On Water API - Check if Coordinates are Over Water or Land
Accepts a latitude and longitude and returns a boolean indicating whether the point is over a body of water (ocean, lake, river) or on land. Useful for geofencing, logistics routing, and geographic data validation.
Filter out bad GPS readings from vehicle or device tracking data. If a land-based vehicle reports coordinates over water, flag the reading as a GPS error and exclude it from route analytics or distance calculations.
Geofencing for maritime vs. land operations
Route logistics operations differently based on whether a shipment's current coordinates are over water or land. Trigger maritime tracking protocols for ocean segments and road-based tracking for land segments.
Map and content generation
When generating map tiles or geographic content, use water detection to apply different rendering styles. Shade water areas blue and land areas with terrain colors without maintaining a full coastline dataset.
Frequently asked questions
How precise is the water detection?
The detection uses high-resolution coastline and water body datasets. For major oceans, seas, and large lakes, accuracy is above 99%. Small ponds, narrow rivers, and recently created reservoirs may not be detected.
Does this detect rivers and lakes, or only oceans?
The endpoint detects oceans, seas, major lakes, and large rivers. Smaller water bodies may not be included in the underlying dataset.
Can I check multiple coordinates at once?
This endpoint handles one coordinate pair per request. For batch lookups, send multiple parallel requests. Keep rate limits in mind when batching.
What about coastal or shoreline coordinates?
Coordinates on the exact shoreline may return either true or false depending on the dataset resolution. For critical applications, check a small buffer zone around the point.
Is this useful for drone flight planning?
Yes. Regulatory requirements for drone flights often differ over water vs. land. Use this endpoint alongside elevation data to ensure compliance with altitude and operational zone rules.
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