Proof of Location
Multiple layers of location verification build trust in the Hivemapper Network.
As a growing number of drivers around the world collect street-level imagery, it’s critical that the Hivemapper Network can trust the data provided. Location data is central to the community’s mapping effort — therefore, several independent data sources help verify that the location coordinates uploaded to the network are accurate.
Hivemapper uses three layers of verification to validate the location of collected imagery:
- 1.Global Navigation Satellite System (“GNSS”), often referred to as GPS.
- 2.Helium’s Long Range Wide Area Network ("LoRaWAN").
- 3.Map Image QA.
Both GNSS and LoRaWAN are built into the hardware layer, while Map Image QA is done post-collection. The network is intentionally built with multiple layers of redundancy to protect the authenticity and accuracy of our data even if one layer of verification fails.
Multiple layers of validation makes mapping with Hivemapper fairer because contributors aren’t competing with cheaters. Map consumers can also be confident in the authenticity of the map imagery and data.
Just like in your car or on your phone, the Hivemapper Network uses GNSS to record the position of the dashcam while mapping. GNSS consists of a network of global satellites orbiting Earth that emit radio signals. These signals are then used to accurately determine the position of the receiver (i.e., the dashcam).
Each Hivemapper Dashcam is built with a U-Blox NEO-M9N module, which has advanced spoofing and jamming detection. This encrypted GNSS system provides a first layer of verification to accurately position map imagery and protect against bad actors.
Helium is a global, distributed network of “hotspots“ that create public, long-range wireless coverage for Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Their rapidly scaling global network is owned and operated by contributors, just like Hivemapper. Helium consists of nearly one million hotspots in cities all over the world that create the Long Range Wide Area Network ("LoRaWAN").
As a Hivemapper Dashcam drives around, it connects with Helium hotspots deployed in the area and records the location of the Helium access points. This creates a list of access points that the dashcam can then compare to the GNSS positioning of the device.
Post-collection, map imagery undergoes human validation by contributors working on QA tasks on the Hivemapper Network.
Last modified 1mo ago