DJI Terra is DJI's own software for turning drone photos and LiDAR scans into maps, 3D models, and point clouds. If you fly a DJI enterprise drone and want to process the data yourself instead of shipping it to a service, Terra is usually the first software you look at. The trouble is that "DJI Terra" isn't one product, the lineup was renamed in 2025, and there's a companion editing tool, DJI Modify, that often gets bundled with it. This guide pulls all of that into one place: which versions you can buy, what DJI Modify adds, and what's changed across the recent updates.
The fast answer: Standard is the everyday mapping license (formerly "Pro") and handles 2D maps, 3D meshes, and LiDAR point clouds; Flagship adds Gaussian Splatting and detailed power-line inspection on top (formerly "Electricity"); and DJI Modify is a separate tool that cleans up and repairs the models Terra produces. Most buyers are choosing between Standard and Flagship, then deciding whether to add Modify.
If you read an older guide that talks about "Pro" and "Electricity" licenses, that information predates the V5.0 release in mid-2025. Pro is now Standard and Electricity is now Flagship. The software and the underlying features are the same families, just renamed.
Part 1: The DJI Terra versions you can buy
For surveying and mapping work, the decision comes down to two licenses: Standard and Flagship. They run the same software, so the difference is purely which features are unlocked.
| Version | Best for | What it adds | Typical buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Everyday professional mapping | 2D maps, orthomosaics, 3D mesh reconstruction, LiDAR point clouds (formerly "Pro") | Surveyors, construction, real estate, general mapping |
| Flagship | Advanced reconstruction and inspection | Everything in Standard plus Gaussian Splatting and detailed power-line inspection (formerly "Electricity") | LiDAR users, inspection teams, digital-twin and enterprise work |
That table is most of the decision. The sections below explain why each box reads the way it does, but first, an important point that a lot of people miss.
You don't always need to buy anything
DJI Terra is a free download, and you do not need a paid license to process LiDAR point clouds. If your work is purely LiDAR, you may not need to spend a thing.
- Zenmuse L2: point cloud processing is completely free, including accuracy optimization and output generation.
- Zenmuse L3: LiDAR point cloud reconstruction was made free with the V5.1 update, which was the headline change when the L3 launched.
- Zenmuse L1: basic point cloud output is free, but accuracy optimization and additional outputs require a Standard license or higher.
What the paid Standard and Flagship licenses unlock is visible-light photogrammetry, the 2D maps, orthomosaics, and 3D mesh models built from camera imagery rather than laser scans, plus the Flagship-only features. So the real question for most buyers isn't "do I need Terra," it's "do I need the photogrammetry and advanced features that sit behind a license."
If you fly an L2 or L3 and only need LiDAR point clouds, download Terra and start processing, no purchase required. Buy a license when you also need visible-light maps and 3D models, or the Flagship features below.
DJI Terra Standard
Standard is the practical starting point and the version most buyers should look at first. It handles the bread-and-butter photogrammetry work: 2D orthomosaics, digital surface models, and standard 3D mesh reconstruction built from camera imagery. It also adds the advanced LiDAR options that sit on top of the free baseline, such as accuracy optimization for L1 data. If your job is documenting a construction site, mapping a property, producing a site model for a client, or generating an orthomosaic for measurement, Standard does it.
It's the right choice if you're new to Terra, if your projects aren't unusually complex, and if you want a straightforward professional-grade toolset without the advanced extras. The one thing to know: Standard does not include Gaussian Splatting or the detailed power-line inspection features. If you need those, you want Flagship.
DJI Terra Flagship
Flagship is the full-featured version. It includes everything Standard does and adds the capabilities demanding workflows depend on: 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) and the advanced inspection scenarios that the old "Electricity" license was built around, such as detailed visible-light modeling of power lines and infrastructure.
Gaussian Splatting is the marquee Flagship feature. Instead of building a 3D model as a triangle mesh with photos stretched over it, Splatting represents the scene as millions of soft, colored 3D points that you can fly through in real time. It handles glass, foliage, thin edges, and reflective surfaces far better than a classic mesh and looks strikingly photorealistic. It's computationally heavy, so it wants a capable NVIDIA GPU and at least 32 GB of RAM.
