HelioScope has an integration with Nearmap that empowers our users to easily include Nearmap's high-resolution imagery in our designer.
HelioScope and Nearmap have decided to change the process to link both accounts to improve security, moving from the usage of a username and password to a more secure option that uses a generated API Key.
Link Nearmap to HelioScope
To link your Nearmap and HelioScope accounts, follow these instructions (please note that if you use Nearmap in Aurora and/or any other websites or apps, you would still need to follow these steps, as you will need a different API Token to link Nearmap to HelioScope):
1. If you have an account with Nearmap, after you log in to your Nearmap account, you can go to this link with instructions on how to create an API integration for HelioScope (to create the API integration, you need to be an Admin on your Nearmap account)
**NOTE** Please make sure that your API key has no "IP Restrictions" under "Optional Settings" (Keep in mind that removing "IP Restrictions" could take an hour to take effect).
2. Once you create the API integration for HelioScope, you need to generate an API Token.
3. After you generate the API Token, log in to HelioScope to enter the API Token by clicking here. Or you can follow these instructions:
- If you are using the "Classic" version of HelioScope, on the top right click your name, then click "My Account."
- Click "3rd Party Services," and you will be directed to the "New" HelioScope experience
- Now, in the "New" HelioScope Experience, click the Settings icon, then click Integrations and Configure
Another option to integrate Nearmap and HelioScope is through the Designer:
- If you are already working on creating a Design and would like to use Nearmap imagery, please select the Nearmap option
- You will then be prompted to connect your existing Nearmap account by clicking "Go to Integrations"
- Click Configure to enter the API Key
- Proceed with entering the API Key
Congratulations! Your Nearmap account has now been connected to your HelioScope account and should be available as an imagery option in the designer.
NOTE: If your Nearmap subscription type does not have access to your project location, you will receive the error message "Nearmap Not Available". In that case, to upgrade your Nearmap account or for more information, we suggest you contact https://www.nearmap.com/us/en/support
Selecting a Nearmap Survey Date in the HelioScope Designer
Nearmap continuously captures aerial imagery, meaning the view of a site can change significantly from one survey to the next (for example, due to new construction, seasonal vegetation, or weather). Without a pinned date, a project you open months later could show completely different imagery than what you originally designed with. The survey date selector gives you control over which snapshot of the site is displayed.
When you use Nearmap imagery in the HelioScope Designer, you can now pin your project to a specific survey date. This ensures the imagery you're designing on stays consistent — even as Nearmap adds new surveys over time.
How to select a survey date:
- Open a project in the HelioScope Designer.
- Click the imagery button to open the imagery selector.
- Make sure Nearmap is set as your active tile layer. The survey date dropdown will appear only when Nearmap imagery is selected.
- Click the survey date dropdown to see a list of available dates for your project's location.
- Select the date you want. The map will immediately update to show imagery from that survey.
To always use the most recent available survey at the time you pinned the date, choose Latest from the dropdown. Note that selecting "Latest" locks the imagery to the survey that was current at that moment — it won't automatically update if a newer survey is added later.
Note: Nearmap charges each time the image is changed.