SpecTIR
SpecTIR is a Reno-based privately held small business delivering airborne hyperspectral imaging and geospatial solutions—data acquisition, proprietary SHIPS/SHAPES processing, sensor distribution, and calibration—for mining, oil & gas, environmental, emergency response, and government/defense clients globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersReno, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SpecTIR does
SpecTIR LLC is a privately held small business headquartered in Reno, Nevada, that delivers airborne hyperspectral imaging and geospatial solutions to government, defense, civil agency, academic, and commercial clients worldwide. Its core offering is end-to-end hyperspectral data acquisition, processing, and interpretation across four service pillars: Geology & Minerals (mining and mineral exploration), Oil & Gas, Vegetation & Environmental, and Emergency Response, with additional Sensor Calibration services from an in-house NIST-traceable calibration lab and a licensable Spectral Atlas data product.
The company's technical stack combines three distributed airborne sensors—the Specim AisaFENIX 1k (VNIR-SWIR), the Specim AisaOWL (LWIR), and the FLIR A8200SC (thermal)—with proprietary software: SHIPS, a pre-processing suite that compresses hyperspectral workflows from months to days or minutes, and SHAPES, an inline/near-real-time exploitation system. SpecTIR also holds US distribution rights for ReSe's ATCOR atmospheric/topographic correction software, which it embeds in its processing pipeline. Multi-sensor data fusion (hyperspectral with LIDAR, magnetometry, seismic, and core logging) is a distinguishing capability.
SpecTIR monetizes through project-based professional services (hyperspectral data acquisition and analysis), sensor and instrument sales, software distribution (ATCOR), calibration services, and Spectral Atlas data licensing, with pricing established per quote. The company operates a wholly-owned Australian subsidiary (SpecTIR Australia PTY Ltd) for Asia-Pacific coverage and maintains a global partner ecosystem including Specim, ReSe, Fugro, Xcalibur, and Aerospace Corporation. Named enterprise customers include Anglo American Chile, PDVSA Exploration, and National Grid, alongside mining exploration juniors and academia.
SpecTIR firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SpecTIR
- Legal name
- SpecTIR LLC
- Website
- https://spectir.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SpecTIR is a Reno-based privately held small business delivering airborne hyperspectral imaging and geospatial solutions—data acquisition, proprietary SHIPS/SHAPES processing, sensor distribution, and calibration—for mining, oil & gas, environmental, emergency response, and government/defense clients globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SpecTIR industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Geospatial Remote Sensing Services
- NAICS
- Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (54137)
- SIC
- Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Remote Sensing & Geospatial Vision (satellite/drone imagery) (HDAAAEAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Remote Sensing & Imaging (Satellite, UAV/Drone, Aerial, Multispectral/Hyperspectral) (AFAGALAC), Field Mapping, GIS & Remote Sensing Analytics (AFAAAFAB)
Keywords
Where SpecTIR is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Reno
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
SpecTIR business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hyperspectral Data Acquisition & Analysis Services: Project-based professional services for airborne hyperspectral data collection, processing, interpretation, and delivery across geology/minerals, oil & gas, vegetation/environmental, and emergency response applications. Projects are scoped per client and priced via quotes/proposals.
- Sensor & Instrument Sales: Sale of hyperspectral sensors and related hardware (AisaFENIX 1k, AisaOWL, FLIR A8200SC) to clients; referenced under the 'Sensor Sale' option on the contact form alongside data acquisition services.
- Software Distribution (ATCOR): SpecTIR serves as the US distributor for ReSe ATCOR atmospheric/topographic correction software, generating distribution/resale revenue on third-party geospatial software.
- Spectral Atlas Data Licensing: Licensing of SpecTIR's Spectral Atlas reference data to clients, offered as a discrete product line on the contact form ('Spectral Atlas Data License').
- Sensor Calibration Services: Radiometric and spectral calibration services performed at SpecTIR's Reno, NV lab, sold as standalone work to hyperspectral sensor operators and partners.
