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Rapid Terrain Analysis Toolkit book cover
Book 2 of 4 — SM Datum Toolkit Series

Rapid Terrain Analysis Toolkit: 40+ Ready-to-Use Python Scripts for QGIS and ArcGIS Pro

Slope, aspect, hillshade and viewshed generation, batch contour extraction, and DEM-derived watershed and flow-analysis pipelines — in ArcPy and PyQGIS, so a terrain job you'd otherwise repeat DEM tile by DEM tile runs as one pass.

Get it with GIS Automation Toolkit (Book 1) for $12.51 — see the bundle on Amazon.

What's inside

Sample from the book

# ArcPy — batch hillshade + slope for every DEM tile in a folder
for dem in dem_tiles:
  arcpy.sa.Hillshade(dem, azimuth=315, altitude=45).save(out_hillshade)
  arcpy.sa.Slope(dem, "DEGREE").save(out_slope)
  # no manual tool-dialog clicks — every tile processed identically
# 18 DEM tiles → 36 outputs, one script run

Who this book is for

Frequently asked questions

Does this work with both ArcGIS Pro and QGIS?

Yes. Every terrain script is given as both an ArcPy version for ArcGIS Pro and a PyQGIS version for QGIS.

What DEM formats does the book work with?

The scripts work with standard raster DEM inputs (GeoTIFF and similar) as read by ArcPy and GDAL/PyQGIS, and cover the common terrain derivatives — slope, aspect, hillshade, contours, viewshed, watershed and flow direction/accumulation.

What terrain analyses does this book automate?

Slope, aspect, and hillshade generation, viewshed analysis, batch contour extraction, and DEM-derived watershed delineation and flow-analysis pipelines — run across many DEM tiles in one pass instead of one at a time.

Do I need ArcGIS Spatial Analyst or 3D Analyst?

The ArcPy scripts use standard terrain geoprocessing tools available with typical ArcGIS Pro extensions; the PyQGIS equivalents use QGIS's free, open-source terrain analysis tools, so a no-cost path is included for every script.

What format is the book available in?

Kindle eBook ($9.99) on Amazon, or bundled with GIS Automation Toolkit (Book 1) for $12.51 in Kindle format.

Try it free first

These free tools on this site run several of the same terrain operations covered in the book, right in your browser:

Part of the SM Datum Toolkit Series

Four books, 190+ scripts total, all in ArcPy and PyQGIS.