Botlink
Botlink provides an integrated drone operations platform combining flight control software, cloud-based mapping and analytics, and LTE cellular command-and-control hardware, serving aggregate, agriculture, construction, and energy industries with measurable enterprise customers and government/defense partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersFargo, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Botlink does
Botlink, LLC is a Fargo, North Dakota-based drone operations software company founded in 2016 by ex-USAF drone pilots. The company provides an integrated end-to-end platform combining mobile flight control software, cloud-based mapping and analytics, and cellular command-and-control hardware for commercial drone operations. Its three core products are Botlink Capture (a mobile flight control app compatible with DJI drones via Lightbridge and MAVLink-based autopilots that supports automated takeoffs, landings, drag-and-drop flight planning, and battery-swap mission resume), Botlink InSites (a cloud-based mapping platform that converts aerial imagery into orthomosaic maps, 3D terrain models, NDVI vegetation index maps, and volumetric measurements with processing returned within 30 minutes), and Botlink XRD2 (carrier-approved LTE hardware and software that enables beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) command and control via cellular networks with 128/256-bit TLS encryption and a P2P architecture in which Botlink does not retain C2 data contents). The company also operates two adjacent sub-brands: PitPartner, a cloud-based aggregate operations management platform with QuickBooks integration, and POLLi, a machine-learning-based conservation and environmental management platform.
Botlink primarily serves the aggregate/mining, agriculture, construction, energy, compost, and environmental management industries. Named enterprise customers include Aggregate Industries and Lannon Stone Products (stockpile volume measurement) and ForeFront Ag Solutions (NDVI crop health mapping for nitrogen trials). The company also maintains government and defense relationships with NASA, the US Army, the Air Force, the FAA, NDDOT, and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS), and was a core technology partner in the FAA UAS Integration Pilot Program. Geographic reach spans the Americas, Europe, and Australia, with expanding LTE coverage into Africa and Southeast Asia; LAANC automated airspace authorization is limited to the United States.
The company generates revenue through a combination of recurring SaaS subscriptions for its Capture and InSites software and one-time hardware sales of the XRD2 device. Its go-to-market blends product-led growth (self-serve iOS and Android app store distribution) with enterprise field sales targeting government, defense, and large industrial accounts. Botlink holds US Patent 9,905,134 (issued July 2018) for restricted area intrusion prevention technology, was the first recipient of an FAA waiver for sustained drone operations over people (September 2018), and is Section 889 compliant for federal procurement. The company is privately held by Botlink, LLC under North Dakota jurisdiction, with no disclosed institutional funding since 2016.
Botlink firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Botlink
- Legal name
- Botlink, LLC
- Website
- https://botlink.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Botlink provides an integrated drone operations platform combining flight control software, cloud-based mapping and analytics, and LTE cellular command-and-control hardware, serving aggregate, agriculture, construction, and energy industries with measurable enterprise customers and government/defense partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Botlink industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Drone Operations Software
- NAICS
- Other Support Activities for Air Transportation (488190)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aerial Robotics (Drones & UAV Autonomy) (HDAAAIAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure (IMABAIAL)
Keywords
Where Botlink is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fargo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Botlink business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Software Subscriptions: SaaS platform providing flight control, data processing, and mapping capabilities through Botlink Capture mobile app and InSites web application. Subscription model with tiered pricing implied by mentions of 'Standard' plan features. Users own their drones and can fly as often as needed.
- Hardware Sales (XRD2): Sale of XRD2 LTE cellular command and control hardware device that connects to drone autopilot. One-time hardware purchase enabling cellular connectivity for drone operations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Standard subscription with 1-year of Botlink software included with drone purchases |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Botlink product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Botlink develops and sells a cloud-based drone operations platform consisting of Botlink Capture (mobile flight control app for automated drone missions), Botlink InSites (cloud-based mapping and image processing software for orthomosaic, 3D, NDVI, and volumetric outputs), and the Botlink XRD2 (LTE cellular command and control hardware enabling BVLOS drone flights). The platform also includes PitPartner for aggregate operations management and POLLi for ML-based environmental monitoring.
Product overview
Botlink offers an end-to-end drone operations platform consisting of three core products: Botlink Capture (mobile flight control app for automated drone missions), Botlink InSites (cloud-based mapping software for processing drone imagery into maps, 3D models, and NDVI analysis), and the Botlink XRD2 (hardware/software solution for BVLOS cellular drone control). The platform targets aggregate, agriculture, construction, and energy industries. Additionally, Botlink operates two related sub-brands: PitPartner (aggregate operations management software) and POLLi (conservation and environmental management platform using machine learning).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Botlink Capture: Mobile flight app for automated drone control, flight planning, and mission management compatible with DJI and MAVLink drones
- Botlink InSites
- Botlink XRD2
- PitPartner
- POLLi
Products and services
- Botlink Capture Mobile flight control app providing automated drone takeoffs and landings, drag-and-drop flight planning, battery-swap resume, and multi-drone profile management for DJI and MAVLink-based drones; targets commercial drone operators in aggregate, agriculture, construction, and energy industries.
- Botlink InSites Cloud-based image processing and mapping software that converts drone imagery into high-definition orthomosaic maps, 3D models, terrain models, NDVI vegetation index maps, and volumetric measurements for inventory and site analysis, with results typically returned within 30 minutes of upload; targets aggregate, agriculture, construction, and energy industries and is Section 889 compliant.
