Rise Above
Rise Above (Sphere Drones) is an Australian drone solutions provider combining proprietary software (Curo suite) and hardware (HubX/HubT) with authorized resale of DJI, Flyability, and Wingtra drones, serving mining, government, utilities, and infrastructure customers across Australia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersSydney, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Rise Above does
Rise Above, operating commercially as Sphere Drones and legally as Sphere Communications Pty. Ltd., is an Australian-headquartered drone solutions provider founded in 2014 and based in Sydney. The company delivers aerial data capture solutions to more than 13,000 businesses, enterprises, and government customers, combining authorized resale of third-party drone hardware (DJI Enterprise, Flyability, Wingtra, Acecore Technologies, Elistair, MicaSense, Sentera) and software (Pix4D, DJI Terra, UgCS) with proprietary platforms including the HubX drone-in-a-box, HubT remote data capture system, and the Curo software suite (CuroRPA for compliance, CuroROC for fleet operations, CuroInsights for analytics).
Sphere generates revenue through four streams: one-time hardware and software sales, recurring software subscriptions (Curo), usage-based equipment rentals, and professional services covering flight operations, training, maintenance, and repairs. Go-to-market is hybrid, with enterprise field sales supported by solutions specialists targeting mining, government, utilities, and infrastructure buyers, complemented by an e-commerce storefront and rental program for smaller customers. All operations are concentrated within Australia.
The company's customer base skews heavily toward Australian mining majors (BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue, Glencore, Yancoal, Roy Hill), with growing penetration into utilities (Sydney Water, Essential Energy), government (Transport for NSW, WA Police, Brisbane City Council), and agriculture (Wilmar Sugar). Sphere holds CASA Know Your Drone Safety Advocate, BARS BVLOS, and AAUS Platinum certifications, enabling advanced commercial operations including Beyond Visual Line of Sight deployments.
Rise Above firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rise Above
- Legal name
- Sphere Communications Pty. Ltd.
- Website
- https://riseabove.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rise Above (Sphere Drones) is an Australian drone solutions provider combining proprietary software (Curo suite) and hardware (HubX/HubT) with authorized resale of DJI, Flyability, and Wingtra drones, serving mining, government, utilities, and infrastructure customers across Australia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rise Above industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Drone Solutions and Aerial Data Capture Services
- NAICS
- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)
- akta.pro primary industry
- UAS Integration, Certification & Compliance Systems (Remote ID, Detect-and-Avoid) (IMABAIAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Drones & UAV Retail (Consumer & Prosumer) (CRACAHAC), UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure (IMABAIAL)
Keywords
Where Rise Above is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sydney
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rise Above business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales: Sale of drones, payloads, and accessories from partner brands including DJI Enterprise, Flyability, Wingtra, Acecore Technologies, and proprietary Sphere products.
- Professional Services: Flight operations, training, maintenance, and repair services provided by certified drone specialists across Australia.
- Equipment Rentals: Flexible rental options for world-class drones and payloads, allowing customers to trial equipment before purchase.
- Software Subscriptions: Subscription-based access to proprietary software platforms including CuroRPA, CuroROC, and CuroInsights for compliance, operations, and data management.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise Solutions |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Rise Above product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rise Above (Sphere Drones) sells integrated commercial drone solutions combining proprietary software platforms (HubX, HubT, CuroRPA, CuroROC, CuroInsights) with authorized-reseller drone hardware from DJI, Flyability, Wingtra, and Acecore, plus payloads, accessories, and mapping software. Revenue is complemented by professional services including flight operations, training, maintenance, repairs, and equipment rentals delivered by CASA-certified specialists across Australia. Customers are predominantly mining, government, utility, and infrastructure enterprises requiring aerial data capture, surveying, inspection, and audit-ready regulatory compliance.
Product overview
Rise Above (Sphere Drones) offers a comprehensive drone solutions platform combining proprietary software with third-party hardware. The core platform consists of in-house developed solutions including HubX (drone-in-a-box), HubT (remote deployment system), and the Curo suite (CuroRPA for compliance, CuroROC for operations, CuroInsights for analytics). These proprietary products are complemented by an extensive portfolio of third-party drones (DJI Matrice series, Flyability Elios 3, Acecore, Wingtra), payloads (DJI Zenmuse, Flyability sensors), and software (Pix4Dmapper, DJI Terra, UgCS). The company also provides accessories and parts, serving businesses, enterprises, and government clients with a complete drone ecosystem from hardware procurement to software management.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HubX: Deploy anywhere. Capture data everywhere. Drone-in-a-box solution.