- Government & Defense Contracting: Contract-based revenue from US government and defense clients (e.g., Remote Sensing Contract with National Grid, May 2017), executed via DCAA/DCMA-compliant government contracting workflows.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Quote-based / not publicly disclosed |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
SpecTIR product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SpecTIR delivers airborne hyperspectral data acquisition, processing, interpretation, and multi-source geospatial product delivery for government, defense, mining, oil & gas, environmental, and academic clients. The company operates a vertically integrated stack spanning sensor hardware (Specim AisaFENIX 1k, AisaOWL, FLIR A8200SC), proprietary processing software (SHIPS, SHAPES), ReSe ATCOR atmospheric correction distribution, an in-house calibration lab, and licensable Spectral Atlas reference data.
Product overview
SpecTIR delivers a vertically integrated hyperspectral and geospatial solutions portfolio built around four service pillars (Geology & Minerals, Oil & Gas, Vegetation & Environmental, and Emergency Response) supported by a globally deployable Data Acquisition capability, a Reno-based Sensor Calibration lab, and a Spectral Atlas Data License offering. The hardware layer consists of three featured airborne sensors — the Specim AisaFENIX 1k (VNIR-SWIR), the Specim AisaOWL (LWIR), and the FLIR A8200SC — which feed SpecTIR's two proprietary software products: SHIPS (SpecTIR Hyperspectral Image Processing Suite) for pre-processing push-broom hyperspectral imagery, and SHAPES (SpecTIR Hyperspectral Automated Processing and Exploitation System) for near-real-time inline exploitation. SpecTIR additionally serves as the US distributor for ReSe's ATCOR atmospheric/topographic correction software. Together the sensors, software suite, calibration services, and domain-specific mapping services form a single end-to-end pipeline from airborne data collection to deliverable mineral, hydrocarbon, vegetation, or contamination maps for government and commercial clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SHIPS (SpecTIR Hyperspectral Image Processing Suite): Proprietary pre-processing software suite for push-broom hyperspectral imagers, combining image calibration and navigation modules to compress hyperspectral imagery workflows from months to days or minutes.
- SHAPES (SpecTIR Hyperspectral Automated Processing and Exploitation System)
Products and services
- Geology & Minerals Hyperspectral Mapping Discrete mineral mapping service for mining, oil/gas, and geothermal exploration clients, providing end-to-end identification of mineralogy over large and remote areas using airborne hyperspectral data fused with LIDAR, magnetometry, seismic, and core logging data to generate drill-ready exploration targets.
- Oil & Gas Hyperspectral Exploration Services Airborne hyperspectral imaging services for oil & gas exploration, environmental baseline, and monitoring, using SWIR imagery and geobotanical analysis for direct and indirect hydrocarbon detection in challenging global environments.
- Vegetation & Environmental Hyperspectral Services Hyperspectral services for vegetation classification and characterization, species identification, insect and disease detection, fire risk, stress detection, precision agriculture, aquatic monitoring, eutrophication, and acid mine drainage remediation for government environmental, forestry, agriculture, and conservation clients.
- Emergency Response Hyperspectral Services Rapid deployment of airborne hyperspectral sensors for environmental contamination detection during emergencies such as oil spills, hurricanes, and asbestos detection, integrated with other remote sensing and geospatial data for situational awareness.
- Airborne Hyperspectral Data Acquisition Services Globally deployed airborne hyperspectral data acquisition services using SpecTIR's fleet of sensors (AisaFENIX 1k, AisaOWL, FLIR A8200SC) with rapid data delivery for government and commercial clients worldwide.
- SHIPS (SpecTIR Hyperspectral Image Processing Suite) Proprietary pre-processing software for push-broom hyperspectral imagers that combines image calibration and navigation modules to compress hyperspectral data workflows from months to days or minutes.
- SHAPES (SpecTIR Hyperspectral Automated Processing and Exploitation System) Proprietary inline/near-real-time image exploitation and product generation system for hyperspectral imagers, providing actionable intelligence from data as it is collected in dynamic, time-critical environments.
