OpenStreetMap is a map of the world, created by people like you and free to use under an open license.
Over 7000 buildings in Delaware County in two months
I moved to Caracaraí, Roraima, for work (the banking life) in the first half of 2025. It is a quiet town.
By the end of the year, bothered by seeing that the city’s map on OpenStreetMap consisted merely of outdated streets, the City Hall, and the hospital, I decided to join OSM on December 29th.
It is an Amazonian town of 20,000 inhabitants. The result of this first week is over 300 changesets trying to pull the city out of the void.
All public amenities (that I can recall), such as schools, health centers, banks, etc., are mapped. And so far, half of the city’s buildings are already drawn (long live the Building Tool plugin!).
Honestly, I don’t know who will care about detailed mapping here in the middle of nowhere, but I wanted to do it anyway.
By the end of the year, bothered by seeing that the city’s map on OpenStreetMap consisted merely of outdated streets, the City Hall, and the hospital, I decided to join OSM on December 29th.
It is an Amazonian town of 20,000 inhabitants. The result of this first week is over 300 changesets trying to pull the city out of the void.
All public amenities (that I can recall), such as schools, health centers, banks, etc., are mapped. And so far, half of the city’s buildings are already drawn (long live the Building Tool plugin!).
Honestly, I don’t know who will care about detailed mapping here in the middle of nowhere, but I wanted to do it anyway.
I find that the width of OSM ways is a useful property for determining how good a pedestrian route is. However, it is often missing from OSM.
When I first started the ESA Validation Fellowship, I’ll admit I felt like a bit of an outsider. Even though I loved mapping, I often struggled with imposter syndrome, wondering if my skills actually measured up to the “expert” level. Looking back now, the growth I’ve experienced is incredible. I remember how intimidating JOSM used to feel with all its complex buttons and menus, but through this fellowship, it has become like a second language to me. I’ve moved past the basics and now feel completely at home using advanced tools to clean up and verify data. I learned new shortcuts and got to publicly map as others watched, proving to myself that I belong in this space.
Working alongside such talented people helped me realize that I really am an advanced mapper and a capable validator. Seeing my work hold up next to theirs finally silenced that voice in my head telling me I wasn’t good enough.
But as much as I’ve grown technically, the heart of this experience has been the people. Connecting with a global community of mappers who share the same passion for “mapping for change” has been the most rewarding part of the journey. The fellows were always helping each other out and in constant communication, a true community and something that happens only when people have common goals beyond borders. Together, we’ve been able to support humanitarian efforts and help communities become more resilient by making sure the maps they rely on are accurate and high-quality. Whether it’s a rural village or a growing city, I now understand that a precise map can be a lifeline.
This fellowship has changed how I see my work and myself. I’m walking away with new skills and if I could coin a phrase for the ESA Validation Fellowship, it would be : Certainly, what we do truly matters for the world.
Working alongside such talented people helped me realize that I really am an advanced mapper and a capable validator. Seeing my work hold up next to theirs finally silenced that voice in my head telling me I wasn’t good enough.
But as much as I’ve grown technically, the heart of this experience has been the people. Connecting with a global community of mappers who share the same passion for “mapping for change” has been the most rewarding part of the journey. The fellows were always helping each other out and in constant communication, a true community and something that happens only when people have common goals beyond borders. Together, we’ve been able to support humanitarian efforts and help communities become more resilient by making sure the maps they rely on are accurate and high-quality. Whether it’s a rural village or a growing city, I now understand that a precise map can be a lifeline.
This fellowship has changed how I see my work and myself. I’m walking away with new skills and if I could coin a phrase for the ESA Validation Fellowship, it would be : Certainly, what we do truly matters for the world.
