Transfer high-resolution satellite imagery to your compatible Garmin handheld GPS, to get a true representation of your surroundings.
Using BaseCamp™ software and
Garmin BirdsEye subscription, you can download and transfer an unlimited amount of satellite images to your compatible Garmin GPS, and seamlessly integrate those images into your Handheld's Maps, whenever you need them.
High-resolution sub-meter color satellite imagery captures the world in brilliant clarity and detail.
You can even layer vector maps (such as City Navigator,
Garmin Topo Australia,
GPS TopoPLUS AU 5m), to give you a real-life view of roads, buildings and terrain.
Using this imagery, you can find trails/trailheads and clearings for camping areas, geocachers can determine the terrain type around a cache and identify parking areas close to the caches, and travelers can view tourist hot spots and landmarks from an aerial view - to make excursions memorable without getting lost.
Please Note: To use BirdsEye imagery, you must have the latest version of
BaseCamp, and firmware for your
compatible Garmin unit.
Sample Selection:
Sample of choosing the area you want to download imagery for: You do not need to purchase a BirdsEye license to preview this data in BaseCamp – you can do this for free!
A worldwide one year license to use the imagery can be purchased for AUD$39.00 from
Garmin's Website. After the one year license expires, you can continue using any imagery that is currently on your Garmin GPS, but cannot download any new imagery to your device without paying for a new license.
Q.
What units are compatible with Garmin BirdsEye mapping?
A.
Check the "Compatible With" tab on the
product page for compatibility. You must have the latest GPS firmware, and latest version of BaseCamp to use BirdsEye imagery.
Q.
What areas does BirdsEye cover?
A.
BirdsEye imagery covers all of the world. There are three different detail levels. Standard, High, and Highest. Highest coverage is approximately 1 pixel = 1 metre. High and Highest coverage are not available for all areas.
Q.
Can I preview the BirdsEye imagery before paying for a subscription?
A.
Absolutely! You can preview worldwide imagery in full resolution within BaseCamp, if your Garmin GPS is compatible with BirdsEye. You can even preview small blocks of imagery (at lower resolution) on your device before committing to
purchase a subscription.
Q.
How much does a license cost, and how does it work?
A.
Garmin are currently charging AUD $39 for a one year subscription. This allows you to download and change as much imagery as you want in this period to your Garmin GPS. After the one year period elapses, you can continue using any imagery downloaded to your device, but cannot load any new imagery to it. If you choose to renew your subscription, you simply pay the AUD $39 again. The license allows you to use the imagery on one compatible device.
Q.
How much can I load onto my Garmin GPS?
A.
Here are some examples from our Australian testing.
Highest Detail (BirdsEye is approx 1MB/sq Km) The Garmin server will allow you to download about 400 sq Km at once.
High Detail (BirdsEye is approx 250KB/sq Km) The Garmin server will allow you to download about 1,600 sq Km at once.
Standard Detail (BirdsEye is approx 10KB/sq Km) The Garmin server will allow you to download about 26,000 sq Km at once.
Ultimately, the amount of BirdsEye imagery you can load to your compatible Garmin GPS is dependent on the amount of free internal memory, or free space on the Micro/SD card.
Q.
Can I still use my Street (City Navigator) or Topo Mapping Products?
A.
Yes – City Navigator and Garmin Topo Australia products show transparently over the top of the BirdsEye imagery.
Q.
Can I hide the BirdsEye imagery on my Garmin GPS?
A.
Yes, you can turn BirdsEye imagery off on your Garmin GPS temporarily without removing it. However, if you have loaded multiple non-bordering tiles (eg some of Brisbane, some of Coffs Harbour), you can’t turn them on and off individually. They’re either all shown, or all hidden.
Q.
Does loading large amounts of BirdsEye imagery slow my Garmin GPS down?
A.
No. The firmware on BirdsEye compatible units has been optimised to allow for even the largest size image blocks to display quickly, and scroll smoothly.
Q.
Who provides the data to Garmin?
A.
Garmin's data is currently sourced from
DigitalGlobe.
Q.
Q. It looks very pretty, but what can I use BirdsEye imagery for?
A.
Garmin BirdsEye imagery gives you an excellent overview of the land, including vegetation, rivers, roads, and buildings etc. There is no intended use, there are unlimited possibilities! You can identify key landmarks, or navigate to a feature such as a river or creek. For geocachers, you can determine the type of terrain around a cache, or even identify places to park your vehicle before setting out. For tourists, you can view hot spots and landmarks from above to plan your trip, without getting lost.
Let us know what other uses you are using BirdsEye for!
BirdsEye Compatibility
To use BirdsEye imagery, you must have the latest version of
BaseCamp, and firmware for your
compatible Garmin unit.
For a complete list of compatible products, please see the
BirdsEye product page, and click on the "Compatible With" tab.