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Add external data

You can add external reference datasets to support accurate editing, visualization, and quality control throughout your workflows. External data helps you draw and validate geometries more precisely when aligning features against authoritative sources, creating water bodies and creating corrections.

This video was created with ArcGIS Reality Studio 2026.1.

Supported external data types

You can add the following types of external data to your project:

  • Raster —Raster datasets will be automatically classified as either imagery or elevation. The classification depends on the number of bands and the pixel type present in the raster dataset.

    Use high-resolution imagery as a visual guide when drawing new geometries or validating existing features.

    Use elevation raster data to obtain accurate height values when digitizing features. You can use them as elevation sources for drawing accurate water bodies and correction geometries.

  • Mesh —Use mesh datasets as visual context or to help guide 3D editing workflows. Meshes are particularly useful for drawing corrections on real-world surfaces.

  • Gaussian splat —Use Gaussian splat products for detailed reference of thin structures, such as electric wires, fences or light posts.

    Tip:

    You can snap to Gaussian splats to place your vertices accurately.

Add external data

To add external data to your project, complete the following steps:

  1. On the Home tab, click External Data .

  2. Select the external data type you want to add.

  3. Browse to your dataset.

  4. Click OK.

The external data appears in the Project Tree.

Manage external data

Once your external dataset is added, you can control its behavior from the Project Tree. You can do the following:

  • Visibility —Toggle the visibility icon to show or hide the dataset on the globe.

  • Remove —Remove the selected external dataset from the project. This action does not delete the source file from disk.

  • Open File Location —Open the folder location where the dataset is stored.

  • Horizontal coordinate system —Display the dataset's horizontal spatial reference.

  • Vertical coordinate system —Display the dataset's vertical spatial reference.