How To Use A Radius Tool With Open Street Maps
Some time ago I wrote a guide where I suggested how you can use a radius tool with Google Maps. This was possible due to Maps API and because a developer called Oliver Beattie came up with a nifty radius script that made use of the Maps API. Unfortunately Google started to charge for the Maps API, that means the old solution might stop to work in the future. But to Google Maps there is the alternative called Open Street Map and someone branched Oliver’s tool out to make it work with Open Street Map. This means, you can now show a radius on top of Open Street Map, it’s a nice alternative to the previous method with Google Maps.
What You Need To Know About The Radius Tool
- The script loads the map data from Open Street Map, which means it’s the same except that you now add a radius on the map.
- You can draw several circles, not just one.
- The tool allows you to change the radius value.
- It supports several units, for example miles, nautical miles, kilometers, metres, feet, inches, yards and a few other units.
- A radius is simply added with a left-click, and removable with a right-click.
Last Words
I hope this small article helped you in any way. In my previous post about the Google Maps radius tool I asked people why they were looking for a map radius tool and I was surprised about all the answer and reasons why people needed a radius tool. Here in this short article about the Open Street Maps radius tool I am definitely interested to hear your reasons as well. So, if you have some spare time, let me know why you were looking for a radius tool. I am curious, so drop a comment if you like! One last note, if the article was helpful, you can also help me by sharing it!
Diary of Dennis 
Thank you this is great! I was just looking for a tool that could help me find driveable vacation destinations, and I wanted to choose using a radius tool on a map.
Awesome! That’s a good usecase! I hope your vacations will be great. 🙂
Thank You Dennis!
I can now create a map that shows every city within 60KM of my store.
Is there a simple way to convert the map file to a jpg or pdf?
If not, I will print and scan.
I don’t think so. Can’t see any button there that would do it. But you simply can take a screenshot with your print key and paste it into IrfanView or whatever graphic viewer you have installed. From there you can save as JPG. That’s how I usually do it. I can highly suggest IrfanView for these simple things like converting screenshots.
Thanks for sharing – love the multiple overlays – it would be great if one could save the radius for ongoing work. I guess screenshot is the answer to this.
Yes, I think screenshots are the only way for now. I do agree, it would be good to be able to save things.
Is there any way that the circle could be positioned according to Latitude and Longitude ?
I don’t think this is possible.
Is there any other way to draw the circles other than having to click on the above link, ‘show a radius on top of Open Street Map’
I am not aware of any other methods.
Thanks a lot for sharing the website and the tips & tricks to do so…..I needed this feature to calculate my radius of 20 miles from Regan Renolds Airport in Washington, DC. I work as a dispatcher for a limosine service in Washington…”Vertri Corporate Transport Service” and “Infinity Limo Car Services”……and so I needed to calculate my 20 miles radius from my base so that I could give my customer a valid price for travelling outside 20 miles radius of washington city in a Hummer Limo.
That’s awesome. I am glad the suggestion helped you!
Great tool. I was looking for 2 reasons; First, I needed a 30 mile flying radius for my submission to the FAA for air worthiness test phase for my helicopter. Second, I am moving and wanted to see homes within a 40 mile radius for commuting estimations.
I am so amazed by how many different reasons there are to use a radius tool 🙂 I wish you much fun in your test phase!
I was looking for a radius range ring map to get a quick idea of airports my airplane could fly to or from. It needs to have the Boeing 85% winds calculated into it as that effects the ground distance depending on the direction you are flying. Do you know how this could be done easily? Thank you
Hello Eric. Interesting. But I sadly can’t help you. I have no idea about aviation 😦 What I wrote about really just allows you to draw a simple circle. I learned from users that there are all kinds of use-cases for this simple circle… but for aviation, I feel like you need a far more complex tool. I don’t know where to look for. Sorry.
Thank you for the info on this tool. I was particularly looking for such a tool to place certain locations for a novel I am working on.
I am always amazed when people tell me why they looked for such a tool. Learned that people have some really cool reasons for it. 🙂 I am glad the article helped you 🙂
Thank you Dennis. We are in lockdown, but can exercise up to 10 km from home. My friend lives 13km away. Venn diagram, of overlapping circles, shows the area in which we can cycle together.
Cool 🙂 Right now I am dealing with the thought process if I should start cycling. I’ve been a runner but it was troublesome for one of my knees. Later, I noticed that my knee is ok with cycling…. now I might be interested to take it to the next level and get a real racing bike 😀