Heavy equipment firm Komatsu is digging a new partnership with drone company Propeller.
Komatsu Equipment Company, a leading Komatsu distributor headquartered in Salt Lake City, is rolling out Propeller products as a solution for the construction industry.
Propeller offers a suite of drone imaging hardware and software that allows users to collect, analyze or stitch thousands of aerial images in a few hours to produce cloud-based 3D models as well as height, volume and slope calculations.
“Adding Propeller Aero as one of our key partners gives our North American distributors and customers exceptional capabilities to achieve this standard in the aerial mapping space,” Komatsu America Senior Product Manager Jason Anetsberger said.
“Propeller combines simple, yet powerful analysis tools with accurate and fast site visualization.”
For Propeller, the deal adds to its growing customer base for drone-based services. In 2017, California-based Trimble announced a collaboration with the Australian company that mates Propeller’s web-based interface with Trimble Connected Site solutions, allowing customers to measure surface geometry, track trends and changes across time and perform visual inspections.
“Worksites are starting to see the real business value of accurate, up-to-date drone data,” says John Frost, VP of Business Development at Propeller.
“We drive that value through workflows that enable everyone to understand who’s moved what material, how much, and where. It’s all about empowering worksites with the information they need to make data-driven decisions to reduce costs, ensure quality, and use resources efficiently. Now more than ever, stakeholders on site, or in the head office miles away, can stay up-to-date with exactly what’s happening on the ground.”
In 2016, Komatsu launched an American service using drones to cut down on the labor required for excavation and earthwork on construction projects.
“Anyone can fly a drone—it’s what you do with the data that makes an impression,” says Chris Faulhaber, Smart Construction Business Manager at Komatsu Equipment Company. “Propeller provides fast, accurate data processing via a web platform that is unparalleled. The platform is easy to use, facilitates healthy collaboration and delivers vital information quickly—so everyone can work together better and faster than anticipated.”
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