Photorealistic 3D Tiles

3D Tiles API overviewPhotorealistic 3D Tiles are a 3D mesh textured with high resolution imagery. They offer high-resolution 3D maps in many of the world's populated areas. They let you power next-generation, immersive 3D visualization experiences to help your users:

  • Understand an area

  • Confidently navigate to a location

  • Evaluate new places to make decisions

  • Understand how the real world changes

Before you begin

Before you start using the Photorealistic 3D Tiles API, you need to review the Terms of Service and Map Tiles API Policies. You may then start a project with a billing account and enable the Map Tiles API. To learn more, see Setup in Cloud Console.

Getting tiles

After obtaining your API key, you can begin accessing photorealistic tiles by specifying a root tileset URL to a 3D Tiles renderer of your choice. After that, all subsequent calls for photorealistic tiles are automatically made by the renderer as the end user explores the map.

The render can make at least three hours of tile requests from a single root tileset request. After reaching this limit, you must make another root tileset request.

As an example, you can use the following JavaScript code to start exploring 3D Tiles with Cesium JS.

<head>
 <meta charset="utf-8">
 <script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/cesiumjs/1.105/Build/Cesium/Cesium.js"></script>
 <link href="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/cesiumjs/1.105/Build/Cesium/Widgets/widgets.css" rel="stylesheet">
</head>

<body>
  <div id="cesiumContainer"></div>
  <script>
    const viewer = new Cesium.Viewer('cesiumContainer', {
      imageryProvider: false,
      baseLayerPicker: false,
      requestRenderMode: true,
    });

    const tileset = viewer.scene.primitives.add(new Cesium.Cesium3DTileset({
      url: "https://tile.googleapis.com/v1/3dtiles/root.json?key=YOUR_API_KEY",
      showCreditsOnScreen: true,
    }));

    viewer.scene.globe.show = false;
  </script>
</body>