Have you heard of georeferencing but you’re not quite sure what it means? Don’t worry, we’ll explain it to you. Georeferencing is an operation that allows you to associate a piece of information, such as a photo or a 3D survey, with a real-world position on Earth. It helps to know exactly where a dataset was acquired and to use it in fields such as topography, construction, or GIS systems. In this article, we explain what georeferencing is, what it is used for, and how to do it easily, even if you’re not a technician, thanks to tools like the high-precision GPS ProTRACK, compatible with Matterport.
The term georeferencing refers to the process of assigning a precise position on the Earth’s surface to an object or piece of information (such as an image, point cloud, or 3D model), using either geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) or cartographic coordinates.
For example, if you take a photo of a building and the photo also contains GPS coordinates, you can know exactly where it was taken. This also applies to technical surveys, maps, 3D scans, or topographic data.
Without georeferencing, data exists but is not located.
What it is used for in practice
Georeferencing technical data is useful in many professional fields. Here are some practical examples:
- In topography, to link surveyed points to a real-world reference system.
- In construction, to compare the project with the actual state of a building.
- In surveys using laser scanners or 3D cameras, to create georeferenced models (Digital Twin).
- In GIS and cartography, to place information on digital maps.
- In BIM, to coordinate design models with territorial data.
Moreover, georeferencing gives legal and technical value to the data: a survey with real coordinates is verifiable, repeatable, and usable in official projects.
How to perform technical georeferencing
Georeferencing can be done in two ways:
- Directly in the field, using a high-precision GPS/GNSS receiver such as ProTRACK. In this case, the data is already georeferenced at the time of acquisition.
- In post-processing, using GIS or CAD software, by manually entering known references (coordinates, control points, etc.).
For accurate georeferencing, a receiver that supports RTK corrections or a Base + Rover setup is required.
In the case of complex surveys, such as those using drones or 3D cameras, this process is essential to obtain data consistent with reality.
Practical example: georeferencing a 3D scan
Let’s take a real case.
You’ve performed a 3D scan of a building using a camera like the Matterport Pro3. The result is a detailed, navigable 3D model, useful for representing spaces. But there’s a problem: it has no real-world coordinates.
To make that digital twin usable in GIS, CAD, or BIM, you need to georeference it.
How? By collecting precise GPS points that correspond to visible references in the scan.
This way, you can export your survey in georeferenced E57 format, compatible with all technical software.
ProTRACK: a useful tool if you want to do it easily
If you want to simplify the entire process, you can use ProTRACK, a GNSS receiver developed by Analist Group specifically designed for precise surveys, even on the go.
With ProTRACK you can:
- Collect GPS points with centimeter accuracy, even in areas without network coverage thanks to the Base + Rover mode.
- Associate the points with your 3D survey, obtaining a digital twin perfectly aligned with reality.
- Work in the field directly with your smartphone and an intuitive app.
- Export the data in a compatible format (e.g., E57) for processing in CAD, GIS, BIM, or technical management.
This allows you to automate and speed up the georeferencing process even if you’re not an expert.
Conclusion
Georeferencing is an invisible yet fundamental operation. It’s what turns a simple image or a 3D model into a useful, positioned, and valid piece of data for design, construction, measurement, and documentation.
If you want to start working with precise georeferenced data and simplify your workflows, explore tools like ProTRACK by Analist Group. It allows you to obtain georeferenced surveys in real time or even without network coverage, with maximum simplicity.
