Science FieldBuddy
GPS Field Data Collection
Only for iPhone
$9.99 · Designed for iPhone. Not verified for macOS.
iPhone
Science FieldBuddy is a point-based field data collection app designed for forestry, ecological survey and any work requiring GPS-based location capture with rich contextual data. Enter a user-defined Site ID, add custom notes, attach up to two photos and record a voice memo — then capture your position using Real-Time Weighted Averaging GPS. Each saved point is written instantly to a Google Earth KMZ, a running CSV log and a daily ZIP archive — all stored on your device, ready to share or import into GIS.
Features
• Real-Time Weighted Averaging GPS — outlier rejection and 3D Cartesian averaging for the most accurate consumer GPS position possible
• Two collection modes — Optimal (open sky) and Canopy (dense forest)
• Automatic background enrichment — weather, address, county FIPS, USDA ecomap classification and USGS watershed HUC codes fetched silently after each save
• Attach up to two field photos and record a voice memo per point
• Custom data templates — define your own field types, lock them and distribute to your crew for consistent data collection
• Built-in file manager — KMZ, CSV, photos, audio and daily ZIP archives all in one place
• Full offline capability — capture points without cell service, post-process enrichment data when back in range
• Google Earth KMZ output — open any saved point directly in Google Earth on your iPhone or Mac
• Direct GIS import — CSV formatted for ArcGIS Pro and QGIS (EPSG:4326)
• No accounts, no cloud, no tracking — all data stays on your device
Disclaimer
Coordinates are for general field reference only. Not intended for engineering, licensed surveying, navigation or any safety-critical application.
Ratings & Reviews
Science FieldBuddy now works anywhere in the world. This update adds full region support for Canada, Europe and Australia, plus a major new tool for coordinating multi-person field crews.
NEW
Canada, Europe and Australia support — region-specific ecological classification and watershed enrichment for crews working outside the US
Custom Data Templates — define up to 11 project-specific fields, lock them, and distribute a consistent data-collection protocol to your whole crew
Field audio notes — record a voice memo with every point, included automatically in your daily ZIP
Barometric pressure — recorded with every save, recovered during offline post-processing
Dual units — elevation in feet and meters, temperature in °F and °C, side by side in every CSV row
IMPROVED
GPS accuracy — refined averaging and outlier rejection, plus a live cluster-spread and acquisition summary for every point
Pause and resume GPS collection mid-capture
Printable in-app documentation — full user guide and quick-reference docs, viewable and shareable right from the app
Coordinates remain for general field reference only — not intended for engineering, licensed surveying, navigation or safety-critical use.
The developer, Anthony Courter, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
- Seller
- Anthony Courter
- Size
- 3.3 MB
- Category
- Navigation
- Compatibility
Requires iOS 16.0 or later.
- iPhone
Requires iOS 16.0 or later. - Mac
Requires macOS 13.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later. - Apple Vision
Requires visionOS 1.0 or later.
- iPhone
- Languages
- English
- Age Rating
4+
- 4+
- Copyright
- © Copyright: SparrowHawk GIS 2026

