If you are planning to explore an area, either for work or personal pleasure, then you will definitely require maps of the region. And though many people have transitioned to using digital maps, some are still stuck using the old paper maps mostly out of habit. And if you are one of them, then you should consider switching over to the newer ways. Below, we take a look at six reasons why digital maps are better than traditional paper maps.

Cover Unlimited Area

A paper map only offers limited coverage of an area. But with digital mapping, you can not only get unlimited coverage of all mapped areas of the world, but you can also zoom in to see the finer details of a region. Plus, digital mapping solutions are far easier to use than the paper maps. While a paper map is generally big in size and can be cumbersome to handle, you can easily check a digital map using only the palm of your hand through a smartphone.

Movement Tracking

Digital mapping solutions allow you to track your movements to see precisely where you are. This is a benefit you will never get from paper maps. So, if you are venturing into an unknown area that you barely know about, then a digital mapping solution is what you should choose.

3D Maps

If you are planning to use the maps for geological exploration, then digital mapping services will be of greater help to you than paper maps. Digital maps can show data in 3D. As such, if you are checking out the valley of a certain region, you can actually render out a 3D model of that place and view its height and width. This obviously will make a huge difference in your ability to explore the region.

Traffic Data

Digital solutions can also give you the details of traffic in that region. This can help you navigate the area more efficiently. So, if you see that a specific route is overcrowded, then you can check for alternate routes which can take you to your destination without having to waste time. However, do note that this feature may not be available in all digital mapping services. Plus, even if it is available, chances are that it will only cover a few areas, mostly the highly populated regions.

Sharing

If you are working in a team where the success of the project depends on collecting and comparing the map data of all the members of the team, then digital is the way to go forward.  Doing so will enable you and your teammates to pinpoint important locations on the map together with your personal observations and share it with the rest of the team in real time. As such, decisions can be made faster.

Historical Maps

Finally, digital solutions can also provide you with historical maps. And this will certainly be of interest for those who like exploring the historical background of a region. For example, digital mapping services from Promap can help you overlay the map sites from England, Wales, etc. onto the modern maps so that you will be able to easily compare a region over multiple periods.

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