Helimap System

What Helimap System does

Sixense Helimap SA (operating as Helimap System) is a Swiss engineering services firm founded in 2005 that provides high-precision LiDAR and photogrammetry data acquisition for infrastructure operators, engineering bureaus, and government agencies. The company operates as a subsidiary of VINCI Group, with headquarters in Epalinges and a secondary office in Zürich, Switzerland, and has delivered surveys across 50+ countries on all six continents over its 20+ year history. Its core offering is built on a proprietary platform — the HELIMAP SYSTEM® — comprising nine custom-developed airborne and mobile LiDAR systems (HS1 through HS8, V3, and SAM) that integrate Riegl laser scanners, PhaseOne high-resolution cameras, near-infrared and thermal sensors, and GNSS/IMU georeferencing to deliver point cloud densities up to 2,000+ pts/m² at 1 cm accuracy.

Helimap's business model is B2B professional services delivered through direct enterprise sales. Revenue is generated on a project-quote basis across application verticals including powerline corridor mapping (a historical strength with 12,000+ km surveyed in Switzerland alone), railway infrastructure (ADIF Spain, French national rail, Trans-Gabon), road and tunnel/underpass surveys, mountain and glaciology monitoring, and emerging areas such as renewables, urban infrastructure, and digital twin/BIM delivery. The technology stack — developed in collaboration with EPFL's photogrammetry and topometry labs — supports both vertical and oblique acquisition across helicopters, planes, UAVs, cars, and trains, with rapid mobilization within hours in Switzerland, France, and Germany. Deliverables include classified point clouds, digital terrain models, orthophotos, 3D photorealistic models, and BIM-compatible digital twins that integrate with industry-standard software such as PLS-CADD and TM Profil.

Name

Helimap System

Legal name

Sixense Helimap SA

Website

https://helimap.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sixense Helimap is a Swiss LiDAR and photogrammetry services firm (VINCI Group subsidiary) providing high-precision corridor mapping, complex terrain surveys, and digital twin delivery for power utilities, railway operators, and government clients across 50+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerial LiDAR and Photogrammetry Survey Services

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590)

akta.pro primary industry

Satellite Imagery & Remote Sensing Geospatial Platforms (BPAMANAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Remote Sensing & Geospatial Vision (satellite/drone imagery) (HDAAAEAL)

Keywords

• Airborne LiDAR mapping
• Corridor mapping services
• Photogrammetry data acquisition
• Mobile mapping systems
• Digital twin solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Epalinges

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. LiDAR and Photogrammetry Survey Services: Professional services revenue from providing customized LiDAR acquisition and data processing services for infrastructure maintenance, construction, and analysis. Services include corridor mapping, complex terrain surveys, disaster/rapid mapping, and mobile mapping for tunnels and underpasses. Pricing based on project scope, coverage area, and data requirements.
2. Data Products and Digital Twin Solutions: Revenue from delivering processed data products including classified LiDAR point clouds, digital terrain models, 2D/3D topographic maps, orthophotos, oblique imagery, 3D photorealistic models, BIM models, and digital twins compatible with industry-standard software (PLS-CADD, TM Profil).
3. Asset Inspection and Monitoring Services: Specialized services for visual inspection, vegetation monitoring, ballast monitoring, and natural hazards monitoring using LiDAR and imagery data.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Helimap System (Sixense Helimap) provides professional airborne and mobile LiDAR and photogrammetry survey services for ground 3D data acquisition, processing, and management. The company operates its proprietary HELIMAP SYSTEM® platform (8 airborne LiDAR systems and 1 terrestrial mobile mapping system) developed over 20+ years in collaboration with EPFL to deliver corridor mapping, complex terrain surveys, rapid disaster mapping, tunnel/underpass kinematic surveys, and digital twin/BIM-ready data products for infrastructure operators and engineering firms.

Product overview

Sixense Helimap offers a unified platform built around its proprietary Helimap System® technology, which encompasses 9 distinct LiDAR and photogrammetry systems (HS1, HS2, HS4, HS5, HS6, HS7, HS8, V3, and SAM mobile mapping). The portfolio is organized around core airborne and mobile mapping hardware systems, supported by specialized services including corridor mapping, complex terrain surveys, rapid/disaster mapping, and tunnel/underpass surveys. The systems serve vertical applications including powerline, railway, road, mountain/glaciology, forestry, geology/mining, hydrology/coastline, renewables, urban/infrastructure mapping, and virtual reality visualization. All systems utilize Riegl laser scanners, PhaseOne cameras, NIR and thermal sensors, and integrate with software like PLS-CADD for powerline modeling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corridor Mapping Services Multi-platform LiDAR corridor mapping for powerline, railway, road, and pipeline infrastructure. Provides classified point clouds, digital terrain models, orthophotos, and BIM/digital twin deliverables compatible with engineering software (PLS-CADD, TM Profil). Survey capacity of approximately 200-300 km per day and over 10,000 km of corridors surveyed per year.
• Complex Terrain Surveys Helicopter-based LiDAR and photogrammetric surveys using oblique + Nadir acquisition for complex and remote terrain, including mountains, ski resorts, glaciers, geological sites, and mining areas. Reduces shadow areas and distortion to deliver high-precision 3D models in difficult environments.
• Rapid Mapping / Disaster Management Emergency response aerial mapping for natural disasters (landslides, floods, avalanches, rockfall) and infrastructure emergencies. Rapid mobilization within hours in Switzerland, France, and Germany. Delivers LiDAR and photogrammetric data to quantify displaced volumes and support risk management decisions.
• Kinematic LiDAR for Tunnels and Underpasses Mobile mapping survey service using the SAM kinematic LiDAR system for high-density acquisition from ground vehicles (car or train), including GNSS-denied environments such as tunnels, underpasses, and night operations.
• Powerline Mapping Application Vertical application of LiDAR and photogrammetric corridor mapping dedicated to powerline analysis, maintenance, vegetation monitoring, digital twin creation, and PLS-CADD integration for electrical utilities and power grid operators.
• Railway Mapping Application Vertical application of LiDAR and photogrammetric corridor mapping for railway infrastructure maintenance, construction analysis, vegetation control, ballast monitoring, digital twin generation, and natural hazard monitoring for railway operators and infrastructure managers.
• Mountain & Glaciology Monitoring Application Vertical application of high-precision LiDAR and photogrammetric mapping for complex mountainous terrain, ski resorts, glaciers, snow management, and natural hazard assessment (landslides, rockfall, avalanches), leveraging the oblique + Nadir acquisition approach.

