Frequently Asked Questions

How does Google Maps Engine work?

Google Maps Engine is both a platform and service for publishing your mapping data, hosted on Google's scalable cloud computing infrastructure, utilizing the same imagery and basemap rendering services that support Google Maps and Google Earth. Once data are uploaded to Google Maps Engine, thousands of CPUs are enabled to prepare your mapping data for sharing. Once published, Google Maps Engine automatically scales on-demand to serve maps for all of your end users.

How is data uploaded into Google Maps Engine?

You can upload your geospatial imagery and data in these formats directly to Google Maps Engine. Once uploaded, you can create imagery and basemap layers, group them into maps, configure access to them, and publish them for access through clients and APIs.

How do I control sharing and access to maps?

Access to Google Maps Engine may be set for users authorized to upload mapping data as well as end-users to view published maps by a supported application. Google Maps Engine administrators can define access lists so that only users within an access list are permitted to view the mapping data. With access lists, you can share mapping data with teams within your organization or with authorized users outside of the organization. Access may be enabled or disabled at any time within the Google Maps Engine interface.

Can Google Maps Engine be accessed by an API?

Maps published from Google Maps Engine are accessible with both the Google Maps version 3 JavaScript API, and the Google Earth API, for including your mapping data in custom applications.

Will my data be secure?

Data uploaded to Google Maps Engine will be stored securely within Google infrastructure, and accessible only by users that you have authorized. All connections to Google Maps Engine will be transacted over HTTPS for users viewing maps and administrators uploading mapping data. Google takes security seriously as a company and service provider. Further information about security and data protection at our datacenters is available can be found here.

Which OGC standards does Google Maps Engine support?

Maps published from Google Maps Engine may be accessed using KML and with WMS-compatible client applications. Vector data may also be uploaded to Google Maps Engine in KML format.

What type of data does Google Maps Engine support?

Imagery and vector source data may be uploaded to Google Maps Engine to build custom maps. A list of all supported source file formats is available to view on the Google Maps Engine Help Center.

Is the license agreement for Google Maps Engine available?

The Google Maps Engine license agreement is available here.

What service level agreement is available for Google Maps Engine?

The Google Maps Engine service level agreement is available here.

Can I download my source data?

Source data stored in Google Maps Engine may be downloaded by authorized users.