MY ESA VALIDATION FELLOWSHIP JOURNEY
When I first started the ESA Validation Fellowship, I’ll admit I felt like a bit of an outsider. Even though I loved mapping, I often struggled with imposter syndrome, wondering if my skills actually measured up to the expert level.OpenStreetMap
During the ESA HOTOSM Validation Fellowship, my journey began with the basics—learning how to install JOSM on my laptop and understanding its interface. From there, I learned how to install and use essential plugins such as the Building Tools plugin, Utils plugin, Mapathoner, and other supporting tools that greatly improved my workflow and actually made my validation easy. I also learned how to install and apply map paint styles, which helped me easily detect issues such as overlapping buildings and missing or incorrect tags, learnt how to work with different imagery such as bing, Esri and how to deal with the imagery offsets. These foundational steps laid the groundwork for my growth as a validator and deepened my understanding of data quality in OpenStreetMap. As the fellowship progressed, we moved into active validation, where I gradually became familiar with new JOSM shortcuts that made mapping and validation more efficient. Shortcuts such as B for drawing buildings, G for ungluing objects, and Ctrl + Shift + G for replacing the geometry significantly improved my speed and accuracy. As someone who had not done validation before, the daily practice sessions were extremely valuable. Validating tasks across different regions allowed me to learn by doing, and with each task, my confidence and skill level improved. This consistent hands-on practice reinforced the idea that practice truly makes perfect.
One of the most impactful aspects of the fellowship was the opportunity to receive personal guidance. I had several private sessions with some of the team members, where I received direct feedback, clarification on complex validation issues, and encouragement to keep improving. These sessions helped me better understand quality standards, common mapping mistakes, and how to communicate effectively with mappers. Through this mentorship and continuous practice, I grew from a beginner in validation to someone who is now confident in reviewing and improving mapping data.
Throughout the fellowship, I also validated data across different regions, including Africa and other parts of the world. This exposed me to variations in settlement patterns, building shapes, and infrastructure layouts. By using filters, imagery tools, and map paint styles, I was able to identify inconsistencies such as overlapping polygons, misaligned features, and missing attributes. This experience gave me a broader perspective on how global mapping standards are applied in diverse geographical contexts and strengthened my attention to detail as a validator.
Balancing the fellowship with my academic responsibilities was sometimes challenging, as the training period overlapped with my lectures and examinations. However, the availability of recorded sessions ensured that I could catch up whenever I missed a live session. This flexibility allowed me to remain consistent and committed throughout the program. To further enhance the fellowship experience, I would suggest more flexible scheduling and additional interactive sessions to encourage stronger connections among fellows.
My name is Justus Aikiriza, a passionate mapper and Land Surveying and Geomatics Engineering student from Uganda. I joined HOTOSM with the desire to make a meaningful humanitarian impact through mapping. Through this fellowship, I have not only gained strong technical validation skills but also built confidence in my ability to contribute high-quality OpenStreetMap data. Today, I am confident in validation, committed to quality over quantity, and motivated to continue supporting humanitarian mapping initiatives across the ESA region and beyond.
Also adding to my introduction, my first impression was the time I was selected among the people to participate in the fellowship, I got so happy coz I had always waited and wanted this opportunity, so me being chosen among didn’t really take that chance for granted and really appreciate God for this together with Madam Becky Chandu our organizer and the entire HOT fraternity for this wonderful arrangement. By the time I was selected, we were actually in exams buh I had create some time each time to make sure I contribute, ask questions where I didn’t understand coz to me it was an opportunity, and now I have all it takes to actually volunteer as the Validator and mapper. Thank you so much. May God Bless you 🙏🙏
One of the most impactful aspects of the fellowship was the opportunity to receive personal guidance. I had several private sessions with some of the team members, where I received direct feedback, clarification on complex validation issues, and encouragement to keep improving. These sessions helped me better understand quality standards, common mapping mistakes, and how to communicate effectively with mappers. Through this mentorship and continuous practice, I grew from a beginner in validation to someone who is now confident in reviewing and improving mapping data.
Throughout the fellowship, I also validated data across different regions, including Africa and other parts of the world. This exposed me to variations in settlement patterns, building shapes, and infrastructure layouts. By using filters, imagery tools, and map paint styles, I was able to identify inconsistencies such as overlapping polygons, misaligned features, and missing attributes. This experience gave me a broader perspective on how global mapping standards are applied in diverse geographical contexts and strengthened my attention to detail as a validator.
Balancing the fellowship with my academic responsibilities was sometimes challenging, as the training period overlapped with my lectures and examinations. However, the availability of recorded sessions ensured that I could catch up whenever I missed a live session. This flexibility allowed me to remain consistent and committed throughout the program. To further enhance the fellowship experience, I would suggest more flexible scheduling and additional interactive sessions to encourage stronger connections among fellows.
