In ArcGIS Pro, a 3D map is called a scene. When creating a new 3D scene, one of the first things you need to determine is what data represents the ground surface. The ground surface becomes the canvas that all 2D layers are draped across. Yes, a 3D scene will include both 2D and 3D layers. Typical 2D layers might include an aerial photo, parcels, political boundaries, and natural water features. These often help put your 3D layers into context. The ground surface can also serve as the starting point for displaying the 3D layers. It may provide the starting elevation for those features. They are then extruded above or below that surface. Esri provides a terrain model that is the default ground surface for any new 3D scene. This model is a web service published through ArcGIS Online. You can also use your own elevation or terrain data. This can include a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN), or other web services.

In this recipe,...