Plex-Earth Lite: The Perfect Tool for Viewing Google Maps Imagery in CAD
What is Plex-Earth?
Plex-Earth is a powerful software tool that integrates with CAD programs (such as AutoCAD) to bring real-world geographic data, satellite/historical imagery, and terrain models, from various providers (basemap and premium), directly into design workflows. For more than 10 years, we've been helping some of the most notable engineering firms worldwide design in a way that's swifter, smarter, and more cost-effective.
What is Plex-Earth Lite?
Plex-Earth Lite is the light version of Plex-Earth's flagship, and can enable any professional in the field to:
Quickly view Google Maps imagery in AutoCAD and BricsCAD.
Easily view imagery and terrain downloaded with the full version of Plex-Earth on any computer.
Georeference any drawing by selecting a coordinate system or by specifying the location in Google Earth.
Take advantage of Google Earth's elements like placemarks, paths, and polygons for validation or information exchange.
And all these are completely free!
First time in Plex-Earth Lite: How can I start?
1. Georeferencing
Relating a drawing to a Coordinate System is the first thing you should do before applying any command in Plex-Earth. This way, all the imported or exported data will be placed in the correct coordinates.
In Plex-Earth, there are various ways to georeference your drawing:
Choose from our extensive list of thousands of coordinate systems, each categorized by country—command: By Coordinate System.
Corresponding a Google Earth placemark with a point in CAD—command: By Geographic Location (Custom Georeference).
Georeferencing your drawing with CAD's GEO command—We will recognize any Coordinate System you have chosen.
However, if you want to try out Plex-Earth for the first time and play with it in a blank drawing, we recommend that you copy a placemark of your project area in Google Earth and then go to Quick Site View. This will bring a quick base map of your project area and georeference your drawing at the same time; no further georeference actions are needed. See how this is done here.
2. Contextual Data
After georeferencing, you can proceed to the Contextual Data. This is where the software imports instant Google Maps imagery and creates Points of Interest (POIs) for your project site directly into your AutoCAD drawings.
Quick Site View
To start with, we recommend that you copy a placemark from Google Earth and then go to Quick Site View. You can specify the exact area in which you want to import data by clicking on the (-) or (+) symbols.
2. Quick Site Views cannot be printed/plotted. However, with the full version of Plex-Earth, one can import an imagery mosaic and may plot/print the mosaic depending on each provider's Terms of Use. More information can be found here.
Points of Interest (POIs)
After importing a Quick Site View, which works as a basemap, you can then create various Points of Interest (POIs) like buildings, crossroads, etc, at the same place. The Point of Interest tool is for you if you need to pinpoint multiple small areas or point-sized areas in your drawing.
View any Imagery and Terrain created with the Full Version of Plex-Earth
Want to share your Plex-Earth imports with your team?
Whether you’re using the full version or your colleagues are, you can all benefit from high-quality imagery and terrain data.
With any paid plan, imports automatically reload every time a drawing is opened.
And with Plex-Earth Lite, the same applies—just open the DWG file, and the imports instantly appear. Simply save and share the drawing, and anyone with the free version of Plex-Earth can view the data.
Get familiar with the process in this tutorial.
3. Google Earth Tools
Having communication between Google Earth and CAD software is very important, as it can be the medium that will allow the engineer to associate their design with the real world.
With the Lite version, the engineer can create placemarks, paths, and polygons in CAD and export them to Google Earth.
Now, instant feedback regarding the location or the boundaries of an area can be obtained by using Plex-Earth's Google Earth tools.
For more information, take a look at this tutorial.
4. Raster Tools
Our guidance through the ribbon ends with the Raster Tools section. You can import Camera photos from GPS-enabled devices, Import/Export World Files, and Merge, Trim, replace, or create Clippings with just a few clicks.
Conclusion
With Plex-Earth Lite, any engineer can now have this perfect design companion for free. From viewing Google Maps imagery or images imported with the full version to connecting to Google Earth, the design process can now come with fewer worries! Get a good sense of how your area looks, very easily and very quickly, from your computer screen.
And if you want to enjoy more magic, then of course you can try out Plex-Earth 2026. This means more imagery features, more providers, editing tools, terrain data, and the ability to import/export KML/KMZ features!