How to survey businesses fast and easy using your phone camera
Posted by JD586 on 29 May 2026 in English.I recently discovered this. You can survey for Open Street Map easy if you use your camera with location tags turned on. Take lots of pictures of anything that could be added or updated while you shop, walk or drive. Then later you can go through your pictures and use the location to find where they were taken. Compare the location tag against satellite images, and add everything you find useful in your photos.
I recently went on a trip and I’m adding businesses, addresses, stop signs, speed limits to OSM this way and its really helpful. Ive been able to add so much more details that I didn’t even know I saved in my photos. Try it!
Discussion
Comment from LucianoC63 on 30 May 2026 at 11:37
Hello. I point out this site: unlike Google’s street view, there is the possibility of reporting on OSM anything that appears in the footage, made by users who make the images available to the community for profitable use on OSM. Good mapping
Comment from Xvtn on 1 June 2026 at 14:10
You can also bring georeferenced photos into iD and JOSM to view their locations directly on the map as you edit! :)
Comment from Lejun on 3 June 2026 at 04:22
@LucianoC63 Or more recently, and driven by the french OSM branch (instead of Meta), there’s also Panoramax. While not as populated in the Chicago area, the project main benefits is its federated core. The last ones who have launched their own instance are focused on Argentina.
Comment from JD586 on 7 June 2026 at 18:10
Thanks for the ideas. @Lejun what about if I have low quality photos. I just took quick snaps and been adding tags from whats not blurred out
Comment from Lejun on 8 June 2026 at 15:17
@JD586 Guess you’ll have to try and find out if that fit your workflow. I only use the phone app as a last resort (I prefer to carry a 360° camera which does require a bit of planning ahead), but it did the job quite well for single pictures or sequences.