ThinAir Geo

search_places

Read-onlyIdempotent

CATEGORY-specific POI search near a point — gas stations, truck stops, restaurants, charging stations, etc. Use this when the user has a specific TYPE of place in mind (food / health / retail / fuel / accommodation / nightlife / transport / government / recreation). For broader DISCOVERY (e.g. 'cities within 50 miles' or 'venues by population'), use explore instead.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`lat`	No	Center latitude (alternative to `center` object)
`lon`	No	Center longitude (alternative to `center` object)
`limit`	No	Max results (default 10, max 50)
`query`	No	Free-text place query such as 'truck stop', 'restaurant', 'charging station'. One of `query` or `categories` is required — a bare center (`lat`+`lon`/`center`) with neither is rejected.
`units`	No	Units for a bare numeric `radius`: miles (default) or kilometers. Accepts the aliases mi, mile, imperial (miles) and km, kilometer, kilometre, kilometres, metric (kilometers), any case; echoed as miles\|kilometers. Ignored when `radius` already carries a unit suffix; a contradicting pair is rejected. Not valid with `radius_m` alone — radius_m is always meters, so that pair is rejected. Does not supply a radius on its own (the default 50 km applies) but selects the display unit of the `units` echo.
`center`	No	Center point for nearby search ({lat, lon} object or JSON string). You can also pass flat lat/lon.
`layers`	No	Restrict to: venue, address
`radius`	No	Search radius — e.g. radius: 30, units: 'miles'. Bare numbers are miles unless units is set; kilometers via units or a km suffix ('5km'); aliases mi/km/imperial/metric. A value carrying its own unit suffix ('30mi', '5km') is also accepted and its suffix wins. Default 50 km (about 31 mi); maximum 50 km (up to 31.068 mi). Preferred over `radius_m`. Numeric values above 50 fail input validation before the tool runs; a string form over the maximum ('60km') or an in-range number that is over the cap once read as miles (e.g. 40, or 40 with units 'miles' — 64 km) is rejected with a radius error instead of results.
`radius_m`	No	Search radius in meters (max 50000 — i.e. 50 km / ~31 mi; default 50 km; 0 means 'not supplied' and applies the default). Accepted alias; `radius` + `units` is preferred. Sending both is only valid when they agree. Do not pair with `units`.
`categories`	No	Structured categories: food, fuel, charging_station, education, health, entertainment, retail, accommodation, nightlife, transport, government, recreation. One of `categories` or `query` is required — a bare center (`lat`+`lon`/`center`) with neither is rejected.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`meta`	No
`items`	No
`geojson`	No
`metrics`	No
`summary`	No	Map of scalar facts the LLM should surface verbatim
`display_hint`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed8 schema fields changedSep 22, 2026
- addedInput schema / properties / center / properties / lat / $ref
```
Added value: +"#/properties/lat"
```
- removedInput schema / properties / center / properties / lat / maximum
```
Removed value: -90
```
- removedInput schema / properties / center / properties / lat / minimum
```
Removed value: --90
```
- removedInput schema / properties / center / properties / lat / type
```
Removed value: -"number"
```
- addedInput schema / properties / center / properties / lon / $ref
```
Added value: +"#/properties/lon"
```
- removedInput schema / properties / center / properties / lon / maximum
```
Removed value: -180
```
- removedInput schema / properties / center / properties / lon / minimum
```
Removed value: --180
```
- removedInput schema / properties / center / properties / lon / type
```
Removed value: -"number"
```

Changed2 schema fields changedSep 7, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / categories / description

Previous value: -"Structured categories: food, fuel, charging_station, education, health, entertainment, retail, accommodation, nightlife, transport, government, recreation"New value: +"Structured categories: food, fuel, charging_station, education, health, entertainment, retail, accommodation, nightlife, transport, government, recreation. One of `categories` or `query` is required — a bare center (`lat`+`lon`/`center`) with neither is rejected."

changedInput schema / properties / query / description

Previous value: -"Free-text place query such as 'truck stop', 'restaurant', 'charging station'"New value: +"Free-text place query such as 'truck stop', 'restaurant', 'charging station'. One of `query` or `categories` is required — a bare center (`lat`+`lon`/`center`) with neither is rejected."

Changed2 schema fields changedSep 7, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / radius / description

Previous value: -"Search radius — e.g. radius: 30, units: 'miles'. Bare numbers are miles unless units is set; kilometers via units or a km suffix ('5km'); aliases mi/km/imperial/metric. A value carrying its own unit suffix ('30mi', '5km') is also accepted and its suffix wins. Default 50 km (31.069 mi); maximum 50 km (~31 mi). Preferred over `radius_m`. Numeric values above 50 fail input validation before the tool runs; a string form over the maximum ('60km') or an in-range number that is over the cap once read as miles (e.g. 40, or 40 with units 'miles' — 64 km) is rejected with a radius error instead of results."New value: +"Search radius — e.g. radius: 30, units: 'miles'. Bare numbers are miles unless units is set; kilometers via units or a km suffix ('5km'); aliases mi/km/imperial/metric. A value carrying its own unit suffix ('30mi', '5km') is also accepted and its suffix wins. Default 50 km (about 31 mi); maximum 50 km (up to 31.068 mi). Preferred over `radius_m`. Numeric values above 50 fail input validation before the tool runs; a string form over the maximum ('60km') or an in-range number that is over the cap once read as miles (e.g. 40, or 40 with units 'miles' — 64 km) is rejected with a radius error instead of results."

