https://github.com/opengeos/qgis-timelapse-plugin
A QGIS plugin for creating timelapse animations from remote sensing imagery with Google Earth Engine
https://github.com/opengeos/qgis-timelapse-plugin
earthengine geospatial python qgis qgis-plugin satellite
Last synced: about 2 months ago
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A QGIS plugin for creating timelapse animations from remote sensing imagery with Google Earth Engine
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/opengeos/qgis-timelapse-plugin
- Owner: opengeos
- License: mit
- Created: 2025-12-19T01:43:12.000Z (3 months ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2026-01-20T01:51:41.000Z (2 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-01-20T02:25:47.561Z (2 months ago)
- Topics: earthengine, geospatial, python, qgis, qgis-plugin, satellite
- Language: Python
- Homepage:
- Size: 67.4 KB
- Stars: 61
- Watchers: 3
- Forks: 6
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
# QGIS Timelapse Animation Creator
[](https://plugins.qgis.org/plugins/timelapse)
A QGIS plugin for creating timelapse animations from satellite and aerial imagery using Google Earth Engine. Supports NAIP, Landsat, Sentinel-2, Sentinel-1, MODIS NDVI, and GOES weather satellite imagery.
## Features
- **Multiple Imagery Sources**:
- **NAIP**: US National Agriculture Imagery Program (2003-present)
- **Landsat**: Long-term satellite archive (1984-present)
- **Sentinel-2**: ESA multispectral satellite imagery (2015-present)
- **Sentinel-1**: ESA SAR satellite imagery (2014-present)
- **MODIS NDVI**: Vegetation phenology animations
- **GOES**: Weather satellite animations
- **Flexible Area of Interest Selection**:
- Draw a bounding box directly on the map
- Use the current map extent
- Use the extent of a loaded vector layer
- **Customizable Output**:
- GIF animations with adjustable dimensions and frame rate
- Optional MP4 video export (requires ffmpeg)
- Date text overlay with customizable font and color
- Progress bar visualization
- Configurable loop settings
- **Advanced Options**:
- Cloud masking for Sentinel-2 and Landsat
- Orbit selection for Sentinel-1 (ascending/descending)
- Multiple band combinations
- Adjustable temporal range and step size
- **Plugin Management**:
- Built-in update checker with automatic installation
- About dialog with version info and links
## Video Tutorial
👉 [Watch the Earth Change: New QGIS Plugin Creates Satellite Timelapse Animations in Seconds](https://youtu.be/D_nkIL1JVU8)
[](https://youtu.be/D_nkIL1JVU8)
## Installation
### Prerequisites
1. **QGIS 3.28 or higher**
2. **Google Earth Engine Account**: Sign up at [earthengine.google.com](https://earthengine.google.com/)
### Install QGIS and Google Earth Engine
#### 1) Install Pixi
#### Linux/macOS (bash/zsh)
```bash
curl -fsSL https://pixi.sh/install.sh | sh
```
Close and re-open your terminal (or reload your shell) so `pixi` is on your `PATH`. Then confirm:
```bash
pixi --version
```
#### Windows (PowerShell)
Open **PowerShell** (preferably as a normal user, Admin not required), then run:
```powershell
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -c "irm -useb https://pixi.sh/install.ps1 | iex"
```
Close and re-open PowerShell, then confirm:
```powershell
pixi --version
```
---
#### 2) Create a Pixi project
Navigate to a directory where you want to create the project and run:
```bash
pixi init geo
cd geo
```
#### 3) Install the environment
From the `geo` folder:
```bash
pixi add qgis geemap earthengine-api pillow ffmpeg
```
#### 4) Authenticate Earth Engine
```bash
pixi run earthengine authenticate
```
### Installing the Plugin
#### Method 1: From QGIS Plugin Manager (Recommended)
1. Open QGIS using `pixi run qgis`
2. Go to **Plugins** → **Manage and Install Plugins...**
3. Go to the **Settings** tab
4. Click **Add...** under "Plugin Repositories"
5. Give a name for the repository, e.g., "OpenGeos"
6. Enter the URL of the repository:
7. Click **OK**
8. Go to the **All** tab
9. Search for "Timelapse"
10. Select "Timelapse" from the list and click **Install Plugin**
#### Method 2: From ZIP File
1. Download the latest release ZIP from
