A typical drone survey produces between five and twelve distinct file types, depending on the processing pipeline and the deliverables requested. The most common outputs are LAS/LAZ point clouds, GeoTIFF orthomosaics, OBJ or GLB 3D models, GeoTIFF elevation models (DEM/DSM), MP4 video, PDF reports, and KMZ overlays. Each format serves a different purpose, has different file size characteristics, and presents different challenges when sharing with clients.
This guide covers every format you are likely to encounter in a drone survey workflow — what it is, how large it gets, what produces it, how to view it, and how to deliver it.
Point clouds: LAS and LAZ
What they are
LAS (LASer) is the standard format for storing point cloud data — collections of millions or billions of 3D points, each with XYZ coordinates and attributes like RGB colour, intensity, return number, and classification. LAZ is the losslessly compressed version of LAS, typically 5-10x smaller.
Point clouds are produced by photogrammetry processing (from overlapping drone photos) or from drone-mounted LiDAR sensors.
Typical file sizes
| Source | Point count | LAS size | LAZ size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small site (1-2 ha) | 10-50 million | 500 MB - 2 GB | 50 - 200 MB |
| Medium site (5-10 ha) | 50-200 million | 2 - 8 GB | 200 MB - 1 GB |
| Large site (50+ ha) | 500M - 2 billion | 20 - 80 GB | 2 - 8 GB |
What produces them
- Photogrammetry: Pix4D, Agisoft Metashape, DroneDeploy, OpenDroneMap
- LiDAR processing: DJI Terra, Yellowscan CloudStation, LiDAR360
How to view them
Desktop: CloudCompare (free), QGIS, Global Mapper. Browser: Potree-based viewers stream point clouds progressively, loading only what is visible at the current zoom level. No software installation required.
How to deliver them
Raw LAZ files are the standard deliverable for technical clients. For non-technical clients, browser-based viewing is essential — sending a LAZ file to someone without CloudCompare is sending a file they cannot open. For a detailed walkthrough, see our guide on how to share LAS files with clients.
Orthomosaics: GeoTIFF
What they are
An orthomosaic is a single, geometrically corrected aerial image stitched together from hundreds or thousands of overlapping drone photos. It is orthorectified — meaning distortions from camera angle and terrain are removed — so every pixel is geographically accurate and measurable.
The standard format is GeoTIFF: a TIFF image file with embedded geospatial metadata (coordinate reference system, bounding box, pixel resolution).
Typical file sizes
| Coverage | Resolution | File size |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 hectares | 2 cm/px | 200 MB - 1 GB |
| 5-10 hectares | 2 cm/px | 1 - 5 GB |
| 50+ hectares | 5 cm/px | 5 - 20 GB |
File size depends primarily on ground sampling distance (GSD) and area covered. A 2 cm/px orthomosaic of a large site produces very large files.
What produces them
Pix4D, Agisoft Metashape, DroneDeploy, OpenDroneMap, DJI Terra, Maps Made Easy.
How to view them
Desktop: QGIS (free), Global Mapper, ArcGIS. Browser: Leaflet or MapLibre viewers can render GeoTIFFs as map overlays with pan/zoom. Standard image viewers will open the file but will not display geospatial context.
How to deliver them
For our detailed guide, see how to share a GeoTIFF online. The key challenge is that GeoTIFFs are not viewable in standard image viewers with their spatial context intact. A platform that renders them on a map with coordinates and zoom gives the client a far more useful experience than a raw file download.
3D models: OBJ, GLB, FBX
What they are
3D textured meshes reconstructed from drone imagery via photogrammetry. These are surface models — not point clouds — with continuous faces (triangles) draped with photo-derived textures.
- OBJ: The most common exchange format. Comes with an MTL material file and texture images (JPG/PNG). Plain text, no compression.
- GLB: Binary glTF format. Self-contained (geometry + textures in one file). Compact. The modern standard for web-based 3D.
- FBX: Autodesk’s proprietary format. Common in architecture and BIM workflows.
