Stream Imagery from Lens to GIS

Stream Lens Imagery to GIS via WMTS or XYZ Links

WMTS and XYZ image streaming is available for customers in the Standard and Enterprise plans. 

Overview

Lens offers customers the ability to stream ordered truecolor imagery into GIS software. This is accomplished via a web map tile service (WMTS) or XYZ link, which are standard protocol for streaming georeferenced map tiles over the internet. Whether you're creating a new conservation easement amendment map or delineating a restoration area, high-quality, up-to-date basemap imagery is important for reflecting recent ground conditions. 
One key difference between the two streaming options is that a WMTS link will establish a connection that displays all ordered imagery and will be continuously updated as new imagery is ordered in Lens, while an XYZ link will establish a connection that displays one ordered image from Lens. Use the headings below to navigate to setup instructions for either WMTS or XYZ links.

As a reminder on imagery use and licensing, please be sure to review the Commercial Imagery Use FAQ to understand the respective imagery vendor's permitted uses for these image downloads. Images downloaded from Lens can be used for internal purposes at your organization.

WMTS Link Setup Instructions

To begin the streaming process, navigate to the Details pane in the Property Map view where you will see a WTMS url. Hover over the url and click the clipboard icon to copy the streaming link. This link can then be pasted into GIS software so you can view truecolor imagery you’ve ordered for this property.  

All imagery orders associated with the property will be included in the WMTS link, so you won't need to get a separate link for each image. All of your images are streamed and will be updated with newly ordered imagery as long as your Lens account is active. Images streamed into GIS will include the buffer area around your property boundary, mirroring exactly what you see in Lens. Regardless of which GIS software you use, creating a connection to stream Lens imagery is simple.

Steps for QGIS

  1. Once you open your software, search for "WMTS" and find the WMS/WMTS connection creation tool. Next, create a new connection.

   2. Choose a connection name that corresponds to the property or project, then paste the link you copied from Lens in the "URL" section of the Connection Details in GIS.

3. Once the connection is created, you'll see all imagery orders associated with the property and you won't need to create a separate link for each image. 

Steps for ArcPro

Please visit this support article by ArcPro for the most up to date information about setting up a WMTS connection.

  1. Navigate to the "Insert" tab and select "Connections" > WMTS
  2. Add server URL and then click OK
  3. From the Catalog contents pane, open Servers folder. Right click WMTS layer to add to map 

Still having trouble? Some customers have found this video to be useful.

Steps for ArcGIS Online or ArcMap

Note: ArcMap is no longer being updated by ESRI and will be phased out in 2026. Due to the lack of software updates, you may encounter errors while using ArcMap to stream imagery. 

  1. Navigate to "My Content" and click "New item"

  2. In the URL box, paste the link you copied from Lens

3. Click "Add custom parameter" and enter "apitoken" into the "Parameter" field. The API token is at the end of the URL following the ?apitoken= string. Copy and paste the API token into the "Value" field under in the custom parameter you've created. Be sure to remove ?apitoken= and the API token from the URL, as shown in the screenshot below.

4. Click Next to choose the layers you would like to use.

XYZ Link Setup Instructions

To begin the streaming process, navigate to the Details pane in the Property Map view where you will see a XYZ url. Hover over the url and click the clipboard icon to copy the streaming link. This link can then be pasted into GIS software or Landscape so you can view one truecolor imagery you’ve ordered for this property. Each XYZ link is specific to the image that is being viewed in Lens at the the time that the link is copied. If you're working in Compare Mode in Lens, you'll see a unique XYZ link for both the left and right image.

Steps for QGIS

1. Once you open your software, find the XYZ Tiles tool and create a new connection.

2. Next, choose a connection name that corresponds to the property or project, then paste the link you copied from Lens in the URL section of the Connection Details in GIS.

3. Once the connection is created, you'll see the specific image you were viewing in Lens for that property. 

Tip: XYZ links don't contain extent data, which can make it a little tricker to find the image once the link is added to GIS. To help with this, add vector data for the property you'll stream imagery from first, or search for the area in the Search bar in GIS to navigate to the streamed image.

Streaming Ordered Imagery to Landscape

XYZ links from Lens can be used to add a Custom Map Layer in Landscape. Setting up this connection will allow you to view the high resolution image from Lens in Landscape. Please see Landscape's support article for more detailed steps on how to set up this connection.

Lens also supports an integration to Landscape to sync any Notes recorded in Lens to the corresponding property in Landscape. For more information about the integration and how to set it up, please see our support article: Integrations with Other Software.

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