Google Maps
Just found out about this great new app and excited to try it out. Currently visiting US from Pakistan and returning next weak. Tried to create a test PATH with the existing maps, however the resolution in our part of the country restricts in positioning the waypoints accurately.
Question:
Is it possible to use Google maps in any way?
Thanks
Comments
44 comments
Google maps isn't always the best option, below are 3 screenshots of the same area
Google maps
Here
Mapbox
And just for the record the below is what it looked like June last year (taken using mini2 with Dronelink, then processed with WebODM)
I just signed up and I can not believe how bad this is.
I was looking forward to using dronelink and start mapping but my house is completely covered in clouds (!?)
I will ask for a refund, this is so unacceptable !
I am so dissapointed !
(Your "workaround" with a .kml from google is is almost a mockery when I have paid for this).
https://www.dronelink.com/refund
Jim McAndrew I read the thread, you have already posted that link and I have requested a refund.
As a "Dronelink Staff" I think your answer with just a link to refund, in a 5 year old thread, shows that Dronelink will not develope.
As I have stated previously, we are not completely closed off to the idea, but it is a large amount of effort and you are correct, we aren’t prioritizing it any time soon.
Not to be argumentative ottosboy28 - but Dronelink absolutely does develop and the history of release notes show that. Not challenging your request for updated maps, but it is not a showstopper and if you had that rare commercial mission that had a obscured area (like your house) the KML from a different view is a good option.
Although it sounds like you have requested a refund already, I would just say that there is nothing like Dronelink out there. It is not stagnant, and it was not too long ago that they completely modernized the interface and refreshed the entire app.
Even just most recent release notes show that they are busy adding features, and keeping up with SDK updates from the drone manufacturers.
Maybe we could band together to get Mapbox and HERE to update THEIR maps? Jim - do we have any leverage on this? Also why are these 2 mapping systems an easy SDK integration for Dronelink initially, but others would force a difficult DL rewrite?
Daniel Snyder, I did a post on here not long ago of an example that shows Here maps being more up to date than Google
https://support.dronelink.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360034828393/comments/25814331772819
Unlike Here, Google Maps doesn’t allow using its base layer with other mapping SDKS:
https://support.dronelink.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360034828393/comments/360008681954
Hi Martin,
Yes there can be some of these counter examples found for certain. But Overall?
For comparison, here are the HERE, Mapbox and LITCHI (Google) Maps. The arrowed tree was removed long ago. The Litchi/Google map is less than a year old by comparison. Other 2 maps (Mapbox and HERE) are many years old. Also check the resolution / clarity of Litchi/Google Map and compare with the Dronelink offerings. Somehow LITCHI integrated the better (Google) maps. Jim - I know you have all the complexities and options worked out to add a better map so not complaining, but as you can see there is quite a difference in quality here.
Again, I don’t have access to Litchi’s source code, but from a user perspective, their user interface is much more basic than Dronelink, particularly when it comes to the lines and markers on the map. I understand the argument that features don’t matter if the base layer is unusable, but saying that doesn’t make it any easier or more compelling for us to spend the resources on this effort right now.
Thanks Jim, Let me go back to my original question. Is there any way we can nudge Mapbox and Here maps to update their maps in a more timely way? Can we band together and do we have some leverage as a user community to get the source maps DL is using updated faster? We are not complaining about DL, but suggesting the Source map companies need to step up to the plate.
It is worth a shot but I doubt it will come to anything.
One of the ways that might help a bit and it's possibly a reason behind the above here maps being so good is that l share my orpho photos to https://map.openaerialmap.org
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