Trimble Inks Drone Data Deal with Propeller Aero

A leading drone firm is putting a new spin on aerial data by cementing a distribution deal with a growing cloud-based analytics company.

Last week, California-based Trimble announced a new collaboration with Propeller Aero, an Australian company known for automated drone ground-control targets, cloud-based data visualization and analysis.

The deal will see Propeller’s web-based interface mated with Trimble Connected Site solutions, allowing customers to measure surface geometry, track trends and changes across time and perform visual inspections.

The agreement will allow Trimble to specifically target the construction and civil engineering markets.  “Propeller combines ease of use with powerful analysis tools that allow users to view 2D and 3D deliverables and extract valuable information,” said Scott Crozier, director of marketing for Trimble Civil Engineering and Construction. “Like Trimble, Propeller understands the value of quality and accurate data for integration with civil engineering and construction workflows.”

Company officials say the agreement will help their customers more easily gain insights remotely and enhance collaboration, yielding marked improvements in efficiency and safety – especially on construction worksites.

“We pride ourselves in taking the most trusted, technical data and tools and wrapping that up in an easy-to-use online platform that is relevant to the entire organization, not just technical users,” ,” Propeller CEO Rory San Miguel said. “Working closely with Trimble demonstrates a shared commitment to achieving that vision,” he added. “Integrating our platform into Trimble’s Connected Site solutions will bring a new class of information to construction sites and organizations globally.”

Data-driven, end-to-end, cloud-based drone solutions have emerged as the next relevant wave of innovation in the UAV field as industry leaders find innovative uses for tech advances across sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure inspection, mining and surveying.

In fact, Trimble had already blazed a trail in the inspection sector by taking on a very trashy client. In 2014, the FAA approved a request by the Mesa County Public Works Department in Arizona to deploy the company’s Trimble UX5 fixed-wing drone “to determine volumes and compaction of its county landfill and survey and monitor infrastructure projects.”

The company went on to cement its reputation in the UAV community last year when Trimble merged its Belgium-based Gatewing Unmanned Aircraft Systems division with Delair-Tech. The deal allowed Trimble, according to divisional VP Ron Bisio, to “focus on core software technology for UAS that integrates positioning, remote sensing and photogrammetry.”