3dsurvey.si

One-sentence overview

3dsurvey.si is an all-in-one photogrammetry software package from Slovenia, designed to quickly turn drone aerial imagery into high-accuracy 3D models. It targets industries such as surveying, construction, agriculture, and cultural heritage preservation, offering a complete workflow from image capture and processing to final deliverables. Users mainly choose it because its integrated platform reduces the complexity of switching between multiple tools, while its deep optimization for drone data can significantly improve modeling efficiency.

Business overview

3dsurvey.si is developed by the Slovenian company 3D Survey d.o.o., founded in 2011. The company initially focused on photogrammetry and geospatial services, then launched its software product under the same name in 2017. After years of iteration, the software has evolved from a standalone 3D modeling tool into a comprehensive platform covering aerial triangulation, point cloud generation, orthophotos, digital surface models (DSM), volume measurement, and more. Its core positioning is an “integrated workflow from drone to 3D model,” meaning users do not need to move data back and forth between tools such as Pix4D, Agisoft Metashape, and RealityCapture; the entire process from raw images to final deliverables can be completed inside 3dsurvey.si.

In terms of market position, 3dsurvey.si sits in the mid-to-high-end niche and mainly competes with Pix4Dmapper, Agisoft Metashape, and Bentley ContextCapture. It places particular emphasis on native support for drone data, including models from DJI, Parrot, SenseFly, and others, and includes automatic processing templates for aerial imagery to reduce the need for manual parameter tuning. Its customers are mainly small and medium-sized surveying firms, construction contractors, agricultural consultants, and cultural heritage organizations, with a relatively stable user base in Europe and North America. Among Chinese users it remains fairly niche, with support primarily relying on English documentation and forums.

Who it is best for

• Surveying and engineering companies: Project teams that need to quickly generate large-scale topographic maps, orthophotos, or earthwork volume calculations. 3dsurvey.si’s integrated workflow can reduce the risk of errors in intermediate steps.
• Drone service providers: Small teams taking on outsourced aerial modeling projects. Built-in batch processing and templated settings can improve delivery efficiency.
• Construction and heritage preservation professionals: Users with high requirements for model accuracy and texture quality who also need georeferenced outputs, such as formats compatible with BIM models.
• Agriculture and environmental users: Teams using multispectral data or thermal infrared imagery for crop health analysis, vegetation coverage calculations, and similar tasks. The software supports multi-channel data processing.
• Less suitable scenarios: Hobbyists or small teams with limited budgets, as the USD 225 monthly fee is relatively high, and advanced users who need highly customized scripting or deep secondary development, since the API and plugin ecosystem are relatively weak.

Key features and highlights

• All-in-one workflow: Image import, aerial triangulation, dense point cloud generation, and final model export are all handled in a single interface, eliminating the need to switch software and making data version management clearer.
• Native drone support: Includes camera parameter libraries for mainstream drones such as DJI, automatically recognizes flight logs and image EXIF data, and reduces manual calibration steps.
• High-accuracy volume measurement: Volume calculation tools designed for mining, stockpiles, and earthworks, with support for custom reference planes. Results can be exported directly as reports.
• Multispectral and thermal imaging processing: Supports stitching and modeling for 4-channel to 10-channel multispectral data as well as thermal infrared imagery, making it useful for precision agriculture and environmental monitoring.
• Rich output formats: Can export orthophotos, DSM/DTM digital surface/terrain models, LAS point clouds, textured meshes in OBJ/FBX/STL, and more, with compatibility across mainstream GIS and BIM software.
• Cloud collaboration features (note): Some versions support uploading models to the cloud for team viewing and annotation, but the servers are located in Europe, so access speed may be limited for users in China.

Pricing analysis

3dsurvey.si costs USD 225 per month, roughly RMB 1,600. No public annual pricing information is currently available. Compared with similar software, this sits in the upper-middle range: Pix4Dmapper costs around USD 350 per month, making it more expensive; Agisoft Metashape Standard costs around USD 179 as a one-time purchase, although upgrades may need to be purchased separately; RealityCapture uses a Credits-based pricing model, which may be cheaper for individual processing jobs. As a result, 3dsurvey.si can be reasonably cost-effective for long-term, high-frequency users, such as teams processing 10+ projects per month, but it feels expensive for occasional users.

Hidden costs: The official refund policy is not clearly stated, which means that once you purchase a monthly plan, you may not be able to obtain a full refund even if you are not satisfied, unless you negotiate with customer support. In addition, cloud storage and advanced collaboration features may involve extra charges, which should be confirmed on the official website. Individual users should also factor in hardware costs: photogrammetry software typically requires a high-performance GPU and plenty of memory. 3dsurvey.si requires a graphics card no lower than an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or equivalent, adding to the indirect cost.

