Mine is mapping. I am a big OpenStreetMap contributor and I have mapped many towns near me that were previously completely unmapped.

  • LovableSidekick@lemmy.world
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    13 hours ago

    What is involved with town mapping - do you have some kind of Google type camera rig on your car or a GPS device that automates the process and just drive through street, or what?

    • Emerald@lemmy.worldOP
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      12 hours ago

      You use aerial imagery and trace the buildings, roads, and other features using points on a grid.

      • letsgo@lemm.ee
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        10 hours ago

        Is that your own imagery, from drone footage for example, or are you basically copying Google Earth?

        • Emerald@lemmy.worldOP
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          10 hours ago

          It’s from Bing and Esri. It’s not copying anything, as aerial imagery is a different thing than a map. Also Bing and Esri imagery is specifically allowed to be used for OpenStreetMap purposes, likely because companies benefit from OSM data.

      • LovableSidekick@lemmy.world
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        12 hours ago

        I watched the video you linked. So it’s enhancing existing maps - I was thinking it was building the maps themselves from scratch. A long time ago I worked with a small company that created digital street maps for cities to use for utility work etc.

        • Emerald@lemmy.worldOP
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          10 hours ago

          It can be making maps from scratch. There are a lot of places where the map has no features, mostly rural areas.