Unsupported Formats & Alternatives

Your file didn't upload? Here's what to do—this guide covers 54+ unsupported formats and the fastest path to a format Nira can read.

Written By Nira.app

Last updated 9 days ago

Quick Reference: Unsupported → Supported

Your Format

Typical Source

Solution

PTS, PTX, XYZ

Terrestrial laser scanners (Leica, Trimble, etc.)

Convert to LAS/LAZ using CloudCompare (~2 min)

RCP, RCS

Autodesk ReCap exports

Export as LAZ from ReCap, or CloudCompare (~3 min)

LGS

Leica Geosystems scanners

Export from REGISTER 360 as E57 or LAZ (~5 min)

FLS

Faro scanner raw format

Convert via SCENE software to LAS/LAZ (~3 min)

Compressed 3DGS (.splat, .spz, .ksplat)

3D Gaussian Splat compressed formats

Use SuperSpl.at to convert to uncompressed PLY (~5 min)

COPC LAZ

DJI Terra, Pix4D, CloudCompare exports

Re-export as standard LAZ (not COPC) (~2 min)

IFC

Revit, ArchiCAD, other BIM software

Temporarily disabled; contact support to test new version

Metashape Tiled Models

Agisoft Metashape hierarchical exports

Export as OBJ instead (not Tiled Model) (~5–30 min for large models)

PLC

Trimble point cloud format

Export from Trimble software as LAS/LAZ (~3 min)

PLY (point cloud)

CloudCompare, Meshroom, other tools

Convert to LAS/LAZ/E57 using CloudCompare (~2 min)

DWG/DXF

AutoCAD, Civil 3D

Import to Blender, export as OBJ (~10 min)

RVT

Autodesk Revit

Export as OBJ from Revit, or convert IFC → OBJ (~15 min)

3D PDF

Adobe PDF exports

Extract 3D model, convert to OBJ/FBX (~15 min)

USD/USDZ

Pixar USD, Apple formats

Enterprise only; workaround: export as OBJ/FBX (~10 min)

Point Cloud Formats (PTS, PTX, XYZ, RCP, RCS, LGS, FLS)

These are the most common uploads we see fail. They're all point clouds—just in proprietary or plain-text wrappers instead of the binary formats Nira prefers.

Why These Don't Work

Nira accepts LAS, LAZ, and E57—industry standards optimized for georeferencing and binary compression. Text-based formats (PTS, PTX, XYZ) lose coordinate system metadata in translation. Proprietary formats (RCP, RCS, LGS, FLS) require vendor-specific libraries. The good news: conversion is fast and free.

Conversion Paths

PTS / PTX / XYZ → LAS/LAZ

Using CloudCompare (free, open-source—easiest):

  1. Download CloudCompare (Windows, macOS, Linux)

  2. Open CloudCompare → File → Open → select your PTS/PTX/XYZ file

  3. Right-click the point cloud → Export as → LAS or LAZ

  4. Upload to Nira

Command-line alternatives:

  • pdal translate input.pts output.laz (free; install via conda install pdal)

  • txt2las.exe -i input.txt -o output.las (LAStools, commercial)

RCP / RCS (Autodesk ReCap) → LAZ

If you have ReCap:

  1. Open ReCap → File → Export → Point Cloud → select LAS/LAZ → Save

If you don't have ReCap:

  • CloudCompare can import some RCP files directly: File → Open → RCP file → Export as LAZ

  • Older RCP files may need ReCap itself

ℹ️ Note: RCP files exported from ReCap 2023+ work best in CloudCompare. Older RCP files may need ReCap.

LGS (Leica) → E57 or LAZ

Using Leica REGISTER 360 or CycLone REGISTER 360:

  1. Open your LGS file → File → Export → Point Cloud

  2. Choose E57 (recommended for best data preservation) or LAZ

  3. Save and upload to Nira

If you don't have Leica software:

  • LGS is proprietary to Leica. You'll need their software or contact your equipment vendor.

FLS (Faro LaserScan) → LAS/LAZ

Using FARO Scene (or Faro Software Suite):

  1. Open SCENE → File → Export → Point Cloud → choose LAS or LAZ format → Save

  2. Upload to Nira

Free workaround:

  • CloudCompare can sometimes open FLS directly: File → Open → FLS file → Export as LAZ (success rate ~70%)

3D Gaussian Splats: Compressed Formats

You've generated a beautiful 3DGS splat and compressed it to save bandwidth. But Nira's viewer doesn't decode compressed formats—only uncompressed PLY.

Why Compressed Formats Don't Work

.splat, .spz, and .ksplat use proprietary compression schemes. Nira expects uncompressed PLY, the standard interchange format for 3DGS across all tools. The conversion is trivial and free.

Convert .splat / .spz / .ksplat → Uncompressed PLY

Using SuperSpl.at Convert (free, web-based):

  1. Visit converter.spla.at

  2. Click Select File → upload your compressed splat

  3. Click Convert → download uncompressed PLY

  4. Upload to Nira

Time: ~5 minutes for typical files (100 MB – 1 GB)

File size: Expect 10–20x size increase. A 50 MB .splat becomes ~500 MB – 1 GB uncompressed. This is normal and expected.

💡 Tip: If your uncompressed PLY exceeds your Nira plan's upload limit, try decimating the splat using Niantic's Splat Editor before uploading.