How users in China can use it

• Network accessibility: The software itself is an offline installer, and the core processing functions do not depend on a continuous internet connection, though online license activation is required. However, cloud collaboration, update downloads, and online documentation rely on overseas servers. In mainland China, access to the official website, 3dsurvey.si, is average in speed. Downloading the installer may require a VPN or proxy; with one, the download may take around 5-10 minutes, while without one it may time out.
• Payment methods: The official website does not clearly list payment methods, but Visa/Mastercard credit cards are typically supported. Alipay and WeChat Pay are not supported, and direct UnionPay card payments are also not supported. Chinese users need a dual-currency credit card or a virtual card such as OneKey Card to complete the transaction. Invoice availability: As a Slovenian company, it can usually only provide an electronic English invoice/pro forma invoice, and cannot issue a Chinese tax-recognized special VAT invoice. Corporate users should confirm in advance whether their finance department will accept it.
• Need for VPN or proxy: Installation activation and initial license verification may require a brief connection to overseas servers, so it is advisable to prepare a stable VPN. For daily use, if you only process projects locally and do not enable cloud features, the software can run fully offline without a proxy.
• Domestic alternatives: Similar products in China include DJI Terra, around RMB 10,000 per year, with a Chinese interface and Alipay support; ContextCapture Center, which requires a perpetual license and is more expensive; and the open-source option Meshroom, which is free but relatively basic. For users who are budget-sensitive or need Chinese-language support, DJI Terra may be the more straightforward choice.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• ✅ Integrated workflow: Reduces software switching and is well suited to efficiency-focused teams.
• ✅ Drone optimization: Automatically recognizes parameters for mainstream drone models and is beginner-friendly.
• ✅ Accurate volume measurement: A must-have feature for engineering use cases, with outputs that can be used directly in reports.
• ✅ Multispectral support: Offers differentiated advantages in agriculture and environmental applications.
• ✅ Rich output formats: Compatible with GIS/BIM ecosystems, improving data reusability.

Cons:

• ❌ Relatively expensive: USD 225 per month is not friendly to individuals or low-frequency users.
• ❌ No clear refund policy: Purchase risk is relatively high, and the trial period may not be sufficient.
• ❌ Weak support for Chinese users: No Chinese interface, no Chinese-language customer service, and limited payment options.
• ❌ Cloud feature latency: Cloud collaboration servers are in Europe, making access slow and unstable for users in China.
• ❌ High hardware requirements: Large projects require a high-performance GPU and substantial memory, increasing hidden costs.

Comparison with similar products

• Pix4Dmapper: A Swiss brand costing around USD 350 per month. It offers more comprehensive features, including RTK integration and real-time differential support, but is more expensive and has a slightly steeper learning curve. Best for surveying projects with extremely high accuracy requirements.
• Agisoft Metashape: Developed in Russia, with a one-time purchase of around USD 179 for the Standard edition. It offers strong value for money, but requires more manual parameter handling and has weaker multispectral support. Suitable for users with limited budgets but some technical experience.
• RealityCapture: A Slovak product billed by Credits, with individual processing costs of roughly USD 0.1-0.5 per photo. It is extremely fast, but the interface is complex and it does not directly support drone flight-strip optimization. Best for 3D modeling studios that prioritize maximum processing speed.

Positioning difference: The core selling points of 3dsurvey.si are “all-in-one” and “native drone support,” while Pix4D leans more toward professional surveying, Metashape toward flexible customization, and RealityCapture toward ultra-fast modeling. For Chinese users who need Chinese support and localized payment, DJI Terra is the safer choice.

Final recommendation

• Best-fit scenarios: If you are a drone service provider in Europe or North America, or you are based in China but already have a dual-currency credit card and work on projects with moderate accuracy requirements, such as construction-site earthwork calculations or small-scale cultural heritage modeling, the integrated experience of 3dsurvey.si can save time. It is recommended to apply for a trial through the official website first, usually a 30-day free trial, to confirm whether the workflow fits your needs.
• Less suitable scenarios: Hobbyists, budget-constrained startups, companies that require a Chinese interface and local customer support, and finance workflows that require Chinese invoices. In these cases, DJI Terra or Agisoft Metashape will be easier to adopt and more cost-controllable.
• Risk notes: Before purchasing, be sure to contact customer support to confirm the refund policy, though email replies may be slow, and test whether your VPN is stable. If your project depends on cloud collaboration, evaluate the impact of server latency on team collaboration first. Overall, 3dsurvey.si is a capable piece of software with solid functionality, but limited localization support. It is best suited to users with overseas payment access and enough technical confidence.