ExxonMobil is Scaling Drone Operations: Trumbull Awarded Contract

Trumbull Unmanned was an early player in the drone services industry.  Founded by an Air Force veteran with deep background in aerospace, the Houston-based company made early inroads into the top of the oil and gas industry, quietly working behind the scenes for household name clients in oil and gas exploration, environmental impact work, and research.

ExxonMobil is one of those clients.  ExxonMobil is one of the world’s largest publicly traded international oil and gas companies, and Trumbull has supported them in the use of drones for aerial intelligence since 2014.

Now, in what may well prove to be a drone industry benchmark, ExxonMobil has made a strategic decision to scale drone operations throughout the company.  Trumbull Unmanned has been awarded a 5-year Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Agreement to expand drone data collection and inspections.

Drones are a valuable tool for the oil and gas industry.  Drones perform a variety of missions: inspections of rigs, environmental impact assessments, exploration of new sites, and more.  Using small UAS to gather aerial intelligence for these missions has proven to be less expensive and safer than traditional means – and ultimately supremely effective.  As tools and operational procedures mature, precise aerial data can now be visualized, analyzed, and distributed to appropriate stakeholders throughout a multi-national organization like ExxonMobil.

“Trumbull is grateful to serve amazing clients. After conducting data collection and inspections for ExxonMobil in over 25 locations, we are excited to scale operations starting in the Americas,” says Trumbull CEO Dyan Gibbens. “We look forward to helping ExxonMobil integrate amazing safety, efficiency, and data-driven technology into their operations.”

Trumbull’s win with ExxonMobil is a win for the industry.  ExxonMobil is one of the top 10 companies on the Fortune 100 list: as large enterprise decides to scale drone operations and establishes value of drone data beyond doubt, smaller companies will follow.  And, as heavy hitters in major national industries show that drones are important to business, regulations will develop to allow expanded use cases.  Drones, especially in oil and gas, are hitting their stride.

About Trumbull

Trumbull, a Forbes Top 25 Veteran Founded Startup, conducts tech-enabled inspections and creates 3D models of critical infrastructure in energy and government. Houston-based, Trumbull focuses on automation, data, and environmental resilience. A preferred vendor for oil & gas supermajors, Trumbull collects, visualizes, and analyzes data via drones. In 2018, Entrepreneur recognized Trumbull in 100 Brilliant Companies.