Leslie D'Monte / New Delhi Aug 21, 2009, 00:27 IST
Seven days after it was launched, Isro’s answer to Google Earth gets nearly 23,000 downloads a day
Touted as India's answer to Google Earth and Microsoft's Virtual Earth, Bhuvan — a geoportal that allows users to explore a virtual world for free in a 3D environment, with specific emphasis on India — is receiving phenomenal response. Just seven days after it was launched on August 13, nearly 23,000 people from 70 countries around the world have been downloading it daily — amounting to156,000 downloads till date.
"Around 100 people have been registering with us every minute during peak hours, and 35 to 40 people have been registering to download this application every minute since the launch," V Jayaraman, director, National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA), told Business Standard.
A 20-member team from NRSA (a part of Isro) had a lead role in designing and developing Bhuvan under the direction of Jayaraman and Isro Chairman Madhavan Nair.
"We wanted to showcase India's geo-capabilities. Bhuvan remains a visualisation tool. However, it's not a new idea. We have been deliberating on it for some time, having played around with thematic data for years. Our data products are being sold both in India and abroad. So we have a lot of experience in this space. We are only building on it," asserts Jayaraman.
Bhuvan, meaning Earth, allows users to view satellite imagery, value added information like the National Agricultural Drought Monitoring System (NADAMS), 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), and census information.
It's mandatory to register to use Bhuvan. The basic version of Bhuvan is free. Once you register and log in, you will be asked to download a Bhuvan plug-in. Once you successfully register, you will land on the Bhuvan 3D client page. The main window shows a globe, and you can navigate with your mouse or use the Heads-Up Display (HUD) option available on the right top corner. Double right click to zoom in, and double left click to zoom out (or use your mousewheel). Right click, hold and drag to pan.
Bhuvan is an initiative to showcase this distinctiveness of Indian imaging capabilities, including the thematic information derived from such imagery which could be of vital importance to the common man, with a focus on Indian region, says Jayaraman.
It displays satellite images of varying resolution of India’s surface, allowing users to see things like cities and important places of interest looking perpendicularly down or at an oblique angle, with different perspectives and can navigate through a 3D viewing environment.
The degree of resolution showcased is based on the points of interest and popularity, but most of the Indian terrain is covered up to at least 5.8 metres of resolution.
Comparisons are odious but cannot be avoided with Google Earth and Microsoft's Virtual Earth. "These comparisons are a media creation," says Jayaraman. "Hats off to the remote sensing capabilities of these two companies. However, I must say that when it comes to India, we have very high-resolution images. We do not put this up on the website due to security concerns," he adds.
For instance, if Google Earth shows details upto 200 metres distance and Wikimapia upto 50 metres, Bhuvan can show images up to 10 metres, which means you can easily see details up to a three storey building.
But then, while Google Earth works on a downloadable client, Bhuvan works only on Windows and within Internet Explorer. "We will definitely get it to work on Linux and open source browsers in the long term. This is a beta version, and we support open source," says Jayaraman.
There are some other bugs in this beta version that are being ironed out. For instance, in the current version, you cannot add your own data (which you can do on Google Earth).
Users say the globe is slow to load. Besides, much of the data that ISRO says can be seen is not easily viewable. Jayaram admits to the bugs and says: "It's a work in progress, and the loads of feedback that we're getting will help us improve this product in the coming days."
Over time, he adds, many more unique functionalities will be added to this tool to address the common man's problems, particularly in the rural set-up of India and addressing natural resources management issues.
Bhuvan is a gateway to explore and discover virtual earth in 3D space with specific emphasis on Indian region from Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO). Using this Blog, one can share information about Bhuvan "India' s own Google Earth"
Readers are requested to share their comments or views at http://isrobhuvan.org
Posted by: gbc999
January 26 , 2010, 19:17 IST
goodwebsite for downloading bhuvan, well done isrobhuvan.org
Google Earth is given away for free.
Why indeed is ISRO wasting our money to produce a clearly inferior "me-too" product?
When it works at all, it works only with the slow Microsoft Internet Explorer, whose market share, everyone knows is dwindling.