2. In QGIS, go to `Plugins` → `Manage and Install Plugins`
3. Click `Install from ZIP` and select the downloaded file
4. Enable the plugin in the `Installed` tab
#### Method 3: Manual Installation
1. Clone or download this repository
2. Copy the `timelapse` folder to your QGIS plugins directory:
- **Linux**: `~/.local/share/QGIS/QGIS3/profiles/default/python/plugins/`
- **Windows**: `C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\QGIS\QGIS3\profiles\default\python\plugins\`
- **macOS**: `~/Library/Application Support/QGIS/QGIS3/profiles/default/python/plugins/`
3. Restart QGIS and enable the plugin
### Uninstalling
```bash
python install.py --uninstall
# or
./install.sh --uninstall
```
## Plugin Structure
```
qgis-timelapse-plugin/
├── timelapse/ # Plugin folder (installed to QGIS)
│ ├── __init__.py
│ ├── timelapse_plugin.py # Main plugin class
│ ├── metadata.txt
│ ├── core/ # Core functionality
│ │ ├── __init__.py
│ │ └── timelapse_core.py # Earth Engine processing
│ ├── dialogs/ # UI dialogs
│ │ ├── __init__.py
│ │ ├── timelapse_dock.py # Main dock widget
│ │ ├── update_checker.py # Plugin update checker
│ │ └── about_dialog.py # About dialog
│ └── icons/ # Plugin icons
├── install.py # Cross-platform installer
├── install.sh # Unix/Mac installer
├── package_plugin.py # Package for distribution
├── requirements.txt
└── README.md
```
## Usage
### Quick Start
1. Click the **Timelapse** button in the toolbar or go to the `Timelapse` menu → `Create Timelapse`
2. **Define Area of Interest** (AOI tab):
- Choose a method (draw on map, use map extent, or use vector layer)
- For drawing: Click the "Draw Bounding Box" button, then click and drag on the map
3. **Configure Imagery Settings** (Imagery tab):
- Select imagery type (NAIP, Landsat, Sentinel-2, Sentinel-1, MODIS NDVI, or GOES)
- Set the date range (start year to end year)
- Adjust imagery-specific options (bands, cloud filtering, etc.)
4. **Set Output Options** (Output tab):
- Choose output file path
- Set animation dimensions and frame rate
- Enable MP4 conversion if needed
5. **Customize Visualization** (Style tab):
- Configure text overlay, progress bar, title, and vector overlay
6. Click **Create Timelapse** and wait for processing to complete
### Detailed Settings
#### Area of Interest Tab
| Setting | Description |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| Method | How to define the area of interest |
| Draw Bounding Box | Click to start drawing on the map |
| Vector Layer | Select a loaded vector layer to use its extent |
| Extent Coordinates | Manually enter coordinates (WGS84) |
| GEE Project ID | Optional Google Earth Engine project ID |
#### Imagery Settings Tab
| Setting | Description |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| Imagery Type | NAIP, Landsat, Sentinel-2, Sentinel-1, MODIS NDVI, or GOES |
| Start/End Year | Temporal range for the timelapse |
| Start/End Date | Seasonal filter (MM-dd format) |
| Year Step | Interval between frames |
| Band Combination | Visualization bands |
| Max Cloud % | Cloud coverage threshold (Sentinel-2) |
| Polarization | VV, VH, or both (Sentinel-1) |
| Orbit | Ascending and/or descending (Sentinel-1) |
#### Output Settings Tab
| Setting | Description |
| ----------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| Output Path | File path for the GIF animation |
| Create MP4 | Also export as MP4 video |
| Dimensions | Output image size in pixels |
| Frames per Second | Animation speed |
| Loop Count | Number of animation loops (0 = infinite) |
| CRS | Coordinate reference system for output |
#### Visualization Tab
| Setting | Description |
| ---------------- | ----------------------- |
| Add Date Text | Show date on each frame |
| Font Size/Color | Text styling options |
| Add Progress Bar | Show animation progress |
| Bar Height/Color | Progress bar styling |
| Title | Optional title text |
## Examples
### NAIP Timelapse (US Only)
```
Imagery Type: NAIP
Start Year: 2010
End Year: 2023
Year Step: 2
```
NAIP provides high-resolution (1m) aerial imagery for the United States. Images are typically captured during the agricultural growing season.
