MSFS24 Enhanced Terrain Mesh 10m in MSFS2024

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Enhanced Terrain Mesh 10m in MSFS2024: structure, limitations, capabilities and GIS notes​

The ETM 10m (Enhanced Terrain Mesh) in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is built from Sentinel‑1 SAR DEM/DTM data and represents the terrain using a grid with a horizontal spacing of approximately 10 meters.In the SDK you can visualize the actual mesh structure: each cell is made of four vertices spaced ~10 m apart, each with an interpolated elevation value.

In QGIS, the same cell shows an area of roughly 100 m², with differences between Cartesian and ellipsoidal calculations due to Earth curvature and the WGS84 reference ellipsoid.

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1. DEM source characteristics​

The Sentinel‑1 SAR DEM used for ETM is derived from radar interferometry.Typical properties:

• global coverage
• variable native resolution
• presence of altimetric noise
• need for smoothing and interpolation for simulator use

2. Mesh interpolation​

MSFS2024 uses a triangulated irregular network (TIN) built from the grid vertices.Each 10×10 m cell is split into triangles, and the final surface is the result of linear interpolation between vertices.

Direct consequence: the terrain surface is always smooth between sampled points.

3. Resolution limitations​

A 10 m mesh can only represent terrain variations equal to or larger than the cell size.Anything smaller than ~100 m²:

• micro‑reliefs
• narrow embankments
• small man‑made structures
• ditches
• minor buildings

cannot be captured by the DEM and therefore cannot appear in the simulator’s mesh.

4. Working scale: 1°×1° tiles​

Our ETM project focuses on large areas, typically 1° latitude × 1° longitude tiles, ensuring:

• altimetric continuity
• uniform quality
• consistency across adjacent regions
• optimal performance during compilation and runtime

5. Higher resolutions: when possible​

For smaller areas (valleys, airports, local POIs), it is possible to use DEM/DTM with resolutions finer than 10 m, when available.Examples:

• 1 m LIDAR
• 0.5–2 m photogrammetry
• high‑density local DEMs

In these cases, the mesh can achieve much higher detail — but only if the source data supports it.


Compared to coarser meshes (30 m, 90 m, 250 m), the ETM 10m:

• preserves real morphology more accurately
• maintains narrow valleys
• avoids excessive flattening
• improves lighting and slope rendering
• enhances VFR realism
• enables much more accurate custom scenery

Conclusion​

The ETM 10m is an excellent balance between quality, performance, and global coverage.Understanding its limitations and strengths allows developers and pilots to get the most out of MSFS2024.