- Botlink XRD2 Hardware and software product providing beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone command and control over carrier-approved LTE cellular networks, with real-time video, telemetry tracking, multi-UAV fleet management, and 128/256-bit TLS encrypted communication; sold to enterprise and government customers requiring long-range drone operations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Map processing within 30 minutes of image upload
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Botlink
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Botlink technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability5 records
Feature6 records
Botlink partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- CNNcorePartnership in UAS IPP demonstrating simultaneous drone operations in shared airspace over people. CNN and Botlink were first two companies to operate simultaneously in shared airspace performing commercial operations over people at NDSU/SDSU football event.
- North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT)corePartnership through UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP) to test and demonstrate drone operations including BVLOS, night operations, and operations over people. Botlink provides command and control software technology enabling safe drone operations in partnership with NDDOT and NPUASTS.
- Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS)coreCollaborative partnership with NPUASTS, one of seven FAA UAS test sites in the nation, to develop systems, rules, and procedures for safe UAS integration into National Airspace System. Botlink participates in test flights and demonstrations at the test site.
- NASAcoreTeaming with NASA to conduct tests of XRD LTE cellular connectivity for reliable command and control links. NASA testing validates XRD technology for critical BVLOS operations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Botlink competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DroneDeploy: DroneDeploy offers a cloud-based drone mapping and analytics platform with automated flight, orthomosaic/3D model processing, and industry workflows for construction, agriculture, and aggregates — the closest direct competitor to Botlink InSites + Capture.
- Pix4D: Pix4D provides photogrammetry software (PIX4Dmapper, PIX4Dfields) that converts drone imagery into maps, 3D models, and NDVI outputs — overlapping directly with Botlink InSites across surveying, construction, and agriculture use cases.
- PrecisionHawk: PrecisionHawk combines drone-based data capture with analytics software (PrecisionAnalytics) for agriculture, energy, and infrastructure — comparable to Botlink's drone-software-plus-services stack and its regulated-industry focus.
- Sentera: Sentera provides drone sensors and analytics (FieldAgent) targeted at agriculture and infrastructure, including NDVI and stand-count analytics — a direct peer in the agriculture vertical Botlink serves with InSites.
- Propeller Aero: Propeller Aero offers a drone data platform for earthworks, quarries, and aggregates with survey-grade 3D site visualization and volume measurement — directly comparable to Botlink's aggregate stockpile and surveying workflows.
- AirMap (now part of DroneUp): AirMap built UAS airspace management and LAANC authorization tools — overlapping with Botlink's LAANC integration and UTM-oriented restricted area patent. Now folded into DroneUp, it remains a reference point for the UTM/airspace category Botlink competes in.
Broad incumbents
- Skydio: Skydio is a US drone OEM with strong autonomy software (Autonomy Enterprise) and a regulatory leadership position. While primarily a hardware manufacturer, its cloud offering (Skydio Cloud) competes for the same enterprise drone-program customers as Botlink.
- Skyward, A Verizon Company: Skyward provides a drone operations management platform with flight planning, LAANC, and fleet management for enterprise and telecom customers — comparable to Botlink's flight operations and LAANC capabilities, backed by Verizon's capital and LTE network reach.
- DJI: DJI is the dominant commercial drone OEM whose hardware ecosystem (Lightbridge, MAVLink, DJI FlightHub) Botlink integrates with. DJI's own DJI FlightHub and Terra software provide overlapping flight control and mapping, making DJI both Botlink's primary enablement layer and a long-term competitive threat.
Emerging players
- Identified Technologies: Identified Technologies offers a managed commercial drone mapping service (Boom) for construction, mining, and aggregates — overlapping with Botlink's aggregate and construction use cases but delivered as a turnkey service rather than a self-serve SaaS platform.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Botlink social profiles
Digital presenceBotlink compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Botlink financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Botlink leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Botlink funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Botlink M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Botlink
What does Botlink do?
Botlink develops and sells a cloud-based drone operations platform consisting of Botlink Capture (mobile flight control app for automated drone missions), Botlink InSites (cloud-based mapping and image processing software for orthomosaic, 3D, NDVI, and volumetric outputs), and the Botlink XRD2 (LTE cellular command and control hardware enabling BVLOS drone flights). The platform also includes PitPartner for aggregate operations management and POLLi for ML-based environmental monitoring.
Is Botlink a public or private company?
Botlink is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Botlink founded?
Botlink was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Botlink based?
Botlink is headquartered in Fargo, United States, in the North America region.
How does Botlink make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Software Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are hardware Sales (XRD2).
Who are Botlink's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DroneDeploy, Pix4D, PrecisionHawk, Sentera, Propeller Aero and AirMap (now part of DroneUp). Broad incumbents are Skydio, Skyward, A Verizon Company and DJI. Identified Technologies is listed as an emerging player.
Does Botlink have an API?
No public API is recorded for Botlink.
What industry is Botlink in?
Botlink's product category is Drone Operations Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAIAG, Aerial Robotics (Drones & UAV Autonomy), with a secondary code of IMABAIAL, UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure. Its NAICS code is 488190 and its SIC code is 3812.