changedInput schema / properties / units / description

Previous value: -"Units for a bare numeric `radius`: miles (default) or kilometers. Accepts 'mi'/'km'/'imperial'/'metric' as aliases (any case), echoed as miles|kilometers. Ignored when `radius` already carries a unit suffix; a contradicting pair is rejected. Not valid with `radius_m` alone — radius_m is always meters, so that pair is rejected. Does not supply a radius on its own (the default 50 km applies) but selects the display unit of the `units` echo."New value: +"Units for a bare numeric `radius`: miles (default) or kilometers. Accepts the aliases mi, mile, imperial (miles) and km, kilometer, kilometre, kilometres, metric (kilometers), any case; echoed as miles|kilometers. Ignored when `radius` already carries a unit suffix; a contradicting pair is rejected. Not valid with `radius_m` alone — radius_m is always meters, so that pair is rejected. Does not supply a radius on its own (the default 50 km applies) but selects the display unit of the `units` echo."

Changed4 schema fields changedSep 6, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / radius

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "exclusiveMinimum": 0,
+      "maximum": 50,
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    {
+      "maxLength": 32,
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  ],
+  "description": "Search radius — e.g. radius: 30, units: 'miles'. Bare numbers are miles unless units is set; kilometers via units or a km suffix ('5km'); aliases mi/km/imperial/metric. A value carrying its own unit suffix ('30mi', '5km') is also accepted and its suffix wins. Default 50 km (31.069 mi); maximum 50 km (~31 mi). Preferred over `radius_m`. Numeric values above 50 fail input validation before the tool runs; a string form over the maximum ('60km') or an in-range number that is over the cap once read as miles (e.g. 40, or 40 with units 'miles' — 64 km) is rejected with a radius error instead of results."
+}

changedInput schema / properties / radius_m / description

Previous value: -"Search radius in meters (default 1000, max 50000)"New value: +"Search radius in meters (max 50000 — i.e. 50 km / ~31 mi; default 50 km; 0 means 'not supplied' and applies the default). Accepted alias; `radius` + `units` is preferred. Sending both is only valid when they agree. Do not pair with `units`."

addedInput schema / properties / units

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Units for a bare numeric `radius`: miles (default) or kilometers. Accepts 'mi'/'km'/'imperial'/'metric' as aliases (any case), echoed as miles|kilometers. Ignored when `radius` already carries a unit suffix; a contradicting pair is rejected. Not valid with `radius_m` alone — radius_m is always meters, so that pair is rejected. Does not supply a radius on its own (the default 50 km applies) but selects the display unit of the `units` echo.",
+  "enum": [
+    "miles",
+    "kilometers"
+  ],
+  "type": "string"
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / meta

