An Open-Source Pipeline for Runtime-Optimized Heritage Photogrammetry in Game Engines

A groundbreaking open-source pipeline, Mesh2Tile, significantly advances the processing of photogrammetric meshes for interactive 3D visualization in game engines. It achieves up to a 62% reduction in file size for larger models while maintaining performance comparable to commercial solutions like Cesium Ion, enabling real-time streaming at 120 FPS in Unreal Engine 5. Unlike existing tools, Mesh2Tile employs adaptive octree tiling based on triangle density and per-tile texture baking, eliminating redundancy and offering precise control over level-of-detail (LOD) generation. Validated through a case study of the Bytown Museum Commissariat Buildingthis pipeline addresses cost barriers and data sovereignty concerns, empowering institutions to manage sensitive heritage data efficiently while ensuring high-performance visualization.

Merchant, A., Weigert, A., Dennis, C., & Fai, S. (2026). An Open-Source Pipeline for Runtime-Optimized Heritage Photogrammetry in Game Engines. The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, XLIX-B2-2026, 485–492. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-xlix-b2-2026-485-2026