Esri has released a new, no-cost add-on for ArcGIS 10 that allows ArcGIS users to contribute data, using the editing capabilities of ArcGIS Desktop, to OpenStreetMap. Volunteered geographic information (VGI), such as that available from OpenStreetMap, is playing an increasingly significant role in emergency response during crises like the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. With this new, free and open source tool, ArcGIS Desktop users will be able to more easily contribute to the growing OpenStreetMap community.
The add-on allows ArcGIS users to download data from OpenStreetMap, store it locally in a geodatabase, and use the advanced editing environment of ArcGIS Desktop 10 to create, modify, or delete data. Once the edits are complete, the changes can be posted back to OpenStreetMap and made available to the OpenStreetMap community.
More details about the tool will be released over time, including access to the source code and enhanced documentation.
To download ArcGIS Editor for OpenStreetMap or to provide feedback about the tool, visit the project’s Web site.
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