Facebook has announced it will make highly detailed maps of places where it believes people are living available to the public later this year.
The social network has been using artificial intelligence software to scan satellite imagery and identify human-built structures.
It hopes to use the information to determine where internet-beaming drones would best be deployed.
But it suggests others could also make use of the maps.
"We believe this data has many more impactful applications, such as socio-economic research and risk assessment for natural disasters," Facebook said in a blog.
