News
Mapeos participativos para una Amazonía sostenible: tecnología y saberes para defender el territorio
Apoyado por el Instituto Interamericano para la Investigación del Cambio Global (IAI), el proyecto es liderado por HOT, la Universidad Mayor de San Andrés de Bolivia y la Universidad Autónoma Latinoamericana de Colombia. A través del uso de tecnologías libres y el diálogo de saberes, busca fortalecer la autonomía territorial de comunidades en la Amazonía.
Staff Spotlight Series: Jessie Pechmann
Each quarter, we feature one of our all-star staff members in a Spotlight Series. Staff featured in this Series have been peer-nominated for their superb performance and values-driven work. This quarter, we spotlight Jessie Pechmann, HOT’s Conflict & Displacement Program lead.
Field-TM: Making Urban Development Easier in Tokha Municipality
55 enumerators and project coordinators used the Field Tasking Manager (Field-TM) for a building survey in Tokha, Nepal, to improve metric addressing and develop integrated databases. The tool enhanced data collection during a house numbering survey of 17 km² and 30,000 buildings. Despite challenges, the project progressed smoothly, providing insights for enhancing Field-TM. The municipality plans to use the data for assigning house numbers and urban management, highlighting the importance of efficient data collection in growing urban areas.
Call for Advanced Mappers: Post‑Disaster Mapping in Mokwa
A devastating flash flood recently tore through Mokwa, leaving homes destroyed and lives upended. We’re calling on advanced mappers to help tag building damage and update infrastructure using new satellite imagery to enhance analysis and impact.
Participatory mapping for a sustainable Amazon: technology and local knowledge to defend the territory
Supported by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), the project is led by HOT, the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés in Bolivia, and the Universidad Autónoma Latinoamericana in Colombia. Through the use of open technologies and knowledge exchange, it aims to strengthen the territorial autonomy of communities in the Amazon.
Data That Moves Cities: Participatory Mapping to Plan Transportation in Latin America and the Caribbean
From Zitácuaro to Salina Cruz, communities, universities, and local governments across Mexico are creating open public transport maps. This national strategy is led by the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT), in collaboration with Codeando México and Trufi Association, to digitize routes, support transportation modernization efforts, and reduce gaps in urban mobility.
Humanitarian GIS Reflections in Mid-2025: A Collaborative Approach to Geospatial Data
Amid severe funding cuts in 2025, humanitarian GIS practitioners are prioritizing collaboration to avoid duplication and leverage shared resources like OSM. Spatial data—particularly OSM’s open, community-driven model—offers a resilient framework for coordinated crisis response, combining local knowledge with global standards.
Demystifying Expert Mapping Through Modeling
Tim DeWinter, our Open Mapping for All Coordinator, invites you to explore how modeling can make expert OpenStreetMap skills more accessible to beginners and foster a stronger mapping community.
Datos que mueven ciudades: cartografía participativa para planificar el transporte en América Latina y el Caribe
Desde Zitácuaro hasta Salina Cruz, comunidades, universidades y gobiernos locales de México están generando mapas abiertos del transporte público. Esta estrategia nacional es liderada por el Equipo Humanitario de OpenStreetMap (HOT), en colaboración con Codeando México y Trufi Association, para digitalizar rutas, ayudar en esfuerzos de modernización del transporte, reducir brechas en la movilidad urbana.
OpenStreetMap Contributors Needed to Map Khartoum Ahead of New Radar Satellite Imagery
Over the past two years, conflict in Sudan has driven the country into one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. Satellite radar coverage gaps have hindered efforts to assess damage to urban areas. With the launch of the Sentinel-1C radar satellite by the European Space Agency, that gap is beginning to close — but a comprehensive dataset of building footprints from OpenStreetMap (OSM) is essential to make this satellite data actionable.
Desmitificando el Mapeo Experto a Través del Modelado
Tim DeWinter, nuestro Coordinador de la iniciativa Mapeo Abierto para Todas las Personas, te invita a explorar cómo el modelado puede hacer que las habilidades expertas en OpenStreetMap sean más accesibles para quienes están comenzando y fortalecer así una comunidad de mapeo más sólida.
Mapping Freetown from Above: How a City and its Residents are Producing their Own Aerial Imagery Datasets
Freetown’s first citywide drone mapping project redefined urban planning by putting communities at the center — piloting drones, producing data, and shaping the future of their city.
OpenAerialMap v2: Acceso más rápido y mejorado a imágenes para el mapeo humanitario
OpenAerialMap está evolucionando para ofrecer un acceso más rápido y confiable a imágenes satelitales y de drones para el mapeo humanitario. Con una nueva infraestructura basada en STAC y herramientas modernas, HOT y Development Seed están reconstruyendo OAM para responder a las necesidades urgentes de mapeo actuales. Descubre cómo esta actualización mejorará la interoperabilidad, velocidad y usabilidad en los esfuerzos de respuesta y recuperación ante desastres.
I Joined HOT, Now What? A Roadmap for Tech Contributors
Community -in the broadest sense of the word- is a crucial component of the work we do at HOT. Since its formalization as an...
OpenAerialMap v2: Faster, Better Imagery Access for Humanitarian Mapping
OpenAerialMap is evolving to provide faster, more reliable access to satellite and drone imagery for humanitarian mapping. With a new STAC-based infrastructure and modern tools, HOT and Development Seed are rebuilding OAM to meet today’s urgent mapping needs. Discover how this upgrade will improve interoperability, speed, and usability for disaster response and recovery efforts.
Collaborating and Reaching Greater Impact in Emergency Response
Help.NGO and HOT collaborated to strengthen emergency response efforts through drone technology and open mapping. From hurricane recovery in Acapulco to forest fire assessments in Ucayali, their partnership accelerates access to critical post-disaster imagery. These joint actions enable rapid damage assessment, informed decision-making, and more effective humanitarian coordination.
