GIS needs to use software that can enable an individual an organization, government institutions, community and other agencies to collect map data, analyze and store the information. The analysis of the map in terms of the distance between points, number of people, rock type, and distribution of the resources helps these individuals get the accurate situation of the place. Therefore the resource allocation and projects will be situated at the exact place. GIS apps also help in the calculation of the azimuth, and the software can be used in wide categories or areas in society. They can be used in the transport planning, agricultural analysis of a region, and medical industry.
To ease the availability of the software used for such purposes many individuals have worked on projects to make more user-friendly apps that can be used in android gadgets. These tools are often free and they give the best experience when it comes to analysis. They are just a few clicks away within your android gadget. I am going to explain to you some of the best android apps that do the GIS functions.
Google Earth is an app that can be installed in an android device. It shows the representation of the world map in so many details. The 3D features are clear and one can zoom in and out to get the exact view of the features. It accesses satellite and aerial imagery, ocean bathymetry, and other geographic data over the internet to represent the Earth as a three-dimensional globe. The app is so detailed that you can see your home in it and see other features like the roads and the natural features in detail. The app is available for Android devices with ease and it occupies a reasonable space of just 11.57MB. You can draw on the map and share the proceedings or even collaborate with others on the google earth app.
Functions of the google earth would include;
Locate a geographical position and upload photos, videos, and audio.
Enables the user to edit and include files in the map.
Esri platform is the best well-known platform when it comes to GIS mapping and spatial analysis. They have got the best software including the widely known, Arcgis. They have an app that can enable you to perform some necessary functions with ease. They are categorized according to the app purposes when you get to their website. For example, there are apps for field whereby these are used to get data and the app offers a collaboration tool for an organization. It can be used offline and workers can capture information using this great app and this information goes to the online platform where management can have a look.
Functions
The apps provide a very powerful tool for the creation of the map and spatial data that is used in GIS
The Esri app also gives the user the ability to edit geodatabase files and data. Multi-users can do the editing, versioning and collaborative use to achieve the intended end results for decision making.
3. Google maps
Google maps are widely used at the personal level as well as institutional levels. This is because the app has a variety of features that most people would like to use. It can be used to navigate through directions and getting the location of some areas. Google map has got a distance estimation feature and in most cases, this is proven to be the exact distance. One advantage of the google map is the presence of the coordinates which can be used to specify a specific location. It allows different software to be used on it and help give the intended results. There are different views including the street view, aerial view and a top view of the globe. There are so many details that can be obtained from the google map with the details related to street names, road classes, area name, physical features and natural features such as dams, rivers, and lakes. The vegetation can be seen and climatic conditions are also evident from the color shaping. There are also indications of the rock formations.
Functions.
To locate resources and drop external applications to make the analysis.
To get distances and residential types among other variables.
4. Map note
A simple notepad that can save location information, export to CSV, KML, DXF file. Share a note or file via Email, Google Drive, and Skype.it can also display saved locations. The app complements the existing desktop software for analysis of map data and visualization of these data to give the results. The android app is 8.2 MBs and can be used with ease on the phone. For example, it can store and share spatial reference system, latitude, longitude, azimuth, altitude. The app can make notes and mainly it can be used to capture pictures and store them together with notes on the map.
Function
Export note list to csv, dxf, kml file
Sharing via Email, Google Drive, and Skype
5. Geopaparazzi
This is one of the best android apps that can be used by GIS users for specific purposes. There is one added advantage to this app and this makes it be outstanding among others; it has open-source codes that enable it to perform functions as required by the users. Users can modify the source code of the website to come up with greater functionality and this is highly accepted by many users. It can perform the same functions as the others though with a bit of oddness in it.
Conclusion
Google maps, map notes, Esri android apps, and google earth form the best android apps that you can use for GIS purposes. The apps provide a room for organizations to solve their problems. They can use these apps to get map data and in the process base these statistics to make the best decisions concerning project allocations among others. Try the list of the best android apps for the GIS functionality and you will like them.
