5 Powerful Agisoft Metashape Features You Probably Aren’t Using (Yet)

Agisoft Metashape is known for its powerful photogrammetry engine and professional-grade outputs. But beyond its standard workflows—like photo alignment, dense cloud generation, and mesh building—there are several hidden or underused features that can significantly improve your 3D models and processing efficiency. In this article, we explore five advanced features of Metashape you probably didn’t know about (but should be using).

1. Depth Maps-Based Mesh Generation

By default, Metashape builds 3D meshes from the dense cloud. However, there is an alternative: depth maps-based mesh generation. This method builds the 3D model directly from the depth maps, skipping the dense cloud step entirely. It’s not only faster, but it often results in smoother surfaces and better preservation of detail—especially in flat or complex textured areas.

How to use it: In the “Build Mesh” dialog, choose “Depth maps” as the data source instead of “Dense cloud.” It’s best suited for objects with clean geometry and less noise.

2. Network Processing (Distributed Computing)

If you’re working with large datasets and long processing times, Metashape’s Network Processing feature can dramatically speed up your workflow. It allows you to distribute tasks (like photo alignment or mesh building) across multiple computers on a local network.

With proper configuration, you can turn idle PCs into processing nodes. This is ideal for companies, labs, or university teams handling high-resolution drone imagery or multiple projects in parallel.

3. Python Scripting for Custom Automation

Metashape has a full-featured Python API that lets you automate almost everything—batch importing, processing, classifying ground points, generating reports, exporting models, and more. You can even integrate Metashape with other tools in your pipeline.

If you’re repeating the same steps every day or managing dozens of datasets, scripting your workflow saves hours and reduces human error. You don’t have to be an expert coder—Agisoft provides great sample scripts to get started.

4. Multispectral and Thermal Image Processing

Did you know Metashape supports multispectral and thermal data? With the right sensor and calibration, you can process images from MicaSense, Parrot Sequoia, DJI M3M, FLIR, and others to generate vegetation indices (like NDVI), thermal maps, and aligned multi-band models.

This is especially valuable for agricultural, environmental, and industrial inspections. Metashape lets you assign wavelengths, apply custom band combinations, and export analytical results for GIS use.

5. DEM Classification and Ground Filtering

One often-overlooked feature of Metashape Pro is its ability to classify dense point clouds and filter out ground vs. non-ground points. This is essential when creating accurate Digital Elevation Models (DEM) that exclude vegetation, buildings, or vehicles.

Once classified, Metashape can generate a “bare earth” model suitable for topographic surveys, hydrological modeling, and civil engineering applications.

Bonus: Model View Modes and Measurement Tools

Switch between different view modes like textured, shaded, or solid wireframe to inspect the quality of your mesh or orthomosaic. You can also use built-in tools to measure distances, volumes, and areas directly within the 3D interface—perfect for reports and analysis.

Final Thoughts

If you’re only using the basic features of Agisoft Metashape, you’re missing out on some of its most powerful capabilities. From depth map modeling to thermal analysis and network processing, these advanced tools can save time, improve results, and unlock new applications for your drone data.

Take time to explore the full potential of Metashape—you’ll be surprised at how much more it can do.