- HubT
- CuroRPA
- CuroROC
- CuroInsights
Products and services
- HubX Proprietary drone-in-a-box solution that enables automated deployment and remote data capture across multiple locations for enterprise and government customers.
- HubT Proprietary remote data capture solution that reduces site constraints and enables faster deployment of automated drone operations.
- CuroRPA Proprietary enterprise drone compliance management platform that keeps commercial drone operations audit-ready under CASA regulations.
- CuroROC Proprietary drone operations management platform for coordinating and managing commercial drone fleet operations.
- CuroInsights Proprietary data processing and analytics platform that turns drone-captured aerial data into operational insights.
- DJI Matrice 400 (resold) Heavy-lift DJI Matrice 400 enterprise drone resold in Australia for emergency response, inspections, and surveying applications.
- DJI Dock 3 (resold) Highly adaptable DJI Dock 3 drone-in-a-box system resold in Australia for surveying and inspection workflows.
- DJI Matrice 4E (resold) Enterprise-grade DJI Matrice 4E drone resold in Australia for commercial mapping and inspection use cases.
- DJI Matrice 4T (resold) Smart, compact DJI Matrice 4T drone resold in Australia for demanding professional inspection and surveying jobs.
- DJI Matrice 350 RTK (resold) Professional-grade RTK-enabled DJI Matrice 350 drone resold in Australia for precision mapping and surveying missions.
- Flyability Elios 3 (resold) Flyability Elios 3 confined-space drone resold in Australia for 3D mapping and inspections in indoor and hard-to-access environments.
- Wingtra One GEN II (resold) Wingtra One GEN II VTOL fixed-wing mapping drone resold in Australia for professional surveying and mapping applications.
- Acecore Zoe (resold) Acecore Zoe professional mapping drone resold in Australia for commercial mapping applications.
- Acecore Noa (resold) Acecore Noa professional survey drone resold in Australia for commercial surveying missions.
- DJI Zenmuse L3 (resold) DJI Zenmuse L3 LiDAR and RGB payload resold in Australia for high-accuracy surveying and mapping.
- DJI Zenmuse H30T (resold) DJI Zenmuse H30T multi-sensor payload resold in Australia with thermal, zoom, and laser ranging capabilities for enterprise inspection.
- DJI Zenmuse H30 (resold) DJI Zenmuse H30 high-performance camera payload resold in Australia for enterprise inspection and mapping use cases.
- DJI Zenmuse P1 (resold) DJI Zenmuse P1 full-frame photogrammetry sensor resold in Australia for high-precision aerial mapping missions.
- Flyability Elios 3 UT Payload (resold) Flyability Elios 3 ultrasonic testing payload resold in Australia, enabling flying UTM thickness measurements and high-resolution A-scans in hard-to-reach areas.
- Flyability Elios 3 Surveying Payload (resold) Flyability Elios 3 surveying payload resold in Australia for accurate 3D mapping in confined spaces.
- Flyability Elios 3 Gas Sensor (resold) Flyability Elios 3 flammable gas detection sensor resold in Australia for confined-space safety monitoring.
- Professional Drone Flight Operations End-to-end commercial drone flight operations delivered by CASA-certified specialists across Australia for enterprise, mining, government, and utility clients.
- Drone Training Services Drone operator and program training services delivered to enterprise and government customers to enable safe, compliant in-house drone operations.
- Drone Maintenance Services Preventative and scheduled maintenance services for commercial drone fleets, delivered by certified specialists.
- Drone Repair Services Repair services for commercial drone hardware, delivered by certified specialists across Australia.
- Drone and Payload Rental Program Flexible rental program providing short-term access to world-class commercial drones and payloads so customers can trial equipment before purchase.
Quantifiable outcome
- Survey time reduced from 2 weeks to 2 days for 3,800 hectares of Queensland sugarcane
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Rise Above
Customer profileNamed customers23 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Rise Above technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Rise Above partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- DJI EnterprisecorePrimary brand partner providing enterprise-grade drone platforms including Matrice series, DJI Dock systems, and Zenmuse payloads. DJI is a global leader in drone technology and Sphere is an authorized Australian reseller.
- FlyabilitycoreAuthorized reseller of Flyability drones including Elios 3 for confined space and indoor inspections. Specializes in drones for inaccessible and hazardous environments.
- WingtracoreAuthorized reseller of Wingtra ONE GEN II VTOL drone for mapping and surveying applications requiring fixed-wing capabilities.
