DAT/EM Systems

What DAT/EM Systems does

DAT/EM Systems International is a privately held Anchorage, Alaska-based developer of digital photogrammetric software and hardware, founded in 1987. The company's product portfolio centers on Summit Evolution, a digital stereoplotter workstation available in Professional, Feature Collection, Lite, Federal (government), Mobile, and UAS editions, which enables 3D feature extraction from aerial, satellite, and UAS stereo imagery. Complementary products include LandScape for 3D stereo point cloud viewing and editing (LiDAR and dense-matching data); Capture for direct vector collection into AutoCAD, MicroStation, ArcGIS, and Global Mapper; MapEditor for CAD-based editing; Airfield3D for FAA Part 77 compliance mapping; Contour Creator; Ortho+Mosaic; and Image Creator. DAT/EM also distributes third-party 3D stereo displays (3D PluraView, VRLOGIC SeeHawk3D, NVIDIA 3D Vision) and proprietary input hardware (KeyPad Advantage, Stealth 3D Mouse, Space Navigator, TouchScreen).

The company generates revenue primarily through one-time/perpetual software licenses and hardware resale, with ongoing technical support as a secondary stream. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales (phone, email, demo requests) with a worldwide reseller network, reaching more than 500 clients across approximately 100 countries. Customer segments span photogrammetric mapping firms, engineering companies, government and non-government agencies, UAS service providers, and academic institutions. Strategic integrations with Autodesk, Bentley, Esri, Blue Marble Geographics, PCI Geomatics, Trimble Inpho, and Agisoft anchor Summit Evolution as a connective 3D-feature-collection layer across the dominant geospatial/CAD platforms.

DAT/EM maintains annual software version releases (currently v8.4, released in 2024) with incremental feature additions including OpenXR stereo display support, expanded coordinate translation libraries, and UAS interoperability improvements. The company is founder/owner-operated with no disclosed external funding, no M&A activity, no parent company, and a lean 11-50 employee base. Management is led by Steve Hamilton, Director of Operations. The firm operates as a profitable, cash-funded niche vendor rather than a venture-backed scale-up, with growth oriented around deepening platform integrations and international reseller expansion rather than horizontal market moves.

Name

DAT/EM Systems

Legal name

DAT/EM Systems International

Website

https://datem.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DAT/EM Systems International develops digital photogrammetric software (Summit Evolution digital stereoplotter, LandScape point cloud tools) and complementary 3D hardware, serving over 500 photogrammetric firms, engineering companies, government agencies, and academic institutions across 100+ countries since 1987.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Photogrammetric Software

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861)

akta.pro primary industry

3D Vision, Depth Sensing & Point Cloud Analytics (HDAAAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Machine Vision & Industrial Imaging Systems (IMAHAHAE)

Keywords

• Photogrammetric software
• Digital stereoplotter
• Point cloud editing
• 3D feature collection
• Geospatial mapping software

Headquarters

HQ city

Anchorage

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses and Support: DAT/EM sells software products including Summit Evolution (in multiple editions: Professional, Feature Collection, Lite, Mobile, and UAS), LandScape, and complementary components. They provide ongoing technical support to customers.
2. Hardware Products: DAT/EM markets 3D displays, touch input devices, and 3D input devices including 3D PluraView, KeyPad Advantage, GGS SoftMouse, Stealth 3D Mouse, and Space Navigator

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DAT/EM Systems International develops and sells digital photogrammetric software — primarily the Summit Evolution digital stereoplotter and the LandScape 3D point cloud viewing and editing toolkit — used by photogrammetric firms, engineering companies, and government agencies to extract and edit 3D terrain and object features from stereo imagery, point clouds, and UAS data. The company complements its software with 3D stereo displays, touch input devices, and 3D input devices (3D PluraView, KeyPad Advantage, GGS SoftMouse, Stealth 3D Mouse, Space Navigator, NVIDIA 3D Vision, TouchScreen) and offers a federal-specific edition (Summit Federal) of its core workstation.

