At Geofabrik – German for "geo factory" –, they extract, select, and process free geodata for everyone. They create shape files, maps, map tiles and full-blown web mapping solutions. They offer free OpenStreetMap Shapefiles updated everyday on a download server.
The GIScience Research Group of the Geographic Institute is engaged in innovative basic and applied research at the interface between geography and the computational sciences.
Through the Heidelberg Institute for Geoinformation Technology (HeiGIT gGmbH) at Heidelberg University, they translate their research work into practical solutions.
The US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and DigitalGlobe have jointly released Hootenanny, a new open source project to enhance the way crowdsourced mapping influence geospatial big data analytics.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will train government and community officials as well as volunteers in the Philippines and Bangladesh in the use of satellite-based tools to face natural disasters.
The officials will learn how to combine satellite-based hazard maps with local government maps of vulnerable areas to better assess potential natural disaster. ADB will also teach them to use the open source tool OpenStreetMap and smartphone apps to collect information for pre-disaster planning, evacuations and timely delivery of relief.
On 4 November 2014 the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) in collaboration with Doctors Without Borders UK and the American and British Red Cross announced the opening of the Missing Maps Project.
In 2007, the crowdsource mapping community OpenStreetMap launched a project called "OpenAerialMap" (OAM). Due to several challenges, such as scaling the hosting and licensing, the project was shot down after a year. Now, the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) launched a new attempt of the project.
More than 900 volunteers are helping in the recovery efforts in Philippines by collaborating on online maps, through the OpenStreetMap network. The method uses satellite technology and the knowledge of the public to develop those maps in order to help relief organizations. One week after Typhoon Haiyan hammered the islands, blocked roads, destroyed buildings and downed telecommunications systems it still difficult for survivors to receive the water and food they so desperately need. Relief workers continue struggling to reach some of the most devastated regions of the Philippines.
For UN-SPIDER's work, one of the core challenges is to demonstrate the usefulness and effectiveness of space-based information when dealing with partners who are not yet involved in the use of such data and therefore not familiar with its applications. For the Humanitarian Open Street Map team, a network of volunteers involved in crowdsourced mapping, this challenge is no different. In a recent article on their website, the network describes how the challenge of engaging with non-spatial partners can be tackled.
Crowdsource Mapping aims at an improved disaster management: The idea is to collect data from as many on-site sources as possible and translate that real-time data into maps. Being aware of the surrounding and the infrastructure, locals can render accurate geo-referenced information or comment on existing data and thereby help disaster managers expand the information they need for emergency operations.
Crowdsource Mapping aims at an improved disaster management: The idea is to collect data from as many on-site sources as possible and translate that real-time data into maps.
Crowdsource Mapping aims at an improved disaster management: The idea is to collect data from as many on-site sources as possible and translate that real-time data into maps. Being aware of the surrounding and the infrastructure, locals can render accurate geo-referenced information or comment on existing data and thereby help disaster managers expand the information they need for emergency operations.
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