How-to Drape a Geoimage onto a Surface
This how-to briefly explains how to drape a geoimage onto a surface to view a GeoTIFF as a 3D surface.
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Introduction
In Fledermaus, you can import a geoimage file to drape onto a SonarDTM surface, making the image look more realistic.
If you inspect Figure 1, it shows the flat GeoTIFF and the surface file Vs. Figure 2 with the draped GeoTIFF now on the surface.
Figure 1. GeoTIFF displaying as a flat surface and a dynamic surface underneath.
Figure 2. GeoTIFF draped onto the surface.
Step-by-step
Step 1: Select Which Files to Use
In the Scene Objects select the surface file you will be draping the Geoimage on.
Step 2: Open Draping Wizard
From the Operations menu in the Objects dock access the Drape Image Wizard (see Figure 3).
Figure 3. Operations Menu - Drape Image
You can also access the Operations > Drape Image Wizard through the right-click menu options on the selected files (see Figure 4).
Figure 4. Right-click menu options, guided to Operations > Drape Image.
Step 2: Setup Draping Parameters
When you first open the draping wizard, select the image you are going to use. Click the Browse button to specify the path and name of the image file using the standard file selection dialog, or select from the list of available loaded images. When importing an image, the software first cuts out regions from both the image and the DTM that overlap. In order to match areas of the DTM and image, georeferencing must be given for the image in the Georeferencing for image fields. Draping Options when selected will create a copy of the draped surface (see Figure 5).
When bringing file on disk, you have the option for the Image Bounds to keep the File Bounds, Surface Bounds, Selection Bounds, or Custom Bounds (see Figure 6).
Figure 5. Drape Image onto Surface Wizard
Figure 6. Drape Image onto Surface Wizard options for image bounds.
Step 3: Create Draped Geoimage
Select "Ok" once you have set the parameters in the Draping Imagery onto Surface Wizard. Fledermaus will then proceed to create the draped Image. To make the draped visible or hidden go to Draped Imagery dropdown menu in the attributes table (see Figure 7).
Figure 7. Drape Imagery visible.