Georeferencing is a crucial aspect of location-based applications, particularly those designed for Android devices. With its ability to pinpoint a user’s location on a map, georeferencing forms the backbone of many location-based services. However, not all Android apps adhere to the same level of accuracy and precision when it comes to georeferencing. As such, determining the best georeferenced Android app can be a daunting task. In this article, we will explore some of the factors to consider when evaluating georeferenced Android apps, in order to identify the best option for your needs.
We have compiled a list of 6 Best Georeferenced Android App for your consideration, which have undergone rigorous testing and evaluation by our team of experts.
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6 Best Georeferenced Android App
1. Mapit GIS – Map Data Collector & Measurements
Mapit is a mapping and surveying tool designed to enhance productivity while in the field. The app supports common file formats for input and output and can work with external GNSS receivers to achieve centimeter-level accuracy. Users can design survey forms, organize data on layers, work offline with mbtiles base-maps, access WMS services, use GPS tracking to capture line and polygon features, and record GNSS metadata. Mapit can be easily adopted for different applications, including agriculture, forestry, road construction, geology, land surveying, and solar panel solutions. It can also be used as a measurement tool to calculate areas or distances.
Users can save locations by choosing required attributes from a predefined drop-down list and import long lists of attributes from text files to reuse in multiple projects. Mapit can help speed up workflow and make data collection more efficient. Users can export data to common GIS formats like Esri shapefiles, CSV, KML, geojson, DXF, GPX, and post-process their data using Desktop GIS software like qGIS. The app supports a variety of coordinate systems and EPSG codes.
Mobile data collection features include popular online maps selections and offline mbtiles, support for RTK corrected coordinates, WMS and GIS Server Tiled map services, creating and maintaining sets of attributes, clusters for point map markers, and the ability to group data into survey layers. Users can export their data to local SD card or remote locations like Dropbox or FTP.
2. Avenza Maps: Offline Mapping
Avenza Maps is a mobile map app that is ideal for hiking, biking, and all types of trails. Users can access maps from professional publishers such as National Geographic, the US Forest Service, and the National Park Service through the Map Store. The app also enables users to import custom maps and stay on track with offline mobile maps that use GPS.
The Map Store is the largest mobile Map Store with maps for hiking, cycling, city, nautical, travel, and trail maps. The maps are available for free or purchase on the app. The app has features such as what3words to ensure that users can accurately identify their location and stay safe.
Avenza Maps is free for recreational use, but users can subscribe to Plus or Pro for more features. With Plus, users can import unlimited custom maps, while with Pro, users can connect high-accuracy GPS devices via Bluetooth, and import and export Esri® Shapefiles.
Users can enhance their maps with features such as locating their GPS position, recording GPS tracks, and measuring distances. They can also add photos and notes to any location and add placemarks to their maps. The app supports KML, GPX, and CSV Formats.
Users can search and download maps by activity, category, and publisher, with premium maps from various publishers such as National Geographic, Michelin, and Backroad Mapbooks. A free account grants access to all map downloads.
3. GPS Map Camera
The GPS Map Camera application is designed to add location and weather details to photos taken using the app. This includes the addition of a map, address, weather, and date information. The application also supports the inclusion of GPS latitude/longitude information.
Users can easily set their GPS location and GPS coordinates for GPS Tag requests. Upon opening the application, the map, address, and weather will be displayed on the camera preview for users to check location and coordinates before taking a picture.
If needed, users can manually set the latitude and longitude for fine-tuning location accuracy. The app supports various drawing styles for map, address, weather, and date details. Additionally, the app offers different file-name formats to help users organize their photos and change the picture save folder.
In the camera settings page, the application groups similar functions with the same color to help users recognize and remember their preferences. This includes camera choice, flash, scene/exposure/white balance/ISO/color effect, focus mode, anti-banding, picture size/quality, GPS use/picture save/Mp Type/Map Resolution/Map Zoom Scale/Map Size, photo viewer, sound, and prompt dialog.
Users can easily focus and zoom using the touch screen while previewing their camera. The app also offers various tips, including the ability to disable saving maps or GPS positions and prompt dialog boxes.
4. SMASH – Digital Field Mapping
SMASH is a digital field mapping application designed to enable fast qualitative engineering/geologic surveys and GIS data collection. The application is intended to be portable and easily accessible, fitting into any pocket and providing quick access when required. SMASH is equipped with features that enable users to take geo-referenced and orientated pictures during a survey, with the option of importing them into GIS applications such as gvSIG. The application is designed to exploit an Internet connection if available, and is user-friendly with only a few essential functions.
SMASH is loaded with features that make it an ideal tool for field mapping. These include geo-referenced notes, geo-referenced and oriented pictures, gps track logging, form-based data surveys, easy export of collected data, map view for navigation with support for raster tiles and gpx vector data, and geopackage (OGC standard) support. These features make it possible to conduct qualitative engineering and geological surveys, as well as GIS data collection, with ease.
One of the primary advantages of SMASH is its ease of use and intuitive interface. Even with a few essential functions, users can quickly and easily conduct surveys and collect data. The application is designed to provide a seamless experience, allowing users to focus on the task at hand without worrying about complicated technology. Additionally, SMASH is highly portable, making it ideal for fieldwork where access to technology may be limited.
5. FieldMove
FieldMove is a map-based digital field mapping application used for geological data capture. The app is designed for use on larger touchscreen tablets and features a map-centric format. Users can utilize the drawing tools to create geological boundaries, fault traces, and other linework on a basemap with a virtual cursor that provides precision drawing. The app also features the ability to create simple polygons to show the distribution of different rock types.
FieldMove supports Mapbox™ online maps and can cache the map service to work offline in the field. Users can import geo-referenced basemaps in MBTile or GeoTIFF format and work with them offline. The app also features a compass clinometer for measuring and recording the orientation of planar and linear features in the field. Geo-referenced text notes, photographs, and screenshots can also be captured and stored within the app. Additionally, FieldMove contains a library of geological symbols that enables data to be plotted on a stereonet, allowing for analysis based on field observations and measurements.
All data readings collected in the field and any linework digitized directly in FieldMove are fully geo-referenced. This information is preserved when the project is exported in various formats, including Move™ (.mve) for direct import into Petroleum Expert’s Move software for model building and analysis, a CSV (.csv) file (comma-separated values), and a Google (.kmz) file.
6. GPS Orienteering
The GPS Orienteering app offers a unique way to participate in orienteering by allowing users to draw their own courses on a smartphone and evaluate races directly using the app. The GPS will detect when the user reaches control points and automatically punch. All that is needed is a map in jpg/png/gif-format.
The app makes it easy to arrange training events by publishing courses and maps within the app. Participants can download the course, run it, and upload their results. Results can be downloaded and viewed in a result table, with tracks, and more.
The app offers four different course types: standard orienteering, free order orienteering, rogaining, and scatter orienteering. A unique feature is maze orienteering, where users can overlay a random virtual maze onto their course and get an audible feedback when they are close to a maze wall or when they cross a wall.
Voice assistance during the race gives users a spoken message when they punch and tells them remaining time during rogaining races every fifth minute. The app also offers orienteering support during a race to show the user’s position on the map, distance/direction to the next control point, and course drift voice message of the course relative to the straight course.
Users can georeference maps using a world file or kml-file and import courses in gpx or kml format. Course height data can be downloaded from Google, and training results can be uploaded to Strava.