Decide on outputs, not on the license name. List what you actually need to deliver: orthomosaics, standard 3D models, LiDAR point clouds, photorealistic Gaussian Splat scenes. If everything on your list is basic 2D/3D and LiDAR point clouds, Standard covers it. The moment Gaussian Splatting or detailed power-line inspection appears on the list, you're buying Flagship.
A note on cluster processing
You may see "Cluster" referenced in older guides as a separate license. As of the V5.1 update, that's no longer something most buyers need to think about: cluster reconstruction is now a built-in feature of both Standard and Flagship at no extra charge. It lets you spread a heavy job across several networked computers so large datasets finish faster, and it works for both visible-light and LiDAR projects. So cluster processing is a capability inside the license you already buy, not a tier you choose between.
Part 2: Where DJI Modify fits in
DJI Modify is a separate piece of software, and the cleanest way to understand it is this: Terra creates data, Modify fixes data. Terra turns raw drone imagery and LiDAR into models and point clouds. Modify takes those finished models and polishes them, repairing holes, removing floating artifacts and stray vehicles, smoothing surfaces, and cleaning up point clouds before you hand the result to a client.
Modify is a companion tool, not a replacement. It doesn't do aerotriangulation, reconstruction, or point cloud generation, so it needs Terra (or Terra-style output) to feed it a model in the first place. You can launch it from within Terra, which keeps the whole capture-process-refine-export flow inside the DJI ecosystem without a third-party clean-up tool.
DJI Modify Standard vs Flagship
Modify also comes in Standard and Flagship versions, and the split is simpler than Terra's.
| Feature | Modify Standard | Modify Flagship |
|---|---|---|
| 3D mesh editing | Yes | Yes |
| Point cloud editing | No | Yes |
| Terrain result generation | No | Yes |
| Cloud sharing and export | Yes | Yes |
In plain terms, Modify Standard is the entry tier, limited to 3D mesh editing, while Modify Flagship is the full version that adds point cloud editing and terrain generation. Both are paid licenses, though DJI provides a one-time six-month free trial so you can evaluate Modify first. If your work is mostly photogrammetry meshes for visualization, Standard may be enough. If you're editing LiDAR point clouds or producing terrain deliverables, you need Flagship.
The natural end-to-end pairing is Terra Flagship plus Modify Flagship: Terra handles every reconstruction type including Gaussian Splatting, and Modify Flagship handles both mesh and point cloud editing. DJI sells bundles that combine the two so you can buy the whole pipeline at once.
Part 3: Buying options and licensing
DJI sells DJI Terra as both annual subscriptions and permanent licenses, in online and offline variants. Which one you choose comes down to how long you'll use the software and how your processing machine connects to the internet. The "+ Modify Flagship" bundles pair Terra with DJI's model-editing tool so you have both halves of the pipeline at once.
Annual versus permanent is a simple trade-off. If Terra is core to your business and you'll use it for years, a permanent license usually makes sense. If you need it for a single season or a one-off project, the annual subscription keeps your commitment low.
Online vs offline, and device binding
Two practical details decide which exact SKU you order. Online licenses require internet connectivity and are what you'll find on the standard DJI store; offline licenses are for teams working without reliable internet or in security-sensitive environments, and are usually ordered through a dealer. Since V5.0 you can no longer convert an online license to offline after the fact, so decide before you buy. On device binding, each license binds to one DJI account and one computer, and that binding generally can't be reassigned later, so plan around the machine you'll actually use.
Part 4: What's new in DJI Terra in 2026
Terra updates often, and the recent releases have steadily taken manual steps out of the workflow while handing more capability to more license tiers. Here's the recent history.
| Version | Released | Headline change |
|---|---|---|
| V5.0 | July 2025 | Lineup renamed (Standard/Flagship), Gaussian Splatting added, new license and update policy |
| V5.1.0 | November 2025 | Free Zenmuse L3 LiDAR processing, cluster reconstruction added to Standard and Flagship, trajectory trimming and ROI tools |
| V5.2.0 | March 2026 | HEIF photo import, GeoTIFF (COG) 2D output, automatic D-RTK 3 mark identification, multi-core efficiency mode |
| V5.2.5 | May 2026 | Automatic Cloud PPK base station data, optimized MTA algorithm for long-range LiDAR, five bug fixes |
V5.0 was the structural reset: it renamed the lineup, introduced Gaussian Splatting, and made permanent licenses "truly permanent" with free version updates. V5.1.0 shipped alongside the Zenmuse L3 and made L3 LiDAR processing free, brought cluster reconstruction to Standard and Flagship at no extra charge, and added editing tools like flight-trajectory trimming, Region of Interest (ROI) selection, and point-cloud block splitting. V5.2.0 widened inputs and outputs with HEIF import, GeoTIFF (COG) export, automatic D-RTK 3 marks, and a high-efficiency multi-core mode. V5.2.5, the current release, automated Cloud PPK base station data, retuned the Multiple Time Around (MTA) algorithm for faster, cleaner long-range LiDAR, and cleared five bugs.
