planlauf/TERRAIN is an easy-to-use application for Windows 7/8/10 to visualize Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). Unlike other GIS software, it uses techniques from the gaming industry like 'Mesh Decimation', 'Normal Mapping' and 'Level of Detail' to reduce the size of the models significantly while preserving the visual details of the original model. This approach ensures that you can take high-resolution 3D terrain models on Windows tablets into the field. Please have a look at our Tutorials and our Manual and follow us on Twitter for examples.

  • 00_Erdenburg
  • 00_FortAncient
  • 01_StadtBlankenberg
  • 02_Eifgenburg
  • 03_Bolleberg
  • 04_Helsby_1
  • 07_CastelldeSantFerran
  • 06_Essen_BaldeneySteig
  • 09_Golbach
  • 08_Poundbury_2
  • 10_Rursee_Blended_1
  • 11_Iburg


planlauf/TERRAIN offers a lot of features while still being very easy-to-use. If you're missing something, please send us an email and we'll see if we can make it happen in one of the future releases. Here are some of the main features:

  • Import raster data either directly or with our user-friendly GDAL-interface
  • Import point clouds and generate Digital Surface/Terrain Models
  • Mesh Decimation for small memory footprint and low load on the CPU and GPU
  • Support for Bluetooth GPS receivers and integrated or plug-in webcams
  • Log GPS tracks or create and edit tracks manually
  • Video recording of Fly-throughs and Look-arounds with FFmpeg
  • Local Relief visualization to highlight subtle landscape features (trend removal, positive openness and sky-view factor)
  • Line-of-Sight and Viewshed analysis
  • Export of Sketchfab models and 2D map tiles (*.mbtiles)