DroneDeploy, an aerial reality capture platform, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire StructionSite, a provider of ground reality capture for the construction industry.
The acquisition will unify these two solutions for aerial and ground capture into one complete platform, enabling customers in the construction, energy and other industries to seamlessly deploy aerial drones, ground robots and handheld 360-degree cameras to document their sites.
The combination will also accelerate automation in some of the world’s largest construction and energy companies, which are increasingly adopting DroneDeploy’s autonomous ground robotics and drone-in-a-box solutions to improve efficiency, reduce risk and mitigate rising costs.
“Companies across industries have been asking for a unified view of their sites: a single platform to document, inspect and measure the exterior and interior of their assets and infrastructure,” says Mike Winn, CEO and co-founder of DroneDeploy. “We’re excited to deliver on this, combining DroneDeploy’s leadership in aerial reality capture with StructionSite’s leadership in ground reality capture to enable full reality capture for 40 percent of the top 400 general contractors.”
“I am thrilled that with the DroneDeploy and StructionSite teams joining forces, our combined technology, resources and expertise will deliver the unified experience our construction customers and the wider industry have been asking for,” says Matt Daly, CEO and co-founder of StructionSite. “Together, we can accelerate StructionSite’s product roadmap through an integrated platform that will enable some of the world’s largest construction companies to deploy autonomous aerial and ground robots to deliver efficiency and cost savings at scale.”
DroneDeploy is already the market share leader in aerial reality capture, helping its customers spanning 190 countries capture an instant understanding of their operations through drone data, with over 300 million acres and 1.7 million sites mapped to date from 7.9 million flights. The company has a history of expanding its platform through acquisitions, including the addition of its photogrammetry engine, flight services offering and, with its acquisition of New Zealand-based robotics software company Rocos, the extension of DroneDeploy’s reality capture capabilities to autonomous mobile ground robots.
Since StructionSite’s launch in 2016, its customers have used its ground reality capture technology to capture over $190 billion of construction volume, providing them with unparalleled documentation and insights related to both progress and quality. Over 500 builders find a competitive edge with StructionSite, increasing the profitability and efficiency of their project teams, which has spurred rapid customer adoption and three-times annual growth in active projects.
The deal is expected to close in late October and is subject to customary closing conditions.
On Nov. 1, Mike Winn and Matt Daly will host a live event, where they will share their vision for the combination of the two solutions, and what it means for customers and the wider industry.