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      Inputs - PIX4Dmatic

      This article provides a comprehensive list of all supported input file types in PIX4Dmatic, including their formats and descriptions.

      IN THIS ARTICLE

      Images

      Image geolocation and orientation

      Region of interest (ROI)

      Ground Control Points (GCPs) file

      Marks file

      Vector files

      Processing templates

      Point cloud

      Import dialog for PIX4Dmatic

      Images

      PIX4Dmatic is based on image processing using JPEG or TIFF formats.

      Extension Description
      .jpg, .JPG, .jpeg, .JPEG JPEG images

      .tiff, .TIFF, .tif, .TIF

      		 TIFF images and depth maps

      For more information about the supported cameras see: Which cameras are supported in PIX4Dmatic.

      Image geolocation and orientation

      The import of image geolocation and orientation is useful when the values are not available in the EXIF/Xmp tags or when using PPK workflows.

      Extension Description
      .csv, .txt A text file containing seven or nine columns per line and a comma (,) to separate the values
      • Seven columns: ID, coordinates, Yaw, Pitch, Roll
      • Nine columns: ID, coordinates, Yaw, Pitch, Roll, Accuracy Horz, Accuracy Vert

      For more information: How to import and export image geolocation and orientation files - PIX4Dmatic

      Example: Image geolocation in geographic coordinates, Yaw, Pitch, Roll or Omega, Phi, Kappa:

      imagename, coordinate1 (decimal degrees), coordinate2 (decimal degrees), z (meter), yaw (decimal degrees), pitch (decimal degrees), roll (decimal degrees)

      IMG_3165.JPG,46.2345612,6.5611445,539.931,38.6,3.5,8.3
      IMG_3166.JPG,46.2323423,6.5623423,529.823,44.1,3.4,5.4

      Region of interest (ROI)

      PIX4Dmatic allows importing a defined area using .kml files, ensuring precise geographic coordinates for improved alignment and reconstruction of 3D models.

      Extension  Description 
      .kml A standard format file for storing geographic data, often used for representing points, lines, polygons, and other features in photogrammetry applications.

      Note: The file should contain only a single geometry.

      Ground Control Points (GCPs) file

      Ground Control Points (GCPs) are used for precisely georeferencing the project.

      Extension Description
      .csv, .txt A text file containing four or six columns per line and a comma (,) to separate the values.
      • Four columns: ID and coordinates
      • Six columns: ID, coordinates, Accuracy Horz, and Accuracy Vert
       

      For more information and all formats please see the GCPs import format article.

      Example: GCPs in projected coordinates with accuracy values:

      label, X(units), Y(units),z (units), Accuracy Horz (units), Accuracy Vert (units

      GCP0,2532795.105,1152094.639,395.883,0.02,0.02
      GCP1,2532728.805,1152079.825,396.619,0.02,0.02

      Marks file

      Marks can be imported if they were previously marked and exported in a PIX4Dmapper or PIX4Dmatic project.

      Extension Description
      .csv, .txt
      A text file containing positions of marks on individual images.

      For more information please see the How to import GCP marks from PIX4Dmapper into PIX4Dmatic article.

      Vector files

      Geometries can be imported into PIX4Dmatic if they are exported as vector files. The following conditions must be met:

      Project CRS Requirement:

      • The option to import vector files becomes available only if the project's Coordinate Reference System (CRS) is set.
      CRS Requirements for Imported Files:
      • The files must include a valid CRS (e.g., an accompanying .prj file) from which a WKT can be extracted.
      • All imported files must share the same CRS.

      Extension
      		 Description
      DXF files .dxf Vector file formats used to store geometric and spatial data, with DXF primarily for CAD designs, SHP for GIS-based mapping and attributes, and GeoJSON for lightweight, web-friendly geospatial data.
      Shapefiles .shp, .zip, .shz
      GeoJSON files .geojson, .json

      Note: Imported layer colors may not be fully preserved. It is recommended to adjust layer colors after importing them.

      Processing templates

      Custom processing templates can be imported if they were previously saved and exported from a PIX4Dmatic project.

      Extension Description
      .json A file containing a custom processing template including the Title and a Description (Optional)

      For more information: Custom processing templates - PIX4Dmatic

      Point cloud

      Point clouds can be imported into PIX4Dmatic from various sources, including aerial surveys, terrestrial laser scanning, and photogrammetry.

      When importing point clouds, it is essential to ensure that the file format is compatible with PIX4Dmatic. The supported formats are .las and .laz.  

      Acquisition type  
      Unestructured Normals cannot be computed for point clouds. Mesh generation will not be possible.
      Nadir Normals will be calculated assuming the laser scan was captured from above.
      Static The scanner is assumed to be positioned at the origin of the point cloud's local coordinate system.
      With trajectory Trajectory file can be imported together with the point cloud. To use the trajectory option, the point cloud must include a GPS time attribute.