- ATCOR Atmospheric and Topographic Correction Software (US Distribution) ReSe ATCOR atmospheric and topographic correction software distributed by SpecTIR in the US, which eliminates atmospheric and illumination effects to retrieve surface spectral reflectance, emissivity, and temperature using MODTRAN 5 radiative transfer code look-up tables.
- Sensor Calibration Services Radiometric and spectral calibration services offered from SpecTIR's Reno, NV lab using a Labsphere USS-2000-V uniform light source (NIST-traceable from 400 nm to 2500 nm) and an Oriel Cornerstone 130 1/8m monochromator.
- Spectral Atlas Data License Licensable SpecTIR Spectral Atlas reference data offered to clients as a downloadable spectral reference data product with free sample requests available via the website.
- AisaFENIX 1k Hyperspectral Sensor Featured airborne VNIR-SWIR hyperspectral imaging sensor manufactured by Specim, sold and operated by SpecTIR for mineral and material identification applications.
- AisaOWL Hyperspectral Sensor Featured airborne LWIR / thermal infrared hyperspectral sensor manufactured by Specim, sold and operated by SpecTIR for thermal imaging applications.
- FLIR A8200SC Thermal Sensor Thermal infrared sensor supplied by FLIR and offered by SpecTIR as part of its hyperspectral sensor portfolio for thermal imaging applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- SHIPS software compresses hyperspectral image (HSI) data workflow from months to days or even minutes
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use SpecTIR
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
SpecTIR technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
SpecTIR partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- NorthStar Earth & SpacecorePress release dated January 31, 2019 announces a partnership for NorthStar Earth & Space to partner with SpecTIR to deliver complete hyperspectral image services.
- SpecimflagshipSpecim is the manufacturer of the AisaFENIX 1k VNIR-SWIR and AisaOWL LWIR hyperspectral sensors featured on SpecTIR's Technology page as primary featured instruments. SpecTIR distributes and operates Specim sensors as core hardware in its airborne hyperspectral data acquisition stack.
- ReSe Applications SchläpferflagshipSpecTIR is the US distributor for ReSe ATCOR atmospheric/topographic correction software, which uses MODTRAN 5 look-up tables to retrieve surface reflectance, emissivity, and temperature. ATCOR is embedded in SpecTIR's hyperspectral processing pipeline and offered as a sale item on the contact form.
- TerraCore International / TerraCore CorpcoreTerraCore was spun off from SpecTIR in June 2013 (per CEO Mark Landers' bio) to focus SpecTIR's hyperspectral expertise on the core geological imaging market. The SpecTIR CEO also serves as Director of TerraCore Corp, and TerraCore is listed as a partner on the company page.
- FugrocoreFugro is listed as a partner on SpecTIR's company page, indicating a strategic alignment in geospatial and remote sensing services.
- Xcalibur (Xcalibur Multiphysics)coreXcalibur Multiphysics is listed as a SpecTIR partner, aligning with SpecTIR's geological and mineral exploration service offering.
- Aerospace CorporationcoreAerospace Corporation is listed as a partner on SpecTIR's company page, supporting SpecTIR's defense and space-related hyperspectral activities.
- Interra (Interra Latam)minorInterra Latam is listed as a SpecTIR partner, suggesting a Latin American regional channel relationship.
- GeosenseminorGeosense is listed as a SpecTIR partner on the company page, likely supporting European regional delivery.
- AuroraminorAurora is listed as a SpecTIR partner (aurora.kz), suggesting a regional channel relationship in the Kazakhstan/Central Asia region.
- WGI (WGI Inc.)minorWGI is listed as a SpecTIR partner on the company page.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SpecTIR competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- HyVista Corporation: Australian airborne hyperspectral operator offering HyMap sensor data acquisition and analysis for mineral exploration, environmental, and defense clients. Closest direct peer to SpecTIR in terms of service offering, sensor specialization, and mining/agriculture end markets.
