Measure an area

Use the area tool to draw around any shape — a pasture, a rooftop, a gravel pad, a parking lot — and get its surface area and perimeter. It also gives a quick ballpark volume estimate for the enclosed shape.

Draw an area on the 2D map

1. Open the 2D Map tab.
2. Click the pentagon icon in the toolbar (tooltip: Measure area & estimate volume).
3. Click on the map to drop the first corner, then keep clicking to trace the outline of your shape (at least 3 corners).
4. When you're ready to close the shape, double-click — or click near your starting point, where a highlighted ring appears to show it will snap closed.
5. The filled polygon shows its area and perimeter. In your chosen units this reads as acres/square feet (Imperial) or hectares/square meters (Metric).

Draw an area in a 3D view

1. Open a 3D tab (e.g. 3D Model).
2. Click the pentagon icon (Measure area & estimate volume). The bottom hint counts your points — you need at least 3.
3. Click points around your shape on the model surface.
4. Double-click to close the polygon. The area drapes over the terrain, so a sloped field reads larger than its flat footprint.

About the volume estimate

The area tool also shows a rough volume figure based on the shape's size and typical ground relief. Treat it as a quick gut-check, not a precise number.

For real cut/fill and stockpile volumes computed from actual elevation data, use the dedicated Volume Calculator — see Measure stockpile & earthwork volumes.

Tips

• Undo (curved-arrow icon) removes your last corner; use it to fix a stray click without starting over.
• Units: the gear/Settings panel toggles Imperial and Metric — areas relabel instantly.
• Every finished area lands in the results panel on the left, where you can hide it, delete it, or export it.
• Close shapes carefully — the tool needs a minimum of 3 corners, and the numbers are only as good as how tightly you trace the real edge.