Given a valid address or video ID, the
lookupVideo
method returns URIs identifying a set of Aerial View API videos. The
lookupVideo
method only returns URIs when Google has already generated a video
for that location.
To check if a video exists, use the
lookupVideoMetadata
method.
How to use the API
Call this endpoint by passing it a URL-encoded U.S. postal
address or a
videoId
.
curl -X GET "https://aerialview.googleapis.com/v1/videos:lookupVideo?key=YOUR_API_KEY&address=POSTAL_ADDRESS "
The API then returns one of the following three responses:
If a video exists,
lookupVideo
returns a processing state ofACTIVE
, and a landscape and a portrait URI for every supported media type, and metadata.If the video is in our system, but it still hasn't been fully rendered,
lookupVideo
returns a processing state ofPROCESSING
, and avideoId
, which you can use to get the video after it's done rendering.If the video doesn't yet exist, then the API returns a 404 status code. In this case, you can generate a new video by calling
renderVideo
.
How to use the returned video URIs
Call the lookupVideo
method once per address or videoID
per view. The video
URIs in the response are referred to as short-lived URIs and expire after a
short time.
Google frequently updates the videos. Therefore, to ensure that you are
displaying the latest content to your customers, call the lookupVideo
method
every time you display a video.
Supporting accessible videos
To support accessibility, Google recommends that you add a transcript or video description when you display an aerial view video to your customers. In that way, a screen reader can announce the transcript or its description to a user.
For example, add a description in the form:
"This is a photorealistic aerial view of ADDRESS provided by Google Maps."
Instead of an address, you could add a description of the video, in the form:
"This is a photorealistic aerial view of the Empire State Building in New York provided by Google Maps."
Save video IDs for later use
Subject to the Service Specific Terms for Aerial View API, Aerial View API video IDs are exempt from the caching restrictions stated in Section 3.2.3(b)(No Caching) of the Google Maps Platform Terms of Service. You can therefore store video ID values for later use.
Example request passing an address
The following code sample requests an aerial view video for the Transamerica Pyramid, located at 600 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94111.
curl -X GET "https://aerialview.googleapis.com/v1/videos:lookupVideo?key=YOUR_API_KEY&address=600%20Montgomery%20St%2C%20San%20Francisco%2C%20CA%2094111"
Example response
The following JSON examples represent all possible responses to the
lookupVideo
request.
Video found
If the video you're requesting exists, the API returns a list of URIs, each of which links to a different format or version of the requested video. To learn about the various formats, see What is MPEG-DASH? | HLS vs. DASH.
{
"uris": {
"IMAGE": {
"landscapeUri": "https://www.gstatic.com/aerialview/thumbnail/-1202461100507922431.jpg?sqp=CKiU6qIGGPQD&rs=AHRQkOe1j6EA5Q3WzJgDluv8AXbNlZ8M-g",