- Specim Spectral Imaging: Finnish manufacturer of the AisaFENIX and AisaOWL airborne hyperspectral sensors that SpecTIR operates and resells. Directly comparable hyperspectral technology stack; competes with SpecTIR when selling sensors to other service providers and end clients.
- Headwall Photonics: US-based designer and manufacturer of hyperspectral imaging sensors and integrated airborne systems for remote sensing, defense, and industrial inspection. Closely comparable on sensor technology, vertical use cases (mineral exploration, vegetation, defense), and customer base overlap.
- ITRES Research: Canadian hyperspectral and thermal infrared sensor manufacturer and airborne service provider with strong mineral exploration and environmental monitoring heritage. Directly comparable airborne hyperspectral capability and target customer base.
- Resonon: US-based manufacturer of hyperspectral imaging systems including push-broom airborne sensors used in precision agriculture, forestry, and remote sensing research. Directly comparable sensor technology and end-use applications.
- Xcalibur Multiphysics: Global airborne geophysical survey company offering multi-sensor (magnetic, radiometric, gravity, electromagnetic) data acquisition for mineral exploration. Directly comparable in airborne data acquisition services for mining clients, and a listed SpecTIR partner.
Broad incumbents
- Fugro: Global geospatial and asset integrity services company offering airborne surveying, satellite remote sensing, and geo-data services to offshore, energy, and infrastructure clients. Overlaps with SpecTIR's airborne data acquisition for mining/oil & gas, but at vastly larger scale and broader portfolio.
- Maxar Technologies: Large satellite imagery and geospatial analytics provider serving defense, intelligence, and commercial markets. Overlaps with SpecTIR's government/defense and geospatial services, but operates from space-based platforms rather than airborne sensors.
- Planet Labs: Earth observation satellite operator providing daily global imagery and analytics to agriculture, forestry, government, and mining customers. Competes with SpecTIR on large-area mineral exploration and vegetation monitoring use cases via satellite-based revisit rather than airborne hyperspectral.
Emerging players
- Pixxel: India/US hyperspectral satellite constellation startup building commercial high-resolution hyperspectral imagery for agriculture, mining, and environmental monitoring. Comparable end customers (mining, agriculture, environment) but emerging orbital versus SpecTIR's established airborne capability.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SpecTIR social profiles
Digital presenceSpecTIR financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SpecTIR leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
SpecTIR subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
SpecTIR funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SpecTIR 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 SpecTIR
What does SpecTIR do?
SpecTIR delivers airborne hyperspectral data acquisition, processing, interpretation, and multi-source geospatial product delivery for government, defense, mining, oil & gas, environmental, and academic clients. The company operates a vertically integrated stack spanning sensor hardware (Specim AisaFENIX 1k, AisaOWL, FLIR A8200SC), proprietary processing software (SHIPS, SHAPES), ReSe ATCOR atmospheric correction distribution, an in-house calibration lab, and licensable Spectral Atlas reference data.
Is SpecTIR a public or private company?
SpecTIR is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SpecTIR founded?
SpecTIR was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SpecTIR based?
SpecTIR is headquartered in Reno, United States, in the North America region.
How does SpecTIR make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Hyperspectral Data Acquisition & Analysis Services are the primary driver. The others are sensor & Instrument Sales, software Distribution (ATCOR), spectral Atlas Data Licensing, sensor Calibration Services and government & Defense Contracting.
Who are SpecTIR's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are HyVista Corporation, Specim Spectral Imaging, Headwall Photonics, ITRES Research, Resonon and Xcalibur Multiphysics. Broad incumbents are Fugro, Maxar Technologies and Planet Labs. Pixxel is listed as an emerging player.
Does SpecTIR have an API?
No public API is recorded for SpecTIR.
What industry is SpecTIR in?
SpecTIR's product category is Geospatial Remote Sensing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAEAL, Remote Sensing & Geospatial Vision (satellite/drone imagery), with a secondary code of AFAGALAC, Remote Sensing & Imaging (Satellite, UAV/Drone, Aerial, Multispectral/Hyperspectral). Its NAICS code is 541360 and its SIC code is 3827.