Frequently asked questions

Answers to common questions about ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro are provided.

Overview

Licensing

System requirements and set up

Relationship between ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Pro ortho mapping

Technical and How-to tips

Overview

What is reality mapping?

Reality mapping is the process of creating accurate digital depictions of the physical world using images, lidar, or both.

What is ArcGIS Reality Suite?

The ArcGIS Reality Suite is a collection of products for site, city, and countrywide reality mapping supporting input imagery from drones, frame multicamera arrays mounted on survey airplanes, or satellites—all using the ArcGIS Reality Engine:

  • ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro is an extension to ArcGIS Pro that allows you to input images from drones, crewed aircraft, or satellites to generate 2D and 3D outputs for reality mapping.
  • ArcGIS Reality Studio is an app for reality mapping from aerial images for entire cities, states and provinces. A map-centric intuitive interface enables high production efficiency to deliver survey-grade representations of reality maps, 2D and 3D renderings.
  • Site Scan for ArcGIS is online, cloud-based, end-to-end reality mapping software for drone imagery that is designed to simplify drone program management, imagery data collection, processing, and analysis.
  • ArcGIS Drone2Map is an intuitive desktop application for reality mapping from drone imagery, enabling offline processing and in-the-field rapid mapping.

Who can benefit from using ArcGIS Reality Suite?

The ArcGIS Reality Suite provides processing, modeling, tools, and capabilities for mapping professionals who focus on the following areas:

  • Photogrammetric processing of overlapping image collections acquired from drone and aerial platforms.
  • Creation of 2D and 3D products from drone and aerial imagery, including the following:
    • Digital surface models (DSMs)
    • True ortho mosaics
    • Point clouds
    • 2D and 3D meshes
  • Photogrammetric processing of satellite imagery and scanned aerial photographs
  • Advanced image and spatial data analysis workflows using machine learning, feature extraction, and feature interpretation methods, and measurements from imagery

The ArcGIS Reality Suite is designed for photogrammetric mapping and product generation in operational environments.

What is included in ArcGIS Reality Desktop?

ArcGIS Reality Desktop includes the following:

  • The ArcGIS Reality Studio stand-alone app. No other ArcGIS products are necessary to use ArcGIS Reality Studio.
  • The ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro extension. The extension requires a Standard or Advanced ArcGIS Pro license.

What is ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro?

ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro is an extension that complements the ortho mapping capability in ArcGIS Pro with high-fidelity 2D and 3D product generation. With the ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro extension enabled, you can generate source resolution DSMs, true orthos, 2.5D DSM meshes, high-density point clouds, and realistic 3D meshes from drone and digital aerial imagery. You can also create DSM and DSM Mesh products using satellite imagery.

Licensing

What licensing is required to use ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro?

An ArcGIS Reality Desktop license and a Standard or Advanced ArcGIS Pro license are required to use ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro.

An ArcGIS Reality Desktop license provides access to both ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Reality Studio.

To license ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro, do the following:

  1. Install and license ArcGIS Reality Studio.
    Note:

    Reality Studio is only available with a single-use, per machine license. You must have administrative privileges for a per-machine installation.

  2. Install ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro.

For detailed instructions for installing and authorizing ArcGIS Reality Desktop, see Install ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro.

Ask your system administrator for assistance with installing, setting up, and managing ArcGIS Reality Desktop.

Which ArcGIS Pro license types are supported by ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro?

The following license types are supported by ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro:

  • Single Use license
  • Concurrent Use license
  • Named User license

Is ArcGIS Reality Studio required for machines with the ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro extension?

ArcGIS Reality Studio must be installed before installing the ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro extension. After you install both ArcGIS Reality Studio and ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro, you can uninstall ArcGIS Reality Studio if desired, and ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro remains enabled.

System requirements and set up

What are the system requirements for ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro?

A high-performance dual-core computer with 64 GB of RAM (minimum) and solid-state storage is recommended to run ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro. See the system requirements in the reference help for more information.

A GPU is not required but is recommended.

Do both ArcGIS Reality Studio and ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro need to be installed on the same machine?

Yes. ArcGIS Reality Studio must be installed first to license and activate ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro.

After the installation process is complete, you can uninstall ArcGIS Reality Studio if desired.

Relationship between ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Pro ortho mapping

Does ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro work with ArcGIS Pro 3.0 and earlier?

No. ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro is compatible with ArcGIS Pro 3.1 and later.

Can I use Reality mapping and Ortho mapping together?

Yes. Reality mapping and Ortho mapping are compatible in ArcGIS Pro. They share functionality such as block adjustment, have similar workflows, and have a common interface and user experience. Existing Ortho mapping drone and aerial image workspaces can be converted to Reality mapping workspaces, and vice versa. Projects are handled similarly in the ArcGIS Pro environment, where all the pertinent imagery and adjustment data, generated products, and other metadata associated with the projects are organized and managed.

Differences between Reality mapping and Ortho mapping are typically in the supported types of imagery and the types of products generated. The following table compares the options available in each:

Product capabilities table

Can I convert a scanned aerial Ortho mapping workspace to a Reality mapping workspace?

