What New Resolution Geophysics does

New Resolution Geophysics (NRG) is a privately held airborne geophysical survey company founded in 2005 and headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa. The company collects ultra-high resolution airborne data for mineral, petroleum, and groundwater exploration, operating five proprietary sensor platforms: Xcite™ (helicopter time-domain EM and magnetics with patented inflatable bird), Xplorer™ (helicopter magnetics and radiometrics), Xact™ (fixed-wing magnetics and radiometrics), NxT (next-generation airborne gravimeter with strapdown IMU and laser ring gyros), and Xtract™ (fixed-wing gravity and magnetics with patented thermal control unit). NRG owns its full technology stack including hardware (CNC machining, 3D printing, fibreglass fabrication), software (Python/C# data acquisition and processing), and a fleet of 12 aircraft (8 AS350-B helicopters, 2 Pilatus PC-6, 1 Cessna F406, 1 Air Tractor), supported by an in-house Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) at Wonderboom Airport.

NRG operates a project-based professional services revenue model, with pricing tailored to survey specifications (line kilometers, terrain, sensor configuration, geography) and contracts typically structured over multi-year periods. The company sells exclusively through direct enterprise sales to mining majors and juniors, petroleum exploration companies, government agencies, and increasingly environmental/water resource organizations, with active market presence across Africa, North America, Australasia, the Middle East, and South America. Customer roster includes tier-one mining names such as Rio Tinto, Barrick Gold, De Beers, Ivanhoe Mines, B2Gold, and Namdeb Diamond Corporation, alongside newer energy customers such as Hytera (hydrogen/helium) and Standard Uranium. Brand awareness is built primarily through participation in technical conferences (Africa Down Under, AEM2026, NSG 2026, SAGA) and the LinkedIn channel, with no public marketing of standardized pricing.

The company is founder-controlled by co-founders Ollie Wright (CEO, 45+ years experience, former Fugro and Geodass) and Roger Wright (COO, 35+ years, pioneer of helicopter and fixed-wing gradiometer systems), with key technical and operational roles held by additional Wright family members (Richard Wright as Engineering Manager, Matthew Wright as Magnetics/Gravity/Radiometrics Manager), creating a tightly held operating structure integrated with sister company Skyhorse Aviation for flight operations.

Name

New Resolution Geophysics

Legal name

New Resolution Geophysics

Website

https://airbornegeophysics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

New Resolution Geophysics is a South African airborne geophysical survey company that operates a proprietary fleet of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to collect ultra-high resolution EM, magnetic, radiometric, and gravity data for mining, petroleum, and exploration clients across 50+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Airborne Geophysical Survey Services

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Oil & Gas Field Exploration Services (1382)

akta.pro primary industry

Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling) (IMAKAKAA)

Keywords

• Airborne geophysical surveys
• Electromagnetic data acquisition
• Mineral exploration services
• Magnetic radiometric surveys
• Airborne gravity mapping

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Airborne Geophysical Survey Services: Professional airborne geophysical survey services including helicopter time-domain electromagnetics, helicopter magnetics & radiometrics, fixed-wing magnetics & radiometrics, and fixed-wing/helicopter gravity surveys. Revenue generated through project-based contracts for mineral exploration, petroleum exploration, groundwater mapping, and environmental monitoring. Services provided globally to mining companies, petroleum companies, and government agencies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

New Resolution Geophysics (NRG™) provides ultra-high resolution airborne geophysical survey services for mineral exploration, petroleum exploration, groundwater mapping, and government geological mapping programs. Services are delivered through five proprietary sensor systems flown on a fully owned fleet of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, including Xcite™ (helicopter TDEM and magnetics), Xplorer™ (helicopter magnetics & radiometrics), Xact™ (fixed-wing magnetics & radiometrics), NxT (gravity), and Xtract™ (fixed-wing gravity & magnetics).

Product overview

New Resolution Geophysics (NRG™) offers a portfolio of five distinct airborne geophysical survey systems: Xcite™ (helicopter time-domain electromagnetic and magnetics), Xplorer™ (helicopter magnetics and radiometrics), Xact™ (fixed-wing magnetics and radiometrics), NxT (helicopter or fixed-wing gravity), and Xtract™ (fixed-wing gravity and magnetics). These systems are differentiated by aircraft platform type, sensor combinations, and resolution capabilities, serving mineral exploration, petroleum, water/environmental, and government mapping applications. NRG also operates its own Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) and partners with Skyhorse Aviation for flight operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Xcite™: Cutting-edge helicopter-borne time-domain electromagnetic (HTDEM) and magnetic system featuring patented inflatable bird and proprietary fast sampling algorithm for mineral exploration, aquifer mapping, and geoscience applications.
• Xplorer™
• Xact™
• NxT
• Xtract™