"portraitUri": "https://www.gstatic.com/aerialview/thumbnail/2256303413312618497.jpg?sqp=CKiU6qIGGPQD&rs=AHRQkOelSBTTVgOmFrSZ71c1xjyuoSBAAA"
},
"MP4_HIGH": {
"landscapeUri": "https://rr1---sn-p5qs7nzy.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?expire=1683655708&ei=KIpaZKvJBpnc-LYP8v6T-AM&ip=0.0.0.0&id=5f50000000000001&itag=375&source=aerial_view&mh=dX&mm=31&mn=sn-p5qs7nzy&ms=au&mv=D&mvi=1&pl=0&susc=av&mime=video/mp4&vprv=1&gir=yes&clen=37357139&dur=40.016&lmt=1683384545351664&mt=1683654760&txp=0011224&sparams=expire,ei,ip,id,itag,source,susc,mime,vprv,gir,clen,dur,lmt&sig=AOq0QJ8wRgIhAOhUzpUZGXThRz481S5YAVoy7d7V29-8GDRWLdDEtzagAiEA5laBMqKNnoPCeTHFVT56FYQ5MZp7pZTtDNp9tSJffyc=&lsparams=mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl&lsig=AG3C_xAwRQIgVqK6hzOoDaTnWt4UmIQgXOyGCc5Pxf4tmp2t6YzwkrQCIQCCOsPpfT2g_BT32Ki_iMwwBb2IhoquVISoHbBMI5_dAw==",
"portraitUri": "https://rr5---sn-p5qlsn7s.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?expire=1683655708&ei=KIpaZJiuBo3g-LYPhtaG6AU&ip=0.0.0.0&id=9f50000000000001&itag=375&source=aerial_view&mh=D3&mm=31&mn=sn-p5qlsn7s&ms=au&mv=D&mvi=5&pl=0&susc=av&mime=video/mp4&vprv=1&gir=yes&clen=11844099&dur=40.016&lmt=1683384626250758&mt=1683654760&txp=0011224&sparams=expire,ei,ip,id,itag,source,susc,mime,vprv,gir,clen,dur,lmt&sig=AOq0QJ8wRgIhAPP030ASCfKrXHpu72d78SBN_3T-7jKQ5_OjAvVzvYLaAiEAhEDAo689v0DWSCkfxxD8oU2iJVifC25Q7gQplx5_25U=&lsparams=mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl&lsig=AG3C_xAwRQIgREl7bSQ_z9Y86A_bRnX1RdQqoIbwgjV2rEkhLlNilBICIQC9amH8IwmRdbbcCUxnSttBjcy_4BwiBBbSd_PM1KgICw=="
},
"MP4_LOW": {
"landscapeUri": "https://rr1---sn-p5qs7nzy.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?expire=1683655708&ei=KIpaZKvJBpnc-LYP8v6T-AM&ip=0.0.0.0&id=5f50000000000001&itag=134&source=aerial_view&mh=dX&mm=31&mn=sn-p5qs7nzy&ms=au&mv=D&mvi=1&pl=0&susc=av&mime=video/mp4&vprv=1&gir=yes&clen=3152145&dur=39.999&lmt=1683384843730359&mt=1683654760&txp=0011224&sparams=expire,ei,ip,id,itag,source,susc,mime,vprv,gir,clen,dur,lmt&sig=AOq0QJ8wRAIgVDf8P_aMLthAC6ASciANODNo7p7IqofngIgCUnfUofYCICV7JexvuPTnaqOfShKIL33uhtzIfnfOj2LgfpY0zKdx&lsparams=mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl&lsig=AG3C_xAwRQIhAM2jKSXegkPbIFD4L7H6FeBz5ytYtMkXNfowGlAB9aL2AiA3DQJIeoTfs3EOIPMfDBCGm7v_vWTruRBjXLN4lRIa-Q==",
"portraitUri": "https://rr5---sn-p5qlsn7s.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?expire=1683655708&ei=KIpaZJiuBo3g-LYPhtaG6AU&ip=0.0.0.0&id=9f50000000000001&itag=134&source=aerial_view&mh=D3&mm=31&mn=sn-p5qlsn7s&ms=au&mv=D&mvi=5&pl=0&susc=av&mime=video/mp4&vprv=1&gir=yes&clen=1002125&dur=39.999&lmt=1683384248881200&mt=1683654760&txp=0011224&sparams=expire,ei,ip,id,itag,source,susc,mime,vprv,gir,clen,dur,lmt&sig=AOq0QJ8wRAIgYRyzRjtsGYFcodlU4-SvJ9GRgx97MF1nFlhoY74YtN4CIF5GuHAEnKqPoZBt5qYO2jur46q1OMEjvjtYATwNHMtD&lsparams=mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl&lsig=AG3C_xAwRgIhAPoXkJ5-MQTNCy19W1zJu8Hi8eo-eYw-5kH-AbFpAsuTAiEAi2EmxfUwfYtPlTQe0jWFVxc7yKMMz0Bqidcf2ZRvYU4="
