diff --git a/src/os/interaction/measureinteraction.js b/src/os/interaction/measureinteraction.js
index 767c6797e..66f1b84e2 100644
--- a/src/os/interaction/measureinteraction.js
+++ b/src/os/interaction/measureinteraction.js
@@ -14,10 +14,12 @@ goog.require('ol.style.Style');
 goog.require('ol.style.Text');
 goog.require('os.bearing');
 goog.require('os.config.Settings');
+goog.require('os.data.RecordField');
 goog.require('os.feature.measure');
 goog.require('os.geo2');
 goog.require('os.interaction.DrawPolygon');
 goog.require('os.math');
+goog.require('os.webgl.AltitudeMode');
 
 
 
@@ -118,6 +120,7 @@ os.interaction.Measure.prototype.getGeometry = function() {
 os.interaction.Measure.prototype.getProperties = function() {
   var props = {};
   props[os.interpolate.METHOD_FIELD] = os.interaction.Measure.method;
+  props[os.data.RecordField.ALTITUDE_MODE] = os.webgl.AltitudeMode.ABSOLUTE;
   return props;
 };
 
@@ -363,3 +366,16 @@ os.interaction.Measure.prototype.onChange_ = function() {
     }
   }
 };
+
+
+/**
+ * @inheritDoc
+ */
+os.interaction.Measure.prototype.addCoord = function(coord, mapBrowserEvent) {
+  // the measure operation is currently only calculated over the ellipsoid surface
+  if (coord.length > 2) {
+    coord[2] = 0;
+  }
+
+  os.interaction.Measure.base(this, 'addCoord', coord, mapBrowserEvent);
+};
diff --git a/src/plugin/cesium/interaction/cesiumdrawpolygoninteraction.js b/src/plugin/cesium/interaction/cesiumdrawpolygoninteraction.js
index d273687d2..f92fe0aa6 100644
--- a/src/plugin/cesium/interaction/cesiumdrawpolygoninteraction.js
+++ b/src/plugin/cesium/interaction/cesiumdrawpolygoninteraction.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ goog.provide('plugin.cesium.interaction.drawpolygon');
 
 goog.require('olcs.core');
 goog.require('os.interaction.DrawPolygon');
+goog.require('os.webgl.AltitudeMode');
 
 
 /**
@@ -43,10 +44,13 @@ plugin.cesium.interaction.drawpolygon.cleanupWebGL = function() {
 /**
  * Draw the polygon in Cesium.
  *
+ * @param {os.webgl.AltitudeMode=} opt_altMode Defaults to CLAMP_TO_GROUND
  * @this {os.interaction.DrawPolygon}
  * @suppress {accessControls}
  */
-plugin.cesium.interaction.drawpolygon.updateWebGL = function() {
+plugin.cesium.interaction.drawpolygon.updateWebGL = function(opt_altMode) {
+  opt_altMode = opt_altMode || os.webgl.AltitudeMode.CLAMP_TO_GROUND;
+
   if (os.MapContainer.getInstance().is3DEnabled()) {
     if (!this.cesiumColor) {
       this.cesiumColor = new Cesium.ColorGeometryInstanceAttribute(
@@ -76,11 +80,16 @@ plugin.cesium.interaction.drawpolygon.updateWebGL = function() {
       }
 
 
-      this.cesiumLine = new Cesium.GroundPolylinePrimitive({
+      var primClass = opt_altMode === os.webgl.AltitudeMode.CLAMP_TO_GROUND ? Cesium.GroundPolylinePrimitive :
+          Cesium.Primitive;
+      var geomClass = opt_altMode === os.webgl.AltitudeMode.CLAMP_TO_GROUND ? Cesium.GroundPolylineGeometry :
+          Cesium.PolylineGeometry;
+
+      this.cesiumLine = new primClass({
         asynchronous: false,
         appearance: new Cesium.PolylineColorAppearance(),
         geometryInstances: new Cesium.GeometryInstance({
-          geometry: new Cesium.GroundPolylineGeometry({
+          geometry: new geomClass({
             positions: olcs.core.ol4326CoordinateArrayToCsCartesians(lonlats),
             arcType: os.interpolate.getMethod() === os.interpolate.Method.RHUMB ?
               Cesium.ArcType.RHUMB : Cesium.ArcType.GEODESIC,
diff --git a/src/plugin/cesium/interaction/cesiummeasureinteraction.js b/src/plugin/cesium/interaction/cesiummeasureinteraction.js
index 15529bb66..f0cd8ed7e 100644
--- a/src/plugin/cesium/interaction/cesiummeasureinteraction.js
+++ b/src/plugin/cesium/interaction/cesiummeasureinteraction.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ goog.provide('plugin.cesium.interaction.measure');
 
 goog.require('os.interaction.DrawPolygon');
 goog.require('os.interaction.Measure');
+goog.require('os.webgl.AltitudeMode');
 goog.require('plugin.cesium.interaction.drawpolygon');
 
 
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ plugin.cesium.interaction.measure.cleanupWebGL = function() {
  * @suppress {accessControls}
  */
 plugin.cesium.interaction.measure.updateWebGL = function() {
-  plugin.cesium.interaction.drawpolygon.updateWebGL.call(this);
+  plugin.cesium.interaction.drawpolygon.updateWebGL.call(this, os.webgl.AltitudeMode.ABSOLUTE);
 
   if (os.MapContainer.getInstance().is3DEnabled()) {
     var webgl = /** @type {plugin.cesium.CesiumRenderer|undefined} */ (