Product overview

DAT/EM Systems International develops a comprehensive photogrammetric software and hardware suite headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska. The core product portfolio centers on Summit Evolution, a digital photogrammetric workstation available in Professional, Feature Collection, Lite, and Federal editions, which serves as the primary platform for 3D feature extraction from stereo imagery. Complementing Summit Evolution is LandScape, a point cloud viewing and editing toolkit for LiDAR data processing. The software suite includes specialized components: Capture for CAD/GIS integration (AutoCAD, MicroStation, ArcGIS, Global Mapper), MapEditor for vector editing, Contour Creator for topographic contours, Ortho+Mosaic for orthophoto production, Airfield3D for aviation charting, and Image Creator for image processing. Summit UAS (now deprecated) addressed UAS/drone data workflows. DAT/EM also provides hardware including 3D stereo displays (3D PluraView, VRLOGIC SeeHawk3D, NVIDIA 3D Vision), input devices (KeyPad Advantage, Stealth 3D Mouse, Space Navigator), and supporting accessories. The company serves over 500 clients in more than 100 countries including photogrammetric firms, engineering companies, government agencies, and academic institutions since 1987.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Summit Evolution: Digital photogrammetric workstation software
• LandScape
• Summit UAS
• Capture
• Contour Creator
• MapEditor
• Airfield3D
• Ortho+Mosaic

Products and services

• Summit Evolution A digital photogrammetric workstation software for extracting and editing 3D terrain and object features from stereo imagery, point clouds, and UAS data. Available in multiple editions — Professional, Feature Collection, Lite, Mobile, and UAS — and used by photogrammetric firms, engineering companies, and government agencies in over 100 countries.
• LandScape A 3D stereo point cloud viewing and editing toolkit for processing LiDAR and other point cloud data within photogrammetric workflows, used alongside Summit Evolution for point cloud-centric feature work.
• Summit Federal A federal-government-specific edition of Summit Evolution with security and compliance features tailored for government agencies, including Part 77 airspace compliance support via Airfield3D.
• Capture (DAT/EM Capture) An integration interface that lets users collect 3D vectors directly from Summit Evolution into AutoCAD, MicroStation, ArcGIS, or Global Mapper. Editions exist for each supported host platform, including Capture for ArcGIS Pro.
• MapEditor A vector editing toolkit designed for use within Bentley MicroStation and AutoCAD environments to edit and manage geospatial features collected through photogrammetric workflows.
• Contour Creator A standalone contour generation tool for creating topographic contour lines from elevation data within photogrammetric projects.
• Ortho+Mosaic An orthophoto and mosaic production tool for creating georeferenced image products from aerial or satellite imagery.
• Airfield3D A specialized airfield mapping tool with FAA Part 77 airspace additions and compliance features for aviation charting and airfield analysis.
• 3D PluraView Stereo 3D display hardware using dual-screen beam-splitter technology for photogrammetric stereo viewing workflows.
• VRLOGIC SeeHawk3D A virtual-reality 3D display system designed for stereo photogrammetric viewing.
• NVIDIA 3D Vision A 3D Vision stereo display kit for stereoscopic viewing of photogrammetric data using NVIDIA graphics technology.
• KeyPad Advantage A 252-button keypad hardware designed for efficient stereoplotter operation and feature collection in photogrammetric workflows.
• GGS SoftMouse A professional 3D input device designed for photogrammetric digitizing and feature collection.
• Stealth 3D Mouse A 3D input device for controlling stereoplotter cursor movement in photogrammetric workflows.
• Space Navigator A 3D navigation device used for camera and model navigation within DAT/EM photogrammetric software.
• TouchScreen A touch input device used for stereoplotter control and navigation in photogrammetric workflows.
• KeyPad for AutoCAD A specialized keypad designed for photogrammetric workflows integrated with AutoCAD.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature12 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Blue Marble GeographicscoreTechnology or IntegrationDAT/EM developed a Global Mapper Extension that creates a direct connection between Summit Evolution stereoplotter and Global Mapper. The extension enables Summit Evolution to be used as a 3D digitizing device for Global Mapper and allows Global Mapper projects to utilize Summit Evolution tools. Provided at no additional cost with any purchased or supported Summit Evolution license.
• AutodeskcoreTechnology or IntegrationDAT/EM provides Capture for AutoCAD, an interface for collecting vectors directly into AutoCAD with support for AutoCAD 2016 and later versions. Also provides MapEditor for AutoCAD.
• Bentley SystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationDAT/EM provides Capture for MicroStation and MapEditor for MicroStation, enabling 3D feature collection within MicroStation environments.
• EsricoreTechnology or IntegrationDAT/EM provides Capture for ArcGIS with editions for both ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro, enabling vector collection directly into ArcGIS environments. Also provides Airfield3D with FAA compliance features.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Trimble Inpho: Trimble Inpho is the dominant commercial photogrammetric workstation and aerial triangulation suite. DAT/EM even documents compatibility with Inpho aerotriangulation, evidencing direct competition in the same photogrammetric feature-extraction workflows.
• Hexagon Geospatial (ERDAS IMAGINE / LPS): Hexagon's ERDAS IMAGINE and Leica Photogrammetry Suite compete head-to-head with Summit Evolution for stereo feature collection, orthophoto production, and LiDAR processing across government and enterprise geospatial customers.
• BAE Systems (SOCET GXP): SOCET GXP (now GXP Xplorer) is a defense-oriented digital photogrammetric workstation that competes directly with Summit Evolution for intelligence, defense, and federal mapping agencies.
• SimActive (Correlator3D): SimActive's Correlator3D is a photogrammetry and remote sensing suite used for aerial and satellite image processing, targeting the same enterprise mapping and government customers as DAT/EM.
• Agisoft (Metashape): Agisoft Metashape (formerly PhotoScan) is widely used for UAS photogrammetry and dense point cloud generation. DAT/EM offers an Agisoft camera import tool inside Summit Evolution, confirming direct overlap at the feature-extraction stage.

