This section explains how the Nearmap Image API handles imagery requests when no imagery for a specified date is available.
Nearmap imagery is available in developed urban and suburban areas for specific dates. This means that not every API request will return Nearmap imagery.
Note that you can determine whether Nearmap imagery is available at a specified location by using the metadata requests described here: Retrieve a list of available surveys for a location using Tile API.
All Nearmap API requests must be authenticated using API Key Authentication.
We will use a construction site on the Apple Campus in Cupertino as an example location. The latitude/longitude coordinates for this location are 37.336985,-122.006382.
At the time of writing, imagery from the following Nearmap survey dates was available for the Apple campus:
- February 25, 2018
- October 21, 2017
- September 25, 2017
- March 12, 2017
- August 2, 2016
- June 3, 2016
- Jan 27, 2016
- October 29, 2015
- September 10, 2015
- May 12, 2015
- February 16, 2015
- September 15, 2014
- August 2, 2014
Requesting imagery
For a specified date and location where Nearmap imagery is available
When you request Nearmap imagery for a specified date and location at which Nearmap imagery is available, the URL returns that imagery.
For example, requesting imagery from the October 29 survey simply returns that imagery.
http://us0.nearmap.com/staticmap?center=37.336985,-122.006382&size=800x800&zoom=20&date=20151029&httpauth=false&apikey=YOUR_API_KEY
For a specified date and location where current Nearmap imagery is not available, but earlier Nearmap imagery is available
When you request Nearmap imagery at a specified date and location, the latest imagery prior to that date is returned.
For example, requesting imagery of the Apple Campus for October 20, 2015 returns the imagery for September 10, 2015.
http://us0.nearmap.com/staticmap?center=37.336985,-122.006382&size=800x800&zoom=20&date=20151020&httpauth=false&apikey=YOUR_API_KEY
For a specified date and location at which only third-party lower-resolution satellite imagery is available
When you request Nearmap imagery at a specified date and location, and no Nearmap surveys on or before that date exist at the location, lower-resolution satellite imagery from a third-party provider is returned instead, if it is available.
Note that this imagery will usually look very pixelated or blurry at the resolutions Nearmap imagery is commonly requested in.
For example, requesting Nearmap imagery for the Apple Campus location on 20 October, 2013 gives low-resolution satellite imagery.
http://us0.nearmap.com/staticmap?center=37.336985,-122.006382&size=800x800&zoom=17&date=20131020&httpauth=false&apikey=YOUR_API_KEY
For a specified date and location at which no imagery is available at all
If a date and location combination is given, and no imagery is available at all on or before that date, the Nearmap API returns white tiles. For example, requesting Nearmap imagery for the Apple Campus location on 20 October, 2003 gives white tiles.
http://us0.nearmap.com/staticmap?center=37.336985,-122.006382&size=800x800&zoom=17&date=20031020&httpauth=false&apikey=YOUR_API_KEY
