How Do I Georeference Google Earth Images in AutoCAD?

by

How Do I Georeference Google Earth Images in AutoCAD?

Are you working on a project that requires you to overlay Google Earth images onto your AutoCAD drawings? Georeferencing these images will help you align them accurately with your CAD drawings, ensuring precision and accuracy.

In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of georeferencing Google Earth images in AutoCAD, step by step.

Step 1: Prepare Your Google Earth Image

Before we begin georeferencing, make sure you have the Google Earth image file saved on your computer. To do this, open Google Earth and navigate to the desired location.

Adjust the view and zoom levels as needed to capture the area of interest.

Once you have the desired view, go to File > Save > Save Image.. In the Save Image dialog box, choose a location on your computer to save the image and select a file format (JPEG or PNG) that is compatible with AutoCAD. Click Save to save the image.

Step 2: Open AutoCAD and Set Up Your Workspace

Launch AutoCAD and open a new or existing drawing where you want to georeference the Google Earth image. To ensure smooth navigation and accurate georeferencing, it’s recommended to set up your workspace properly.

To do this, go to Ribbon > View > Viewports > 4 Viewports. This will divide your workspace into four equal viewports which will make it easier for us to compare the Google Earth image with our drawing.

Step 3: Inserting the Google Earth Image into AutoCAD Drawing Space

To insert the Google Earth image into your drawing space, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Ribbon > Insert > Raster Image Reference.
  2. In the Select Image File dialog box, navigate to the location where you saved the Google Earth image and select it. Click Open.
  3. In the Image Insertion dialog box, specify the insertion point by clicking on a point in one of the viewports.
  4. Adjust the scale of the image by specifying the desired size or using AutoCAD’s scale tools.
  5. Click OK to insert the image into your drawing space.

Step 4: Georeferencing the Google Earth Image

Now that we have inserted the Google Earth image into our drawing space, we can proceed with georeferencing. Follow these steps to align and scale the image accurately:

  1. Select the inserted image by clicking on it.
  2. Go to Ribbon > Modify > Scale.
  3. In the Scale dialog box, select a base point within your drawing (preferably a known location) and enter its known coordinates in AutoCAD’s coordinate system.
  4. Select another point on your inserted image that corresponds to this known location and enter its known coordinates as well.
  5. Click OK to scale and align your Google Earth image with your drawing accurately.

Step 5: Verify Georeferencing Accuracy

To ensure that your georeferencing is accurate, follow these steps:

  1. Zoom in and out of your drawing to check if the Google Earth image aligns properly with your CAD drawing.
  2. Compare prominent landmarks or features in both the Google Earth image and your drawing to verify their alignment.
  3. If necessary, you can further adjust the georeferencing by repeating Step 4 with additional known points or using AutoCAD’s transformation tools.

Congratulations! You have successfully georeferenced a Google Earth image in AutoCAD.

By following these steps, you can now overlay multiple Google Earth images onto your CAD drawings accurately and efficiently. Remember to save your work regularly to avoid any data loss.

Happy georeferencing!