Introduction
In this tutorial, we’ll guide you through the process of importing georeferenced historical (or any other) images from Google Earth into your CAD drawing. While Google Earth does not permit direct third-party access to its content, Plex-Earth 2026 provides a powerful tool that enables you to access georeferenced raster images from Google Earth seamlessly.
With this capability, you can retrieve historical datasets available on Google Earth and incorporate them into your CAD projects. Follow the steps below to import Google Earth imagery into your CAD drawing efficiently.
Step 1: Locate Your Area of Interest in Google Earth
Step 2: Create and Copy a Reference path from Google Earth
Step 3: Locate the Import Images Command on the Plex-Earth Ribbon and Paste your Reference Path
Step 4: Create the Reference Image in Google Earth
Step 5: Insert the Reference Image
Step 6: Alignment of Reference Imagery and Reference Path
Step 7: Create and Import the Historical Images from Google Earth
Step 8 (Optional): Merge and Clip your Google Earth Images
Tips about Importing Google Earth Historical Imagery
Step 1: Locate Your Area of Interest in Google Earth
Open Google Earth and locate the area where you want to proceed with imports. It does not need to be the exact area you are going to import.
Make sure that the altitude of the area is sufficient for your import needs
Step 2: Create and Copy a Reference Path from Google Earth
The first thing you need to do is to create a reference path in Google Earth, which will help Plex-Earth and you to place and scale your images. After creating the path, copy it.
Step 3: Locate the Import Images Command on the Plex-Earth Ribbon and Paste your Reference Path
Locate the Import Images command in the Google Earth tools part of the Plex-Earth Ribbon. The Import Images command is a very comprehensive tool that guides you step by step on how to import Google Earth historical imagery.
After clicking the Import Images command, the following window appears.
Click on Check Clipboard and the copied reference path will be pasted into your CAD drawing.
Now, the respective Editor in the Collection Manager of Plex-Earth will open and show to the next steps.
Step 4: Create the Reference Image in Google Earth
Go back to Google Earth and make sure that the altitude of the imagery is sufficient for your import needs. Then click on File -> Save -> Save Image.
Untick all the Map Options, so this image (and the next ones) are saved without any unnecessary objects on it.
Then choose the desired resolution and save the image with a name of your choice (e.g. Reference Image).
Now click on the Create Placemark icon on Google Earth. A placemark will appear on the center of your Google Earth screen.
Step 5: Insert the Reference Image
Go to the Collection Manager Editor and select Load Image.
Locate your reference image and load it. If you have not created the accompanied placemark or you have not named it the same as the image, or you have saved it as KMZ and not as KML, you will receive the following message in the command line:
*** Error: Could not find the accompanying KML file for image 'Reference Image.png
If everything is ok, you will receive the following message.
Step 6: Alignment of Reference Imagery and Reference Path
Now you will need to use the Align command of CAD to associate the Reference Image with the Reference Path.
Associate the first point of the path on the image, with the first point of the reference path, and follow with the second one. Select YES in scaling objects based to the alignment points.
After finishing, select Confirm Alignment on the Collection Manager Editor.
You get a message of confirmation.
You can delete the reference path and the reference image as they are no longer needed. This is optional.
Step 7: Create and Import the Historical Images from Google Earth
Introduction
Go back to Google Earth to create the images you want to import in your CAD. First, disable the reference path and placemark for better visibility.
In case you need historical images, go to the clock button of Google Earth, and on the slider, choose the date of your preference.
To create the images successfully, you need to keep the eye altitude with your reference image. If the eye altitude changes, you will encounter discrepancies. To keep the same eye altitude, just pan on your Google Earth screen until you locate your area of interest.
When you center the area you need to proceed to File -> Save -> Save Image. After that, create a placemark, keep it in its initial position, and save it as a KML in the same location and with the same name, as your image. For example image 1, placemark 1.
You repeat the process for as many images as you need. When you finish, you insert the images in your CAD using the Select Images to Import Button
The images are inserted.
You can create more images and use the same button if needed.
If you finish, you close the window and the process is terminated.
Step 8 (Optional): Merge and Clip your Google Earth Images
If you have inserted more than one image, you can use the Merge command of Plex-Earth to further edit them.
Find the Merge command at the Raster tools part of the Ribbon dropdown.
Select the Images and merge them, then save your new raster file.
You can further edit by applying a clipping border to the new image, using again Plex-Earth raster tools. Go again to Raster tools, expand and use the Create Clipping command.
Apply the clipping boundary and edit the imagery as you want.
Additional Notes on Importing Google Earth Historical Imagery
As this process requires multiple manual steps, you can find below summarized the parts of the process that require your attention as well as the accuracy limits.
- Make sure that you keep the eye altitude of your images below 1000m / 3280 ft. An altitude greater than that will lead to inaccuracies in the imported images.
- The images that are imported should be reasonably close to the reference image area, to avoid further inaccuracies.
- All the images should be at the same eye altitude as the reference image. If not, the imageries will be inserted with discrepancies.
- Every image should be accompanied by a placemark. The placemark should meet the following requirements: not moved from the point Google Earth placed it initially, saved as KML, saved with the same name as the image, and saved in the same location as the image.
- Save images before placemarks or hide the placemarks, to avoid being captured on the image
- Once you start importing images, you should not close the Editor displayed in the Collection Manager. If closed, you need to start the process from scratch.
We hope that you have found this tutorial on how to import Google Earth Historical Images into AutoCAD, helpful. Feel free to contact us at support@plexscape.com for any questions you may still have.
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Compatibility includes:
AutoCAD Version: 2025, 2024 , 2023 , 2022 , 2021 , 2020
Civil 3D® Version: 2025, 2024 , 2023 , 2022 , 2021 , 2020
AutoCAD Architecture Version: 2025, 2024 , 2023 , 2022 , 2021 , 2020
BricsCAD Pro: V25, V24 , V23 , V22 , V21