My name is Justus Aikiriza, a passionate mapper and Land Surveying and Geomatics Engineering student from Uganda. I joined HOTOSM with the desire to make a meaningful humanitarian impact through mapping. Through this fellowship, I have not only gained strong technical validation skills but also built confidence in my ability to contribute high-quality OpenStreetMap data. Today, I am confident in validation, committed to quality over quantity, and motivated to continue supporting humanitarian mapping initiatives across the ESA region and beyond.
Also adding to my introduction, my first impression was the time I was selected among the people to participate in the fellowship, I got so happy coz I had always waited and wanted this opportunity, so me being chosen among didn’t really take that chance for granted and really appreciate God for this together with Madam Becky Chandu our organizer and the entire HOT fraternity for this wonderful arrangement. By the time I was selected, we were actually in exams buh I had create some time each time to make sure I contribute, ask questions where I didn’t understand coz to me it was an opportunity, and now I have all it takes to actually volunteer as the Validator and mapper. Thank you so much. May God Bless you 🙏🙏
My Growth Journey in the ESA validation Fellowship
When I was first selected for this fellowship, I felt a mix of excitement and nerves. My first major assignment was Hot Tasking Manager Project #16505, and I’ll be honest: it was a wake-up call. Initially, the tasks felt daunting. I quickly realized that while I knew how to map, I hadn’t yet mastered the advanced features required to validate data efficiently.
My workflow was slow, and I felt I was missing the technical “bridge” needed to ensure the high-quality data that a project of this scale demands. The breakthrough came through the mentorship of our facilitators. They introduced us to a suite of professional techniques and GIS tools that changed everything. Specifically, learning how to leverage advanced filters and JOSM shortcuts was a game-changer.
These weren’t just “tips” they were the keys to unlocking a much more efficient and precise validation process. By integrating these tools into my daily workflow, my technical hurdles disappeared. What once felt overwhelming now feels intuitive. This fellowship has done more than just teach me how to click buttons; it has provided me with:
- Technical Proficiency: A deep understanding of GIS features I previously overlooked.
- Confidence: The ability to validate complex data with precision.
- Professional Growth: A clearer perspective on the standards required in the GIS profession.
From Mapping to Validation: My Growth Journey in the ESA validation Fellowship
When I was first selected for this fellowship, I felt a mix of excitement and nerves. My first major assignment was Hot Tasking Manager Project #16505, and I’ll be honest: it was a wake-up call. Initially, the tasks felt daunting.OpenStreetMap
The ESA Hub Fellowship was a deeply enriching and practical learning experience that significantly strengthened my skills in geospatial data production, validation, and humanitarian mapping.
As of December 13th, 2025, Swift and Portal interlockings have been renamed to “Old Swift” and “Old Portal”. Tracks and signals have also been renamed (2 turned into 22 and 3 turned into 33). Ive already put in the edits.
During the fellowship, I learned how to validate more effectively, especially by using filters, search functions, and setting up map paint styles.
Fahrzeugexperten Michelfeld – professioneller Autoankauf in Michelfeld & Schwäbisch Hall. Ankauf von PKW, SUV, Transportern und Unfallfahrzeugen. Faire Preise, schnelle Abwicklung, sofortige Auszahlung
OpenStreetMap is a map of the world, created by people like you and free to use under an open license.
Für das Mappen komplexer räumlicher Strukturen sind 360° Street View Bilder eine großartige Unterstützung. Schnelligkeit und Vollständigkeit der Datenerfassung sind die größten Pluspunkte. Einzig die hohen Kosten waren für mich abschreckend.
may I point you to our online mapathon tomorrow night?
কাতিলা শষ্ঠীতলা মন্দিরটি সঠিক অবস্থান ও মানসম্মত OSM ট্যাগ ব্যবহার করে ম্যাপে যুক্ত করা হয়েছে। মন্দিরটি রাজশাহী জেলার বাগমারা উপজেলার যোগীপাড়া ইউনিয়নের কাতিলা গ্রামে অবস্থিত। নিকটবর্তী পরিচিত বাজার হিসেবে নাগা বাজার উল্লেখযোগ্য, যা মন্দির থেকে আনুমানিক ১.৪ কিলোমিটার দূরে।
I’m finally back to mapping after an unplanned 4-month break.
