Google has launched a series of Dubai’s iconic sites on Street View, a feature by Google Maps that allows users to view and navigate 360-degree imagery of major locations across the world.  

As the UAE gears to celebrate its 45th National Day on December 2, Google Maps’ one billion daily users can now explore some of Dubai’s world-renowned landmarks such as the city’s picturesque creek and the dhows which line its docks in crisp 360-imagery.

The imagery was launched within Street View Special Collects, a feature of Google Maps that lets users explore places around the world like landmarks, natural wonders, as well as culturally and historically significant sites.

The sites launched showcase Dubai’s versatile urban landscape, from the waterfront Souk at Madinat Jumeirah, to the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo.

Ulf Spitzer, the global lead for the Google Street View Program, said: "Google Maps’ one billion users around the world will now be able to get to know Dubai a little better with this versatile set of landmarks now available online for the world to explore."

Some of the sites launched on Street View include Dubai Creek, Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, Madinat Jumeirah/Burj Al Arab, Dubai Mall, The Palm, Ibn Battuta Mall, Wild Wadi and Deira Spice Souk.

"We are excited about this wave of Special Collects, especially now as people all over the country prepare to mark the UAE’s 45th National Day," he added.

Street View, a feature by Google Maps that will allow users to view and navigate 360 degree street-level imagery of major streets across the city, has been available in Dubai since 2014. Burj Khalifa marked the first Special Collect in the UAE and was launched in 2013, said the global technology leader.

This is the latest in a series of Street View imagery collected of major landmarks in Mena, after Petra in Jordan, Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art, and the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

The Street View camera is a technology taking 360 degrees photos (every few meters; no video). It also has motion sensors to track its position, a hard drive to store data, a small computer running the system, and lasers (depending on the devices used) to capture 3D data to determine distances within the Street View imagery.

"After collection the imagery is stitched together to create the 360° panoramic images that allows you to move around and explore locations as if you were there," said Spitzer.

Apart of publishing this imagery on Google Maps we also use the imagery to improve our maps and make them more accurate, comprehensive and up to date, he added.-TradeArabia News Service