My concern is not the quality, my concern is the security. Just following west (they sent man on moon, we will too - mentality) and landing in ditch with them is not the thing I will recommend. Bhuvan ("with special emphasis on India") can be a help for people trying to blow up our security arrangements. This system will be great "assistance" to the terrorist's preparation. India's status is different than any other country in the world. Rich & strong yet extremely unsafe. Every science project in India must first be reviewed under the light of financial input/output and security. Bhuvan must be developed to environmental and agricultural informations only.
Just give it some time ...it will die with time. After few days u will even forget the URL(address) and if Google do not keep the records of Bhuban...it automatically dies like other government project.
Please dont make big comments on a low quality thing. It makes people irritated more than any thing. Please dont give people hope without any thing alleast to the quality of google earth>> PLEASE ISRO..
I HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR THE LAST ONE WEEK TO SEE SOMETHING ON BHUVAN BUT NOTHING IS CLEAR. IT IS NO COMPARISON TO GOOGLE EARTH. WISH OUR NEW MEDIA WOULD TEST THE PRODUCT BEFORE DOING THIS FALSE BRAGGING IN FRONT OF THE WORLD. HAS ANYBODY ABLE TO SEE YOUR HOUSE IN BHUVAN?
What I could download was an executable 'Bhuvansetup' file. On running it, it created TerraExplorer. Everything about Terraexplorer is American, rather than Indian. If this is what ISRO was tom-tomming about, then certainly it is a great disappointment. Bhuvan is not even a pale shadow of Google Earth. I don't know what is the celebration of launching Bhuvan about. It is not only not an answer to Google Earth, it's like an ant challenging an elephant.
I think the author has written this article hearing from the third party sources and not tried this actually, if you try this you will find out that its not even close to any competing production. For start it good but there is scope for lot of improvement. Please at lest check it yourself before writing an article about any technology.
Well, sorry it disappoints.
I had hoped to find higher resolution imagery, or additional layers. But, Google Earth imagery is far, far superior.
Much of this is a copy of Google Earth. We must ask why ISRO is spending public money to produce a product that is INFERIOR to one easily available anyway.
Cure: Let ISRO make higher resolution imagery available than GE. They claim they have it. If GE is readily available, ISRO should not be afraid of revealing some great secret information about India.
Otherwise, like everything else about India, it disappoints.
Posted by: Amruthapani
August 26 , 2009, 16:21 IST
High resolution images were not added for our security purpose only. Please U don't come to india, you may have swine flu.
Posted by: IndianInIndia
August 24 , 2009, 11:11 IST
> Otherwise, like everything else about India, it disappoints.
Actually this statement is not that incorrect. Instead of feeling insulted, Indians should try and improve harder and shout less. We, as a country, have a phobia against technology and have its very poor understanding.
Posted by: rohanritolia
August 21 , 2009, 22:38 IST
Well mr.Scientist u must have read science i believe. Why have u read when people already know science. u read because u wanted to build on the existing knowledge. I think u can have that pereption for ISRO as well. Sitting in US and commenting is easy, try to be slightly more appreciative.
Posted by: Paul
August 21 , 2009, 19:02 IST
Well It may take time to build up. But lets give some credit to the people who built this software...
and whooever is this IndianScientistinUS is if you are so concerned about public money and stuff then please do something for the country instead of saying that everything is dissapointing in this country.
Posted by: weHaveIt
August 21 , 2009, 15:39 IST
Hi,
We have better imagery than others. Only becuase of security concern we do not display it. That is the punch line.
Beta has problems.. that is why a beta. One day we will solve all these technical glitches. It will be definitely some time near to achieving our goal on 100% literacy.
Posted by: S.R.
August 21 , 2009, 14:03 IST
When you are coming from behind and want to catch up with advanced nations, you need to get started building your own things. Yes Bhuvan is indeed inferior at this stage but it is only when you start can you improve.
Can I ask Mr. IndianScientistinUS - what you have built of significance in your life? even a toy for your kids?
Dont be so cynical and learn to appreciate efforts. It is a beta version after all!
Posted by: Guru
August 21 , 2009, 13:38 IST
Yes. And did you ever had a look at GE at the time of its launch? So, there are improvements, and enhancements happening..and wait and watch.
I strongly condemn your last quote: "Otherwise, like everything else about India, it disappoints." What the hell do you mean by this? How dare you comment on my nation...???
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