Geospatial PDF App for Apple iOS

DaveM

Explorer
This is tangentially related to Scotts previous posts on the iPad as a GPS and map platform, but I thought I 'd start a new thread about it instead of piggy back his older thread:

Avenza (who makes a GIS to Illustrator plugin) has just announced a geospatial PDF viewer for the iOS platforms (iPhone, iPad & iTouch). This would essentially allow the display of geoPDFs as the map background to a GPS enabled iPad. I have yet to do much experimenting with GeoPDF output but this new app will certainly get me going. The possibility of creating my own trip maps with selectable layers for waypoints, notes, side routes etc... all with an overlaid gps signal... is very exciting.

http://www.avenza.com/news/2010/07/12/avenza-introduces-geospatial-pdf-app-apple-ios
 

brained

Adventurer
This might be the thing that swings me to an iPad. One of the guys in the office has one and the form factor is great but the inability to load my own maps keeps pushing me away from it.

The GIS software I use exports GeoPDF easily so if the app can record/display basic tracks and waypoints it's golden.
 

DaveM

Explorer
This might be the thing that swings me to an iPad. One of the guys in the office has one and the form factor is great but the inability to load my own maps keeps pushing me away from it.

The GIS software I use exports GeoPDF easily so if the app can record/display basic tracks and waypoints it's golden.

Among the basic features the website lists "record and export waypoints and notes". Nothing on tracks though. It would be nice to have a track and backtrack feature but that may not be part of their current vision for it's use. Avenza is typically very responsive to user requests on upgrade though and that may be a feature they could add in the future.


The Avenza geospatial PDF app for Apple iOS will offer the following capabilities:

Access and load maps through iTunes File Sharing and over a Wi-Fi or cellular network
View your current location on the PDF map using the built-in GPS (iPad and iPhone only)
Display the location of any point on the map in world units (latitude and longitude)
Quickly view, zoom and pan maps using gestures (pinch, drag and flick, double tap)
Optimized for fast loading and refreshing of large maps and spatial documents
Record and export way-points and notes
Measure distance
 

haven

Expedition Leader
"the first of its kind designed specifically for non-GIS savvy users"

Now I'm interested! I wonder what the iTunes store price will be.
 

DaveM

Explorer

You beat me to it! :)

It is up and it looks pretty cool. I don't have a GPS enabled device yet, just an older iTouch but the UI is pretty cool. If you're interested I have a map in the Avenza map library: under add maps, scroll down to Country & Regional Maps and select the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge map. I won't be in that area for a while so I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who will how the map works while on the ground.
 

brained

Adventurer
Just got an email from Avenza regarding an Android app:

"We hope to have an app for Android sometime in mid 2011"

Slap that puppy on an a Notion Ink Adam with the Pixel Qi screen and roll!
 

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