{"id":2941252,"date":"2025-09-28T05:33:16","date_gmt":"2025-09-28T12:33:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=2941252"},"modified":"2025-10-07T21:17:21","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T04:17:21","slug":"three-proven-ways-to-create-a-high%e2%80%91quality-dtm-with-arcgis","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/mapping\/three-proven-ways-to-create-a-high%e2%80%91quality-dtm-with-arcgis","title":{"rendered":"Three Proven Ways to Create a High\u2011Quality DTM with ArcGIS"},"author":353422,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[23771,770712,22941],"tags":[30511,115262,779902,768972],"industry":[],"product":[36561,769412],"class_list":["post-2941252","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-3d-gis","category-geoai","category-mapping","tag-dtm","tag-imagery","tag-raster-analytics","tag-reality-mapping","product-arcgis-pro","product-arcgisrealitystudio"],"acf":{"authors":[{"ID":353422,"user_firstname":"Ashleigh","user_lastname":"Sier","nickname":"Ashleigh Sier","user_nicename":"asier","display_name":"Ashleigh Sier","user_email":"asier@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2024-02-20 10:02:05","user_description":"Ashleigh Sier is a Business Development Manager in the Global Imagery and Remote Sensing team at Esri, specialising in Reality Mapping with ArcGIS Reality.","user_avatar":""}],"short_description":"Discover three proven ArcGIS workflows for creating high-quality DTMs with helpful tips on working with rasters in ArcGIS Pro on Reality Mapping","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2941259,"id":2941259,"title":"jpeg","filename":"jpeg.png","filesize":3261549,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/jpeg.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/mapping\/three-proven-ways-to-create-a-high%e2%80%91quality-dtm-with-arcgis\/jpeg","alt":"","author":"353422","description":"","caption":"","name":"jpeg","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2941252,"date":"2025-09-28 12:25:52","modified":"2025-09-28 12:25:52","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1536,"height":1024,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/jpeg-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/jpeg.png","medium-width":392,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/jpeg.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/jpeg.png","large-width":1536,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/jpeg.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/jpeg.png","2048x2048-width":1536,"2048x2048-height":1024,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/jpeg-698x465.png","card_image-width":698,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/jpeg.png","wide_image-width":1536,"wide_image-height":1024}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

From bright deserts and wadis in the Middle East to mangrove coasts in West Africa and monsoon\u2011prone corridors across Asia, DTM accuracy depends on smart workflow choices and pragmatic performance tactics. This blog outlines three proven ArcGIS Pro paths.<\/p>\n

First, here\u2019s a quick reminder of what a DTM is – A Digital Terrain Model (DTM) represents the bare-earth surface, excluding trees, buildings, and other surface objects. It differs from other raster types such as Digital Surface Models (DSMs), which include the elevations of natural and built features, and Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), which may refer to either DTMs or DSMs depending on context. DTMs are essential for hydrological modeling, terrain analysis, and other applications requiring accurate ground elevation data.<\/p>\n

Three practical paths to a DTM:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Generate a DTM directly from an Ortho Mapping or Reality Mapping workspace (fastest).<\/li>\n
  2. Derive a DTM from a photogrammetric point cloud (for control + performance).<\/li>\n
  3. Create a DTM from classified lidar point cloud with LAS\/LAZ (for maximum bare\u2011earth fidelity in forested areas)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2941260,"id":2941260,"title":"lidarthinnerclass2","filename":"lidarthinnerclass2.jpg","filesize":133112,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lidarthinnerclass2.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/mapping\/three-proven-ways-to-create-a-high%e2%80%91quality-dtm-with-arcgis\/lidarthinnerclass2","alt":"","author":"353422","description":"Thinned and Classified Ground Points only from lidar. Data in this blog courtesy of AISPECO and BAAM.Tech","caption":"Thinned and Classified Ground Points only from lidar. Data in this blog courtesy of AISPECO and BAAM.Tech","name":"lidarthinnerclass2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2941252,"date":"2025-09-28 12:27:21","modified":"2025-10-01 16:27:21","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1462,"height":905,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lidarthinnerclass2-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lidarthinnerclass2.jpg","medium-width":422,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lidarthinnerclass2.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":475,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lidarthinnerclass2.jpg","large-width":1462,"large-height":905,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lidarthinnerclass2.jpg","1536x1536-width":1462,"1536x1536-height":905,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lidarthinnerclass2.jpg","2048x2048-width":1462,"2048x2048-height":905,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lidarthinnerclass2-751x465.jpg","card_image-width":751,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lidarthinnerclass2.jpg","wide_image-width":1462,"wide_image-height":905}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