Typical file sizes
| Model complexity | OBJ (with textures) | GLB |
|---|---|---|
| Simple structure | 50 - 200 MB | 20 - 80 MB |
| Medium site | 200 MB - 1 GB | 80 - 400 MB |
| High detail, large area | 1 - 5 GB | 400 MB - 2 GB |
GLB files are significantly smaller than OBJ because they use binary encoding and can embed compressed textures.
What produces them
Pix4D, Agisoft Metashape, RealityCapture, OpenDroneMap, DroneDeploy. For Gaussian splat reconstructions (a newer approach), see our Gaussian splats explainer.
How to view them
Desktop: Blender (free), MeshLab (free), SketchUp, Autodesk Viewer. Browser: Three.js renders GLB and OBJ natively with full rotation, zoom, and texture display. No plugins required.
How to deliver them
GLB is the preferred format for client delivery because it is self-contained (no separate texture files) and browser-viewable. See our guide on how to share a 3D model online.
Elevation models: DEM and DSM (GeoTIFF)
What they are
Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and Digital Surface Models (DSMs) represent terrain and surface height as raster grids. Each pixel stores an elevation value rather than a colour.
- DSM (Digital Surface Model): Includes everything — ground, buildings, trees, vegetation. Represents what the sensor sees.
- DEM/DTM (Digital Elevation/Terrain Model): Ground surface only, with structures and vegetation filtered out.
Both are typically stored as single-band or multi-band GeoTIFF files.
Typical file sizes
Elevation models are single-channel rasters, so they are significantly smaller than orthomosaics of the same area. A DEM of a 10-hectare site at 5 cm resolution might be 50-200 MB.
What produces them
Same photogrammetry tools that produce orthomosaics: Pix4D, Metashape, DroneDeploy, OpenDroneMap.
How to view them
Desktop: QGIS (free, with hillshade and colour ramp styling), Global Mapper, ArcGIS. Browser: Rendered as colour-ramped map overlays using Leaflet or MapLibre, or as 3D terrain in deck.gl or CesiumJS.
How to deliver them
Typically delivered alongside the orthomosaic as part of a complete survey package. Non-technical clients rarely interact with DEMs directly — they are more commonly used by engineers, designers, and GIS analysts. Including a hillshade render or contour export (DXF) as a companion deliverable helps non-technical clients understand the terrain data.
Video: MP4
What they are
Drone video footage — either raw flight video or processed flythroughs of 3D reconstructions. MP4 with H.264 or H.265 encoding is the universal standard.
Typical file sizes
| Duration | Resolution | File size |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 minutes | 4K | 500 MB - 1.5 GB |
| 5-10 minutes | 4K | 2 - 6 GB |
| 1-2 minutes | 1080p | 150 - 500 MB |
What produces them
Raw: DJI drones, Autel drones, any camera-equipped UAV. Processed flythroughs: Pix4D, Metashape, CloudCompare (animation export).
How to view them
Any device. MP4 is universally supported. Browser playback is native — no plugins, no software.
How to deliver them
Video is the one format where Dropbox and WeTransfer work fine, because the client can actually open the file. The value of a dedicated platform is organisation (video alongside point cloud, orthomosaic, and report in one branded interface) rather than viewing capability.
360 panoramas: equirectangular JPG/PNG
What they are
Spherical panoramic images captured by 360-degree cameras (often mounted on the drone or captured at ground level). Stored as equirectangular projections — a single rectangular image that maps to a full sphere.
Typical file sizes
A single high-resolution 360 panorama is typically 20-80 MB as a JPEG. A set of panoramas for a site walkthrough might total 200 MB - 1 GB.
What produces them
Insta360, Ricoh Theta, DJI drones with 360 capability, or stitched from multiple drone photos using panorama stitching tools.
How to view them
Desktop: Any image viewer shows the flat equirectangular image, but this is not useful. Dedicated viewers (GoPano, Insta360 app) or browser-based 360 viewers render the image as an interactive sphere you can look around in.
