Summary
The ProjectZ tool is designed to transform collected GPS latitude, longitude, and altitude values into 3D points and convert altitude (height above ellipsoid) values into elevation values. Captured point features are stored in the Altitude metadata field as Height Above Ellipsoid (HAE). These values are post-processed by the ProjectZ tool using the latest vertical datum transformations in ArcGIS Pro.
Procedure
Note:
The workflow in this article requires the ProjectZ tool. Refer to GitHub - Esri/collector-tools to download the tool.
For the ProjectZ tool to function correctly and access the vertical transformations, install ArcGIS Coordinate Systems Data for ArcGIS Pro.
- Install ArcGIS Coordinate Systems Data.
- Log into My Esri.
- Navigate to My Organizations > Downloads > Products.
- Under Core Products, click View Downloads for ArcGIS Pro.
- Under Download Components, click Expand/Collapse All.
- Expand Data and Content and search for ArcGIS Coordinate Systems Data. Click Download.
- Run the downloaded executable file and follow the instructions on screen to install ArcGIS Coordinate Systems Data.
- Download the ProjectZ tool and add it to ArcGIS Pro.
- Navigate to GitHub - Esri/collector-tools.
- Click Code, then Download ZIP.
- Extract the zip file to the desktop.
- In ArcGIS Pro, click the Insert tab on the ArcGIS Pro ribbon.
- Click Toolbox > Add Toolbox.
- Select the CollectorUtils_Pro tool extracted from the zip file and click OK. If the zip file was extracted to the desktop, the default location of the tool is the following folder path:
collector-tools-master > CollectorUtils > pro > CollectorUtils_Pro
- Identify the coordinate system used by the GPS and apply the same. The example used in this article is the United States virtual reference stations (VRS) system with NAD 1983 (2011) for both horizontal and vertical coordinate values. Convert attributes to geometries using the ProjectZ tool.
- In ArcGIS Pro, navigate to Analysis > Tools.
- In the Geoprocessing pane, search for the ProjectZ tool.
- Under Parameters, specify the layer for Input Features.
- For Input Coordinates System (of the x, y, z values), click Select coordinate system
, and select NAD 1983 (2011) for both Current XY and Current Z.
- Specify the desired attributes for X-Value Coordinates, Y-Value Coordinates, and Z-Value Coordinates.
- For Output Coordinate System, click Select coordinate system
, and select NAD 1983 (2011) for Current XY, and NAVD 1988 for Current Z. Click Run.
- Transform the new feature class from NAVD 1988 to NAVD88 (height) (ftUS) using the same XY coordinate system.
Note:
The NAVD 1988 to NAVD88 (height) (ftUS) transformation must be performed manually using the Project tool.
- In ArcGIS Pro, navigate to Analysis > Tools.
- In the Geoprocessing pane, search for the Project tool.
- Under Parameters, select the transformed feature layer from step 3f for Input Features.
- Select the desired name for Output Dataset or Feature Class.
- For the Output Coordinate System, use the same horizontal coordinate, NAD 1983 (2011) for Current XY, and NAVD88 (height) (ftUS) for Current Z.
- Click Run.