India is launching Bhuvan, its own version of Google Earth that will be used for urban planning. The satellite mapping platform, a web-based service developed by India’s National Remote Sensing Center will also one-up Google Earth in terms of features and functionality. While Google’s platform only provides imagery, Bhuvan will add information such as soil types and ground water potential, in order to assist scientists and town planners to choose suitable geographies for building infrastructure.
There is concern that Bhuvan, which will provide a 2.5 meter resolution, could be used maliciously. After the infamous Mumbai terrorist attacks last year, investigators were told by the only surviving gunman that Google Earth was used heavily in preparation for the attack. Given Bhuvan’s web-based home and its free availability, many are wondering if there needs to be global regulations for satellite mapping platforms.