},
"MP4_MEDIUM": {
"landscapeUri": "https://rr1---sn-p5qs7nzy.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?expire=1683655708&ei=KIpaZKvJBpnc-LYP8v6T-AM&ip=0.0.0.0&id=5f50000000000001&itag=374&source=aerial_view&mh=dX&mm=31&mn=sn-p5qs7nzy&ms=au&mv=D&mvi=1&pl=0&susc=av&mime=video/mp4&vprv=1&gir=yes&clen=25879743&dur=40.016&lmt=1683384621721411&mt=1683654760&txp=0011224&sparams=expire,ei,ip,id,itag,source,susc,mime,vprv,gir,clen,dur,lmt&sig=AOq0QJ8wRQIhANzPUc2SwvlDZ-nyhxNfY8CGVjyitnfpS7MvbXb_f5kSAiAVArz85QjBBAZw-8ugFPIggKCO54IhR6xDg4rfJIh1Tw==&lsparams=mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl&lsig=AG3C_xAwRQIgJJyNxWDuqLZ89X5wThN1IsVJyvyZ7Qw1Z4jqhCyahjgCIQD9hOjN3hDvX3CN5LiNkoLm-GGAuriUtv0PhtREc7yTVQ==",
"portraitUri": "https://rr5---sn-p5qlsn7s.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?expire=1683655708&ei=KIpaZJiuBo3g-LYPhtaG6AU&ip=0.0.0.0&id=9f50000000000001&itag=374&source=aerial_view&mh=D3&mm=31&mn=sn-p5qlsn7s&ms=au&mv=D&mvi=5&pl=0&susc=av&mime=video/mp4&vprv=1&gir=yes&clen=8228161&dur=40.016&lmt=1683384373331986&mt=1683654760&txp=0011224&sparams=expire,ei,ip,id,itag,source,susc,mime,vprv,gir,clen,dur,lmt&sig=AOq0QJ8wRQIgKsfEQB3GbLqYP5tmHwmkMVqVlfcNl7SBiuBqRw748VsCIQDgkwyNF4jOuOjoX5Qw6TgbpdIPhqS-EvCZ2g2JWPYpbw==&lsparams=mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl&lsig=AG3C_xAwRQIgHdDEnopIcI2jzLkRLOaKz8Cq1Pwm2yl3nJzaru1dBEsCIQCgor9bkMfAeULTq3EwjzCGjB_RvGBqhGfhJblbBloJpg=="
},
"HLS": {
"landscapeUri": "https://manifest.googlevideo.com/api/manifest/hls_variant/expire/1682711042/ei/DSBMZM7qPPPh-LYP9ZWNmA8/ip/0.0.0.0/id/7fffffffffffffff/source/aerial_view/susc/av/playback_host/rr3---sn-aigzrnsz.googlevideo.com/mh/ap/mm/31/mn/sn-aigzrnsz/ms/au/mv/D/mvi/3/pl/0/vprv/1/pacing/0/mt/1682709203/itag/0/playlist_type/LIVE/sparams/expire,ei,ip,id,source,susc,vprv,itag,playlist_type/sig/AOq0QJ8wRgIhAKreaNNOkePt9uVonHcqKIXqUe0TQSA1fcI6BWJexJ2hAiEAv9cj6N9iXI0bH6Ke4fz4XWDtrxVCMgrkGijpsLMpvy8%3D/lsparams/playback_host,mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl/lsig/AG3C_xAwRgIhAMbA_78Uc_HUS8LaVWnJB4Qg7ZKO5IZECuhldckmJ3hPAiEA-GR-0w1zuyFHpvaF1LZBuWgpUM55iosY0KF9MMsePDE%3D/file/index.m3u8",
"portraitUri": "https://manifest.googlevideo.com/api/manifest/hls_variant/expire/1682711042/ei/DSBMZM7qPPPh-LYP9ZWNmA8/ip/0.0.0.0/id/7fffffffffffffff/source/aerial_view/susc/av/playback_host/rr3---sn-aigzrnsz.googlevideo.com/mh/ap/mm/31/mn/sn-aigzrnsz/ms/au/mv/D/mvi/3/pl/0/vprv/1/pacing/0/mt/1682709203/itag/0/playlist_type/LIVE/sparams/expire,ei,ip,id,source,susc,vprv,itag,playlist_type/sig/AOq0QJ8wRgIhAKreaNNOkePt9uVonHcqKIXqUe0TQSA1fcI6BWJexJ2hAiEAv9cj6N9iXI0bH6Ke4fz4XWDtrxVCMgrkGijpsLMpvy8%3D/lsparams/playback_host,mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl/lsig/AG3C_xAwRgIhAMbA_78Uc_HUS8LaVWnJB4Qg7ZKO5IZECuhldckmJ3hPAiEA-GR-0w1zuyFHpvaF1LZBuWgpUM55iosY0KF9MMsePDE%3D/file/index.m3u8"
},
"DASH": {