How to deliver them
A 360 panorama delivered as a flat JPEG is confusing to a client — it looks distorted and strange. It needs to be rendered in a 360 viewer to be useful. Browser-based 360 viewers handle this natively, giving the client an immersive look-around experience.
Reports: PDF
What they are
Survey reports, flight logs, accuracy assessments, processing reports, and quality summaries. Standard PDF format.
Typical file sizes
1-50 MB depending on embedded images and maps.
What produces them
Pix4D (quality report), Metashape (processing report), DroneDeploy (automated reports), or manually assembled by the surveyor.
How to view them
Universal. Every device opens PDFs natively.
How to deliver them
PDF is the one format that needs no special handling. However, delivering the report alongside the spatial data it references — in the same interface, under the same session — gives the client a complete picture rather than disconnected attachments.
KMZ/KML overlays
What they are
KMZ (compressed KML) files contain geographic data viewable in Google Earth and other GIS tools. Common uses: site boundaries, flight paths, ground control point locations, and simplified orthomosaic overlays.
Typical file sizes
Usually small — 1-50 MB. KMZ files that embed imagery can be larger.
What produces them
Pix4D, DroneDeploy, Google Earth Pro, QGIS (export). Many drone operators create KMZ files as lightweight “preview” layers that clients can open in Google Earth without needing GIS software.
How to view them
Google Earth (free), Google Maps (limited), QGIS, ArcGIS, Global Mapper. Browser: can be parsed and rendered on Leaflet or MapLibre maps.
DXF drawings
What they are
DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) is Autodesk’s open format for CAD drawings. In survey workflows, DXF files typically contain contour lines, boundary lines, feature surveys, and site plans derived from the drone survey data.
Typical file sizes
Usually 1-100 MB depending on complexity.
What produces them
Generated from point clouds or elevation models using CAD or GIS software: AutoCAD, Civil 3D, QGIS (contour extraction), Global Mapper, 12d Model.
How to view them
Desktop: AutoCAD, DraftSight (free), QGIS. Browser: DXF viewers can parse and render the vector data on a map or in a 2D canvas.
How to deliver them
DXF is commonly requested by engineers and architects who will import the data into their own CAD workflows. For clients who just need to see the drawing, a browser-based DXF viewer or a PDF export of the drawing is more accessible.
Summary table
| Format | Type | Typical size | Client can open? | Browser viewable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAS/LAZ | Point cloud | 50 MB - 80 GB | No (needs specialist software) | Yes (Potree) |
| GeoTIFF (ortho) | Raster imagery | 200 MB - 20 GB | Partially (no geo context) | Yes (map overlay) |
| OBJ/GLB | 3D model | 20 MB - 5 GB | No (needs 3D viewer) | Yes (Three.js) |
| GeoTIFF (DEM/DSM) | Elevation raster | 50 - 500 MB | No (needs GIS software) | Yes (colour ramp overlay) |
| MP4 | Video | 150 MB - 6 GB | Yes | Yes (native) |
| Equirectangular JPG | 360 panorama | 20 - 80 MB | Flat view only | Yes (360 viewer) |
| Report | 1 - 50 MB | Yes | Yes (native) | |
| KMZ/KML | Geographic overlay | 1 - 50 MB | Google Earth only | Yes (map viewer) |
| DXF | CAD drawing | 1 - 100 MB | No (needs CAD software) | Yes (DXF viewer) |
| E57 | Scan data | 1 - 200 GB | No (needs specialist software) | Yes (converted) |
The delivery challenge
Looking at that table, the pattern is clear: most drone survey outputs require specialist software that your client does not have. PDF, video, and basic images are the exceptions — everything else is inaccessible without the right tools.
This is why professional drone survey delivery requires more than file transfer. If you send a client a folder containing a LAZ, a GeoTIFF, a GLB, a DEM, a DXF, and a PDF, they can open exactly one of those six files.
A delivery platform that provides browser viewers for every spatial format — point clouds via Potree, orthomosaics on maps, 3D models via Three.js, DXF drawings in a vector renderer — transforms an inaccessible folder of specialist files into an interactive, explorable survey experience.
That is the difference between delivering files and delivering data.