Skycatch Raises $25M to Advance Drone Data Scanning

Skycatch Secures $25 Million in Funding

Skycatch has recently announced a $25 million funding round, spearheaded by ADB Ventures and Wavemaker. Established in 2013, this Bay Area company specializes in delivering 3D scanning services with centimeter-level accuracy.

Global Deployment and Target Markets

The company’s services are currently utilized across more than 10,000 sites globally, as reported by founder and CEO Christian Sanz. Key locations include Chile, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Australia, Canada, the U.S., Indonesia, China, Philippines, Thailand, and Japan.

Skycatch specifically focuses on areas with limited connectivity, recognizing a significant need within these environments.

Addressing Challenges in High-Precision Data Acquisition

According to Sanz, achieving high-precision, centimeter-accurate data is a complex undertaking. Traditionally, this capability has been dominated by the laser scanning market.

Standard drones, without specialized technology, often struggle to reach this level of accuracy. Skycatch differentiates itself by excelling in “edge environments” – locations lacking internet connectivity.

Initial demand has been particularly strong from mining companies operating in remote regions.

Technology and Partnerships

Skycatch’s technology is compatible with commercially available drones, including those produced by DJI.

The company provides both 3D mapping software and the Edge 1, a base station equipped with an edge processor.

Furthermore, Skycatch is collaborating with lidar manufacturers to enhance data capture capabilities in challenging settings, such as underground mining operations.

ADB Ventures' Perspective

Daniel Hersson of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) stated that the bank aims to facilitate the adoption of technology in infrastructure projects.

This includes projects focused on reducing carbon footprints and improving safety and operational efficiency. Skycatch’s technology for capturing, processing, and analyzing high-accuracy 3D drone data is considered crucial to achieving this mission.

Future Expansion Plans

The newly acquired funds will be allocated to expanding Skycatch’s sales and marketing teams.

Currently, these departments represent a relatively small portion of the company’s 50-person workforce.