News — 28 May, 2013
Using motorcycles to survey in Haiti
As part of the CAP103 project, financed by USAID, being run in the North of Haiti right now we have started coordinating motorcycles for survey purposes. The purpose of using the motos is two-fold. First, to be able to transport teams of OSM surveyors to remote locations it would otherwise be difficult to reach. Second, to be able to collect a solid network of GPS traces for the area's major and minor ways. Once collected, they can be used as a resource for setting offsets and positions for any aerial imageries.
As part of the CAP103 project, financed by USAID, being run in the North of Haiti right now we have started coordinating motorcycles for survey purposes.
The purpose of using the motos is two-fold:
- To be able to transport teams of OSM surveyors to remote locations it would otherwise be difficult to reach.
- To be able to collect a solid network of GPS traces for the area's major and minor ways. Once collected, they can be used as a resource for setting offsets and positions for any aerial imageries.
We were wise enough to plan a large program with the bikes, with generous support from the American people, so that we will be able to achieve high coverage of the area. It's been difficult to coordinate but already seeing so many rural traces and re-classifying "unclassified" roads from imagery that are actually tracks or paths is great. As well as scooping brand-new constructed roads in the middle of no-where that show on no imagery whatsoever. We decided that the best way to hire the bikes was to use trainees in the program who can ride and have a motorcycle already (with all necessary legal documentation of course). This allows us to keep the team cohesion we have, have drivers trained in mapping, and to maximize the bikes we can use each day per cost.
On a fun note, I had Will (skorasaurus) bring down a helmet cam I bought (Contour ROAM2) for me to play with and hopefully find a mapping utility for. But in the mean time feel free to watch a video taken the other day of Wedens (OSM project trainer) and me on the bike, grabbing traces and surveying. Or just check out the Haitian country-side from your home.
Here is an OSM Haiti, motorcycle "survey simulation":
Hopefully the embed worked but if not: http://youtu.be/YHDLwKvkE2c And here's the trace
Enjoy! and watch for more traces and videos! Brian (worldwidewolford)