COPC LAZ (Cloud-Optimized Point Cloud)

DJI Terra, Pix4D, and other survey software default to COPC LAZ—it's optimized for cloud storage. Nira doesn't recognize the internal spatial index. The fix is a one-click re-export.

Why COPC LAZ Doesn't Work

COPC LAZ stores a spatial index for cloud streaming. Nira's point cloud renderer expects standard LAZ. The format looks identical to the user, but the internal structure differs.

Convert COPC LAZ → Standard LAZ

If you have the source software:

DJI Terra:

  • Export Settings → uncheck "Cloud Optimized" → re-export as LAZ

Pix4D:

  • Export Settings → Point Cloud Format → select "LAS/LAZ (standard)" (not "COPC LAZ")

CloudCompare (if source software unavailable):

  1. File → Open → select COPC LAZ

  2. Right-click point cloud → Export as → LAZ (standard format)

  3. Upload to Nira

IFC (BIM Files)

IFC support is temporarily disabled. We're reworking the importer to better handle BIM complexity and vendor variants. Reach out to support if you want to test the new version.

Workaround: Convert IFC → OBJ

Until full IFC support is available:

Using Blender (free):

  1. Download Blender

  2. File → Import → Industry Foundation Classes (.ifc) → select your IFC

  3. File → Export As → OBJ (Wavefront) → save OBJ + textures

  4. Upload OBJ to Nira

Using IfcOpenShell (command-line):

IfcConvert -o output.obj input.ifc

Limitations: Geometry converts perfectly; BIM semantic data (wall types, door properties, etc.) is lost. This is a temporary bridge until full IFC support returns.

Metashape Tiled Models

Agisoft Metashape's "Tiled Model" option creates a hierarchical LOD structure for massive models (100M+ triangles). Nira expects a single mesh, not a hierarchy.

Convert Tiled Model → OBJ

  1. Open Metashape with your Tiled Model

  2. File → Export Model

  3. Select OBJ (not "Tiled Model Export")

  4. Click Export → Metashape flattens the hierarchy into a single mesh

  5. Upload OBJ + textures to Nira

ℹ️ Note: For very large models, OBJ export can take 5–30 minutes. Consider decimating the mesh in Metashape first if you hit time or size constraints.

PLY as Point Cloud (Not Mesh or 3DGS)

This is a common confusion: PLY can be a mesh, a point cloud, or a 3DGS file. Nira interprets PLY as a mesh or splat by default. If your PLY upload fails silently, it's likely a point cloud.

Convert PLY Point Cloud → LAS/LAZ/E57

Using CloudCompare:

  1. File → Open → select PLY file

  2. Right-click point cloud → Export as → LAZ (or LAS/E57)

  3. Upload to Nira

Command-line:

pdal translate input.ply output.laz

Other Formats

DWG / DXF (AutoCAD):

  • Import to Blender or FreeCAD → Export as OBJ/FBX → Upload to Nira

  • Time: ~10 minutes

RVT (Revit):

  • Option 1: Export directly from Revit as OBJ/FBX

  • Option 2: Export as IFC → use Blender workflow above

  • Time: ~15 minutes

3D PDF:

  • Extract 3D model using Adobe Acrobat Pro or CloudConvert

  • Export as OBJ/FBX → Upload to Nira

  • Time: ~15 minutes

USD / USDZ:

  • Enterprise plans only. Workaround: export as OBJ/FBX from your 3D software (~10 min)

  • Contact support if you need USD access

MP4 / Video:

  • Not supported for upload. For volumetric video sequences, export as OBJ + textures per frame instead.

Conversion Tool Recommendations

Best for point clouds: CloudCompare (free, GUI)

  • Supports PTS, PTX, XYZ, LAS, LAZ, E57, PLY, FLS, RCP (sometimes), and 50+ formats

  • Right-click and export workflow is fastest for non-technical users

Best for meshes & CAD: Blender (free, open-source)

  • Handles FBX, OBJ, DAE, STL, STEP, IGES, IFC, USD, and 100+ formats

  • Learning curve is steeper, but powerful for complex conversions

Best for 3DGS: SuperSpl.at (free, web-based)

  • Only tool for compressed splat → uncompressed PLY

  • No installation needed; 5-minute typical processing

Command-line (automation): PDAL (free) and LAStools (commercial)

  • For batch processing or scripting

  • PDAL: pdal translate input.pts output.laz

Troubleshooting

Issue

Next Step

Tool won't open my file

File may be corrupted. Re-export from source software.

"PLY file uploaded but I see nothing"

Check if it's a point cloud PLY (convert to LAS/LAZ) or uncompressed 3DGS (check file size).

Converted file is much larger/smaller

Normal. Lossless conversions increase size; compression reduces it. Check Supported Formats.

Still fails after conversion

File may be corrupted, or converted format isn't supported. Check Supported Formats format table.

Need to convert 100+ files

All tools support batch/CLI processing. Contact support for guidance.

Technical Notes

  • Metadata: Conversions may lose non-geometric data (intensity values, classifications, BIM properties). Document before converting critical data.

  • Coordinate systems: Most tools preserve CRS/georeferencing by default. Verify if your data is georeferenced.

  • File size: Compression reduces size 5–10x (PTS → LAZ). Uncompression increases size 10–20x (.splat → PLY). Expected behavior.

  • Batch processing: All listed tools support CLI batch conversion. Contact support for 100+ file workflows.