[Freegis-list] Project: Street mapping using GPS data

[Amaury Jacquot]

Nils Faerber wrote:
> Hello all!

Hi nils

> I am new to the list so please excuse if this already became an FAQ... I
> read the FAQs, HowTos and docs I was able to find on the net but did not
> come to any conclusion, so I am asking here now.
> 
> What I want to do is to start an open project to create street maps. I
> intended to use GPS data as base for the maps since GPS devices have
> become such cheap and many users can afford one - subsequently there are
> many potential contributors out there.

Such a project is already underway.
it's called NavSys, you can find it at http://www.navsys.org
chat server is at irc.freedesktop.org channel #navsys

> What I am looking for are software tools to create decent maps from
> those GPS tracks. What is needed is a quite comfortable tool to first
> import the GPE/NMEA data into some GIS application. From my research I
> found that maybe GRASS could be a potential target - though GRASS seems
> quite complex to use. The next thing that needs to be done is editing
> and annotation, maybe Thuban can be used for parts of this. The tracks
> have to be split into seperate streets and the streets have to be
> identified and annotated. And last but not least the resulting data has
> to be pretty-printed so that a user can finally use those resulting
> maps.

it doesn't do all that yet, but I'll gladly accept some help

> Lot of stuff!
> And above all a colaborative method has to be found so that users can
> contribute GPS recorded tracks in a manner so that an already recorded
> street is not added twice to the resulting database - the second
> reconrding could be used to achieve a higher accuracy?

that's being thought on

> I would like to start the whole project by making myself more familiar
> with the whole GIS and mapping system. I have to admit that I know how
> to operate my GPS but know almost nothing about GIS. What I do know
> quite a bit about is (system) programming. I could offer to create the
> data aquisition application, i.e. a nice user friendly frontend
> application that records GPS tracks in a certain format for various
> devices - PDAs, notebooks, etc.

A PDA based app adapted from the navsys code would be nice

> What I need help with, at least in form of hints, is the GIS system,
> i.e. how to import the GPS data in a system like GRASS, how to
> postprocess it and how to generate some form of map from it.
> 
> The result could become a community effort and project. I do intend
> (take this as my word and promise) to make this like an opensource
> project, i.e. have users contribute GPS data, help annotate, etc. and
> make the result available to the community again. All software sources
> and all intermediate data should also be open to all interested users
> under a free license.
> In some years we might be able to have a decent street map set for
> several countries and maybe one day an opensource navigation software. I
> am willing to spend my spare time on writing software for the areas I
> have some expertise with and to contribute my GPS data.
> But I need help for the GIS part.

see you soon

> At the moment I want to investigate the feasability of such a project.
> If anyone here on the list is interested in such a project you are
> absolutely welcome to contact me by personal email or, if the others of
> the list agree, discuss such a project here on the list. I am open to
> any suggestion!
> 
> If this idea has already been discussed, please excuse my ignorance and
> point me to some archive of that discussion.
> 
> Having said all this (already too much :) thanks for reading that far!
> Looking forward to your suggestions, ideas and comments!
> 
> CU
>   nils faerber
>