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GIS/Mapping
Q

QGIS Plugin - GeoAI

A QGIS plugin that integrates AI capabilities for geographic information system workflows and spatial data analysis.

Starting atFree
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Overview

QGIS Plugin - GeoAI is a free, open-source GIS/Mapping extension that brings deep learning and computer vision directly into QGIS workflows for geospatial analysis, with pricing starting at free. It targets remote sensing analysts, GIS professionals, environmental scientists, and researchers who need production-grade AI segmentation and detection without leaving their desktop GIS environment.

The plugin bundles multiple specialized AI panels into the QGIS interface, including Tree Segmentation powered by DeepForest, Water Segmentation via OmniWaterMask, the Moondream Vision-Language Model for natural-language image queries, Segment Anything (SamGeo) for prompt-driven masking, a combined training-and-inference Semantic Segmentation panel, and an Instance Segmentation panel built on Mask R-CNN. It supports a broad library of model architectures and encoders for segmentation tasks, multiple SAM model variants (including pending access to SAM 3), and includes a built-in dependency installer alongside Pixi-based environment setup with PyTorch and CUDA acceleration. GPU memory management tools and a plugin update checker are bundled to keep long inference sessions stable.

Use cases span tree canopy mapping, water body and wetland detection, building footprint extraction (USA, Africa, China), solar panel and parking-spot detection, ship and car detection, change detection, super-resolution, and agentic workflows via STAC and catalog search agents. Compared to the other GIS/Mapping tools in our directory, QGIS Plugin - GeoAI stands out as one of the few completely free, locally executed AI integrations for QGIS, supporting more than 60 documented example workflows and over 40 API modules. Based on our analysis of 870+ AI tools, this plugin is unusually deep for an open-source offering, rivalling commercial ArcGIS deep-learning toolboxes while running entirely on the user's machine with zero subscription cost.

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Key Features

Tree Segmentation Panel (DeepForest)+

Wraps the DeepForest deep-learning library to detect individual trees in aerial and drone imagery directly inside QGIS. Multiple pretrained models are supported, allowing users to run inference on RGB orthomosaics with no manual labeling. Output is delivered as standard QGIS vector layers, ready for forestry, biodiversity, and carbon-stock analysis.

Segment Anything Panel (SamGeo)+

Brings the Segment Anything Model family — including support for SAM 3 — into QGIS for prompt-driven segmentation of any object visible in raster imagery. Users can click points, draw boxes, or use text prompts to generate accurate masks without training a custom model. This dramatically speeds up digitization workflows that previously required hours of manual editing.

Combined Semantic Segmentation Training & Inference+

Provides a single panel that lets users create training data, train a segmentation model, and run inference without leaving QGIS. It supports multiple model architectures and encoders from the segmentation_models.pytorch ecosystem, plus modern backbones like DINOv3, Prithvi, and Tessera. This makes it practical for analysts to build custom land-cover or thematic models on their own labeled data.

Moondream Vision-Language Model Panel+

Integrates the Moondream VLM so users can ask natural-language questions about map tiles and aerial imagery directly in QGIS. It supports image captioning, sliding-window analysis for large rasters, and a GUI for iterative prompting. This bridges traditional GIS analysis with modern multimodal AI for tasks like rapid scene description and content-based search.

GPU Memory Management & Built-in Dependency Installer+

Includes a Clear GPU Memory utility to recover VRAM between heavy inference jobs, preventing common out-of-memory crashes during long sessions. A built-in dependency installer plus a documented Pixi-based environment workflow handle the typically painful PyTorch + CUDA + DeepForest install path. Together they make QGIS-based deep learning materially more reliable than ad-hoc setups.

Pricing Plans

Open Source

Free

  • ✓All 6 AI panels (DeepForest, OmniWaterMask, Moondream, SamGeo, Semantic Segmentation, Mask R-CNN)
  • ✓40+ API modules including SAM, DINOv3, Prithvi, Tessera, RF-DETR
  • ✓60+ documented example workflows
  • ✓Built-in dependency installer and GPU memory management
  • ✓Plugin update checker and community support via GitHub
See Full Pricing →Free vs Paid →Is it worth it? →

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Best Use Cases

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Mapping individual tree crowns across forest plots using the DeepForest panel for ecology, forestry, and carbon-stock studies

⚡

Detecting and monitoring water bodies and wetlands over time with OmniWaterMask and the included water dynamics workflows

🔧

Extracting building footprints at city or country scale using the prebuilt USA, Africa, and China building footprint pipelines, then regularizing geometry

🚀

Running prompt-based segmentation on aerial imagery via SamGeo (and SAM 3) to quickly digitize objects without training a custom model

💡

Locating renewable-energy and infrastructure assets such as solar panels, parking spots, ships, and cars from high-resolution imagery

🔄

Training custom semantic or instance segmentation models on labeled GIS data using the combined training-and-inference panels and TIMM-based backbones

Limitations & What It Can't Do

We believe in transparent reviews. Here's what QGIS Plugin - GeoAI doesn't handle well:

