GPS // Data Overlays and Layers

[Chad-Smith]

The July 2023 release brings GPS coordinates to Issues. This is a great addition as it starts us down the path of being able to provide additional spatial context to the issues. I know that I and many others are grateful to now have this.

But I also hope that the development of GPS focused features doesn't stop there.

When adding GPS coordinates, it currently does so with an underlay of Google/Apple Maps depending on the device. These mapping services could be out of date anywhere between a week to a year old. This can be OK for general context, but for our projects we really need to use up-to-date data. Preferably data that we've supplied.

This Idea is requesting that the Map has added functionality to overlay as layers additional data that is stored in the Files. This overlay data could be a PDF drawing, a CAD (survey), or how about the drone imagery from any number of drone surveying platforms. The PDF may require manual registration with the map, but I would hope the CAD and drone data could be geo-located. Specifically for the drone surveying platforms, I would expect that they could automatically send their latest imagery to a destination Docs Files folder to ensure all ACC users are always using the latest overlay data.

Without such a feature I would expect the GPS feature that uses the inconsistent Google/Apple map data would be greatly underutilised.
This idea also applies to the Map in Build > Photos.