# Raster Tile layer

## Raster Tile Layer — How to add (experimental)

Use Raster Tile layer to visualize satellite/aerial imagery from raster pmtiles or COGs via STAC metadata.

1. Open Add Data → Tilesets.
2. Select Raster Tile tileset type.
3. Paste URL to the tileset:
   * pmtiles (raster format): provide a direct HTTPS URL to a .pmtiles file containing raster imagery. Raster pmtiles don't require dedicated raster tile servers, unless you want to use elevation meshes.
   * COG (.tif): provide a direct HTTPS URL to a Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF. The public [TiTiler](https://titiler.xyz) service is used automatically for metadata and tile serving. Elevation is not supported in this mode.
   * STAC Item/Collection (COGs): provide a HTTPS URL to a STAC Item or Collection. Both STAC 1.0.x (with EO + Raster extensions) and STAC 1.1.0+ (with core `bands`) are supported. For this option you need to provide a [compatible raster tile server](https://github.com/igorDykhta/kepler-raster-server).
4. Click Add.
5. Style band selection and opacity as needed in Layers panel.

Important notes for COGs via STAC:

* **STAC 1.0.x:** The STAC Item/Collection must include EO and Raster extensions with `eo:bands` and `raster:bands`.
* **STAC 1.1.0+:** Items using the core `bands` field (where band metadata lives directly on each asset instead of separate `eo:bands`/`raster:bands` extensions) are also supported. Each band object should include `data_type` and optionally `eo:common_name` and `statistics`.
* Both formats can coexist within a single STAC item (some assets using legacy extensions, others using core `bands`).
* COG assets must be publicly accessible over HTTPS.
* You must run your own raster tile server (e.g., TiTiler). Example implementation that supports collections and elevations: [kepler-raster-server](https://github.com/igorDykhta/kepler-raster-server).

## Loading standalone COG (.tif) files

You can load a Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF directly by pasting its URL (ending in `.tif` or `.tiff`) into the "Tileset metadata URL" field. When a COG URL is detected, kepler.gl automatically fetches STAC metadata from the public [TiTiler](https://titiler.xyz) service (`/cog/stac` endpoint) and sets `https://titiler.xyz` as the raster tile server.

* **No self-hosted server required** — the public TiTiler instance handles both metadata and tile serving.
* **Elevation is not available** when using the public TiTiler service.
* The COG file must be publicly accessible over HTTPS.
* If the "Raster tile servers" field is empty when you paste a `.tif` URL, it will be auto-filled with `https://titiler.xyz`.

## Elevation

To enable elevation rendering, you must provide one or more compatible raster tile servers when adding the tileset. Enter them in the "Raster tile servers" field of the Add Tileset form.

* For STAC Items/Collections: compatible raster tile servers are required.
* For raster .pmtiles: raster tile servers are optional for imagery, but required if you plan to use elevation.
* The server must expose COGs as XYZ tiles and support elevation/DEM tiles. Example implementation: [kepler-raster-server](https://github.com/igorDykhta/kepler-raster-server) (TiTiler-based).

Example Raster .pmtiles:

* Mount Whitney - <https://pmtiles.io/usgs-mt-whitney-8-15-webp-512.pmtiles>
* Swiss historical - <https://public-bucket-for-tests.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/historic-swis-18xx.pmtiles>

Example STAC Items:

* Bangladesh rivers — <https://4sq-studio-public.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/sdk/examples/sample-data/raster/planet-skysat-opendata.json>
* Antarctica ice — <https://4sq-studio-public.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/sdk/examples/sample-data/raster/sentinel-2-l2a.json>
* Kiribati island — <https://4sq-studio-public.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/sdk/examples/sample-data/raster/stac-example.json>

Example STAC Collections:

* sentinel-2-l1c — <https://earth-search.aws.element84.com/v1/collections/sentinel-2-l1c>
* modis-09A1-061 — <https://planetarycomputer.microsoft.com/api/stac/v1/collections/modis-09A1-061>
* landsat-c2-l1 — <https://planetarycomputer.microsoft.com/api/stac/v1/collections/landsat-c2-l1>

[Back to layer overview](https://docs.kepler.gl/docs/user-guides/c-types-of-layers)