"landscapeUri": "https://manifest.googlevideo.com/api/manifest/dash/expire/1682711042/ei/DSBMZM7qPPPh-LYP9ZWNmA8/ip/0.0.0.0/id/7fffffffffffffff/source/aerial_view/susc/av/playback_host/rr3---sn-aigzrnsz.googlevideo.com/mh/ap/mm/31/mn/sn-aigzrnsz/ms/au/mv/D/mvi/3/pl/0/vprv/1/pacing/0/mt/1682709203/itag/0/sparams/expire,ei,ip,id,source,susc,vprv,itag/sig/AOq0QJ8wRAIgCClKKnnVXeNnUHirpyxkegs8XSw5bq5e2VHWu-2NGtkCIBvXoHxlfTVmIvB4F9mlxn9EnJxPrcPGo1yIrS-_zbBu/lsparams/playback_host,mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl/lsig/AG3C_xAwRQIhAIU_a8wIuPfzMXy1selgJ1bRz1ffXm0YQeFshe0ijAzhAiAPzhkpOjm-IGubZ-Z7o3W_U7lAjR6OkEpWvNEFCRzUVg%3D%3D",
"portraitUri": "https://manifest.googlevideo.com/api/manifest/dash/expire/1682711042/ei/DSBMZM7qPPPh-LYP9ZWNmA8/ip/0.0.0.0/id/7fffffffffffffff/source/aerial_view/susc/av/playback_host/rr3---sn-aigzrnsz.googlevideo.com/mh/ap/mm/31/mn/sn-aigzrnsz/ms/au/mv/D/mvi/3/pl/0/vprv/1/pacing/0/mt/1682709203/itag/0/sparams/expire,ei,ip,id,source,susc,vprv,itag/sig/AOq0QJ8wRAIgCClKKnnVXeNnUHirpyxkegs8XSw5bq5e2VHWu-2NGtkCIBvXoHxlfTVmIvB4F9mlxn9EnJxPrcPGo1yIrS-_zbBu/lsparams/playback_host,mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl/lsig/AG3C_xAwRQIhAIU_a8wIuPfzMXy1selgJ1bRz1ffXm0YQeFshe0ijAzhAiAPzhkpOjm-IGubZ-Z7o3W_U7lAjR6OkEpWvNEFCRzUVg%3D%3D"
}
},
"state": "ACTIVE",
"metadata": {
"videoId": "-wVXGP6Hkogfqz6sZulUf3",
"captureDate": {
"year": 2022,
"month": 10,
"day": 24
},
"duration": "40s"
}
}
To access videos, you must allowlist the following domains:
*.gstatic.com
*.googlevideo.com
Video not found
There are two possible "Video not found" responses, depending on whether or not 3D imagery is available for the location.
Not rendered
The video hasn't been previously rendered, and therefore is not yet in Google's database.
{
"error": {
"code": 404,
"message": "Video not found.",
"status": "NOT_FOUND"
}
}
No 3D imagery
Google attempted to render the video already, but failed because 3D imagery isn't available for that address.
{
"error": {
"code": 404,
"message": "Video not found: No 3d imagery.",
"status": "NOT_FOUND"
}
}
Rendering in progress
The system is still processing your render request, as defined by the state
being set to PROCESSING
. You get a videoId
, which you can then use to get
the video by calling lookupVideo
.
{
"state": "PROCESSING",
"metadata": {
"videoId": "u-zlVPiScvcD8BYmIVyxoF"
}
}
The rendering process can take anywhere from an hour to a few hours. If the
video is still processing, you can use lookupVideo
to poll the video status
until it returns a state of ACTIVE
.
To poll, make a request to lookupVideo
, passing the videoId
. Rendering can
take several hours, so use
exponential backoff
to space out your calls.
Example request passing a videoId
If you call lookupVideo
and discover that there is no aerial view video
for the address, then you can call renderVideo
with that address.
renderVideo
returns a
VideoMetadata
object, which contains the videoId
. You can later use the videoId
, rather
than an address, to get the video by passing it to lookupVideo
.
The following code example demonstrates how to call lookupVideo
, passing it a
videoId
.
curl -X GET "https://aerialview.googleapis.com/v1/videos:lookupVideo?key=YOUR_API_KEY&videoId=VIDEO_ID "