[Talk-GB] Google maps added addresses!

Frederik Ramm frederik at remote.org
Mon Dec 28 17:33:44 UTC 2020


Hi,

On 12/28/20 17:21, Rob Nickerson wrote:
> What can we do to improve coverage of addresses in OSM? I notice that we
> have some pretty good aerial imagery now. Should we see if we can get
> good building outline from an AI / machine learning approach? If the
> quality is good we can then use these to help add addresses. For example
> we can ask new mappers to add addresses using tools such as StreetComplete.

>From my personal experience it definitely helps to have building
outlines if you want to record addresses, however my recording of
addresses very frequently required making changes to the pre-existing
building outline - most frequently, splitting a terraced building into
individually addressed parts, but sometimes also more complex merges and
splits because the situation that presents itself from the air is
different to what you see when standing before the building.

I doubt that getting building outlines from an AI process will help more
than it hurts; firstly because they are usually not "good", secondly
because even good building footprints will create problems if e.g.
streets, solar panels or other things have been created based on
different imagery and will now (in the case of streets) overlap with, or
(in the case of roof solar panels) lie outside of the building
footprint. I think you will achieve better overall map quality when
mappers trace building outlines manually.

The bulk of this work is surveying the house numbers; tracing the
buildings on top of that adds just a few percent extra work. I can trace
1,000 buildings in a lazy evening while watching a film, but I need
weeks to record that many house numbers...

Bye
Frederik

-- 
Frederik Ramm  ##  eMail frederik at remote.org  ##  N49°00'09" E008°23'33"



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