Add Ordnance Survey WMTS as a Custom Map in Plex-Earth

Ordnance Survey is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, providing authoritative and detailed topographic data. OS maps are widely used for planning, engineering, construction, and environmental projects, offering reliable and up-to-date base maps at multiple scales.

You can import high-quality Ordnance Survey imagery directly into your AutoCAD drawings using Plex-Earth's support for WMTS (Web Map Tile Service). This guide walks you through creating a free OS Data Hub account, retrieving your WMTS URL, and adding it as a custom map in Plex-Earth.

Step 1: Sign Up and Get Your Ordnance Survey API Key

Step 2: Get the WMTS Endpoint URL

Step 3: Add the Ordnance Survey WMTS Service in Plex-Earth

Step 4: Import Ordnance Survey Imagery into Your Drawing

Important Notes

List of Popular Map Services

Step 1: Sign Up and Get Your Ordnance Survey API Key

1. Visit the OS Data Hub.

2. If you already have an account with them, Log In. Otherwise, click Sign Up and create a free account.

3. Once logged in, go to the API Projects section and click Create New Project. Name your project.
   

4. To receive an API key, click on Add an API to this project and select OS Maps API.
   

5. Once created, the API Key and endpoint address will be shown on your dashboard.

Step 2: Get the WMTS Endpoint URL

Use the following format to connect to the Ordnance Survey WMTS:

Replace YOUR_API_KEY with the one you copied from your OS Data Hub project.

Alternatively, copy the WMTS API Endpoint address, which will be used in adding the custom map.

Step 3: Add the WMTS Service in Plex-Earth

Tutorial: How to Add a Custom Map

1. When importing imagery, click + Add Custom Map, add a name to your map, and click on Save & Edit.

2. In the Map Explorer, click Create a New Map, click on the plus icon, then select WMTS as the map type.

3. In the URL field, paste the full WMTS URL (with your API key):

   https://api.os.uk/maps/raster/v1/wmts?key=YOUR_API_KEY
4. Click the icon to manage the WMS layer and view its properties.

5. Select a layer such as:

   • Road_3857

   • Outdoor_3857

   • Light_27700

   • Leisure_27700
     Make sure to select the correct corresponding layer in accordance with the Matrix set you will select. If Road_3857 is selected, Matrix Set should be EPSG:3857, and for Road_27700, it should be EPSG:27700.
     

6. In the Name field, add a name to your custom map layer (e.g., Ordnance Survey Outdoor).

7. Click Save and Create.

Step 4: Import Ordnance Survey Imagery into Your Drawing

After adding the Ordnance Survey WMTS as a custom map provider, you can select it as the provider when importing a mosaic or single image.

Tutorial: How to Create Imagery Mosaics or  How to Create Single Images

That's how easy it is to quickly create a map customized for your project through Plex-Earth. 

ℹ️ NOTE: When creating imagery from custom maps, some of the image tiles may not load completely and return a blank or white tile. Setting a higher tile capture delay value (e.g., 20s or above) may help. You may also need to restart your Plex-Earth session for the changes to take effect.

Important Notes

• Supported Coordinate Systems: Ordnance Survey WMTS supports both EPSG:3857 (Web Mercator) and EPSG:27700 (British National Grid). Choose the one that best suits your project.

• Attribution: Proper attribution must be included whenever you publish or share maps using Ordnance Survey imagery.

• Performance: WMTS provides pre-rendered tiles for fast and responsive imagery loading, ideal for smooth navigation in large-scale projects. There are cases where some WMS layers do not show up right away. Allow some time for the layers to load. In addition, certain layers only appear when a specific zoom level is reached. Setting a higher tile capture delay value may also be needed to import the imagery completely.

• Usage Compliance: Make sure to follow Ordnance Survey's terms of use, including respecting tile usage limits and attribution rules. See the OS Data Hub Terms and Conditions for more information.

List of Popular Map Services

Want to see what other servers you can connect to? You can find some popular ones that we tested here: List of Map Services Links

We hope that you have found this tutorial about Adding Ordnance Survey WMTS as a Custom Map in Plex-Earth, helpful. Feel free to contact us at support@plexscape.com for any questions you may still have.

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Compatibility includes:

AutoCAD, Civil 3D®, AutoCAD Map 3D, AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD MEP, AutoCAD Plant 3D: 2026 , 2025 , 2024 , 2023 , 2022 , 2021 , 2020
BricsCAD (Pro, Mechanical, BIM, Ultimate): V25 , V24 , V23 , V22 , V21