• UPLOAD
  • QUERY
  • LIST
  • HUMAN

How to upload and manage GPS traces with your AI

Connect OpenStreetMap to your AI client to handle GPX files through chat. Once connected, your agent manages your route data without you needing to touch the OSM interface.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

How can I upload and manage GPS traces with my AI?

You can upload GPX files, list your existing tracks, and pull specific metadata or raw data for any route. This allows your agent to analyze your movement patterns or prepare data for mapping. You'll see how the data moves in the breakdown below.

Where your data lands.

The outcomes of your requests.

The AI handles the data transfer and retrieval for you.

UPLOAD

New traces saved

The AI sends your GPX files to OpenStreetMap. Your routes are instantly available in your OSM account.

QUERY

Metadata retrieved

Your agent pulls specific details like timestamps or distance from existing tracks. You get the exact stats you ask for.

LIST

Track history visible

The AI looks through your account to find specific past trips. You can see a list of everything you've saved.

HUMAN

Manual edits required

The AI cannot manually draw lines on a map or fix broken GPS coordinates. You'll need to handle visual map corrections yourself.

The workflow

What your AI does when a GPX file arrives.

The AI acts as the bridge between your local files and the OpenStreetMap database.

  1. File ingestion

    Your agent takes the GPX file you provide and pushes it to the OpenStreetMap service.

    upload_gpx

  2. Inventory check

    The AI scans your account to see what traces are already stored and ready for use.

    list_user_gpx

  3. Data extraction

    Your agent pulls the raw coordinates to answer your specific questions.

    get_gpx_data

  4. Information summary

    The AI pulls specific file details to provide a summary of your trip.

    get_gpx_metadata

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to trigger the OpenStreetMap tools.

Starting points

These are just ideas. Swap out the file names or track descriptions to match your actual data.

OpenStreetMap Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_lYsdJXjQWE6aDpvmlzimYbbJoVMB0mBSaq4KoX0x/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — OpenStreetMap capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openstreetmap-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_lYsdJXjQWE6aDpvmlzimYbbJoVMB0mBSaq4KoX0x/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • Upload this GPX file to my OpenStreetMap account: [file_name.gpx]

  • List all my GPX traces so I can see what's currently uploaded.

  • Get the metadata for my last mountain bike ride to see the total distance.

  • Pull the raw GPX data from my 'morning_run' trace so I can analyze the elevation.

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect OpenStreetMap once, then ask.

You only need to link your account once. Your credentials stay encrypted, and you can immediately start managing traces through your preferred AI client.

Connect OpenStreetMap to your AI

FAQ

How the OpenStreetMap Connector behaves

  • 01

    Can the AI delete my existing GPS traces?

    No. The current tools only allow for uploading, listing, and retrieving data. Deletion must be done manually by you.

  • 02

    Can my AI edit the actual map geometry?

    No. The AI can upload GPX files and read data, but it cannot modify existing map features or draw new paths on the OSM map.

  • 03

    Do I need to open the OpenStreetMap website to upload files?

    No. Once the Connector is live, you can upload files directly through your AI chat.

  • 04

    Can the AI see all my OpenStreetMap data?

    The AI can only see the data it is specifically asked to access through the provided tools.

  • 05

    Can I use this with any AI client?

    Yes, as long as the client supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

  • More questions about OpenStreetMap? See everything the OpenStreetMap Connector can do

Connect OpenStreetMap to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more