I usually have a casual but relatively consistent approach to mapping: every time I have to go somewhere new and my exact destination isn’t in OSM, I add it once I arrive; if the opening times of a place I visit regularly change, I update them, and so on. As of late, though, this just hasn’t happened. Either map data has become good enough for my everyday needs in Gothenburg, Sweden or I’ve been paying less attention than usual. Probably a little bit of both.
Right now, on the other hand, I’m visiting my family in Agrigento, Italy, and mapping is the perfect holiday activity for me: it can (to some extent) be done without a computer, which is a nice change of pace, and it gives me an excuse to be outisde, enjoy the warm weather and take all the side streets I haven’t explored before or have forgotten about. Plus, there’s so much to do here compared to Gothenburg!
Today I simply went for a walk and answered a bunchn of quick questions on StreetComplete. In the next few days, I want to try something more systematic, like updating information about what’s happening inside each of the buildings of the main street: a lot has changed since I last came. I’m also pondering trying to get one or two family members involved; we’ll see.
I usually have a casual but relatively consistent approach to mapping: every time I have to go somewhere new and my exact destination isn’t in OSM, I add it once I arrive; if the opening times of a place I visit regularly change, I update them, and so on. As of late, though, this just hasn’t happened. Either map data has become good enough for my everyday needs in Gothenburg, Sweden or I’ve been paying less attention than usual. Probably a little bit of both.
Right now, on the other hand, I’m visiting my family in Agrigento, Italy, and mapping is the perfect holiday activity for me: it can (to some extent) be done without a computer, which is a nice change of pace, and it gives me an excuse to be outisde, enjoy the warm weather and take all the side streets I haven’t explored before or have forgotten about. Plus, there’s so much to do here compared to Gothenburg!
Today I simply went for a walk and answered a bunchn of quick questions on StreetComplete. In the next few days, I want to try something more systematic, like updating information about what’s happening inside each of the buildings of the main street: a lot has changed since I last came. I’m also pondering trying to get one or two family members involved; we’ll see.
Mapping as a holiday activity
Im finally back to mapping after an unplanned 4-month break.OpenStreetMap
Started this year with a weekend mapping project: locate and map public traffic camera feeds from citys website.
Day 2 and Im halfway done, about 130 out of ca 260 have live feed links now. Roughly 5 of them werent previously mapped at all.
Day 2 and Im halfway done, about 130 out of ca 260 have live feed links now. Roughly 5 of them werent previously mapped at all.
Link to the Time Lapse Video of Amaravati (2015-2025)
My New Year’s resolution is to try not to lose any interest in mapping!
How do I do that?
I don’t know.
What about you guys, what is your New Year’s Resolution related to mapping?
Heppy New Year!
What about you guys, what is your New Years Resolution related to mapping?OpenStreetMap
Landesamt für Vermessung und Geoinformation Schleswig-Holstein - Kartendienste WMS
এই ম্যাপিং কার্যক্রমে কাতিলা মণ্ডলপাড়া জামে মসজিদের তথ্য হালনাগাদ করা হয়েছে। মসজিদটি নাগা বাজার থেকে প্রায় ৫০ মিটার দূরে অবস্থিত। নিকটবর্তী হওয়ার কারণে নাগা বাজারের মুসল্লিরা নিয়মিত পাঁচ ওয়াক্ত নামাজ আদায়ের জন্য এই মসজিদটি ব্যবহার করেন। এই আপডেটে মসজিদের অবস্থানগত প্রেক্ষাপট ও আশপাশের এলাকার সাথে সম্পর্ক যথাযথভাবে উপস্থাপন করা হয়েছে।
নাগা বাজার সংলগ্ন কাতিলা মণ্ডলপাড়া জামে মসজিদের ম্যাপিং আপডেট
এই ম্যাপিং কার্যক্রমে কাতিলা মণ্ডলপাড়া জামে মসজিদের তথ্য হালনাগাদ করা হয়েছে। মসজিদটি নাগা বাজার থেকে প্রায় ৫০ মিটার দূরে অবস্থিত। নিকটবর্তী হওয়ার কারণে নাগা বাজারের মুসল্লিরা নিয়মিত পাঁচ ওয়াক্ত নামাজ আদায়ের জন্য এই মসজিদটি ব্যবহার করেন। এই আপড…OpenStreetMap
Last weekend I traveled to the west coast of Java, specifically Anyer in Banten. The journey was done by train from Jakarta to Cilegon, followed by a local shared minivan taxi to Anyer.
