The developers are using geodata from the free wiki-world map OpenStreetMap (OSM), hence the name of the project. This data is combined with similarly freely available shuttle data harvested by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), a project undertaken in February 2000 by the Space Shuttle Endeavour, where a large portion of the earth’s surface was measured topographically.

One of the first fruits of this project is to be viewed on the website of the project. It is a representation which shows both buildings, alongside mountains and valleys in three dimensions. To view this, the viewer needs access to the Java-program XNavigator; using this web viewer, one can for example, navigate through the 3-D model, call up addresses or display various points of interest (POIs). Particularly snazzy: using two controls, one can vary the lighting of the model according to date and time of day. Further features are planned including 3-D route planning.

Users require a good internet connection, owing to the complexity of data and traffic required to use this site, as well as a sufficiently equipped computer with its own graphics emulator.