ARCore solves altitude with data from the terrain or the top of buildings. See differences, asynchronous flow, and field validation criteria.
Direct answer
ARCore offers WGS84, Terrain, and Rooftop geospatial anchors. Terrain anchors receive latitude, longitude, and height relative to the ground; those with roofs use height relative to the top of the building and use the ground when there is no construction. Terrain and Rooftop are resolved asynchronously with Google Maps data and depend on coverage and authorization. For enterprise operations, the right choice reduces vertical errors, but requires local validation, resolution status, and fallback when the service is unavailable.
Each anchor responds to a vertical reference
WGS84 uses absolute altitude; Terrain follows the ground; Rooftop accompanies the coverage. Mixing references produces floating or buried content.
Server resolution needs visible state
Creation is not immediate. The application must report loading, timeout, authorization failure and coverage unavailability.
Declared accuracy does not eliminate inspection
GPS, VPS, facade, lighting and urban changes change the result. Critical points must be measured locally and at different times.
Rooftop has semantic fallback
When there is no recognized building, behavior may resort to terrain. The product needs to decide whether this is acceptable or whether it should block the experience.
Nexus Reading
Model the vertical reference as content data, not code detail. Record type, coordinates, offset, tolerance, and field evidence for each published point.
FAQ
What is the difference between Terrain and Rooftop?
Terrain measures height above the ground; Rooftop measures over the top of the known building.
Do these anchors work offline?
Terrain and Rooftop depend on resolution per service and coverage, so they need connectivity and fallback.
Is it necessary to detect plans?
The documentation indicates that plane finding is optional for these anchors, although it can help with dynamic alignment.
Essential guides to delve deeper into the decision
This editorial analysis was produced by Nexus from the official sources below, consulted on September 26, 2026. The text is original and interprets practical implications for companies.
- Google ARCore — Use Geospatial anchors: WGS84, Terrain and Rooftop types, altitude, asynchronous resolution and error states.
- Google ARCore — Build global-scale geospatial AR: VPS, coverage, geolocation, and experience use cases on a global scale.
Date reported by main source: official documentation consulted on September 26, 2026; technical analysis.