Emerging players

• Pix4D: Pix4D is a leading cloud and desktop photogrammetry platform focused on drone-derived mapping. It overlaps with DAT/EM's UAS workflows (the deprecated Summit UAS product sat in this space) and increasingly competes for enterprise surveying customers.

Broad incumbents

• Esri (ArcGIS Pro / Ortho Mapping): Esri's ArcGIS Pro with the Ortho Mapping workflow integrates photogrammetric processing into the dominant GIS platform. DAT/EM sells Capture for ArcGIS, reflecting that they sit alongside (rather than against) Esri, but Esri's bundled capabilities compress DAT/EM's standalone value.
• Bentley Systems (ContextCapture / MicroStation): Bentley ContextCapture performs reality-modeling and photogrammetric processing for infrastructure and engineering projects. DAT/EM's Capture and MapEditor for MicroStation integrate with Bentley, but Bentley can also substitute for DAT/EM in some pipelines.
• Autodesk (ReCap Pro): Autodesk ReCap converts reality-capture data (including photogrammetric point clouds) into assets for AutoCAD and Revit. DAT/EM sells Capture for AutoCAD and MapEditor for AutoCAD as an add-on workflow, indicating both overlap and complementarity.

Others

• Blue Marble Geographics (Global Mapper): Global Mapper is a geospatial data processing platform with LiDAR and point cloud editing. DAT/EM maintains a tight technology partnership (Global Mapper Toolbar integrates Summit Evolution as a 3D digitizing device), making Blue Marble a closely coupled adjacent tool rather than a substitute.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/datemsystems
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/729223

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 DAT/EM Systems