Quantifiable outcome

• Survey capacity of 200-300 km/day for powerline and railway corridors
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHELIMAP systems were developed in collaboration with EPFL's photogrammetry and topometry laboratories. This academic partnership has enabled continuous technological innovation in airborne and vehicle-based LiDAR systems over more than 20 years.
• EAASI (European Association of Aerial Surveying)minorOthersProfessional association membership providing industry visibility and networking opportunities within the European aerial surveying community.
• SGPF-SSPT (Swiss Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing)minorOthersSwiss national society membership for photogrammetry and remote sensing professionals, demonstrating commitment to Swiss industry standards.
• RieglcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partnership for Riegl laser scanners (up to 2,000,000 points/second). These sensors are a core component of the HELIMAP SYSTEM proprietary technology.
• PhaseOnecoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partnership for PhaseOne high-resolution digital cameras (50-150 Mpix). These cameras are integrated into the HELIMAP SYSTEM for photogrammetric data capture.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aero-Graphics: Aero-Graphics is a US-based aerial surveying firm offering airborne LiDAR, photogrammetry, and GIS services for utilities, transportation, and government. It is a close direct peer to Helimap in service mix, with strong overlap in corridor and infrastructure mapping use cases.
• Riegl: Riegl is an Austrian manufacturer of airborne, terrestrial, and mobile LiDAR scanners and also provides surveying services through subsidiaries. As Helimap's core LiDAR sensor supplier, Riegl is simultaneously a technology partner and the most directly comparable hardware-and-services peer in airborne and corridor LiDAR.
• Teledyne Optech: Teledyne Optech is a Canadian manufacturer of airborne and mobile LiDAR systems serving corridor mapping, terrain modeling, and bathymetry applications. It is a direct technology peer with comparable sensor specifications and end-market overlap in transportation and utility infrastructure.
• NV5 Geospatial (formerly Quantum Spatial): NV5 Geospatial is a leading US-based aerial LiDAR and geospatial services firm specializing in corridor mapping for power, rail, and transportation infrastructure. It is the closest international analog to Helimap in terms of service mix (high-density airborne LiDAR, corridor surveys, digital twin outputs) and end markets.

Emerging players

• Skeye (Aviat Networks subsidiary): Skeye is a Belgian drone-based aerial surveying and inspection firm offering LiDAR and photogrammetry services for infrastructure, utilities, and mining. It addresses overlapping use cases with Helimap (powerline, railway, industrial sites) but from a drone-first, lighter-platform angle rather than helicopter operations.
• YellowScan: YellowScan is a French provider of UAV-mounted LiDAR mapping solutions, offering lightweight survey-grade scanners and processing workflows. It targets similar corridor, forestry, and terrain applications as Helimap but from a UAV-centric, more productized angle rather than helicopter-based specialist services.

Broad incumbents

• Trimble: Trimble is a large diversified geospatial technology company offering airborne mapping sensors, field software, and analytics for infrastructure, rail, and utilities. It overlaps with Helimap in corridor mapping and rail/power applications but addresses them through a broad software-and-hardware ecosystem rather than specialized aerial services.
• Fugro: Fugro is a large Dutch global geospatial and geoscience services firm providing airborne LiDAR surveying, asset integrity, and site characterization for infrastructure, energy, and government clients. It overlaps with Helimap in aerial corridor and asset mapping but at substantially greater scale and broader service breadth.
• Leica Geosystems (Hexagon): Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, is a global leader in geospatial hardware and software including airborne LiDAR sensors (e.g., Leica CityMapper, TerrainMapper). It serves many of the same infrastructure customers as Helimap but with a much broader product portfolio spanning surveying instruments, machine control, and enterprise software.

Regional players

• GeoFly GmbH: GeoFly is a German provider of aerial LiDAR, photogrammetry, and orthophoto services for infrastructure, mining, and environmental projects. It is highly comparable to Helimap in technology stack and corridor applications but operates primarily in Germany and adjacent DACH markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sixense-helimap
• Instagraminstagram.com/sixensehelimap

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Helimap System