Query Terrain for Elevation Value at a Point

jacobgqc — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 18:51:04 GMT

Hello,

I need help getting elevation values out of the elevation and/or elevation3d World Elevation Terrain image server. I've seen other examples and have been able to make some basic calls, but I don't trust that the results are accurate.

Here's a sample URL that I got from the graphical query builder:

https://elevation3d.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/WorldElevation3D/Terrain3D/ImageServer/identify?geometry=%7B%22x%22%3A-85.5760438%2C%22y%22%3A38.0490411%2C%22spatialReference%22%3A%7B%22wkid%22%3A4326%2C%22latestWkid%22%3A4326%7D%7D&geometryType=esriGeometryPoint&mosaicRule=%7B%22mosaicMethod%22%3A%22esriMosaicLockRaster%22%2C%22ascending%22%3Afalse%2C%22lockRasterIds%22%3A%5B1%2C2%2C15209%2C16975%2C18657%2C18658%2C18659%2C18660%2C32178%2C52532%2C78749%2C188453%5D%7D&renderingRule=&renderingRules=&pixelSize=%7B%22x%22%3A0.01%2C%22y%22%3A0.01%2C%22spatialReference%22%3A%7B%22wkid%22%3A4326%2C%22latestWkid%22%3A4326%7D%7D&sliceId=&time=&returnGeometry=false&returnCatalogItems=true&returnPixelValues=true&processAsMultidimensional=false&maxItemCount=&f=json

This returns a value that is close to what I expect, but when I begin processing more data points, I'm getting the exact same value back every time. The data points are close, but not close enough to return the same elevation values. Indeed, when I perform hit tests in a custom elevation checker web application, I can see variances in the centimeter range.

Further, I've plugged some of these sample elevations back into ArcGIS Pro alongside points that are "clamped to ground", and the elevations coming out of the image server are several meters higher than the points that are clamped to the terrain. I was expecting them to match, assuming I'm using the REST endpoint that corresponds to the World Terrain being used in ArcGIS Pro.

Functionally, I would like to be able to programmatically process sets of point data to add elevation values without the necessity of manually running data through ArcGIS.

Is this possible?
Am I using the right endpoint(s)?
What's the difference between the REST image servers https://elevation.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/WorldElevation/Terrain/ImageServer/identify and https://elevation3d.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/WorldElevation3D/Terrain3D/ImageServer/identify ?
Can I find any REST or other programmatic solution that will get me results similar to ArcGIS's clamp to ground?

Thanks,
Jake

Re: Query Terrain for Elevation Value at a Point

RajinderNagi — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 22:08:39 GMT

If you would like to get elevation for points there are a few options:

Use Terrain service via REST (https://elevation.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/WorldElevation/Terrain/ImageServer/identify) or Extract Multi Values to Points tool
The simplest way would be to use our Summarize Elevation (Ready To Use) tool in ArcGIS Pro via tool interface or python or rest api. this will take points and return features with elevation.
- https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/tool-reference/ready-to-use/summarize-elevation.htm
- https://developers.arcgis.com/rest/elevation-analysis/summarize-elevation/
If you have access to ArcGIS Location Platform, then you can use https://developers.arcgis.com/rest/elevation/

The Terrain3D is our tiled service meant to use as ground in scenes and doesn't support identify or other rest operation.

topic Query Terrain for Elevation Value at a Point in ArcGIS REST APIs and Services Questions

Query Terrain for Elevation Value at a Point

Re: Query Terrain for Elevation Value at a Point