Thread: Bhuvan (beta) : The Indian Google Earth

ISRO has launched its own version of Google Earth, “Bhuvan”, based on the images taken by the Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS). Its still in beta version.
Its available for download from Indian Earth Observation Visualisation

First the bad news
1. The registration process is absurdly long
2. It requires you to download and install multiple plug-ins. Each to be downloaded separately.
3. It requires Direct X and MS.Net which means it can only work in IE
4. It works only on WINDOWS
5. It has a resolution of 5.8 Metres as against 2.5 Metres available in Google Earth, so for most major cities, Google Earth would give a more detailed view
6. Own data can not be added

Now the good news
1. It is India specific, so contains greater details of tier II and Tier III towns
2. For smaller towns also, it offers the resolution of 5.8 Metres, as against 40 Metres in Google Earth.
3. It offers not just simple image but metadata for climate, terrain, land-use, demographic and historical details. The images are multi-layered , each layer containing certain specific information. E.g. presently it provides drought information for last three years. (it would gradually be updated to 19 years data). So it will be more useful for research and other purposes.
4. The information is proposed to be updated annually.

You will be able to see the following data on Bhuvan
• Satellite imagery (LISS III , LISS IV along with metadata and Multi- temporal Data from OCM & AWiFS)
• Value added information (NADAMS – National Agricultural Drought Monitoring System), Output of flood studies for certain areas,
• Thematic information (Wastelands, Soils, watershed,water resources related maps)
• Base layers ( administrative boundaries, transport layers, water bodies, etc)
• Census information
• Metadata

Minimum Requirements for Windows
• Operating System: Windows XP/Vista
• CPU: Pentium 4 2.4GHz+ or AMD 2400xp+
• System Memory (RAM): 512MB
• Hard Disk: 2GB free space
• Network Speed: 256 Kbits/sec
• Graphics Card: 3D-capable with 32MB of VRAM
• Screen: 1280x1024, "32-bit True Color"

It was scheduled to launch in April. Better late than never. Great achievement.

Thanks for the info...but registration process is killing this thing.

It runs in I.E.

Its not an application like Google Earth

Many Improvements have to be done.

But,never the less ,good achievement .

At least we have achieved much on our own. Something is better than many thing.

this is the first step and really very nice one, we just need to wait for a while and will get 1000 gifts and i am sure it will work better thn google earth and wikimapia

In some respects it is better than that. Going to post that later but pb had also given some of them.

what will be the benefits of this software?? can someone pls higlight...

yes i am sure about it
but the only thing i am not satisfied with is:
this software is made by Skyline
Skyline Software Systems, Inc.
4506 Daly Drive, Suite 100
Chantilly, VA 20151 USA

when we already have good talent in India then why to hire someone from USA :confused1:

Originally Posted by smoothvibes

yes i am sure about it
but the only thing i am not satisfied with is:
this software is made by Skyline
Skyline Software Systems, Inc.
4506 Daly Drive, Suite 100
Chantilly, VA 20151 USA

when we already have good talent in India then why to hire someone from USA :confused1:

ohh didnt notice it though....


so should i register to Bhuvan

yes you should, in any case its Indian. Baahar rahega to bhi Indian he hoga na

Satellites are Indian.

Originally Posted by Luke Skywalker

Satellites are Indian.

yes satellited are Indian

Originally Posted by smoothvibes

yes i am sure about it
but the only thing i am not satisfied with is:
this software is made by Skyline
Skyline Software Systems, Inc.
4506 Daly Drive, Suite 100
Chantilly, VA 20151 USA

when we already have good talent in India then why to hire someone from USA :confused1:

That's the company's address. Most probably the actual work
was done in India by Indians due to outsourcing ;-)

-PF

yes it is 100% possible
or may be Indian's were hired there to work on this project

Originally Posted by Punch Farce

That's the company's address. Most probably the actual work
was done in India by Indians due to outsourcing ;-)

-PF

probably... Indians rule all softy world.. and outsource...

Bhuvan- Screenshots

Pros

• There are six levels of zooming available Globe, Country, State, City, Street and House
• Doesn't hang up while using, like Microsoft Virtual Earth
• Time can be changed to compare the views
• Takes very little time to load images

Cons

• Many important places are not indexed in the search feature
• Feature to save images (snapashot) from within the browser
• Only supports Internet Explorer
• The quality of the images are too low/poor
• Most of the features are still under development

But it's only beta version after all. Hope the future versions add more features and quality images. For now Google Earth and Virtual Earth are the best option.

I always install Direct X, Java runtime, Flash and Dot Net Frameworks after installing Windows XP. So there was no need of downloading extra plugins.

PS, Why are they displaying the whole globe when only India is available to view ? :confused1:

Originally Posted by Archer

Bhuvan- Screenshots

Pros

• There are six levels of zooming available Globe, Country, State, City, Street and House
• Doesn't hang up while using, like Microsoft Virtual Earth
• Time can be changed to compare the views
• Takes very little time to load images

Cons

• Many important places are not indexed in the search feature
• Feature to save images (snapashot) from within the browser
• Only supports Internet Explorer
• The quality of the images are too low/poor
• Most of the features are still under development

But it's only beta version after all. Hope the future versions add more features and quality images. For now Google Earth and Virtual Earth are the best option.

I always install Direct X, Java runtime, Flash and Dot Net Frameworks after installing Windows XP. So there was no need of downloading extra plugins.

PS, Why are they displaying the whole globe when only India is available to view ? :confused1:

but theres a snapshot option in it whats that???

That's what I mean, you can save images (or open in default editor) from the browser using the Snapshot button of Bhuvan.

Originally Posted by mickey

what will be the benefits of this software?? can someone pls higlight...

Think about someone who is doing research work and requires demographic information on certain districts/taluks for last two/three years. Today, that information is not available anywhere except with some Babus.

Now, with Bhuvan that is available at the click of a mouse.

There could be other possibilities.

Just remember, more important than the person who invented the wheel was the person who put it to multiple use.

The information is available. Its upto use to use it.

Its still in beta stage. So final result is expected to be much better.

does it provide turn-by-turn directions like google maps?
that could be useful.

-F

I am still to use this Bhuvan, from papers what I have heard is that some issues/bugs in the application. They also sadi that Bhuvan is far far away from being a google map killer.

Originally Posted by Rameshjeee

I am still to use this Bhuvan, from papers what I have heard is that some issues/bugs in the application. They also sadi that Bhuvan is far far away from being a google map killer.

Google map is not going to be kill because they will provide facility for India or Indian subcontinent only.

Only thing which hold me back from using it is IE which I just un installed from my system. I installed it usind ie4linux.