The Gaussian Splatting file format ecosystem is evolving rapidly as the technology moves from research into production. Here are the key formats as of 2026:
Primary Format: PLY
The PLY (Polygon File Format) is the most common format for Gaussian Splats. PLY files store each Gaussian's parameters: position (XYZ), covariance matrix (shape/orientation), opacity, and spherical harmonics coefficients for view-dependent color. Most GS tools import and export PLY.
- File size: Typically 50–500MB per scene (millions of Gaussians)
- Supported by: DJI Terra, Polycam, Luma AI, PostShot, Nerfstudio, SuperSplat, SplatForge
- Limitation: No built-in compression, georeferencing, or streaming support
Emerging Standards
| Format | Organization | Purpose | Status (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| glTF + KHR_gaussian_splatting | Khronos Group | Open interchange, web rendering | Draft extension, supported by CesiumJS and Babylon.js |
| 3D Tiles | Cesium / OGC | Geospatial streaming with LOD | Production-ready, used by DJI Terra for web delivery |
| OpenUSD | AOUSD (Pixar + industry) | VFX/animation pipelines | v26.03 includes UsdVolParticleField3DGaussianSplat schema |
| SPZ | Niantic + Khronos | Compressed web delivery | Up to 94% file size reduction vs uncompressed PLY |
Format by Use Case
- Web viewing: 3D Tiles (streaming with LOD) or glTF + KHR (single-file embed)
- VFX pipeline: OpenUSD for integration with Houdini, Maya, Cinema 4D
- Game engines: PLY import to Unreal Engine 5 or Unity (via plugins)
- Editing: PLY for SuperSplat or SplatForge workflows
- Archiving: PLY + associated metadata (georeferencing, capture parameters)
- BIM integration: Xgrids LCC proprietary format (converts to Revit via plugin)
DJI Terra Exports
DJI Terra V5.0+ exports GS in:
- 3DTiles — for Cesium-based web viewers with level-of-detail streaming
- PLY — standard Gaussian Splat file for editing and further processing
- GeoTIFF — georeferenced 2D outputs from the same dataset
What to Ask Your Scanning Provider
When hiring a professional GS service, confirm which output formats are included. THE FUTURE 3D delivers 3DTiles (web viewing), PLY (editing), and can provide OpenUSD or glTF conversions upon request. Get a quote →