{"name":"surfaceNormal","title":"surfaceNormal","type":"command","url":"https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/surfaceNormal","revid":377547,"updated":"2026-01-02T06:54:42Z","groups":["Positions"],"status":"ok","games":{"arma2oa":"1.60","tkoh":"1.00","arma3":"0.50"},"since":"arma2oa 1.60","arma3_since":"0.50","description":"Returns terrain's [surface normal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_(geometry)) on given position.","syntaxes":[{"syntax":"surfaceNormal position","params":[{"name":"position","type":"Position2D or Position3D","description":"when using Position3D, Z is ignored","type_expr":"Position2D | Position3D"}],"returns":{"type":"Vector3D","type_expr":"Vector3D"},"form":"unary","right":{"text":"position"}}],"examples":[{"code":["_normal = surfaceNormal [300, 500];"]},{"code":["_normal = surfaceNormal getPosASL player;"]}],"see_also":["setVectorUp","surfaceIsWater","surfaceType"]}