I’m creating a Flutter-based campus wayfinder app for a school project that aids in navigating the campus effectively, both indoors and outdoors, using just students’ smartphones. The application should allow seamless navigation transitions between indoor locations (like classrooms) and outdoor environments without the need for new hardware installations. As this is a school project, there will be no budget, so free/open-source solutions are crucial.

Planned features include:

• Interactive Campus Maps: Detailed maps showcasing both interiors (classrooms, labs) and exteriors (paths, common areas).
• Search Functionality: Users can search for destinations like specific rooms or buildings.
• Step-by-Step Directions: Walking directions are provided from the user’s current location to their desired destination, adjusting routes as the user moves.

Enhanced User Journey:

1. Starting the App: Users open the app, which automatically detects their current location, whether they’re indoors (e.g., in a classroom) or outdoors.
2. Destination Input: The user searches for and selects their destination, which could be another classroom, a faculty office, or an outdoor facility.
3. Navigating Routes: The app provides:

• Indoor to Indoor: Directions from one classroom to another within or across buildings using indoor navigation technologies.
• Indoor to Outdoor to Indoor: If the destination involves traveling outside, the app transitions from indoor maps to outdoor GPS-based navigation and back to indoor navigation as needed.
• Outdoor to Indoor: For users starting outdoors, the app uses GPS to guide them to the building entrance, then switches to indoor navigation.

4. Arrival Notification: Upon reaching the destination, the app notifies the user.

I am seeking guidance on the following:

1. Effective Transition Between Indoor and Outdoor Navigation: What are the best practices for managing seamless transitions between GPS and indoor positioning technologies in a Flutter application?
2. Mapping Technologies: Which mapping solutions are most effective for detailed indoor and outdoor integration in Flutter apps?
3. UI/UX Design for Navigation: What are the key UI/UX design strategies for navigation apps that handle complex indoor-outdoor transitions?
4. Data Handling for Navigation Paths: How can I efficiently manage complex navigation data, ensuring accuracy and up-to-date information?

I would greatly appreciate any advice, code examples, or resource links that could assist in developing this comprehensive navigation app. Insights into potential challenges, especially related to indoor navigation, would also be very helpful.

Thank you for your help!

I started by researching various mapping technologies and location services that could be integrated into a Flutter application. I expected to find straightforward APIs like Google Maps that could easily handle both indoor and outdoor navigation. However, I quickly realized that most solutions either focus solely on outdoor GPS-based navigation or require additional hardware for indoor tracking, which isn’t feasible for my project.