Hey, this is my first post here and I think it would be fitting if I’d tell all of you why I even created an account here and started making my own edits on OSM.
First, you need to know that I’m a student at Westpomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin in department of computer science. That means that me, and 90% of people there are nerds with interests like: trains, transportation, hacking, programming, opensource and… well… maps.
It all started during a normal day at University. We were walking from one building on campus to another when I noticed that my friend has a map open with a lot of pins and some questions on his phone. I asked him what it is and he told me about “Street Complete”. That’s it! I already knew that my ADHD butt found a new hyperfocus for the indefinite amount of time. I installed it and 3 of us started adding the detail information on the map around our campus.
So… for the next few days I had Street Complete open on my phone during every tram ride and every walk. I wanted to fill every question. This took some time, I answered some question around the Poland in Szczecin, Kielce, and recently in Wałcz.
Right now I’m at my family house in a village where most OSM information where updated several years ago. I went on a walk and - as usual - opened Street Complete. It was great until I came by a few buildings that were demolished few years ago, but were never deleted from the map. I knew that I can’t just leave them there and I couldn’t do this from Street Complete. I went back home and booted my laptop. I opened the OSM editor for the first time and started making edits around the village. Adding houses that were build recently, deleting stuff that no longer existed, updating the zones, etc.
Before I realized I got hooked. It’s so satisfying to make some edits and then see the results. I’ve been making edits everyday for few days ago. I joined community Discord, and learnt quite a few things about how OSM and editor works.
And that’s where we are now… I think I’ll stay here making more edits and updating things that need to be updated. I’ll mainly work on Szczecin and Wałcz, since those are the two places I know the best, but I might make some changes in different places from time to time as well.
Thank you to anyone that read this, I hope you’ll have a great day / night.
Background
First, you need to know that I’m a student at Westpomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin in department of computer science. That means that me, and 90% of people there are nerds with interests like: trains, transportation, hacking, programming, opensource and… well… maps.
How it started?
It all started during a normal day at University. We were walking from one building on campus to another when I noticed that my friend has a map open with a lot of pins and some questions on his phone. I asked him what it is and he told me about “Street Complete”. That’s it! I already knew that my ADHD butt found a new hyperfocus for the indefinite amount of time. I installed it and 3 of us started adding the detail information on the map around our campus.
Street Complete era
So… for the next few days I had Street Complete open on my phone during every tram ride and every walk. I wanted to fill every question. This took some time, I answered some question around the Poland in Szczecin, Kielce, and recently in Wałcz.
Taste for more
Right now I’m at my family house in a village where most OSM information where updated several years ago. I went on a walk and - as usual - opened Street Complete. It was great until I came by a few buildings that were demolished few years ago, but were never deleted from the map. I knew that I can’t just leave them there and I couldn’t do this from Street Complete. I went back home and booted my laptop. I opened the OSM editor for the first time and started making edits around the village. Adding houses that were build recently, deleting stuff that no longer existed, updating the zones, etc.
Before I realized I got hooked. It’s so satisfying to make some edits and then see the results. I’ve been making edits everyday for few days ago. I joined community Discord, and learnt quite a few things about how OSM and editor works.
And that’s where we are now… I think I’ll stay here making more edits and updating things that need to be updated. I’ll mainly work on Szczecin and Wałcz, since those are the two places I know the best, but I might make some changes in different places from time to time as well.
Thank you to anyone that read this, I hope you’ll have a great day / night.
What made me start mapping?
Hey, this is my first post here and I think it would be fitting if Id tell all of you why I even created an account here and started making my own edits on OSM.OpenStreetMap
My diary entries are all my own thoughts and do not represent OpenStreetMap, The Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) or any organisation using the HOT systems. Any errors are all my own work.
