An approach is provided for representing an aerial route in a three-dimensional (3D) space. The approach, for example, involves determining a root 3D shape encompassing an aerial route through a 3D space. The 3D space is partitioned into a hierarchy of 3D shapes, and the aerial route comprises a list of 3D shape identifiers (IDs) corresponding to the 3D shapes that form the aerial route. The approach also involves recursively comparing a respective 3D shape ID of the root 3D shape or child shapes of the root 3D shape to the list of 3D shape IDs of the aerial route. The approach further involves generating a traversal command list by selectively adding the respective 3D shape ID that matches a 3D shape ID of the aerial route or includes the 3D shape ID as a child 3D shape ID. The approach further involves providing the traversal command list as an output.