DJI Modify has kept pace too. Its v1.6.0 update (April 2026) added LAZ support, ratio-based mesh reduction, block merging, and custom-plane orthophoto export, building on the large-scale point-cloud rendering and real-time TIN editing introduced in earlier releases.
All of these are point releases in the V5 line, sharing one installer and one license, and updates are free for existing holders. There's rarely a reason to stay on an older build, but install updates during a quiet window rather than mid-project so you can confirm everything on a fresh job.
How to choose, step by step
Answer these in order and you'll almost always land on the right setup.
- Do you need Gaussian Splatting or detailed power-line inspection? If yes, you need Flagship. If no, Standard covers you, including 2D maps, 3D meshes, and LiDAR point clouds.
- Will you clean up or repair models before delivery? If you mainly polish meshes, Modify Standard (free) may do. If you edit point clouds or produce terrain results, add Modify Flagship, often as a Terra + Modify Flagship bundle.
- Will you use Terra for years, or just a project or season? Long-term use favors a permanent license; short-term use favors the annual subscription.
- Can your processing machine be online? If yes, an online license is the simpler option. If no, specify an offline license up front.
Note that processing volume no longer factors into the license choice: cluster reconstruction is built into both Standard and Flagship, so you can spread big jobs across multiple machines on either tier.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between DJI Terra Standard and Flagship?
Both handle 2D maps, 3D mesh reconstruction, and LiDAR point clouds. Flagship adds 3D Gaussian Splatting and detailed power-line/infrastructure inspection (the old "Electricity" feature set). If you don't need those two things, Standard is all you need.
Do I need DJI Modify if I have DJI Terra?
Not necessarily. Terra is fully capable on its own and many users never go beyond it. Modify is for when you need to polish, repair, or clean up models, fixing holes, removing artifacts, smoothing surfaces, before delivery. It's especially useful for media, AEC, and digital-twin work.
Can I use DJI Modify on its own?
No. Modify doesn't generate models from raw drone data; it edits models that already exist. You need Terra (or comparable output) to produce the mesh or point cloud that Modify then refines.
Is DJI Modify free?
Not permanently. DJI offers a one-time six-month free trial so you can evaluate Modify, but the licenses themselves are paid. Modify Flagship is the full tier, adding point cloud editing and terrain generation; Standard is the lower feature tier, limited to 3D mesh editing.
I have an old Pro or Electricity license. Do I have to repurchase?
No. Updating an active Pro license to V5.0 or later converts it to Standard automatically and for free; an active Electricity license converts to Flagship the same way. Your features carry over and permanent licenses keep getting free version updates.
Which version do I need for Gaussian Splatting?
Flagship. It's not included in Standard or the old Pro tier. If you already run Flagship, Gaussian Splatting processing is included, but you'll want a capable NVIDIA GPU and at least 32 GB of RAM to run it well.
What's the latest version of DJI Terra?
V5.2.5, published in May 2026. It automates Cloud PPK base station data, speeds up and cleans up long-range LiDAR scans via a retuned MTA algorithm, and fixes five bugs. It's a free update for existing license holders.
DJI Terra looks more complicated than it is, mostly because the names changed recently and DJI Modify sits alongside it. Strip it down and it's a short decision: Standard for everyday mapping, Flagship if you need Gaussian Splatting or detailed inspection, and DJI Modify on top when you need to polish models before delivery. Pick the term (annual vs permanent) and connectivity (online vs offline) that fit how you work, keep your install up to date, and you'll have the right features for your work without the ones you don't need.
Not sure which combination fits your work? Browse DJI Terra or get in touch and we'll help you match the right version, and whether to add DJI Modify, to the drone, payload, and deliverables you're actually working with.
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