CoMaps: The Offline App That Guided Rescuers Without a Signal in Venezuela(hotosm.org)
328 points by gedankenstuecke 14 days ago | 85 comments
tl;dr: CoMaps, an open-source offline navigation app built on OpenStreetMap data, proved critical during Venezuela's recent earthquake response, guiding rescue teams in areas without cell coverage. Shortly before the disaster, the volunteer team decoupled map updates from app store releases and cut processing time from 10 days to 3, enabling weekly global updates that incorporated buildings mapped by Humanitarian OpenStreetMap volunteers. The team now aims for region-specific updates every 12 hours to better serve disaster response.
HN Discussion:
  • OSM ecosystem context and history of forks from Maps.me to Organic Maps to CoMaps
  • Personal endorsements of CoMaps working well for travel and navigation
  • Appreciation for specific CoMaps improvements like decoupled map updates and UI polish
  • Extending CoMaps for niche uses like bikepacking or desktop GPS
  • Suggesting adjacent ideas like on-device AI models or alternative apps like Guru Maps