Fieldwalker generates contour lines from elevation data automatically for any georeferenced map. This guide covers how contour generation works, what the elevation sources mean, and how to get higher-resolution data when you need it.
Generate contours
Open the Contours tab to see them. To change the spacing between contour lines, choose a different interval and click Regenerate contours.
- For most sites, 1 metre is a good starting point.
- For small suburban blocks where subtle grade changes matter, try 0.5 metres.
- For broadacre overview, 5 or 10 metres.
Contours now appear on their own as soon as your map has a location — Fieldwalker retrieves elevation data for your site and draws them, usually within a few seconds. A summary shows the interval, line count, elevation source, and resolution.
The contour lines appear on your map as a toggleable layer. You can adjust their colour, opacity, and weight in the Contours tab. If you want a different interval, change it and click Regenerate.
Generating contours
Contours appear on their own. As soon as a map has a location, Fieldwalker reads the elevation for your site and draws the contours — there's no button to find. You'll see a short "Reading your land's contours…" message while it works.
If a map doesn't have a location yet (for example, a photo or plan you uploaded), the Contours tab shows a pulsing dot and a three-step guide. Choose Position it now, match three points on your image to the reference map, and save — your contours then appear by themselves. Positioning a map needs a bigger screen, so do that step on a computer rather than a phone.
Choosing an interval
The contour interval is the vertical distance between lines. 0.5m for small sites where subtle grade matters, 1m for most designs, 2m for medium properties, 5m for broadacre overview, 10m or 30m for large-scale context. When contours are drawn automatically, Fieldwalker picks the interval for you from the size of your property and how detailed the elevation data is — it never draws lines finer than the data can support. You can change it any time.
Changing the interval
Pick a different interval and click Regenerate contours. Expect a few seconds, or 10–30 seconds for larger areas. Regenerate always redraws from fresh elevation data, so it's also the way to pick up better data after you upgrade. The summary shows the interval, line count, elevation source and resolution.
If your land is very flat, the automatic interval may produce no lines. Fieldwalker tells you when that happens and suggests trying a finer interval.
If you clear your contours, they stay cleared until you generate them again. If you move a map to a new location, the old contours are removed and redrawn for the new place.
Understanding elevation data sources
When you generate contours, Fieldwalker retrieves the best available elevation data for your location automatically. A short note in the Contours panel tells you plainly where the data came from and how detailed it is — for example, "Contours from about 30 m global elevation data. Good for the overall shape of your land." The resolution shown is the true detail of the data.
High resolution (50cm – 5m): Contour lines accurately reflect the ground shape at a scale useful for earthworks design. Available where LiDAR surveys exist, such as 1m LiDAR across much of the US, England, the Netherlands, Germany and New Zealand, and 5 m LiDAR in some Australian cities where the free source has none. In Australia, Geoscience Australia's 5m LiDAR covers some areas but not everywhere, and regional Australia often falls back to the ~30m global data.
Low resolution (~30m): Shows the broad terrain shape but smooths over detail. Useful for landscape overview, not detailed enough for earthworks on smaller sites. A warning appears when you choose an interval finer than the data supports.
About elevation data accuracy: Fieldwalker tells you what elevation source it's using and what resolution you're working with.
High-resolution data (50cm or better) produces contours accurate enough for earthworks design.
Coarser data (about 30m, the free global source) shows the broad terrain shape but shouldn't be relied on for precise swale or dam placement. The tool warns you when the chosen interval is finer than the data supports.
Where your elevation data comes from
What you get depends on your plan and on what exists for your property.
- Pro and Founder: the contours on every map come from the best elevation data available for that property, from an elevation provider. That means 1m LiDAR across much of the US, England, the Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand and other parts of Europe, and 5 m LiDAR in some Australian cities where the free source has none. If that isn't available, Fieldwalker uses the free sources: Geoscience Australia 5m LiDAR where it exists, otherwise about 30m global data. You always get whichever is finer.
- Free 7-day trial: high-resolution contours on one map per account, the first map where better data exists than the free sources. A map you kept from the no-account address preview can be that map. Your other trial maps use the free sources.
- Free plan: the free sources. Where better data exists for your property, the Contours panel says so and offers an upgrade.
Coverage is uneven. It's strongest in the US, and patchy across Europe and Australian cities. Regional Australia mostly stays on the free 5m or 30m data. If your land is there, consider requesting sourced LiDAR (Premium) or uploading your own elevation file.
The panel always names the real dataset and its true resolution, for example "US 3DEP LiDAR, 1 m" or "US 3DEP elevation (10 m)". Exports credit each dataset with its own licence.
If you downgrade: contours already drawn stay as they are. If you redraw them on Free, they use the free data, and a warning tells you so first.
The Elevation Data panel
Below the contour controls, the panel shows all available elevation sources for your site.
Auto: Elevation data retrieved automatically. Available for every georeferenced map.
Sourced LiDAR: High-resolution data sourced specifically for your site (see below).
Custom DEM: Elevation data you've uploaded yourself.
When multiple sources are available, switching sources regenerates contours from the new data. A "New data available" notification appears when sourced data has been fulfilled.
Getting higher-resolution data
Check the note in the Contours panel first. If better elevation data exists for your property, the panel tells you what it is. On Pro it's used automatically.
Request sourced data (Premium): Where no better data is available automatically, submit a request from the Elevation Data panel. Fieldwalker will source the best available data for your location. You'll receive an email when ready. This is a Premium feature — but any high-resolution LiDAR already provisioned on a map keeps working on the Free plan, including its contours.
Upload your own data (Premium): If you have a surveyor's DEM, drone output, or any GeoTIFF elevation file, upload it directly as a Custom DEM source. This is a Premium feature.
Drone survey (Victoria): For properties in Victoria, Fieldwalker offers a drone survey service at centimetric resolution. Contact support to arrange.
Contour appearance
Adjust colour and weight in the Contours tab. The Layers panel's contour row links back here via Edit appearance →, and opacity can be adjusted from either place. Contours are a display layer — they sit behind design elements and can be toggled on/off from the Layers panel without regenerating. When you export a map with contours, the elevation source is credited in the footer of the sheet.
Using contours in your design
Contour lines inform swale placement (along contours to intercept water), dam siting (where contours converge), access routes (following contours for consistent grade), zone layout (flat vs sloped areas), and building placement (stable, well-drained ground). Choose the interval that matches your design decisions — 0.5m for swale placement on a small site, 2–5m for broad zone planning.