Google Wants You to Be Its Next Street View Trekker

If you work for a tourism board, a university, government agency or research organization, Google wants your help in fleshing out its Street View photo library.

The company announced on Thursday a pilot program that lets third-party organizations borrow its high-tech Street View Trekker equipment and contribute imagery to its mapping platform. This is a smart way for Google to expand its coverage while minimizing costs.

Google's Trekker backpack captures 360-degree photos of a variety of locations and landmarks, such as the Grand Canyon, Mt. Everest and the National Football League's Indianapolis Colts stadium. It can be navigated through narrow passages and inclines, bringing users to exotic places around the world without ever leaving their seats.

The program's first partner is the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB), which has already started taking pictures of some of the most popular spots on the Hawaiian islands for future inclusion on Google Maps.

"We hope this imagery will be used by our partners to increase awareness and interest in their locations, potentially increasing tourism," Google said in a statement.

For now, the pilot program is open to a limited number of organizations. If you're interested in borrowing the technology and contributing to Google Maps, apply here.

Image courtesy of Google

1. 1. The Royal Residence, The Netherlands

   The Royal Palace of Amsterdam in the Netherlands -- called Koninklijk Paleis Amsterdam -- joins a long list of places blurred on Google Maps related to the Dutch royal family, including the Royal Stables and another residence called Huis ten Bosch.

   

2. 2. Buffalo Niagara International Airport

   The Buffalo Niagara International Airport is largely whited out on Google Maps and details can't be seen when the area is zoomed in.

   

3. 3. Tantauco National Park, Chile

   The Tantauco National Park in Chile can only be seen from a marker via Google Maps. The private natural reserve is home to many endangered animals.

   

4. 4. Keowee Dam, South Carolina

   Man-made reservoir Keowee Dam on Lake Keowee in South Carolina is also blurred on Google Maps. Shaped like a Christmas tree, the dam helps run a power utility called the Duke Energy company.

   

5. 5. Mysterious Russian Site

   We're not entirely sure why this location in Russia has been blurred out, especially since it's in the Siberian tundra. The closest city is Egvekinot, Russia, which is a neighbor to Alaska across the Bering Strait.

   

6. 5. Minami Torishima Airport, Japan

   The Minami Torishima Airport -- a one-runway airport serving the island of Minami Torishima, located off the east coast of Japan -- is oversaturated with white. It is currently used by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

   

7. 7. The Michael Aaf Building, Utah

   The Dugway Proving Ground in Dugway, Utah is a region occupied by the U.S. Army where the military can test biological and chemical weapon systems. The Michael Aaf building on the proving ground is whited out, most likely for security reasons.

   

8. 8. Cornell University Combined Heat and Power Plant, New York

   The Cornell University Combined Heat and Power Plant in Ithaca, NY -- which opened in 2010 -- is blurred on Google Maps. The high-tech, eco-friendly facility generates electricity from natural gas as a part of the university's effort to lower its carbon dioxide emissions.

   

9. 9. Babylon, Iraq

   The city of Babylon, Iraq looks more like endless farmland than a bustling city.

   

10. 10. Vlissingen, The Netherlands

    Properties owned by the Dutch royal family aren't the only places blurred in the Netherlands. Joining the list are the oil tanks in Vlissingen (pictured), as well as several army bases and air force bases. The land area to the left also appears to be pixelated and adjusted.