Map imagery for measuring (Google, Esri and free)

Measure draws on aerial imagery. Free imagery covers the whole US with nothing to set up. A key from Esri or Google adds sharp imagery almost anywhere in the world.

Free imagery, nothing to set up

Measure opens on Auto unless you choose something else. Auto picks the sharpest free imagery for wherever the map is:

1. The state’s own imagery, where the state publishes some (about 1 ft per pixel or better)
2. US aerial imagery (NAIP), every lower-48 state, about 2 ft per pixel
3. USGS imagery

Outside the US, Auto uses Esri if your business has added a key, and the street map if it hasn’t. The map always names the imagery it’s showing and gives its credit.

Terrain, Slope and Contour lines (every 2 ft of rise) come free from USGS across most of the US.

Switch the map while you measure

On Measure, choose the imagery button at the top right of the map (it shows the name of the map you’re on). Under Choose yourself, pick any free map. Under Worldwide, with a key, pick Esri or Google once your business has added a key.

Under On top in the same menu, turn on Slope or Contour lines, and turn Street names and House numbers on or off. House numbers show once you’re zoomed in close, where OpenStreetMap has them (many towns and cities, fewer places in the country), and stay on or off on that device until you change them.

Choose what Measure opens on

• For the whole team: owners and admins open Settings → Maps and choose a map under What Measure opens on.
• Just for you: open Settings → Profile and choose a map under Measure map. Or, on Measure, pick a map from the imagery button, open it again and choose Open Measure on … every time.

Your own choice comes first, then the team’s, then Auto. Your own choice is saved on the device you set it on, like Appearance and Directions, so set it on your phone and your computer separately. To go back to the team’s choice, pick Team default under Measure map.

A drawing you reopen still opens on the map it was made on. If Esri or Google is the default and its key is removed, Measure opens on Auto instead.

Add Esri World Imagery (recommended for work outside the US)

Esri’s free plan includes 2 million map tiles a month, enough for thousands of measurements. If a month ever runs past that, Esri pauses the imagery until the next month unless you turn on pay-as-you-go, so there are no surprise bills.

1. Make a free account at ArcGIS Location Platform.
2. In the dashboard, open Developer credentials, then New developer credential, and choose API key credentials.
3. Under privileges, open Location services and tick Basemaps.
4. Under referrers, add your Crewtavo’s web address so the key only works there.
5. Copy the API key (it starts with AAPT or AAPK). In Crewtavo, open Settings → Maps, paste it under Esri World Imagery and choose Check and save.

Add Google satellite (needs Google Cloud)

Google’s satellite imagery works worldwide, but it takes a Google Cloud project with billing turned on. If you haven’t used the Google Cloud console before, Esri is the easier choice. Google’s Map Tiles API includes 100,000 tiles a month at no charge.

1. In the Google Cloud console, pick or create a project with billing turned on.
2. Under APIs & Services, enable the Map Tiles API.
3. Create an API key. Restrict it to the Map Tiles API, and to your Crewtavo’s web address followed by /* (for example https://crm.yourbusiness.com/*).
4. In Crewtavo, open Settings → Maps, paste the key under Google satellite and choose Check and save.

Crewtavo tries each key before saving it and tells you what to fix if it doesn’t work, such as a key limited to another website or an API that isn’t turned on yet.

Note

Google’s terms don’t allow keeping pictures of its imagery. When you save a drawing made on Google satellite, the picture that goes on the quote or invoice uses the best free imagery for that spot instead. Your shapes and measurements are the same either way.

The saved picture is a takeoff sheet: the drawing on the aerial with a graphic scale bar marked in feet and a north arrow, and under it your business, the drawing’s name and address, the date, the imagery credit, and what was measured.

Tip

Whoever runs your Crewtavo server can also set a Google key for every business on it with the GOOGLE_MAPS_BROWSER_KEY variable. See Optional settings. A key added in Settings → Maps replaces it for your business.