{"id":2961046,"date":"2026-03-31T10:15:04","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T17:15:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=2961046"},"modified":"2026-04-02T14:48:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T21:48:29","slug":"whats-new-in-oriented-imagery-february-2026","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis\/imagery\/whats-new-in-oriented-imagery-february-2026","title":{"rendered":"What’s New in Oriented Imagery (February 2026)"},"author":6921,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[37101,22931],"tags":[25781,781029,24021,769292,766592],"industry":[],"product":[421922],"class_list":["post-2961046","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-announcements","category-imagery","tag-3d","tag-image-navigation","tag-inspection","tag-oblique-imagery","tag-street-level-imagery","product-arcgis"],"acf":{"authors":[{"ID":6921,"user_firstname":"Emily","user_lastname":"Windahl","nickname":"Emily Windahl","user_nicename":"emilycw","display_name":"Emily Windahl","user_email":"EWindahl@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2018-03-02 00:19:01","user_description":"Emily is a product manager for the Imagery team; ask her about tools and best practices for working with imagery and rasters in ArcGIS.","user_avatar":""},{"ID":106261,"user_firstname":"Cody","user_lastname":"Benkelman","nickname":"Cody Benkelman","user_nicename":"cbenkelman","display_name":"Cody Benkelman","user_email":"CBenkelman@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2020-10-02 04:23:30","user_description":"","user_avatar":""}],"short_description":"Find the right oriented image faster with improved search, smoother navigation, and a cleaner viewer experience in ArcGIS Online","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Find the right image faster\u2014and work with it more efficiently<\/h2>\n

The February 2026 ArcGIS Online update delivers a set of focused enhancements to oriented imagery that make it easier to find the image you need and work with it more effectively once you do.<\/p>\n

Enhancements include time\u2011aware and 3D\u2011aware search, faster navigation, and a cleaner, easier-to-use viewer.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re reviewing repeat collections over time, inspecting elevated assets in 3D, or building streamlined web apps for image access, these updates reduce friction and help oriented imagery fit more naturally into everyday ArcGIS workflows.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s walk through what\u2019s new in this release.<\/p>\n

Better control over imagery search<\/h2>\n

These updates introduce additional ways to refine imagery results using time and spatial context.<\/p>\n

Search oriented imagery through time<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The oriented imagery viewer now respects time filters defined in a map or scene. When working with a time\u2011enabled oriented imagery layer, the viewer uses the active time window to filter available imagery, allowing users to narrow results to a specific timeframe before selecting a location.<\/p>\n

This makes it much easier to work with repeat collections. Instead of scrolling through every available image at a location, you can focus on imagery captured within a specific date range. You can focus on the most recent inspection, a pre\u2011event condition, or a historical snapshot for comparison. Inspection and monitoring workflows benefit in particular, with faster access to relevant imagery and a clearer view of change over time.<\/p>\n

Learn more about time-enabling a feature layer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

More precise searches in 3D scenes<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Searching for the right image is especially challenging when assets aren\u2019t on the ground. With 3D\u2011aware oriented imagery search, image queries can now take elevation into account.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2961920,"id":2961920,"title":"3D_Search_FAA_Tower","filename":"3D_Search_FAA_Tower.gif","filesize":21747612,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3D_Search_FAA_Tower.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis\/imagery\/whats-new-in-oriented-imagery-february-2026\/3d_search_faa_tower","alt":"enabling awareness of above ground structure","author":"106261","description":"","caption":"GIF showing oriented imagery 3D search","name":"3d_search_faa_tower","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2961046,"date":"2026-04-02 02:26:34","modified":"2026-04-02 02:29:52","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1600,"height":900,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3D_Search_FAA_Tower-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3D_Search_FAA_Tower.gif","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3D_Search_FAA_Tower.gif","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3D_Search_FAA_Tower.gif","large-width":1600,"large-height":900,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3D_Search_FAA_Tower-1536x864.gif","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":864,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3D_Search_FAA_Tower.gif","2048x2048-width":1600,"2048x2048-height":900,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3D_Search_FAA_Tower-826x465.gif","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3D_Search_FAA_Tower.gif","wide_image-width":1600,"wide_image-height":900}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"sidebar","content":"

How does 3D search work?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

3D\u2011aware search uses a configurable vertical search range (in the oriented imagery layer\u2019s vertical units) to filter imagery based on elevation. This requires the verticalSearchRange property to be defined on the oriented imagery layer. This can currently be set via the REST API using the updateDefinition method, and it will be configurable in ArcGIS Pro 3.7 using the Update Oriented Imagery Properties geoprocessing tool. The property defines a vertical tolerance around the clicked elevation for each oriented imagery query, meaning each click in a scene will only return images whose geometry intersects the Z value of your click plus or minus the verticalSearchRange value.<\/p>\n","image_reference":false,"layout":"standard","image_reference_figure":"","snippet":"","spotlight_name":"","section_title":"","position":"Right","spotlight_image":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

When you click a location in a 3D scene, the viewer captures the full (X, Y, Z) coordinate and uses that height to filter and rank results. Instead of defaulting to ground\u2011level imagery behind an asset, the viewer returns images that reflect the actual elevation and viewing angle of what you selected, like rooftops, bridge decks, tower tops, or upper stories of a building.<\/p>\n

This results in more relevant image matches for faster, more efficient workflows.<\/p>\n

3D\u2011aware search is now supported in Experience Builder apps, Instant Apps, and the Oriented Imagery Viewer component in the ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript.<\/p>\n

Select a specific image to view<\/strong><\/h4>\n

In addition to clicking a location to find the best image, you can now explicitly select a camera location to view a specific image. The new Display Images option makes it easy to inspect imagery from a known camera position, which is useful when validating capture coverage or reviewing individual frames.<\/p>\n

You can use the Display Images tool to switch between location\u2011based search and camera\u2011based image selection without closing the viewer, supporting both map navigation and targeted image review in a single workflow.<\/p>\n

An easier\u2011to\u2011use oriented imagery viewer<\/h2>\n

These updates focus on making the oriented imagery viewer easier to use day to day, by simplifying the interface, speeding up image navigation, integrating the viewer more naturally into Map Viewer and making it easier to create usable, purpose-driven apps in Experience Builder. Together, these changes help users stay focused on accomplishing their task (rather than navigating the viewer) by keeping the interface streamlined and out of the way.<\/p>\n

A simplified, organized toolbar<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The viewer interface has been streamlined. Tools are now grouped into five logical categories, reducing visual clutter and improving discoverability:<\/p>\n