Bhuvan - Indian Earth Observation to compete Google Earth: Analysis
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has launched a national variant of Google Earth yesterday, named Bhuvan (means Earth in sanskrit). This feature provides satellite imagery of geographical regions all over India and is optimistic about giving a tough time to Google Earth (much talked about service from Internet search company Google Inc. that allows ordinary people to take a close look at most parts of the world on their computer screens, using satellite images and maps.). While most of the reporters were elated about the grand opening of a service for our own country, no one looked beyond the press release I suppose. But we did. And what we found was really something not to brag about, at least for now.
The Myth
Let me show you some excerpts from the leading newspaper agencies from India and Wikipedia to give you a better picture of what it is to be about:
Top space scientists were present at the launch ceremony at a workshop organised by Astronautical Society of India in New Delhi. Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA), a part of Isro, had a lead role in designing and developing ‘Bhuvan’. It focuses on rural and thematic applications like wasteland mapping and terrain profile. It contains weather details like humidity levels. The new portal shows data which has been approved by the government of India. ‘‘Sensitive information has been kept out of the public domain,’’ said Jayaraman.
Bhuvan currently only offers images taken between one and three years ago even over India. It combines satellite imagery from various sensors onboard IRS (Indian Remote Sensing) satellites and transposes them on a 3-D globe. As it keeps updating its database with more recent and higher resolution images, Bhuvan eventually promises to offer real-time data and images.
WikiPedia
Bhuvan will feature a zoom level of upto 10 meters while the Google Earth features a zoom level of up to 200 meters. The new ISRO Bhuvan will also feature a multi layer information mapping while the present Google Earth features a single layer information mapping system
Livemint (by far the best coverage and they at least didn't copy and paste from the PR)
Unlike Google Earth, the Bhuvan application will not be downloadable and will not allow users to host content in the near future. “We are not competing with Google,” said Jayaraman. A Google spokesperson declined to comment. Bhuvan is one project where high technology will benefit common people. In the current economic slowdown, if someone needs to analyze land for a project, the platform could be used and at no cost,” said Nag, a former surveyor general of India. Even in a village, if you need to analyse crop patterns, the images should be of high quality.
The Difference of Bhuvan and Google Earth in a Nutshell
- Google Earth’s Zoom levels up to 200 mt – ISRO’s Bhuvan claims to Zoom levels up to 10 mt
- Google Earth: Single layer information – ISRO’s Bhuvan claims to provide you with Multi-layer information
- Google Earth: Images upgraded every 4 years - ISRO’s Bhuvan claims that Images will be upgraded every year
- Google Earth: No alternate viewing options – ISRO’s Bhuvan claims that there are options of viewing on different dates
- Google Earth: Uses international satellites – ISRO’s Bhuvan claims to Uses Indian satellites
- Google Earth allows users to host content. ISRO's Bhuvan is only viewable
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