Badlands National Park, Photo by David Poteet
With the Nomad platform, you can create one or more zoomable GPS-enabled maps that work even when you don't have a cell signal.
Your first offline map is included as part of your setup fee. Additional offline maps can be created for a flat fee that is included in our Price Sheet.
Offline maps are created from any accurate map file, usually vector-based drawing files in formats like Adobe Illustrator. The maps provided by the National Park Service in Harpers Ferry are an excellent example.
First, we geo-rectify these maps, matching points on the maps to known points in a Geographic Information System.
Next, we create zoom levels with increasing amounts of detail as you zoom in closer. We usually create 4-5 zoom levels, but you can have more. However, more levels mean larger map files to download.
Nomad's mapping engine then lays these offline maps overtop of the standard Google maps. Even when a cell signal isn't available, the offline map works fine. As long as your smartphone has a GPS receiver and you are above ground, it can still show your location on the map.
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| Grand Teton Offline Map at 1st zoom level, overlaid on Google map | Map Selection Screen, allows users to choose from Google maps or any available offline maps | Same view as at left, using regular Google map |
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| Grand Teton Offline Map, zoomed in to 2nd level | Grand Teton Offline Map, zoomed in to 3rd level - notice additional road detail | Grand Teton Offline Map, zoomed in to 4th level, trails now visible |