I was visiting Sa Pa, Vietnam, and navigating with Organic Maps. I was looking for a street that would bring me back to the city center. I could not see any on OSM or Google Maps. I walked for a while and was able to see a street that led in the right direction. It turns out that it connected to another street that brought me where I wanted to go. This made me realize how much of the useful information in maps depends on people walking, running, or commuting through those streets. You cannot see these kinds of streets from satellite images. You can only know them, but knowing them, you may not use GPS tracking to record them. I think this leaves only runners and anyone who likes walking to discover most of the streets that are not currently on the map.
কাতিলা দারুস সালাম ক্বওমী মাদরাসা রাজশাহী জেলার বাগমারা উপজেলার নিচু কাতিলা এলাকায় অবস্থিত একটি পরিচিত ক্বওমী ধর্মীয় শিক্ষা প্রতিষ্ঠান। মাদরাসাটি নাগা বাজারের উত্তর পাশে অবস্থিত এবং নাগা বাজার থেকে আনুমানিক ১২০০ মিটার দূরত্বে অবস্থান করছে, যা স্থানীয় সড়ক ও পায়ে চলাচলের মাধ্যমে সহজেই পৌঁছানো যায়। প্রতিষ্ঠানটি আশপাশের গ্রামগুলোর শিক্ষার্থী ও ধর্মপ্রাণ মানুষের কাছে সুপরিচিত।
এই ডায়েরি এন্ট্রিতে মাঠ পর্যায়ে যাচাই (ground survey) ও স্থানীয় তথ্যের ভিত্তিতে মাদরাসাটির সঠিক অবস্থান, নাম ও প্রাসঙ্গিক ট্যাগ যাচাই করে OpenStreetMap–এ সংযোজন/হালনাগাদ করা হয়েছে। এর মাধ্যমে নিচু কাতিলা, নাগা বাজার ও পার্শ্ববর্তী এলাকার শিক্ষা প্রতিষ্ঠান সংক্রান্ত ভৌগোলিক তথ্য আরও নির্ভুল ও ব্যবহারযোগ্য হবে বলে আশা করা যায়।
এই ডায়েরি এন্ট্রিতে মাঠ পর্যায়ে যাচাই (ground survey) ও স্থানীয় তথ্যের ভিত্তিতে মাদরাসাটির সঠিক অবস্থান, নাম ও প্রাসঙ্গিক ট্যাগ যাচাই করে OpenStreetMap–এ সংযোজন/হালনাগাদ করা হয়েছে। এর মাধ্যমে নিচু কাতিলা, নাগা বাজার ও পার্শ্ববর্তী এলাকার শিক্ষা প্রতিষ্ঠান সংক্রান্ত ভৌগোলিক তথ্য আরও নির্ভুল ও ব্যবহারযোগ্য হবে বলে আশা করা যায়।
কাতিলা দারুস সালাম ক্বওমী মাদরাসা সংযোজন — নাগা বাজারের উত্তর পাশে (প্রায় ১২০০ মিটার দূরে)
কাতিলা দারুস সালাম ক্বওমী মাদরাসা রাজশাহী জেলার বাগমারা উপজেলার নিচু কাতিলা এলাকায় অবস্থিত একটি পরিচিত ক্বওমী ধর্মীয় শিক্ষা প্রতিষ্ঠান। মাদরাসাটি নাগা বাজারের উত্তর পাশে অবস্থিত এবং নাগা বাজার থেকে আনুমানিক ১২০০ মিটার দূরত্বে অবস্থান করছে, যা স্থান…OpenStreetMap
OSM Apps Catalog Redesign - Survey
Panama Canal Authority–Supported Open Data Initiative
The Los Chorros de Ciri basin, located west of Panama City, is a hydrologically and socially important watershed that supports rural communities while contributing to regional water security. In recognition of this dual importance, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) funded a high-resolution mapping project focused on community-oriented outcomes and long-term public benefit.
This project represents a shift away from closed, single-purpose GIS deliverables toward open geospatial data that can support community planning, environmental stewardship, and collaborative mapping initiatives.
The mapping effort was designed around the following goals:
Multiple drone missions were conducted in early September 2025, covering discrete but adjacent blocks within the basin. The surveys achieved consistent, high-resolution coverage suitable for both environmental and community-scale mapping.
