Bhuvan is a geoportal that provides medium to high resolution satellite imagery of virtually the entire India over the internet. You can “fly” around using mouse and keyboard on a simple desktop computer with virtual globe in front draped with IRS images over Indian region. Many other features are built in, including 3D terrain and information on many thematic data.

Bhuvan web interface

Mumbai city as seen from Bhuvan

Bhuvan, though specific to Indian terrain sports many of the same functions as Google Earth. Some of the notable characteristics of Bhuvan are as follows :

1. Can be entirely accessed through your web browser.
2. You can access Bhuvan even using a dial-up Internet connection. Is designed to be bandwidth friendly.
3. You can add photos of landmarks.
4. Easy navigation. Clicking on an Indian state will automatically zoom you to that region of the country.
5. You can zoom in and out using the mouse wheel.
6. Bhuvan provides a fast and friendly way to look at IRS satellite data and thematic information in geographic context, which is invaluable for management, planning and visualization.

But this software is not without its shortcomings -

• It does not display data in real-time. The images you see are a combination of satellite imagery from various IRS sensors taken sometime within the last 3 years during different seasons.
• Bhuvan at present works only on Windows platform and requires Direct X 9.

Using Bhuvan, you can see the following data.

• Satellite imagery (LISS III , LISS IV along with metadata and Multi- temporal Data from OCM & AWiFS).
• Value added information (NADAMS – National Agricultural Drought Monitoring System), Output of flood studies for certain areas, Thematic information (Wastelands, Soils, watershed,water resources related maps).
• Base layers ( administrative boundaries, transport layers, water bodies, etc).
• Census information
• Metadata

Visit Bhuvan website to learn more.