Viewer API keys
Swyvl’s viewers work out of the box without any API keys. API keys are optional and unlock higher-quality imagery from third-party providers.
To configure: Settings → Workspace → Viewer API keys
Keys are stored per workspace and are never exposed to clients.
Available providers
Cesium Ion
Used by: CesiumJS viewer (KMZ, KML, 3D Tiles)
Cesium Ion provides:
- Cesium World Terrain — high-resolution global terrain model
- Bing Maps Aerial — high-resolution satellite imagery
- Improved accuracy for geospatially registered data
How to get a key:
- Create a free account at ion.cesium.com
- Go to Access Tokens
- Create a new token with default permissions
- Paste the token into Settings → Workspace → Viewer API keys → Cesium
Free tier: 1 GB streaming/month, 5 GB storage.
Mapbox
Used by: Leaflet viewer (GeoTIFF orthomosaics)
Mapbox provides high-resolution satellite imagery and street maps as the base layer beneath your orthomosaic.
How to get a key:
- Create an account at mapbox.com
- Go to Account → Tokens
- Copy the default public token (starts with
pk.) - Paste it into Settings → Workspace → Viewer API keys → Mapbox
Free tier: 50,000 map loads/month.
MapTiler
Used by: Leaflet viewer (GeoTIFF orthomosaics)
An alternative to Mapbox with comparable imagery quality and a generous free tier.
How to get a key:
- Create an account at maptiler.com
- Go to Account → API Keys
- Create a new key
- Paste it into Settings → Workspace → Viewer API keys → MapTiler
Free tier: 100,000 map views/month.
Without API keys
If no API key is configured, viewers use the default base layers:
| Viewer | Default base layer |
|---|---|
| CesiumJS | OpenStreetMap (no terrain) |
| Leaflet | OpenStreetMap tiles |
These are suitable for most use cases. API keys are mainly useful when you need high-resolution satellite imagery behind your orthomosaics, or accurate 3D terrain in the globe viewer.