### Landsat Long-term Timelapse
```
Imagery Type: Landsat
Start Year: 1990
End Year: 2024
Start Date: 06-01
End Date: 09-30
Bands: NIR, Red, Green (False Color)
Apply Cloud Masking: Yes
```
This configuration creates a 34-year timelapse combining Landsat 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9 data.
### Sentinel-2 False Color Timelapse
```
Imagery Type: Sentinel-2
Start Year: 2018
End Year: 2024
Start Date: 06-01
End Date: 09-30
Bands: NIR, Red, Green (False Color)
Max Cloud: 20%
Apply Cloud Masking: Yes
```
This configuration creates a summer timelapse with vegetation highlighted in red.
### Sentinel-1 SAR Timelapse
```
Imagery Type: Sentinel-1
Start Year: 2018
End Year: 2024
Polarization: VV
Orbit: Both Ascending and Descending
```
SAR imagery is useful for monitoring changes regardless of cloud cover or lighting conditions.
### MODIS NDVI Vegetation Timelapse
```
Imagery Type: MODIS NDVI
Satellite: Terra
Index: NDVI
Start Year: 2010
End Year: 2023
```
Creates an animation showing vegetation phenology over time.
### GOES Weather Satellite Timelapse
```
Imagery Type: GOES
Satellite: GOES-17
Scan: full_disk
Start Date: 2021-10-24
End Date: 2021-10-25
```
Great for visualizing weather patterns and storms.
## Updating the Plugin
The plugin includes a built-in update checker:
1. Go to `Timelapse` menu → `Check for Updates...`
2. Click "Check for Updates" to see if a new version is available
3. If an update is found, click "Download and Install Update"
4. Restart QGIS to apply the update
## Troubleshooting
### Common Issues
**"Failed to initialize Google Earth Engine"**
- Ensure you have an active Earth Engine account
- Log in to your Earth Engine account at to get your Project ID
- Open the QGIS Python Console (QGIS -> Plugins -> Python Console) and run the following Python code to authenticate and initialize Earth Engine. Make sure to replace `your-ee-project` with your actual Earth Engine Project ID.
```python
import ee
ee.Authenticate()
ee.Initialize(project="your-ee-project")
```
**"No images found"**
- Verify the area of interest is within the imagery coverage
- For NAIP: Only covers the United States
- For Sentinel: Expand the date range
- Check that coordinates are in WGS84 format
**"Module not found" errors**
- Ensure required dependencies are installed (see the Installation section above)
- Ensure you're using QGIS's Python environment
**MP4 not created**
- Ensure ffmpeg is installed. If you used the Pixi setup (`pixi add geemap pillow ffmpeg`), ffmpeg should already be available. Otherwise, install it system-wide (e.g., `sudo apt install ffmpeg` on Linux or download installers from ffmpeg.org).
### Performance Tips
- Start with smaller areas for testing
- Use lower dimensions (512-768px) for faster processing
- Limit the date range initially
- Higher cloud percentage thresholds reduce processing time
## Packaging for Distribution
To create a distributable ZIP file:
```bash
python package_plugin.py
```
This creates `dist/timelapse-{version}.zip` ready for upload to the QGIS plugin repository.
## Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Please:
1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Submit a pull request
## License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
## Acknowledgments
- Based on the [geemap](https://github.com/gee-community/geemap) timelapse module by Qiusheng Wu
- Uses [Google Earth Engine](https://earthengine.google.com/) for satellite imagery processing
- Built with [QGIS](https://qgis.org/) and PyQt
## Citation
If you use this plugin in your research, please cite:
```bibtex
@software{qgis_timelapse_plugin,
author = {Qiusheng Wu},
title = {QGIS Timelapse Animation Creator},
year = {2025},
url = {https://github.com/opengeos/qgis-timelapse-plugin}
}
```
## Support
- **Issues**: [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/opengeos/qgis-timelapse-plugin/issues)
- **Discussions**: [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/opengeos/qgis-timelapse-plugin/discussions)