Products and services

• Xcite™ Helicopter Time-Domain Electromagnetic & Magnetics Airborne survey service using a helicopter-borne time-domain electromagnetic (HTDEM) and magnetic system designed for exceptional resolution, depth, and versatility. Patented inflatable bird transmitter, dual-frequency operation (12.5 Hz and 25 Hz), co-planar EM and magnetic sensors, high output power up to 300,000 NIA, low-altitude operation at 30m AGL, and fast transmitter shut-off for early sampling. Used for mineral exploration, aquifer mapping, and geoscience applications.
• Xplorer™ Helicopter Magnetics & Radiometrics Helicopter-borne magnetic and radiometric survey service optimized for rugged terrains and complex geological settings, featuring low-altitude operations, gradient-enhanced magnetic data, 20 Hz sampling, full-spectrum radiometric analysis with up to 2048 in³ NaI crystal packs, and non-magnetic composite horizontal-boom mountings on AS350 B-series helicopters.
• Xact™ Fixed Wing Magnetics & Radiometrics Fixed-wing airborne magnetic and radiometric survey service using Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter and Air Tractor AT-504 aircraft. Features horizontal gradient magnetic system (9.8m or 15.5m sensor separation), up to 2048 in³ NaI crystal packs, 20 Hz magnetic sampling, and a proprietary 27-term compensation algorithm for aircraft-induced magnetic noise correction.
• NxT Fixed Wing or Helicopter Gravity Airborne gravity survey service using a next-generation gravimeter delivering sub-milligal accuracy from both helicopter and fixed-wing platforms. Features strapdown IMU design with laser ring gyros, patented thermal control, simultaneous multi-parameter data collection, and exceptional signal-to-noise ratio validated against ground data.
• Xtract™ Fixed Wing Gravity & Magnetics Fixed-wing gravity and magnetic survey service using a Pilatus Porter PC-6 platform with high-precision GT gravimeters in a Schuler-tuned 3-axis platform and patented thermal control unit reducing non-linear drift. Supports high-resolution airborne basin mapping and regional exploration with over 500,000 line kilometers of survey experience.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% better gravity resolution than standard survey aircraft with Xtract™ system
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature11 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Skyhorse AviationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSkyhorse Aviation is NRG's sister company that manages all flight operations. It is IAGSA and BARS (Basic Aviation Risk Standard) accredited, with over 35,000 flight hours logged and BARS-registered since 2015. The partnership ensures safety compliance and professional aviation operations for all survey projects.

Scale indicators8 records

Broad incumbents

• ION Geophysical: ION provides geophysical solutions across seismic and non-seismic (including airborne EM/magnetics) markets and serves large oilfield services customers. While more seismic-focused than NRG, ION represents the integrated multi-physics incumbent that NRG competes against for larger multi-year program contracts.
• Geotech Airborne (CGG Multi-Physics): Geotech Airborne, now part of CGG's multi-physics division (which merged with TGS), operates the well-known VTEM helicopter EM system and fixed-wing magnetics/radiometrics — directly competing service lines to NRG's Xcite™, Xplorer™ and Xact™. CGG-TGS integration creates a larger, multi-physics competitor with bundled data-licensing economics.
• TGS: TGS, post-merger with CGG's multi-physics unit, controls extensive airborne magnetic, EM and gravity libraries alongside its seismic data business. A broader incumbent offering library-based multi-physics data subscriptions, and competing indirectly with NRG's project-by-project service model.
• Fugro Airborne Surveys: Fugro is one of the largest global airborne geophysical survey contractors, offering fixed-wing and helicopter EM, magnetics, radiometrics and gravity across mining, O&G and infrastructure markets. NRG's co-founders (Ollie and Roger Wright) were former Fugro Directors/Managers, and the two firms directly compete for the same enterprise mining clients.

Direct peers

• Bell Geospace: Bell Geospace is a specialist in airborne gravimetry and magnetics for O&G basin studies and mineral exploration — directly overlapping with NRG's NxT and Xtract™ gravity systems. Comparable fleet, comparable sub-milligal accuracy claims, and shared enterprise clients.
• Sander Geophysics Limited: Sander Geophysics operates a comparable set of services — fixed-wing and helicopter-borne magnetic, electromagnetic, radiometric and gravimetric surveys — on a globally deployed aircraft fleet. Comparable scale (large fleet, multi-continent), comparable customer base (junior and major mining companies), and the same project-based commercial model make SGL the closest like-for-like peer.
• SkyTEM Surveys: SkyTEM is a Danish-headquartered helicopter time-domain EM specialist serving mineral exploration, groundwater mapping and geotechnical clients worldwide. Directly competes with NRG's Xcite™ HTDEM offering for hydrogeology and mineral exploration tenders, particularly in Africa and the Americas.

Emerging players

• SPEC (Sensoriis / Sensori Airborne) and other mid-sized regional airborne survey contractors: Specialty airborne survey contractors such as EDCON-PRJ, GPX Surveys, and high-spectral-resolution EM startups compete for narrower project scopes (e.g., groundwater-only, single-commodity, specific geographies). They are smaller than NRG but increasingly active in tenders where NRG's full multi-sensor stack is overkill.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nrg-new-resolution-geophysics

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Resolution Geophysics