- Acecore TechnologiessupportingAuthorized reseller of Acecore professional drones including Zoe, Noa, Noa Hybrid, and Zetona models for various commercial applications.
- ElistairsupportingPartner for tether systems enabling extended drone operations with continuous power supply for persistent surveillance and monitoring applications.
- MicaSensesupportingAuthorized reseller of MicaSense multispectral sensors for agricultural monitoring and environmental analysis applications.
- SenterasupportingPartner for Sentera agricultural drone sensors and inspection technology solutions.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Rise Above competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- DJI Enterprise: Global leader in commercial drone manufacturing whose Matrice, Dock, and Zenmuse lines constitute the bulk of Rise Above's hardware offering; DJI competes indirectly by selling through other regional resellers and, over time, increasingly direct to large enterprise accounts.
- Skydio: US autonomous drone manufacturer (Dock and X10) competing for enterprise inspection and public safety accounts; a credible alternative to DJI hardware that could be paired with a competing Australian channel partner, threatening Rise Above's incumbent position.
- Parrot: European drone manufacturer (ANAFI series) with a public-sector and defense focus; competes with Rise Above's commercial offerings, particularly in government and inspection segments across EMEA-aligned customers.
Direct peers
- Pix4D: Photogrammetry software suite (Pix4Dmapper, Pix4Dmatic) resold by Rise Above; Pix4D also sells direct subscriptions globally, putting it in direct competition with the data processing layer of the CuroInsights offering.
- DroneDeploy: Cloud-based drone data platform for mapping, progress tracking, and analytics; functionally comparable to Rise Above's CuroInsights and Pix4D distribution, and competing for the same enterprise photogrammetry and asset management wallet.
- Flyability: Swiss manufacturer of the Elios series indoor/confined-space drones that Rise Above resells in Australia; Flyability also sells direct and via other channel partners globally, making it both a supplier and a partial competitor in indoor inspection use cases.
- AirData UAV: Fleet management, flight logging, and compliance platform for commercial drone operators; directly comparable to Rise Above's CuroROC and CuroRPA modules, with global reach that overlaps the same compliance pain points in Australia.
- Wingtra: Swiss VTOL mapping drone maker whose Wingtra ONE is sold by Rise Above; Wingtra competes for the same surveying and mapping RFPs that Rise Above bids on through flight services and enterprise sales.
Emerging players
- Autel Robotics: Enterprise drone manufacturer (EVO Max, Dragonfish VTOL) increasingly pushing into the commercial market with autonomy and BVLOS capabilities; a credible alternative for buyers weighing DJI versus non-DJI hardware in Australia.
Regional players
- AgEagle Aerial Systems (senseFly): Provider of fixed-wing mapping drones (senseFly eBee) and analytics; competes for the same surveying and agricultural mapping use cases that Rise Above addresses with Wingtra and MicaSense/Sentera payloads.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rise Above social profiles
Digital presenceRise Above compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Rise Above financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rise Above leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Rise Above funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rise Above 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 Rise Above
What does Rise Above do?
Rise Above (Sphere Drones) sells integrated commercial drone solutions combining proprietary software platforms (HubX, HubT, CuroRPA, CuroROC, CuroInsights) with authorized-reseller drone hardware from DJI, Flyability, Wingtra, and Acecore, plus payloads, accessories, and mapping software. Revenue is complemented by professional services including flight operations, training, maintenance, repairs, and equipment rentals delivered by CASA-certified specialists across Australia. Customers are predominantly mining, government, utility, and infrastructure enterprises requiring aerial data capture, surveying, inspection, and audit-ready regulatory compliance.
Is Rise Above a public or private company?
Rise Above is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Rise Above founded?
Rise Above was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rise Above based?
Rise Above is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Rise Above make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are professional Services, equipment Rentals and software Subscriptions.
Who are Rise Above's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are DJI Enterprise, Skydio and Parrot. Direct peers are Pix4D, DroneDeploy, Flyability, AirData UAV and Wingtra. Autel Robotics is listed as an emerging player. AgEagle Aerial Systems (senseFly) is listed as a regional player.
Does Rise Above have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rise Above.
What industry is Rise Above in?
Rise Above's product category is Commercial Drone Solutions and Aerial Data Capture Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAIAO, UAS Integration, Certification & Compliance Systems (Remote ID, Detect-and-Avoid), with a secondary code of CRACAHAC, Drones & UAV Retail (Consumer & Prosumer). Its NAICS code is 334511 and its SIC code is 3812.