Uploading Your First Dataset
In AVAG, your data is organized in a three-level hierarchy: Projects contain Objects, and Objects contain Layers. Each layer is a single dataset, for example, one drone flight or one imported point cloud. When you upload a new dataset, AVAG creates a new layer inside the object you select (or a brand new object if you’re starting fresh).
To upload your first dataset, click the + New dataset button at the top of the left sidebar. A “New dataset” dialog will appear.
Step 1: Choose a product type
Section titled “Step 1: Choose a product type”The first thing to select is the Product. This tells AVAG what kind of data you’re uploading and how it should be handled. There are four options:
Photogrammetric data processing (JPG) – Choose this when uploading raw drone photos for processing. AVAG will process your images and generate an orthophoto, DSM, slope model, and point cloud. This is the most common starting point for new users.
Import GeoTIFF (ORTHO, DSM), LAS (POINTCLOUD) – Choose this when you already have processed outputs from another software and want to import them directly into AVAG. You can upload any combination of DSM, orthophoto, point cloud, and mesh files.
Import 360° Tour (JPG and Metadata) – Choose this to upload pre-stitched 360° panoramic images along with their metadata file. This is used for ground-level inspection tours linked to the map.
XML – Choose this to upload a 3D design surface in LandXML format. This is used for importing construction designs to compare against survey data.
Step 2: Fill in the dataset details
Section titled “Step 2: Fill in the dataset details”Regardless of the product type, you’ll need to fill in a few common fields:
- Name – Give your dataset a clear, recognizable name (e.g. “Site A – North section – April 2026”).
- Capture date – Set the date the data was captured. This defaults to today’s date.
- Object – Select an existing object to add this layer to, or choose “Create new” to create a new object automatically.
- WMS Region – Select your country or region to enable the correct background map services.
- Coordinate system – Select the coordinate system your data was captured in. This field appears for all product types except JPG processing without GCPs, where AVAG reads the coordinate system automatically from the photo EXIF data.
- Device (360° Tour only) – Select the camera device used to capture your panoramic images. Supported devices include CHC RS10, FARO ORBIS, FARO FOCUS, FARO BLINK, GeoSLAM, Mosaic X, Flir Ladybug 5+, and others.
When everything looks good, click Save to proceed to the upload screen.
Step 3: Upload your files
Section titled “Step 3: Upload your files”Once you’ve filled in the details and clicked Save, you’ll be taken to the upload screen for your dataset. What you upload depends on the product type:
Photogrammetric data processing (JPG) – Drag and drop your photos into the upload area. By default, the No GCPs checkbox is checked. This means AVAG will process your data automatically for free, reading the coordinate system from your photos’ EXIF data. If you want to include Ground Control Points for higher accuracy, uncheck the No GCPs box and add your GCP file (.txt) alongside the photos. Note that GCP processing requires expert processing credits to be purchased in advance (99€ per 500-photo dataset).
Tip: Not sure whether you need GCPs? See the section [When do I need GCPs?] for guidance.
Import GeoTIFF / LAS – Upload any combination of the following into their respective drop zones: DSM (.tif/.tiff), Orthophoto (.tif/.tiff), Point Cloud (.las/.laz), and Mesh (.zip containing .obj, .mtl, .jpg). Each dataset can include one or more of these file types.
Import 360° Tour – Upload your photos (.jpg) together with a metadata file (.txt or .csv) containing GPS position, roll, pitch, and heading for each image. The number of photos must match the number of rows in the metadata file.
XML (LandXML design surface) – Upload a single .xml design file. Requirements: the file must use the correct coordinate reference system matching your project, the surface must be triangulated, and it must be saved in LandXML format.
Step 4: Start processing
Section titled “Step 4: Start processing”Once your files are uploaded, click the Process Data button to submit your dataset. Your data will enter the processing queue and results will be ready shortly.
For JPG photogrammetric processing, a typical dataset of 250 photos takes around 35 minutes from upload to results.