MobileMap supports two main types of navigation: 1) overland travel for walking to selected features during field data collection, and 2) driving directions, when nagivating by vehicle to a field site. The sections provide details for using both methods.
1) Overland Travel (e.g., Navigating to a Plot)
This short video provides a quick tutorial on field navigation using MobileMap
MobileMap supports navigating to any selected feature through a range of visual cues, direction information (distance and direction) and audio alerts. When navigating to a feature over large distances, users may wish to combine driving directions (see item 2 below) with field navigation tools documented here.
To navigate to a feature, such as a plot in MobileMap:
- Locate your current location on the map by looking for the blue GPS location indicator. If you do not see the GPS location indicator, or if the location indicator is grey instead of blue, the GPS is not working or is not able to determine your location. Verify that locations are allowed (Android Settings > Location > Use Location) and that MobileMap has permission to use location information. When moving, the GPS location indicator will display a white arrow to indicate the direction of travel. Note that this is the direction of current travel as determined by the GPS, not the orientation of the tablet.
- Use the identity tool to select a plot (or other feature) and make sure only one feature is selected.
- The selected plot will be highlighted blue. If you need to confirm that only one plot is selected check plot attribute window to make sure attributes are available for only one plot.
- Once a plot is selected, the distance and direction to the plot will be displayed next to the current Lat/Log values in the upper left corner of the MobileMap. Note that distance units can be adjusted in settings (Settings > Measurement and Navigation > Linear Measurement Unit)
- Optionally, enable auto-pan to keep the map centered on your current location
- Begin moving towards the plot
- A white arrow will appear in the blue GPS location indicator. The arrow will always point the direction you are travelling.
- Use the white arrow, the distance and direction information, as well as the orientation between your location and the selected plot to help guide you to the plot. As long as you are moving towards the selected plot, the white arrow should point towards the plot and the distance value will be updated to show a decreasing distance.
Proximity Alert
Users can enable a proximity alert to produce an audio alert (e.g. 'beep' sound) when arriving at a selected feature. This is very useful when navigating to inventory plots, as it can help remove bias when determining the location of plot center. When the device beeps, you are at plot center.
To enable proximity alerts:
- MobileMap general settings (gear icon)
- Measurement and Navigation -> Enable Proximity Alert
To change Proximity Alert Distance:
- Enter the distance at which an alert should sound into the Proximity Alert Distance setting. This distance is in the linear measurement units which MobileMap is currently using. Typically values are between 20 and 30 feet.
To change the Alert Sound:
- Go to the Tablet's Android Settings (home screen of tablet, gear icon) and change the default notification sound (Sound > Default notification sound).
- Verify that the device volume is set to maximum, and that it is not set to vibrate or 'Do not disturb' mode.
2) Driving Directions
MobileMap supports retrieving driving (or walking via roads) directions accessing ArcGIS Online's routing service. This functionality requires a user to be a) have internet (e.g., Wi-Fi) connection and b) be currently signed in to ArcGIS Online via MobileMap. Once the directions have been calculated, the spatial path of travel to the user's destination will be displayed on the screen and turn by turn directions can be displayed. The route and directions will be automatically stored on the device and thus can be used offline. Note: if your organization uses Portal for ArcGIS, driving direction functionality is not available.
Navigate to a Point or Feature Using MobileMap
- Make sure you are logged in to ArcGIS Online via MobileMap and have internet connection (Portal for ArcGIS organizational accounts do not support driving directions)
- Use the identity tool and select a feature for your destination
- Select the 'Get Directions' on the feature identity results window to calculate directions to your destination
- The route from your current location to your destination will be displayed on the map screen as a blue highlighted path
- To display the turn-by-turn directions, select the 'Get Directions' icon (now highlighted blue, which indicates MobileMap has a stored direction)
- To hide the spatial direction route from the map, select "Hide Route" on the Directions pop-up window
- To delete the route, select "Delete Route' on the Directions pop-up window
- MobileMap stores the most recently created route (only one route at a time) for offline use