Added value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": true,
+  "properties": {
+    "radius_km": {
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "units": {
+      "enum": [
+        "miles",
+        "kilometers"
+      ],
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "radius_km",
+    "units"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed21 schema fields changedAug 17, 2026
- changedInput schema / properties / categories / description
```
Previous value: -"Structured categories: food, education, health, entertainment, retail, accommodation, nightlife, transport, government, recreation"New value: +"Structured categories: food, fuel, charging_station, education, health, entertainment, retail, accommodation, nightlife, transport, government, recreation"
```
- addedInput schema / properties / categories / items / maxLength
```
Added value: +2000
```
- addedInput schema / properties / categories / maxItems
```
Added value: +20
```
- addedInput schema / properties / center / properties / lat / maximum
```
Added value: +90
```
- addedInput schema / properties / center / properties / lat / minimum
```
Added value: +-90
```
- addedInput schema / properties / center / properties / lon / maximum
```
Added value: +180
```
- addedInput schema / properties / center / properties / lon / minimum
```
Added value: +-180
```
- addedInput schema / properties / lat / maximum
```
Added value: +90
```
- addedInput schema / properties / lat / minimum
```
Added value: +-90
```
- addedInput schema / properties / layers / maxLength
```
Added value: +200
```
- addedInput schema / properties / limit / maximum
```
Added value: +50
```
- addedInput schema / properties / limit / minimum
```
Added value: +1
```
- addedInput schema / properties / lon / maximum
```
Added value: +180
```
- addedInput schema / properties / lon / minimum
```
Added value: +-180
```
- addedInput schema / properties / query / maxLength
```
Added value: +2000
```
- changedInput schema / properties / radius_m / description
```
Previous value: -"Search radius in meters (default 1000)"New value: +"Search radius in meters (default 1000, max 50000)"
```
- addedInput schema / properties / radius_m / maximum
```
Added value: +50000
```
- addedInput schema / properties / radius_m / minimum
```
Added value: +0
```
- changedOutput schema / additionalProperties
```
Previous value: -falseNew value: +true
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / items / items / properties / id
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "string"
+}
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / metrics
```
Added value: +{}
```

Changed3 schema fields changedMay 7, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / center / description

Previous value: -"Center point for nearby search ({lat, lon} object or JSON string)"New value: +"Center point for nearby search ({lat, lon} object or JSON string). You can also pass flat lat/lon."

addedInput schema / properties / lat

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Center latitude (alternative to `center` object)",
+  "type": "number"
+}

addedInput schema / properties / lon

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Center longitude (alternative to `center` object)",
+  "type": "number"
+}

Changed1 schema field changedMay 6, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / center / description

Previous value: -"Center point for nearby search"New value: +"Center point for nearby search ({lat, lon} object or JSON string)"

Changed1 schema field changedMay 6, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / center / description

Previous value: -"Center point for nearby search ({lat, lon} object or JSON string)"New value: +"Center point for nearby search"

Changed1 schema field changedMay 6, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / center / description

Previous value: -"Center point for nearby search"New value: +"Center point for nearby search ({lat, lon} object or JSON string)"

Changed1 schema field changedMay 1, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "properties": {
+    "display_hint": {
+      "additionalProperties": true,
+      "properties": {
+        "layout": {
+          "anyOf": [
+            {
+              "enum": [
+                "summary",
+                "table",
+                "summary+table",
+                "map",
+                "chart+table"
+              ],
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          ]
+        },
+        "map_layers": {
+          "items": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "type": "array"
+        },
+        "preferred_charts": {
+          "items": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "type": "array"
+        },
+        "sections": {
+          "items": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "type": "array"
+        }
+      },
+      "required": [
+        "layout"
+      ],
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "geojson": {
+      "additionalProperties": true,
+      "properties": {
+        "features": {
+          "items": {
+            "additionalProperties": true,
+            "properties": {
+              "geometry": {
+                "anyOf": [
+                  {
+                    "additionalProperties": true,
+                    "properties": {
+                      "coordinates": {},
+                      "geometries": {
+                        "items": {},
+                        "type": "array"
+                      },
+                      "type": {
+                        "anyOf": [
+                          {
+                            "enum": [
+                              "Point",
+                              "LineString",
+                              "Polygon",
+                              "MultiPoint",
+                              "MultiLineString",
+                              "MultiPolygon",
+                              "GeometryCollection"
+                            ],
+                            "type": "string"
+                          },
+                          {
+                            "type": "string"
+                          }
+                        ]
+                      }
+                    },
+                    "required": [
+                      "type"
+                    ],
+                    "type": "object"
+                  },
+                  {
+                    "type": "null"
+                  }
+                ]
+              },
+              "id": {
+                "type": [
+                  "string",
+                  "number"
+                ]
+              },
+              "properties": {
+                "additionalProperties": {},
+                "type": "object"
+              },
+              "type": {
+                "const": "Feature",
+                "type": "string"
+              }
+            },
+            "required": [
+              "type",
+              "geometry"
+            ],
+            "type": "object"
+          },
+          "type": "array"
+        },
+        "type": {
+          "const": "FeatureCollection",
+          "type": "string"
+        }
+      },
+      "required": [
+        "type",
+        "features"
+      ],
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "items": {
+      "items": {
+        "additionalProperties": true,
+        "properties": {
+          "distance_km": {
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "distance_meters": {
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "label": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "lat": {
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "layer": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "lon": {
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "name": {
+            "type": "string"
+          }
+        },
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "summary": {
+      "additionalProperties": {},
+      "description": "Map of scalar facts the LLM should surface verbatim",
+      "type": "object"
+    }
+  },
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed2 schema fields changedApr 29, 2026
- addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```
- addedInput schema / properties / center / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```
First observedApr 28, 2026

TDQS

A4.5/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, openWorldHint, and idempotentHint, covering safety and idempotency. The description adds the behavioral nuance that this is a category-filtered, point-anchored search, which clarifies its scope beyond the annotations. It doesn't cover return details, but the output schema exists, so the bar is lower.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two compact sentences: the first states the tool's purpose with concrete examples, the second gives usage guidance and names the alternative. No filler, and the key category-specific behavior is front-loaded.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a tool with 10 parameters, nested objects, and a full output schema, the description provides the essential decision context (when to use vs `explore`) without duplicating schema details. Everything an agent needs to decide on and invoke it correctly is present.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so all 10 parameters are fully documented in the schema. The description reinforces the importance of the categories parameter by listing examples, but does not add substantive semantics beyond what the schema already provides. Baseline of 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool performs a CATEGORY-specific POI search near a point, with explicit examples and a list of categories. It also distinguishes itself from the sibling `explore` by naming the specific use case (specific type vs broader discovery), making its purpose unambiguous.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicitly tells when to use this tool ('when the user has a specific TYPE of place in mind') and when not to, pointing directly to `explore` as the alternative for broader discovery. This is the ideal level of routing guidance.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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