Key characteristics of the datasets include:
Survey accuracy was evaluated using GPS and 3D error metrics derived during processing. Reported results indicate:
A core outcome of this project was the explicit identification of community features that are often underrepresented in national or commercial datasets. These include:
All derived GIS products from this project were explicitly cleared for public release. This enables their use for:
The Los Chorros de Ciri project demonstrates that professional-grade GIS workflows can serve both institutional needs and community interests. By prioritizing openness and reuse, the project helps ensure that publicly funded geospatial data contributes to shared knowledge, transparency, and long-term community benefit.
Background and Context
The Los Chorros de Ciri basin, located west of Panama City, is a hydrologically and socially important watershed that supports rural communities while contributing to regional water security. In recognition of this dual importance, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) funded a high-resolution mapping project focused on community-oriented outcomes and long-term public benefit.
This project represents a shift away from closed, single-purpose GIS deliverables toward open geospatial data that can support community planning, environmental stewardship, and collaborative mapping initiatives.
Project Objectives
The mapping effort was designed around the following goals:
- Generate high-accuracy base mapping of the Los Chorros de Ciri basin using drone photogrammetry
- Identify and document community presence within the watershed
- Release derived GIS products for public and open-source use
Data Acquisition and Processing
Drone Photogrammetry Surveys
Multiple drone missions were conducted in early September 2025, covering discrete but adjacent blocks within the basin. The surveys achieved consistent, high-resolution coverage suitable for both environmental and community-scale mapping.
Key characteristics of the datasets include:
- Area coverage exceeding 9 square kilometers across all survey blocks
- Ground sampling distance between 4 and 5 centimeters
- Full image reconstruction for all flights
- Dense point clouds exceeding hundreds of millions of points per block
Accuracy and Quality Control
Survey accuracy was evaluated using GPS and 3D error metrics derived during processing. Reported results indicate:
- Horizontal accuracy (CE90) generally below 0.6 meters
- Vertical accuracy (LE90) generally below 0.7 meters
- Stable reprojection errors and consistent feature reconstruction across blocks
Community Mapping Focus
A core outcome of this project was the explicit identification of community features that are often underrepresented in national or commercial datasets. These include:
- Rural housing clusters
- Informal access roads and footpaths
- Agricultural clearings
- Local watercourses influencing daily life
Open Data and Public Release
All derived GIS products from this project were explicitly cleared for public release. This enables their use for:
- Community mapping and participatory planning
- Integration into open platforms such as OpenStreetMap
- Academic and NGO research
- Watershed management and disaster preparedness
Reflections
The Los Chorros de Ciri project demonstrates that professional-grade GIS workflows can serve both institutional needs and community interests. By prioritizing openness and reuse, the project helps ensure that publicly funded geospatial data contributes to shared knowledge, transparency, and long-term community benefit.
I am proposing a major initiative to ratify and enhance the military fortification data on OpenStreetMap.
কাতিলা সরকারি প্রাথমিক বিদ্যালয় রাজশাহী জেলার বাগমারা উপজেলার কাতিলা গ্রামে অবস্থিত একটি সরকার পরিচালিত প্রাথমিক শিক্ষা প্রতিষ্ঠান। বিদ্যালয়টি নাগা বাজারের নিকটবর্তী হওয়ায় এটি শুধু কাতিলা গ্রামের নয়, আশপাশের এলাকার শিশুদের জন্যও একটি গুরুত্বপূর্…
So it is almost the end of the year, I thought what if I created a summary blog of what I did.
DBSN (DataBase di Sintesi Nazionale) is a database containing the most significant territorial information in Italy. It is developed by IGM (Istituto Geografico Militare) and is available in ODbL, as stated on its website.
I worked on Norse and Orchard in Golden Colorado. The area could use some mapping love.
আজ আমি রাজশাহী জেলার বাগমারা উপজেলার কাতিলা গ্রামে অবস্থিত নাগা বাজার এলাকায় মাঠ পর্যায়ের পর্যবেক্ষণ (field survey) পরিচালনা করি। নাগা বাজার–মৌলভীবিভা সড়ক দিয়ে চলাচলের সময় লক্ষ্য করি যে, প্রধান সড়কের পাশে একটি গ্রামীণফোন সেলুলার টাওয়ার স্থাপিত রয়েছে,…