No. Only conventional drone, digital aerial, and satellite Ortho mapping workspace types can be converted to Reality mapping workspaces to create Reality mapping products.

Will I still have access to my previously created Ortho mapping projects after enabling ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro?

Yes. Ortho mapping and Reality mapping projects are compatible.

I have a digital aerial Ortho mapping project that I want to convert to a Reality mapping project. Will my previously created Ortho mapping products be carried over during the conversion process?

No. Reality mapping and Ortho mapping use different underlying methodologies to generate products and manage the associated metadata. Reality mapping and Ortho mapping products are not the same, both types of products have unique characteristics to support their mapping and customer requirements. Because of this, each suite of products must be generated from their specific Reality mapping or Ortho mapping workspace.

Can I import a project from ArcGIS Reality Studio to ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro or vice versa?

No. Reality mapping and Ortho mapping products are processed and managed differently in projects. The respective projects must be separate to update and maintain products, which are used to revise land base layers and GIS layers.

An Ortho mapping workspace can be converted to a Reality mapping workspace (or vice versa), which establishes a Reality mapping or Ortho mapping project.

When do I use ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro versus ArcGIS Reality Studio?

Use ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro when you have ArcGIS installed, or are planning to use ArcGIS in conjunction with reality mapping, such as updating existing land base layers (roads, development, and so on.). This approach provides a more integrated experience for your entire mapping and GIS project.

Use ArcGIS Reality Studio if you are only producing photogrammetric products and do not intend to use GIS. Reality Studio is optimized for production environments in photogrammetric mapping organizations that produce base products such as true orthos, 3D meshes, and so on. These products are shared with other agencies, such as local, state or provincial, and national government organizations.

Is ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro the same as Ortho mapping?

No. ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro does not include some Ortho mapping capabilities, such as block adjustement and processing of scanned aerial data. However, Ortho mapping does not include ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro product generation, such as true orthos, point clouds, 2D and 3D meshes.

Technical and How-to tips

Which sensor data types does ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro support?

ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro includes Reality mapping and some Ortho mapping capabilities. Using Reality mapping, drone, digital aerial, and satellite imagery types are supported.

Using Ortho mapping, drone, digital aerial, scanned aerial, and satellite images are supported.

What data types are supported by ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro?

All the common imagery data types supported by ArcGIS Pro are supported, such as TIFF and GeoTIFF, MrSID, JPG, ERDAS IMAGINE, and so on.

How do the Shared Advanced settings affect the quality and processing time to produce various Reality mapping products?

The tables below show the potential impact of various quality and scenario options on creating derived products at different resolutions for different types of sensors. See the reference help for details.

Digital aerial processing characteristics

Drone processing characteristics

Satellite processing characteristics

Is sample data for Reality mapping testing and training provided?

Do I need to use a third-party aerial triangulation package for block adjustment?

No. A complete end-to-end mapping workflow, including block adjustment, is provided in ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro.

Why are some icons in the Products group unavailable after block adjustment?

When creating a Reality mapping workspace, the Scenario type value is directly tied to the Product category options. For example, if Scenario type is set to Oblique, the DSM, True Ortho, and DSM Mesh options are unavailable. This is because in ArcGIS Pro, it is assumed only 3D products are necessary based on the selection of Oblique for Scenario type.

Why can’t I select my workspace when using Import Workspace or Add Workspace on the Imagery tab on the ArcGIS Pro ribbon?

Ensure that the workspace type (lower right corner) matches the workspace you select.

Reality mapping workspace type

Why do I get the error "The surface reconstruction SDK is not installed or cannot be found"?

To run ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro, the ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro extension setup file must be downloaded and installed to support processing. This error occurs when the setup file is not installed. Ask the relevant personnel in your organization for access to this installer if it is not readily available.

Why do I get the error "Runtime error occurred: boost::filesystem::copy_file: The system cannot find the path specified [system:3]"?

This error is caused by the path length limit (260 character by default) on Windows. To resolve the issue, turn on the LongPathsEnabled setting.

Error message

Are relative paths to the imagery data supported?

No. The absolute paths to the imagery are required.

Why is the Allow adjustment reset option in the Adjust group unavailable in a Reality mapping workspace?

The workspace you created does not support adjustment reset. You must create a workspace that allows resetting to use this capability.

Note:

The processing takes longer for a workspace with the reset capability.

Allow adjustment reset option

Why are the paths broken after renaming my Reality mapping workspace?

This is an expected behavior. You can go to the Maps container in the Catalog pane and delete the map with the original name. Then, when you open the workspace, the correct path is referenced.

Optionally, you can right-click the group in the Contents pane, and choose Synchronize.

Where do I find the generated 2D and 3D products I chose in the Advanced Product settings?

In the Catalog pane, click Folders > RealityMapping > Workspace_name.ermw > Products to access the products.

What are the suggested spatial reference settings to optimize 3D mesh products?

Add a local x,y and z coordinate system when you create the Reality mapping workspace.

What is the process to share 3D meshes online?

You can use your usual workflows to share products online. All products are compatible with ArcGIS and can be shared with ArcGIS Image Online and ArcGIS Image Server (ArcGIS Enterprise).

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