# Analyze terrain with new tools on Google Earth ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth.webp]] **Creator:** Google Earth · **Presenter:** Juan Francisco Saldarriaga, Senior Computational Designer, Google Earth · **Published:** 2026-09-29 · **Length:** 8:34 · [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c) > Caption source: the uploader's **manual English captions** (track en-j3PyPqV-e1s), downloaded with **yt-dlp** on the first try. No TubeAlfred credits were used. Section headings follow the video's own YouTube chapters. Screenshots come from the 1080p stream. > The demo is a mock site-selection study: a real estate developer comparing two candidate sites near the Galatsi Olympic Hall in Athens, Greece, before sending out a surveyor. The tools shown (contours, slope, aspect, cut and fill) launched in Google Earth on the web the same day, Sept 29 2026, alongside a Google Maps Platform blog post by the presenter ("A field guide to terrain analysis tools in Google Earth"). Where captions garble a number, the note says so. ## Outline ### 0:00 Intro - [0:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=0s) Juan Francisco Saldarriaga introduces himself as a senior computational designer on Google Earth. The goal: show how Google Earth saves time and supports better decisions in **site selection, site analysis and feasibility studies**. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0002.webp]] *Juan Francisco Saldarriaga introduces the video* - [0:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=10s) Preview of the new **Site analysis** menu in the toolbar: Contours, Slope, Aspect (and Cut and fill). ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0010.webp]] *The Site analysis dropdown with Contours, Slope and Aspect; a slope layer is visible on the site behind it* - [0:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=15s) Scenario: he is a real estate developer weighing two sites in Athens and wants to understand them before sending a surveyor into the field. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0030.webp]] *Flying in to Athens on the 3D globe* - [0:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=27s) Tour of the sites. Both sit around the Galatsi Olympic centre; site 1 first, then site 2. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0042.webp]] *Site 1 near the Galatsi Olympic Hall* ### 0:45 Comparing site - [0:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=45s) Clicking site 1 shows its area in the info panel: about **95,000 m²**, or **23 acres** after switching the unit dropdown. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0052.webp]] *Site 1 selected, with its area in the info panel* - [1:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=61s) Site 2 is **15 acres (about 63,000 m²)**, so a bit smaller. "Looking just at the imagery doesn't tell me that much." ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0064.webp]] *Site 2 selected for comparison* ### 1:17 Elevation profile - [1:17](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=77s) Drawing a path through site 1 opens the **elevation profile** graph: about 155 m at the low end, dipping, then rising to about 165 m, roughly a 15 m gain over about 500 m. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0090.webp]] *Elevation profile for a path across site 1* - [1:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=105s) The same path on site 2 shows much more elevation gain over a shorter distance. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0113.webp]] *Elevation profile across site 2: steeper climb in a shorter run* ### 2:00 Elevation contours - [1:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=119s) The **data catalog** holds pre-computed layers. Searching "contours" finds two elevation contour layers, at **40 m** and **20 m** intervals, for Professional and Professional Advanced users. He adds the 20 m layer. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0126.webp]] *The data catalog with pre-computed layers* - [2:25](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=145s) With 3D buildings turned off, site 1 shows a single contour (160 m). Site 2 has one near the bottom and another at 180 m in the middle, so it has more elevation gain. For sites this flat, though, that is not much detail. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0148.webp]] *The 20 m contour layer over both sites* ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0160.webp]] *20 m contours with 3D buildings off* - [2:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=178s) He switches the catalog layer off and uses the new **Contours** tool to generate his own contours: select a site, set the interval to **1 m**, and run it for both sites. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0214.webp]] *1 m contours generated for site 1* - [3:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=212s) Site 1's contours trace the terrain well: a small dip and flat areas. Site 2 has a very different profile, with lots of elevation gain and everything sloping towards the top of the site. Contours show the difference but not the exact slope. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0228.webp]] *1 m contours over site 2* ### 4:03 Slope - [4:05](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=245s) The **Slope** tool works the same way: select site 1, set resolution to **1 m** (each pixel is 1 m × 1 m), create; repeat for site 2. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0258.webp]] *Slope tool dialog with the resolution set to 1 m* - [4:36](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=276s) Layer **opacity** is adjustable: low to see the imagery, all the way up to see only the raster. He leaves it at about 80%. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0280.webp]] *Slope layers on both sites* - [5:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=301s) Site 1 is much flatter than site 2. Per the legend, part of site 2 runs around **30-35 degrees**, and only areas at its top and bottom are flat. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0302.webp]] *Slope rasters with the legend* ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0312.webp]] *Close-up of the slope raster on site 2* ### 5:22 Aspect - [5:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=322s) The **Aspect** tool: select the sites, set the resolution, create the layer for both. - [5:46](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=346s) Aspect shows which way each slope faces, useful for **solar exposure and drainage**. