# Bellingcat OpenStreetMap Search | **Bellingcat OpenStreetMap Search** | **Quick Overview** | | ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | URL | | | What it does | Searches OpenStreetMap data for specific objects (e.g., mosques, bridges, schools, railway crossings, hospitals, etc.); identifies features located in proximity to each other; helps generate geolocation leads based on visible landmarks in photos or videos; and simplifies complex OSM querying without requiring knowledge of Overpass query language. | | How to use it | Select a geographic area of interest, enter one or more features e.g. ‘church near railway crossing’, and run the search to generate map-based results. | | Cost | Free (for journalism and educational use) | | Account required | Yes - you have to sign up/login with a Google account to access the tool. | | Cookies | None on the sign-in page. May use standard web cookies for session management, authentication and basic analytics. | | Ownership | Legally registered in the Netherlands under the foundation Stichting Bellingcat, founded by British journalist Eliot Higgins. | | Use in Reporting | This tool is particularly useful for geolocating images from conflict zones, identifying clusters of infrastructure, finding matching landmark combinations visible in photos, and generating starting points for OSINT investigations. | ### **What does Bellingcat OpenStreetMap Search do?** Bellingcat’s OpenStreetMap Search tool is for assisting researchers and journalists with geolocation tasks by querying public OpenStreetMap data. It allows users to search for combinations of mapped features within a specified distance of each other and is a more user-friendly alternative to more advanced interfaces such as Overpass Turbo. I.e. Instead of manually constructing Overpass queries, users can input objects via a graphical interface and receive results plotted on a map. ***Note:*** *This tool is open to public use for journalism and education. All use is audited to ensure compliance with Bellingcat's* [*Acceptable Use Policy*](https://osm-search.bellingcat.com/tos)*.* **The lowdown:** It’s a simplified, web-based geolocation tool, especially useful when attempting to match visible objects in a photo (for example, a church near a railway crossing and a canal) to real-world mapped locations. However, results depend on the completeness and accuracy of OpenStreetMap data and should always be independently verified. ### How to Use: 1. **Sign up for an account/login via Google** [**here.** ](https://osm-search.bellingcat.com/) 2. **Define your search area by using the interactive map to zoom into a country, region, or city of interest. (You can manually navigate/paste coordinates if you already have a rough location).** 3. **Pick key features from your image (e.g. church, railwayline, canal, a roundabout etc.) Then enter those features into the search fields, setting a proximity radius (e.g. within 500 metres).** 4. **Run the search - the tool will show places where those features exist close together.** 5. **Check the results carefully by comparing each result with satellite imagery or Street View to see if it truly matches your image.** ### Cost: * [ ] Paid * [ ] Partially Free * [x] Free ## Data Processing ### Account required: * [x] Yes * [ ] No ### Cookies: No listed cookies on the sign-in page. The site may however use standard web cookies for session management, authentication and basic analytics. ### Use in Reporting This tool is particularly useful for geolocating images from conflict zones, identifying clusters of infrastructure, finding matching landmark combinations visible in photos, and generating starting points for OSINT investigations. \ For example, Bellingcat’s work on the downing of MH17, various conflict geolocation investigations, and video verification cases all rely on geospatial analysis similar to this, (though they may not always call out the specific OpenStreetMap Search tool by name.) | **Capabilities** | **Limitations** | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | | Proximity-based feature searches. | Dependent on accuracy/completeness of OpenStreetMap data. | | Map visualisation of results. | May return multiple false positives - must be cross-checked. | | Simplified OpenStreetMap querying (accessible to non-technical users). | Not as flexible as advanced Overpass Turbo queries. | | Useful for early-stage geolocation hypothesis building. | Cannot replace full geolocation verification workflows. | ### Summary The Bellingcat OpenStreetMap Search tool is most useful at the early stage of an OSINT investigation, helping reporters quickly generate possible location leads by matching visible features in an image to mapped objects in OpenStreetMap. It’s best used as a starting-point discovery tool rather than a final verification solution. ### Ownership Bellingcat was founded in 2014 by British journalist [Eliot Higgins.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliot_Higgins) It is now legally registered in the Netherlands under the foundation Stichting Bellingcat, which technically owns and runs the organisation. In everyday terms, Bellingcat is not “owned” by an individual like a private company. It’s structured as a nonprofit foundation overseen by its board and leadership team. ### Ethical Considerations: * Use only for lawful journalism, research, and educational purposes. * Respect privacy and safety concerns when geolocating sensitive locations. * Avoid misuse for harassment, doxxing, or targeting. * Be mindful that OpenStreetMap data may be incomplete or outdated. * Always independently verify findings before publication. ### Related Tools: * OpenStreetMap * Wikimapia
#### Sources:
--- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://tools.osintnewsletter.com/osint-tools/bellingcat-openstreetmap-search.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.