How to edit your splat model

Our visual 3D Editor helps you prepare your GeoSplats for map use. This guide explains how to use the editor to set the correct position and scale of your splat model, so that you can add it to a map.

Before you start

As input, you need a clean Gaussian splats file in .ply format. For how to prepare it, see the 3D Editor intro.

Upload splat model

1. In your MapTiler account, go to page Tiles → New tileset and upload your .ply file. If you prefer the command line or a JS library, check out other ways to upload your file.

2. The file is now automatically processed into a web-optimized splat model. This may take anywhere from minutes to hours, depending on model size and complexity. During processing, you can find your file on page Tiles, section Incomplete uploads.

3. When the processing is finished, go to the model preview and click Edit model to open it in the editor.

Locate your splat model

The editor opens showing a satellite map. Go to the location where you want to place the splat model (you can use the search box) and click there. Placing the model may take a while.

To choose a different map for visual reference, use the Basemap button in the left menu.

Basic map controls:

• Use left mouse button to move the map (pan).
• Use right mouse button to rotate and tilt the map.
• Use mouse wheel to zoom in and out.

Move horizontally

Once you’ve placed the model, you can move it around the map to adjust its position. There are two ways to do that:

• Hover over Latitude and Longitude and use the slider, or type new values.

• Click on the model and move it manually. Note the bounding box around the model:

  • Blue box means you’re moving the map.
  • Yellow box means you’re moving the model.

Move vertically

The model’s altitude adjusts as you move it over uneven terrain, but there are options to give you more control over the vertical position:

• Click Snap to terrain to automatically align the model with the ground level.
• Hover over Altitude and use the slider to manually fine-tune the height.

Move long distance

If you need to move the model to a completely different location, use the Relocate model button.

Scale and rotate

To rotate the model or change its scale (relative size), hover over the respective value in the left panel and use the slider. Currently it’s not possible to adjust these values by manipulating the model directly in the map view.

Save and exit

When you’re happy with the result, click Publish to save your progress and close the editor. Your model is now georeferenced (contains location data) and can be already used on a map, but you can always come back to modify it.

Next steps

Your splat model is now ready and hosted in your MapTiler account on page Tiles. Next steps:

1. Set detail rendering (optional). The model preview includes an HD/SD toggle that allows you to balance rendering quality and performance:

   • SD (standard): Optimized for performance. The details adapt dynamically based on zoom level and end user device, so the model loads fast while keeping solid visual fidelity. This is the default for large models.
   • HD (high): Optimized for maximum visual quality. The model renders at full detail on all zoom levels. This is the default for smaller models. For large models, we only recommend using this option if you’re sure that end users will view the map on high-performance hardware that can handle dense splat data.

   Smaller splat models always render in high detail, because they require fewer system resources and there’s low risk of affecting performance. For this reason, smaller models will likely look and perform the same regardless of the option you select.

2. Add your model to a map. To create your web map, use our GeoSplats SDK. Start with the basic instructions on the SDK page, or go directly to all code examples to see what you can build.