Resource search

Search DataDrivenAEC

Open the full search page →

Propeller Aero

Drone and machine-telemetry survey platform for construction, mining, and aggregates worksites

Cloud platform (legal entity Propeller Aerobotics Pty Ltd) that turns drone-captured imagery and LiDAR into survey-grade 3D maps, then layers on smart ground-control points (AeroPoints) and machine-mounted GNSS receivers (DirtMate) so earthworks and civil construction teams can track volumes, grading progress, and machine activity from a single site map.

$57.5M total across 6 rounds (per Crunchbase); most recent round was a $15.35M raise in April 2023 (led by Blackbird Ventures and Costanoa, commonly labeled Series C) — consistent with the ~$57M noted in seed facts raisedEstablished
Founded 2014 · 4,000+ customers across 22,600+ worksites in 120+ countries; 80,000+ platform users (per company site). Named customers include Hensel Phelps, Sukut Construction, McConnell Dowell, and Nevada Gold Mines
Website →← All Tools

Why This Tool Exists

The Problem

Construction, mining, and aggregates sites track earthwork volumes and grading progress through infrequent manual surveys or periodic drone flights, leaving days-to-weeks-long gaps between when site conditions actually change and when office teams, surveyors, and clients can see it — causing disputes over payment certifications, wasted material, and rework discovered too late.

The Solution

Propeller processes drone photogrammetry and LiDAR captures into orthomosaics, 3D surfaces, and point clouds, using AeroPoints (smart GNSS ground-control points) for PPK correction to survey-grade accuracy (~3cm). A cloud dashboard overlays design files against the latest survey to compute cut/fill and volumes automatically, and the DirtMate GNSS receiver — mounted on excavators, dozers, and other equipment — streams machine location, utilization, and cut/fill data between drone flights so the site map stays current without waiting for the next flight.

How You Use It

Delivery Method
SaaSCloud-based ProcessingHardware + Software
Integrations
ProcoreAutodesk Build (Autodesk Construction Cloud)Autodesk Civil 3DOracle AconexTrimble ConnectHCSSOneDrive
Project Phases
Pre-Design, Construction Administration, Operations/FM
Project Types
Infrastructure, Industrial, Commercial

Data Transparency

Exactly what this tool uses and how

Input
What it needs
Required:Drone-captured aerial imagery or LiDAR scan of the site
Optional:AeroPoints ground-control-point data for PPK correction, Design files for as-built comparison, DirtMate machine telemetry, Pre-processed surfaces from third-party survey equipment (GPS rovers, laser scanners, total stations)
Formats:JPG, PNG, 360° photos, LAS/LAZ point clouds, GeoTIFF, DXF, IFC, KML/KMZ, LandXML, PDF
Output
What you get
Format:Interactive web/mobile 3D site map with exportable survey deliverables
Fields:Orthophotos, 3D surface models, Point clouds, Stockpile/volume measurements, Cut/fill comparison reports, Cross-section charts, Timelapse/flythrough videos, PDF measurement reports
Algorithm
How it works
Model:Proprietary photogrammetry and LiDAR processing pipeline with a PPK (Post-Processed Kinematic) GNSS correction engine; also includes an "AI Volume Breakdown" machine-learning feature for automated earthwork-activity detection (model architecture not publicly disclosed)
Accuracy:Survey-grade accuracy to within 1/10 ft (~3cm) using Propeller PPK with a recommended drone and 1+ AeroPoints (company-published figure; methodology not independently verified)
Privacy
How your data is protected
Retention:Platform usage data retained per jurisdiction-specific record-keeping rules (company privacy policy cites up to 7 years in Australia); website-visitor and job-applicant data retained up to 2 years with deletion available on request
Training:Not publicly specified whether customer survey imagery/point clouds are used to train Propeller's own models; company states its AI features run on self-hosted models and do not pass customer data to third-party AI services
Compliance:SOC 2 Type 1, SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR compliant (per privacy policy), EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework certified, UK Extension to EU-U.S. DPF certified
API
Integration
Endpoint:Read-only public API available on the Scale plan tier (specific base URL/endpoints not publicly documented)
Method:Not publicly documented

Use Cases

  • ·Recurring drone surveys for earthwork progress and grading verification on construction and mining sites
  • ·Stockpile and pit volume measurement for material inventory, loadout planning, and waste reduction
  • ·Cut/fill verification against design plans to support payment certification
  • ·Real-time machine utilization and cut/fill tracking via DirtMate-equipped excavators/dozers between drone flights
  • ·As-built documentation and multi-stakeholder site collaboration across office and field teams

Pricing

Free
14-day free trial (per company marketing)
Pro
Standard Platform plan — contact vendor for subscription pricing. Hardware sold separately: AeroPoints from $1,000/unit ($5,000 for a 5-pack) plus a $999/year AeroPoints processing subscription per AeroPoint group
Enterprise
Scale Platform plan (12-month commitment) adds private workspaces, a read-only public API, and WMTS map-tile streaming — contact vendor for pricing
Sources & Research NotesResearch date: 2026-07-17
Fields Checked (20)
problem, solution, deliveryMethod, integrations, disciplines, projectPhases, projectTypes, yearFounded, maturityStage, customerBase, fundingTotal (total ~$57.5M per Crunchbase; latest $15.35M round April 2023, consistent with seed_facts within rounding), input-formats, output-formats, algorithm-approach, privacy-retention, privacy-location, privacy-compliance (SOC 2, GDPR, DPF), control-features, useCases, pricing-hardware-costs
Not Found (6)
exact API documentation/endpoints, AI training-data policy for customer imagery, independent accuracy benchmark, exact Standard/Scale subscription pricing amounts, webhook support, accuracy methodology validation
About this research: This record summarizes the cited sources and fields checked. A research date does not establish hands-on testing. Consult the original sources for current details and limitations.