  • ⚠Practical performance depends on a local CUDA GPU; CPU-only inference is slow on country-scale rasters
  • ⚠No commercial support, SLA, or paid tier — issues are handled via GitHub and community channels
  • ⚠Some advanced models (e.g., SAM 3) require separate access requests and external credentials
  • ⚠Setup involves Pixi, PyTorch, and CUDA configuration, which is non-trivial on Windows for less technical users
  • ⚠Out-of-the-box pretrained models cover popular domains but may underperform on niche imagery without fine-tuning

Pros & Cons

✓ Pros

  • ✓Completely free and open-source with no subscription, license, or seat costs unlike commercial ArcGIS Pro deep-learning extensions
  • ✓Bundles 6 specialized AI panels (DeepForest, OmniWaterMask, Moondream, SamGeo, Mask R-CNN, combined semantic segmentation) directly inside QGIS
  • ✓Documents 60+ example workflows ranging from solar panel detection to wetland dynamics, lowering the barrier for non-ML GIS users
  • ✓Supports GPU acceleration via PyTorch + CUDA with built-in GPU memory management to handle large raster inference
  • ✓Exposes 40+ API modules (sam, segment, detectron2, DINOv3, prithvi, tessera, rfdetr, etc.) for advanced scripting and reproducible pipelines
  • ✓Built-in dependency installer plus Pixi-based environment setup removes most of the friction typical of GeoAI tooling

✗ Cons

  • ✗Requires a CUDA-capable GPU and a working PyTorch install for practical inference speeds, ruling out low-spec laptops
  • ✗SAM 3 access is gated and requires a separate request, which can delay onboarding for advanced segmentation
  • ✗Steep learning curve compared to no-code AI mapping tools, especially for users unfamiliar with QGIS, Pixi, or Python environments
  • ✗Documentation-heavy and community-supported with no commercial SLA, paid support, or guaranteed response times
  • ✗Inference quality is bounded by the bundled pretrained models, so niche domains may still require custom training and labeled data

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the QGIS Plugin - GeoAI cost?+

The plugin is completely free and open-source, with no subscription, seat-based, or usage-based pricing. All 6 AI panels, 40+ API modules, and 60+ documented examples are available at no cost. The only practical costs are hardware (a CUDA-capable GPU is recommended) and any cloud compute you choose to use for large-area inference. This makes it one of the very few free options in our GIS/Mapping category for full deep-learning workflows.

What AI capabilities does the plugin add to QGIS?+

It adds dedicated panels for Tree Segmentation (DeepForest), Water Segmentation (OmniWaterMask), Vision-Language querying (Moondream), Segment Anything (SamGeo), Semantic Segmentation with combined training and inference, and Instance Segmentation via Mask R-CNN. Beyond panels, the underlying GeoAI library exposes modules for change detection, super-resolution, canopy height estimation, image captioning, and STAC-based AI agents. Users can run pretrained models for tasks like building footprint extraction, solar panel detection, ship detection, and parking spot detection. It also supports multiple SAM models, including pending access to SAM 3.

What are the system requirements and how do I install it?+

Installation is a three-step process: set up the environment with Pixi (install Pixi, create a project, configure pixi.toml, install dependencies), install the plugin into QGIS, and enable it from the QGIS Plugin Manager. The recommended stack is PyTorch with CUDA for GPU acceleration, plus DeepForest installed separately. A built-in dependency installer is provided to simplify Python package management. CPU-only operation is technically possible but practically slow for large raster inference.

Who is this plugin best suited for?+

It is best suited for remote sensing analysts, GIS professionals, environmental scientists, and academic researchers who already work in QGIS and need to apply deep-learning models to satellite, aerial, or LiDAR imagery. Teams doing building footprint mapping, water and wetland monitoring, forestry analysis, or solar/infrastructure detection will benefit most. It is less suited to non-technical users who want a one-click no-code experience, since the workflow still touches Python environments, model checkpoints, and GPU configuration.

How does it compare to ArcGIS Pro's deep learning tools?+

QGIS Plugin - GeoAI is free and open-source, while ArcGIS Pro's Image Analyst and Deep Learning Tools require commercial Esri licenses that typically run into thousands of dollars per seat per year. GeoAI offers comparable coverage of segmentation, instance segmentation, SAM-based prompting, and vision-language workflows, plus more recent model integrations like DINOv3, Prithvi, and Tessera. ArcGIS still wins on polished UX, enterprise support, and tight integration with the Esri ecosystem. Based on our analysis of 870+ AI tools, GeoAI is the strongest free alternative for organizations standardized on QGIS.
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What's New in 2026

Recent additions documented on the site include support for SAM 3 (with access request), expanded model integrations such as DINOv3 (visualization, wetlands, fine-tuned segmentation), Prithvi, Tessera, AlphaEarth, RF-DETR detection, Google Satellite Embedding, and Lightly self-supervised training, plus AI agents for STAC and catalog search, image captioning, super-resolution, field boundary detection, and a 2025 GeoAI Workshop series (AWS 2025, TNView 2025, CANVAS 2025, AGU 2025).

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Quick Info

Category

GIS/Mapping

Website

opengeoai.org/qgis_plugin/
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