Measure distance on Google Maps
Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 12:05 pm
This may be a useful research tool for some.
Google Maps has a distance measurement tool available in beta test at present. Basically, using the satellite image, it will give you the actual distance between two or more selected points. The display units can be switched between metric or imperial, and will change to fit the distance, e.g. feet, miles. If you are modelling a prototype with any features still showing on Google maps, this may be a help.
I’ve tried it on part of my patio at home. With a tape measure on the ground I get 14’ 10.5”. Using the Google tool gives me 14.8514’, which is 14’ 10.2”. The engineers amongst you will of course love that putting two mouse clicks on a slightly fuzzy image gives a display of accuracy to the nearest 1/83”, but that seems pretty close! It will also tell me that the distance between the two bridges at my prototype station is 2,062’ and by entering a new location between the clicks, I now know that I live 46.1254 miles from it as the crow flies.
To access it, once in Google Maps, select “Maps Lab” in the bottom left hand corner near the copyright statement. Enable the Distance Measurement Tool in the pop up window and save changes. Select the small ruler symbol to the left of the scale in the bottom left hand corner of the map itself and click on the locations to be measured. The default display is metric.
Bryan
Google Maps has a distance measurement tool available in beta test at present. Basically, using the satellite image, it will give you the actual distance between two or more selected points. The display units can be switched between metric or imperial, and will change to fit the distance, e.g. feet, miles. If you are modelling a prototype with any features still showing on Google maps, this may be a help.
I’ve tried it on part of my patio at home. With a tape measure on the ground I get 14’ 10.5”. Using the Google tool gives me 14.8514’, which is 14’ 10.2”. The engineers amongst you will of course love that putting two mouse clicks on a slightly fuzzy image gives a display of accuracy to the nearest 1/83”, but that seems pretty close! It will also tell me that the distance between the two bridges at my prototype station is 2,062’ and by entering a new location between the clicks, I now know that I live 46.1254 miles from it as the crow flies.
To access it, once in Google Maps, select “Maps Lab” in the bottom left hand corner near the copyright statement. Enable the Distance Measurement Tool in the pop up window and save changes. Select the small ruler symbol to the left of the scale in the bottom left hand corner of the map itself and click on the locations to be measured. The default display is metric.
Bryan