OpenCPN: A Free Navigation App for Android

OpenCPN is a community developed and supported navigation software, which is now available for free on Android mobile phones and tablets. This software is designed to work as a chart plotter and navigation tool, both for use underway and as a planning tool. OpenCPN comes with a variety of features, including IHO S52 compliant display of worldwide S57 and S63 vector charts, BSB v3, and earlier, raster chart support, and CM93 vector chart support.

Other features of OpenCPN include single-chart and quilted display modes, moving-map display mode, route navigation with ship tracking functions, waypoint navigation, and dashboard for configurable on-screen display of ship’s NMEA data. This software also has AIS input with full target tracking and collision alerting, anchor watch/alarm functions, GRIB file input, and display for weather forecasting, and tide and current prediction and display by location.

OpenCPN is available in more than 20 languages, and it has OpenGL support for enhanced performance. This software is compatible with Windows, Apple OS X, Linux, and Android applications. OpenCPN is a free software distributed under the GNU General Public License, which means that users can redistribute and modify it.