal/ArcGIS Online account
   • Sharing permissions
   • Metadata and tags
3. Click Analyze to check for issues
4. Publish to make available online

Step 19: Export 3D Products

1. Share tab → Export Map/Scene
2. Choose format:
   • PDF (with 3D annotation)
   • Image (high-resolution renders)
   • Video (for animations)
   • 3D formats (.obj, .dae for external use)

Step 20: Create Story Maps

1. Insert tab → New Story Map
2. Add 3D scenes to story sections
3. Configure interactive elements
4. Publish and share narrative-driven 3D maps

Troubleshooting Tips

Performance Optimization

• Reduce feature count in dense datasets
• Use level of detail (LOD) for complex 3D models
• Optimize texture sizes (max 2048×2048 for web sharing)
• Update graphics drivers regularly

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue: Slow 3D scene performance Solution:

• Check graphics card compatibility
• Reduce number of features displayed
• Use simpler symbology for distant objects
• Enable drawing optimization in Display settings

Issue: Features not displaying at correct elevation Solution:

• Check coordinate system alignment
• Verify elevation source and layer elevation settings
• Ensure Z-values are in correct units

Issue: Textures not loading properly Solution:

• Check file path accessibility
• Verify texture file formats (PNG, JPG, TIFF)
• Ensure texture dimensions are power of 2

Best Practices

1. Plan your coordinate system before starting
2. Use appropriate data resolution for your scale
3. Test performance regularly during development
4. Document your workflow for reproducibility
5. Backup projects frequently
6. Use metadata to document data sources and processing steps

Additional Resources

• Esri 3D GIS Hub: Learn advanced techniques and find sample data
• ArcGIS Pro Help Documentation: Detailed tool references
• Esri Training Courses: Structured learning paths for 3D GIS
• Community Forums: Get help from other users and experts

This guide provides a comprehensive foundation for 3D mapping in ArcGIS Pro. Start with basic scene creation and gradually incorporate more advanced features as you become comfortable with the 3D environment. Remember that 3D visualization is both an art and a science – experiment with different approaches to find what works best for your specific data and objectives.