Overview/Introduction
This guide walks you through the process of preparing and uploading Revit (IFC) files into DroneDeploy for enhanced visualization and analysis.
Availability
The ability to upload and visualize IFC models is available for all paid DroneDeploy subscriptions.
Integrating Revit (IFC) Models
This section focuses on preparing your Revit models for export as IFC files and uploading them to DroneDeploy.
Step 1: Open your Revit model and manage links
Open the Revit model you intend to use.
Navigate to the Manage tab in the Revit ribbon.
Click on Manage Links to view all linked Revit models within your central file.
Note: You can load or unload linked models here. For simpler exports, unload unnecessary links to reduce file size. To combine models, ensure they are loaded.
Step 2: Create or select a 3D View for export
Go to the View tab in Revit.
Create a new 3D View or select an existing custom 3D View you prepared for exports.
Tip: To export specific sections, use a Section Box to isolate the desired portion of the model.
Step 3: Verify geolocation (alignment is critical)
In your selected 3D View, open Visibility/Graphics Overrides (VG).
Search for Survey Point and toggle it on.
Select the Survey Point in your model to view its coordinates.
Validate these coordinates against your civil files (for example, from Civil 3D or PDF formats) to ensure the Revit model is properly geolocated.
If your model is not geolocated:
Keep the Survey Point clipped initially.
Move it to the precise real-world coordinate point (for example, an intersection of grid lines or a building corner for which you have real world coordinates).
Unclip the Survey Point.
Go to Manage > Coordinates > Specify Coordinates at Point.
Click on the Survey Point (you may need to tab through elements until it highlights).
Input the real-world Northing, Easting and Elevation data.
Input the angle to True North from your civil files.
Link your civil CAD file in DWG format by shared coordinates to verify alignment:
Navigate to the Manage tab in the Revit ribbon.
Click on Manage Links to view all linked Revit models within your central file.
Click on Add and then CAD Formats.
Select your civil drawing, ensure units are set correctly and not left at Auto-Detect (for example, enter feet).
Choose positioning as Auto - By Shared Coordinates.
Verify your civil drawing aligns to your Revit model.
If the model is far away from your civil drawing, use the steps above to re-geolocate your file then reload your civil drawing.
Important: After setting new coordinates, ensure you Publish Coordinates (Manage > Coordinates > Publish Coordinates) to make them the shared coordinates of the model, as DroneDeploy references these during import.
Step 4: Prepare elements for export (visibility)
In your 3D View, adjust the visibility of linked models and elements based on what you want to include in your IFC export.
You can toggle on/off specific linked models via Visibility/Graphics Overrides (VG) > Revit Links tab.
Consideration: For very large models, exporting individual Revit models as separate IFC layers in DroneDeploy is often the best practice to manage file size and load times.
Step 5: Export to IFC
Go to File > Export > IFC.
Click Modify Setup to access export options.
Additional Content Tab:
To export all loaded linked files into a single IFC, uncheck Export linked files as separate IFC projects (be mindful of file size).
To export only what is visible in your current 3D View (for example, if you used a section box), check Export only elements visible in view.
File Size Limit: DroneDeploy has a 300MB limit for IFC uploads. Aim for files under 100MB for optimal loading performance.
General Tab:
Under Geographic Reference, ensure Shared Coordinates is selected. This is critical for proper alignment in DroneDeploy.
For IFC Schema, IFC 2x3 Coordination View 2.0 is the recommended and reliable option.
Click OK to save your setup.
Proceed with the export. If you chose to export linked files separately, Revit will generate individual IFC files for each.
Uploading Models to DroneDeploy
Once your IFC files are prepared, bring them into DroneDeploy.
Step 1: Access the Overlays tab in DroneDeploy
Log into your DroneDeploy account.
Navigate to the specific project dashboard where you want to add the models.
On the left-hand side of the interface, click the Layers or Overlays tab. This is the key screen for managing your 3D/2D visualizations.
Step 2: Upload your files
Click the Upload button within the Overlays tab.
Select the prepared IFC or DXF files from your computer.
If you exported multiple separate IFCs (for example, for different Revit models), upload them one by one.
Allow the files to upload and process.
Step 3: Visualize and manipulate your models
Once uploaded, your models will appear as new layers in the Overlays tab.
Toggle on or off the visibility of each layer to display your models on top of your drone map.
You can also adjust the opacity and transparency of the model layers and the drone map itself to better visualize underground utilities or internal building structures.
Explore the model properties
Click on individual elements within the loaded models in DroneDeploy.
Utilize "Clamp to Lines" (for IFC overlays): For IFC layers, you will see an option to Clamp to Lines. Toggling this on flattens the geometry and drapes it directly onto the 3D mesh surface of your drone map. This is useful for visualizing how lines or features lay on the ground.
By following these steps, you effectively integrate your high-accuracy BIM and CAD models with your DroneDeploy maps, which provides powerful visualization and quality control capabilities directly within the platform.
Limitations/Considerations
File Size Limit: DroneDeploy has a 300MB limit for IFC uploads. Aim for files under 100MB for optimal loading performance.
If the model is very large, consider exporting individual Revit models as separate IFC layers.
V2.2