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0346.webp]] *The two aspect rasters* - [5:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=359s) Side by side: site 1 is more balanced, much of it facing north-west with some facing another direction (the captions say "Middle East"; likely south-east). Site 2 is less balanced, mostly north-facing with a little facing south. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0362.webp]] *Aspect layers side by side* ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0376.webp]] *Aspect raster detail on site 2* ### 6:25 Cut & Fill - [6:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=384s) Next is **cut and fill**, the grading of the site. He runs it on site 1, which looks better on slope and aspect. - [6:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=401s) The tool finds the ideal target elevation for grading, the one that minimises how much soil has to be brought in or taken away. - [6:55](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=415s) Results: red regions need **cut**, the blue region needs **fill**. The layer's target elevation is **155.78 m**, and at that level the net soil to move is about **0.02 m³**, "basically nothing." ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0416.webp]] *Cut (red) and fill (blue) regions on site 1* ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0432.webp]] *Processing panel: two contour layers, slope, aspect and cut-and-fill layers completed* - [7:21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=441s) The **data table** breaks the volumes down by region: region 4 is fill, and regions 1-3 are cut. Per the captions, region 4 needs about 388,701 m³ of soil, taken from the three cut regions. (The table's volume column is partly hidden in the frame.) ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0448.webp]] *The cut-and-fill data table by region* ### 7:43 Sharing & Project Collaboration - [7:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=463s) Final step after selecting, analyzing and designing: **Share**. The whole project goes to coworkers, clients and stakeholders, who can see the layers, why the site was chosen, and the vision for it right in Google Earth. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0472.webp]] *The Share project dialog* ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0490.webp]] *Back on the project view* - [8:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm92Wx-yv5c&t=489s) Wrap-up: Google Earth saves time, supports a considered selection based on real geospatial data and analysis, and makes it easy to collaborate. Closing card: Google Earth Standard with an "Upgrade now" prompt. ![[images/Analyze-terrain-with-new-tools-on-Google-Earth-t0506.webp]] *Closing card: Explore Earth, Standard plan, Upgrade now* ## Key takeaways - The four new tools (contours, slope, aspect, cut and fill) all follow the same flow: draw or select a polygon, set a parameter (interval or resolution), and generate a 3D overlay layer. - The method is to go from coarse to fine: area, then elevation profile, then catalog contours, then 1 m contours, slope, aspect, and finally cut and fill. - Every generated layer has adjustable opacity and sits in the project's layer list. A whole project can be shared. - Plans: per Google's launch post, the tools are on all Google Earth plans. **Standard** includes one tool-generated layer per month; **Professional** plans add more access and larger sites. The pre-computed 20 m and 40 m contour catalog layers are for Professional and Professional Advanced users. ## Things mentioned ### Google Earth features - **Site analysis tools** (Google Earth web, launched Sept 29 2026): **Contours** (1-20 m intervals), **Slope** (resolution down to 1 m), **Aspect** (compass direction each slope faces), **Cut and fill** (auto-optimal or custom target elevation; reports cut/fill volumes by region) - **Elevation profile** (graph along a drawn path) - **Data catalog** (pre-computed layers, including elevation contours at 20 m and 40 m intervals) - **Info panel / inspector** (area with unit dropdown: m², acres), layer **opacity** slider, **3D buildings** toggle, **data table** - **Share** (project sharing and collaboration) - Plans: **Standard**, **Professional**, **Professional Advanced** ### Places - **Athens, Greece**: the two demo sites near the **Galatsi Olympic Hall** (Galatsi Olympic centre), built for the 2004 Athens Olympics ### Concepts - Site selection, site analysis, feasibility studies; land surveying - Contour interval; slope in degrees; aspect for solar exposure and drainage; raster resolution - Cut and fill (earthwork grading), target elevation, net volume ### Links from the description - Launch Earth (goo.gle/4jeBjiP), Explore plans (goo.gle/44RsjHW), Learn more (goo.gle/4sFf4nB), Google Earth on X, Google Maps Platform on LinkedIn, Discord, and the "See what's new on Google Earth" playlist ### Sources checked - Google Maps Platform blog, "A field guide to terrain analysis tools in Google Earth," Juan Francisco Saldarriaga, Sept 29 2026 (mapsplatform.google.com) - Google Maps Platform blog, "New site analysis tools in Google Earth: Analyze terrain and detect change over time" - Google for Developers, "Terrain analysis (Experimental)," Google Earth documentation - juanfrans.com (About page) and Columbia Data Science Institute profile ## Biographies ### Juan Francisco Saldarriaga Senior Computational Designer at Google, working on Google Earth since 2022, based in New York City. Before Google he was Senior Data and Design Researcher at Columbia University's **Brown Institute for Media Innovation** (2018-2022). Earlier he was a Mellon Research Scholar at Columbia GSAPP's **Center for Spatial Research** (2015-2018), an associate research scholar at the **Spatial Information Design Lab** (2013-2015), an architectural designer at **Carlos Zapata Studio** and **D.G.T. Architects**, and GIS project lead for **Catholic Charities of New York**. He has been an adjunct assistant professor at Columbia GSAPP since 2013, teaching graduate workshops on mapping, advanced GIS and data visualization. He holds a Master of Architecture and an M.S. in Urban Planning from Columbia, and a B.A. in Philosophy from the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia. His work sits where data, visualization, urbanism and the humanities meet. He also wrote Google's launch "field guide" to these terrain tools. (Sources: juanfrans.com; Columbia Data Science Institute; Google Maps Platform blog.) ### Google Earth (channel) Google's official YouTube channel for Google Earth. It posts feature launches, tutorials and the "See what's new on Google Earth" series. Google Earth's professional plans are marketed through **Google Maps Platform**.