How can I create animated routes on maps?

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to animate a route from point A to point B.

This documentation is always evolving.

Flight path

Any animation starts with creating keyframes. They define the “camera movement”. You can read more about working with them here. For this animation, let’s create two keyframes with a slight zoom effect.

Now you can add a line by clicking on the map or by entering destinations in the search bar. In the same popup menu, you can adjust the line style and add rounded corners. You can also add a plane icon that will move along with the line. Note that the icon needs to be aligned with the line direction.

To start animating the line, click on it and press the “Animate” button in the bottom-right corner. 

The line turned now into a timed element on the timeline, its beginning set there where your playhead is.

By default, the line already has the growing effect. You only need to set the start and end time. The bar shows when the route is static, while the triangle-shaped handle marks when it is still animating. You can read more about element animation settings here.  

Animated route

The approach doesn’t change between lines and routes. Let’s animate the mountain trail for reference.

PRO-TIP

Static line and animated icon

Create a transparent line with an icon moving along it. Then create a duplicate of this line and place it below the original line. Make the duplicate line opaque, and remove the icon from it. This way, you'll have two lines: one invisible with the icon moving along it, and one static, visible line.

Besides lines, icons and labels can also be animated. Learn more about this feature here.

Currently, you can animate overlays and layers only in the earlier version of Mapcreator.