Developer Ni5arga built Sightline, a search engine for real-world infrastructure using OpenStreetMap data. It mimics Shodan’s approach but applies it to physical assets like telecom towers, power plants, and data centers. Users can query with natural language or structured syntax, searching for specific operators or regions without hardcoded geography.

The tool relies on the Overpass API for querying OSM features and Nominatim for geocoding. Its architecture uses deterministic, rule-based parsing instead of AI inference, ensuring predictable results. This approach allows for complex queries like “data centers in paris france” or “type:telecom operator:airtel region:karnataka”.

Sightline’s GitHub repository includes a full Next.js frontend and backend. It’s designed for OSINT and geospatial analysis, though the developer cautions that OSM data may be incomplete. Responsible use is emphasized to avoid overloading public APIs. The project offers a practical tool for mapping critical infrastructure from crowd-sourced map data.