    1) With the Ortho or Reality Mapping wizard<\/strong><\/p>\n

    After block adjustment, use the DTM wizard in Ortho Mapping<\/strong> or choose the DTM as an output in the Reality Mapping<\/strong> workspace, enable ground filtering, choose ETM\/SGM\/MVM as appropriate (with SGM being the recommended option), and set cell size \u2248 5\u00d7 GSD (or the minimum is 0.3m, so if 5x GSD is smaller than that then choose 0.3m). Best results are achieve when 80% forward \/ 60% side overlap and nadir imagery are used as input for the terrain products.<\/p>\n

    2) Photogrammetric point cloud from Esri\u2019s Reality Mapping solutions<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Workflow:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Export or assemble a LAS dataset (LASD) with Create a LAS dataset<\/strong> from a Reality Mapping point cloud computed with from Drone2Map, Site Scan, ArcGIS Reality for ArcGIS Pro or ArcGIS Reality Studio.<\/li>\n
    2. Use Thin LAS (3D Analyst)<\/strong> to reduce density and normalise distribution. Try 0.1m for Z and 1m for XY resolution for your first try and iterate as required. This will also speed up the remainder of the processing steps significantly.<\/li>\n
    3. Classify ground with Classify LAS Ground (3D Analyst)<\/strong>. Note: a projected CRS required.<\/li>\n
    4. (Optional) Refine classes\u2014e.g., buildings or Set LAS Class Codes Using Features (3D Analyst)<\/strong>\u2014and re\u2011classify locally as needed.<\/li>\n
    5. Filter to ground (class 2) and create a new LASD with Make LAS Dataset Layer (Data Management)<\/strong><\/li>\n
    6. Convert the ground points to raster with LAS Dataset To Raster (Conversion)<\/strong> with Interpolation Type as Triangulation (recommended) to honour constraints or use Interpolation Type as Binning for speed.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n

      3) Lidar<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Use classified lidar for best bare\u2011earth in vegetated terrain areas. Note: If the lidar is in .laz format then it will need to be converted to .las with Convert LAS (Conversion)<\/strong> tool.<\/p>\n

      As per similar steps above in Option 2 – Build LASD, filter to ground, and rasterise. If unclassified, run ground\/building classification and clean interactively before rasterisation. Enforce water polygons and breaklines to hydro\u2011flatten wadis, rivers, and lakes see Hydro-flattening for DEM production<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2941257,"id":2941257,"title":"DTM_Blog_1","filename":"DTM_Blog_1.jpg","filesize":164322,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DTM_Blog_1.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/mapping\/three-proven-ways-to-create-a-high%e2%80%91quality-dtm-with-arcgis\/dtm_blog_1","alt":"","author":"353422","description":"DSM (top left), 0.5m Contours (top right), DTM from lidar (bottom left), DTM from photogrammetry (bottom right)","caption":"DSM (top left), 0.5m Contours (top right), DTM from lidar (bottom left), DTM from photogrammetry (bottom right)","name":"dtm_blog_1","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2941252,"date":"2025-09-28 12:17:07","modified":"2025-09-28 12:28:50","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1627,"height":978,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DTM_Blog_1-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DTM_Blog_1.jpg","medium-width":434,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DTM_Blog_1.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":462,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DTM_Blog_1.jpg","large-width":1627,"large-height":978,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DTM_Blog_1-1536x923.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":923,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DTM_Blog_1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1627,"2048x2048-height":978,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DTM_Blog_1-774x465.jpg","card_image-width":774,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DTM_Blog_1.jpg","wide_image-width":1627,"wide_image-height":978}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

      WAMEA Specific Notes:<\/strong><\/p>\n