Generating random locations around a location

Handy.

def generateLocation(startlat, startlon, maxdist):

 # converting them radians
 startlat *= pi / 180
 startlon *= pi / 180
 rand1 = random.random()
 rand2 = random.random()

 maxdist = maxdist / earthradius
 dist = acos(rand1*(cos(maxdist) - 1) + 1)
 brg = 2*pi*rand2

 lat = asin(sin(startlat)*cos(dist) + cos(startlat)*sin(dist)*cos(brg))
 lon = startlon + atan2(sin(brg)*sin(dist)*cos(startlat), cos(dist)-sin(startlat)*sin(lat))

 if lon < -pi:
  lon = lon + 2 * pi

 if lon > pi:
  lon = lon - 2 * pi

 lat *= 180 / pi
 lon *= 180 / pi

 return [lat, lon]