Next up in our series about the Most Clicked, Shared and Talked About APIs added to our directory in 2018 are Mapping and Location APIs. Developers looking to add mapping services, routing services, location services, or other geospatial and localization services to applications should take a look at this list. Sub-categories covered in this segment include Localization, Shipping, Robots, Photos, Transportation and Marine.
NearMap provides aerial imagery technology and location data technology (such as the image below). The NearMap Panorama Tile API returns data to create PhotoMapa, which are created by splitting a pyramid of 256x256-pixel map tiles at multiple zoom levels. An application typically downloads a collection of adjacent tiles to cover a given region.
This is an HD aerial image of Star Wars Land construction at California's Disneyland. Image: NearMap
OpenWeatherMapUltraviolet Index API provides developers with current, forecast, and historical UV data for more than 200,000 cities around the world. Data measurements are only taken at 12pm.
Apple MapKit JS, currently in beta release, is a new JavaScript library that lets developers add interactive maps to web pages. The Apple MapKit JavaScript API allows indirect access to the Mapkit JavaScript SDK. MapKit enables developers to display map or satellite imagery from an application's interface, including points of interest, and placemark information for map coordinates. The MapKit service uses the Google Mobile Maps (GMM) to provide map data.
Add Maps functionality to websites via Apple MapKit JS. Screenshot: PSMA provides location and geospatial information about Australia from Australia's state, territory and federal government data sources. The RESTful PSMA Buildings API provides data about 8.8 million+ Australian buildings and includes 2D and 3D building footprints. Developers can access data including addresses, buildings, roof materials, elevation, average roof height and more.
The Beta version of the PMSA Buildings API is now available. Image: PSMA Australia Limited
Sidewalk Labs' Coord has provided APIs for cities and transport companies to access data about streetside curbs, transport, and parking. APIs include Coord Parking Access API which enables applications to authorize end users to park at a supported parking location, Coord Toll Search API which retrieves data about the prices and locations of toll roads, Coord Ride Hail API allows users to search for available ride hail systems (such as Lyft or Uber), get price estimates, travel time estimates, request a ride, Coord Bike Share Access API which provides applications access to the Coord platform to rent bikes, view passes, view bike sessions, and Coord Multimodal Routing API which provides a way to plan a trip within two points of interest that are in the same city.
The Routing API is the latest transportion tool from Coord. Image: Sidewalk Labs/Coord
U.S. Census BureauGeocoding Services API is a search tool that converts an address into an approximate coordinate with latitude and longitude. The geocoder is available as a web interface and as an API in REST architecture.
Mapline provides "the easiest mapping software on the planet." The Mapline API allows users to build maps and upload datasets to be used with an organization's internal systems. API methods are available for managing users, authentication, managing datasets, creating records, creating, updating and deleting maps, and more.
IsLocation is a web service for developers to handle location information within applications. The isLocation API is a RESTful platform that supports the implementation of location concepts. Developers can use the API to find a distance from one location to another, filter geocoordinates, get latitude and longitude of landmarks, get an address from a latitude and longitude, and get places nearby a set of geocoordinates.
Loctome Elevation Service can enrich coordinates with terrain elevation data. The Loctome API can accept two formats of coordinate data input: shapes coordinates and encoded coordinates, and it allows developers to integrate elevation data into applications.
Enable applications to provide elevation data with the Loctome Elevation API. Image: Loctome
DroneBase is a FAA approved drone services company which allows users to book professional drone aerial imagery, video, and data. The DroneBase Partners Missions API is used to create missions in the DroneBase Platform. Drone pilots are available for a variety of industries, such as commercial and residential real estate, construction, insurance, and telecom.
Add custom drone video footage to applications with DroneBase API. Image: DroneBase
Wirefree ThoughtGeoDB Get-City-Distance API returns the straight-line distance between any two cities in either JSON or JSONP format. Responses may be given in either miles or kilometers.
i-HuntingCadastral Mapping API and SDK provides mapping data for hunting areas including unified property lines, parcel and land ownership attribute layer for US.
Here's a sample application built with the i-Hunting Cadastral Mapping SDK. Image: Google Play/Gps Nautical Charts
LocationIQGeocoding API allows developers to perform geocoding and reverse geocoding operations. The API also allows developers to access maps, nearby points of interest, nearby countries, and their account balance. Map tiles provided by LocationIQ work on web, Android, and iOS platforms. Developers can make up to 10,000 API calls per day.
MapQuest-GLJavaScript SDK is a JavaScript library for interactive maps, geocoding, directions, and traffic that is powered by MapQuest APIs. The MapQuest-GL JavaScript API is an indirect access to this service. MapQuest iOS Navigation SDK and MapQuest Android Navigation SDK both provide a way to easily add turn by turn navigation within any application. The Navigation SDKs are only available in the U.S. currently. The SDKs feature a sample navigation application, improved destination requests support, multi-stop routes, language support for US English and US Spanish and more.
RouteSavvy is web-based software for planning delivery and other travel routes. Developers can use the RouteSavvy API to retrieve turn-by-turn directions for reach route leg, and a latitude, longitude polyline describing the route for display on a map. A SOAP API is also available.
RouteSavvy API returns optimized stops and 'Routepaths' as displayed over Bing Maps. Image Credit: RouteSavvy
IP GeolocationAPI allows developers to get geolocation information for a given IP address. Data points returned by this API include city, state, province, country, continent, latitude, longitude, region, timezone, current time, organization, ISP, local currency, and country flags. This service can be used for content personalization, geotargeting, geofencing, ad targeting, digital rights management, form auto-completion, and more.
searoutes.comAPI is a route optimization system that delivers GeoJSON data for routing vessels on the water. The API supports street/ocean routing for inter-modal supply chains, fuel consumption, voyage weather, and piracy zones which can be avoided and displayed during mapping. Canals and inland rivers can also be used.
Users can plan routes for marine vessels with this API. Image: searoutes.com
Dockwa is an engineering company that provides a variety of technology products. The Dockwa OnWater API allows users to determine if a particular geographic point, in term of latitude and longitude parameters, is on water or land.
Image: OnWater by Dockwa
Ordnance Survey is a service that allows developers to integrate Ordnance Survey's maps covering England, Scotland, and Wales with location-based applications. The Ordnance Survey Names API offers a reliable lookup platform of Great Britain's places. This allows for the discovery, navigation, and routing of specific locations.
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust made its ambulance service more efficient with Ordnance Survey APIs. Image: Ordnance Survey
Mapfit is a high-accuracy mapping platform. The Mapfit Geocoding API can be accessed through POST requests with building, entrance type, locality, latitude, longitude, postal code, and street address as optional parameters. The Mapfit Directions API returns addresses, location, and the option to get direction via coordinates in JSON format. Developers wishing to migrate from Google Maps can contact the company to obtain an API Key.
Sewio is a real-time locating system (RTLS) and indoor positioning system. The Sewio API returns data from the service including anchor, tag, building, floorplan, and zone as the basic feed of an indoor map. The Sewio Websockets API uses a publish-subscribe model, allowing clients to subscribe to a stream from a tag or an anchor. The Sewio API is listed under the Mapping category. See ProgrammableWeb's complete list of Mapping APIs.