Logic, but in a different way

Daft Logic

Daft Logic > Projects > Google Maps Distance Calculator

Google Maps Distance Calculator

Last Updated 15th February 2012

[Map Height : Small - Medium - Large]

Search For Location :

Use search result as a distance marker? Yes No

Total Distance Miles km Nautical Miles Metres Feet Autopan ?

Upload Coordinates

Please paste in the list of coordinates to add to your route in the text box below:


Description

You can use the Google Maps Distance Calculator to find out the distance between two or more points anywhere on the earth. In other words, the distance between A and B. Click once on the map to place the first marker and then click again to position the second marker. The distance between the points will then be displayed. You can also build up a series of locations to find a total distance.

An important feature of this tool is that is "as the crow flies", so traveling in real life will normally involve larger distances, but this may also help those who need to measure off-road distances.

Want to save your route? Try the Advanced Google Maps Distance Calculator

How To Use

  1. Zoom and drag the map to find the location of marker 1
  2. Click to place marker 1.
  3. Zoom and drag the map to find the location of marker 2.
  4. Click to place marker 2.
  5. The distance will be displayed below the map in miles or kilometers. You can change between miles or km at any time.
  6. Add as many points as required and the distance will build up.
  7. You can also drag and drop markers after they have been put on the map

Note

All distances are estimations so Daft Logic does not accept any responsibility that may arise when the value reported is incorrect.

You can move the markers after they have been positioned so you can modify you route on the fly and see how the distance will be effected.

Options

How it Works

Clearly you, the user inputs two 'points' that are used to calculate the distance. Calculating the "As the Crow Flies" distance is a matter of using Great Circle formula. Then the main problem is converting the Google Map unit to miles and kilometers.

The map will also automatically save your route in your temporary internet cookies so that you can return and see the route as you last left it. If you ever need to start from scratch then use the [Clear Map] button.

Benchmark Tests

Mary Peters Track in Belfast
Map showing the Mary Peters Track in South Belfast. The reading shows 0.394km which is clearly a reasonable measurement for an athletics track.
Map between New York and Paris
Map showing the estimated distance between New York and Paris. All references that can be found suggest that this is an accurate measurement.
Seven Mile Straight in Antrim
Map showing the Seven Mile Straight in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. This shows a reading of 6.910 miles.
Map between Belfast and Dublin
Map showing the distance between Belfast and Dublin. As far as I can see this is an accurate estimate (if there is such a thing). This trip would be approximately 100 miles by road so the proverbial crow would have less distance to travel.

Relevant Links

Google Maps API

Further Uses and Ideas

Version History

Version 1 (29/12/2005) - The Beginning

Version 2 (19/01/2006)

Version 3 (15/06/2007)

Version 3.1 (25/09/2007)

Version 3.2 (01/10/2007)

Version 4 (20/01/2008)

Version 4.1 (21/02/2008)

Version 4.2 (10/06/2008)

Version 4.3 (20/10/2008)

Version 4.4 (17/12/2008)

Version 4.5 (04/01/2009)

Version 4.6 (28/09/2009)

Version 4.7 (06/10/2009)

Version 4.8 (08/10/2009)

Version 5.0 (31/07/2010)

Version 5.1 (02/08/2010)

Version 5.2 (09/08/2010)

Version 5.3 (12/08/2010)

Version 5.4 (05/02/2012)

Version 5.4 (14/02/2012)

Version 5.5 (15/02/2012) - You Are Here

Previous Comments For This Page

It's better than the odometer on my car!
By Joe Ferrara on 16/05/2012Thank you for smart application like this, :)
By Novi on 14/05/2012Great for our scout canoe journey down the Yarra river . 14/5/2012
On 14/05/2012parcours de projet OM Fait par SAGEMCOM Mali dessiné par K.S.Sagemcom mali
By kassem s. on 13/05/2012Used to calculate distance from my home to office. Great tool.
By Outh on 12/05/2012Is it possible to track possible locations given a distance from your location?
On 10/05/2012Consider using internationally-recognised units when displaying distance in kilometres. Currently units used are KM=KelvinMega. Rather use km=kilometres.
On 09/05/2012Starting up running. Wanted help getting distances for my training schedule. This distance calculator has been fantastic for this.
By Paddy on 08/05/2012thanks this was helpful i was trying to find out the distance between my house and the antenna array so i knew what antenna to buy way helpful
By Dave on 07/05/2012nice nice nice...I thx to this appl I have just planned my next running adventure
By Luca on 06/05/2012Awsome app pal!!!<3
By Abbi paul on 03/05/2012I like this tool for planning sailing trips. It would be cool if you could see the compass course. Thx.
By USA 60260 on 01/05/2012Excellent and much appreciated
By Jack on 01/05/2012Love this website!!! I can accurately measure my runs, helps a lot!
By Jennifer on 01/05/2012Really good for working out waterpipe runs, field areas and fencewire needs on our farm. Thank you
By Will from bordertown on 28/04/2012Just perfect! Useful, Precise, and easy to use. Many, many thanks!
By Taiwan Rocks! on 28/04/2012Jesse, thanks for the suggestion. This has now been implemented.
By Daft Logic on 27/04/2012Thank you, this is a great tool and really helpful.
By Falco (London) on 26/04/2012clicked on many parts of australia. game kept telling me to "try again". Maybe it's the game, maybe it's the computer. Who knows? It didn't work for me. :(
On 25/04/2012the easiest way to prove how accurate daftlogic is to measure the length of racing circuit longest straight. i take on sentul indonesian circuit longest straight, and daftlagic say 0,91km. in fact, official sentul publication say it's 900m (0,90km). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentul_International_Circuit Daftlogic is amazing! ;)
By Danny on 25/04/2012thanks.very usefull
By teddy on 24/04/2012Sure is a nifty app to figure great circle distances, quickly. Saves time flight planning w/o having to look up or memorize all airport codes
By Serge on 23/04/2012Great tool for measuring swim distance in open water (for triathlon)! Thanks!
By RonH on 23/04/2012Great for measuring river lengths!
By Johnny F on 22/04/2012This is pretty awesome, especially for charting golf courses. Do the Yanks a favor and add the yards measurement? Of course we can convert feet to yards, but it's one extra step that can be negated, especially considering you have miles, km, nautical miles, meters, and feet.
By TC on 19/04/2012Great tool. But have trouble entering coordinates to upload. If you leave the text field (ie. to switch to another window to check what you are typing) all the information you have typed so far disappears
By Malcolm on 17/04/2012Never mind. I JUST noticed the "map height" options at the top of the area. Never saw that before! Hahaha...you guys unconditionally rock :)
By carlh.com on 17/04/2012I just have to say I LOVE this application and use it often for both my bike routes and kayak trips. That love in mind, is there any way to make the map window larger? Or is it specifically sized for mobile devices? If that's the case, would it be possible to have two options; one large and one small? That aside, I am a huge, huge fan. Your efforts are greatly appreciated (and I'm checking out your sponsors)
By carlh.com on 17/04/2012Use it to measure bike trails. It is an excellent tool, good work DraftLogic
By Daceese on 16/04/2012I have been using this to estimate travel distances while calculating my ecological footprint. Thanks for saving me lots of time and energy! It has been really useful.
By Jessica on 15/04/2012

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