Fototerra

What Fototerra does

Fototerra is an aerial survey and remote sensing company operating across North and South America, headquartered in Houston, Texas, with operational offices in São Paulo, Bragança Paulista, Rio de Janeiro, Macaé, Macapá (Brazil), and Santiago (Chile). Founded in 1993 and acquired by the Digimapas Group in 2001, the company provides photogrammetry, LiDAR, hyperspectral imaging, aerial film, and specialized maritime surveillance services to government agencies (BSEE, NOAA, Texas GLO), oil and gas operators, mining companies, municipal governments, and forestry/environmental organizations. Its flagship POSEIDON platform, operational since 2016, is an advanced airborne maritime surveillance system integrating SLAR, IR/UV, VIS, MWR, laser fluorosensor, and EO/IR sensors for real-time oil spill detection, classification, area measurement, and volume calculation with a 5-hour mission time and 1,100 nautical mile range.

Core technology assets include the HRSC-AX digital photogrammetric camera (first in Latin America, 0.2-0.12m spatial resolution), the ProSpecTIR VS hyperspectral system (357 bands, 0.4-2.5µm — the only operator in Brazil), a 400 MHz full-waveform LiDAR system, and AirFilm GPS-integrated digital filming. Technology is enabled through long-standing partnerships with DLR Berlin (since 2004), SpecTIR LLC (since 2009), and Aerodata/Optimare for the POSEIDON platform. The company operates a Cat-A-certified owned aircraft fleet (Piper Seneca II, Cessna 206U, Embraer EMB-110 P1 Bandeirante) with substantial hangar facilities, all under IS-BAO certification since April 2017.

Revenue is generated through project-based professional services for airborne data acquisition and processing, supplemented by one-time sales of digital cartographic products (orthophotos, true orthophotos, DSM, DTM, thematic maps, point clouds). Go-to-market is dominated by enterprise field sales to government agencies and oil and gas operators, supplemented by industry conference presence (CLEAN GULF, IOSC, SCAA) and a strategic joint venture with Airborne Support Inc. for integrated oil spill response services in the Gulf of Mexico. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quote-based per project.

Name

Fototerra

Legal name

Fototerra Aerial Survey LLC

Website

https://fototerra-survey.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fototerra is an aerial survey and remote sensing company serving government agencies, oil and gas operators, mining companies, and municipalities in North and South America. It provides airborne data acquisition, photogrammetry, LiDAR, hyperspectral imaging, and POSEIDON maritime surveillance for oil spill detection.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerial Survey and Remote Sensing Services

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Satellite Imagery & Remote Sensing Geospatial Platforms (BPAMANAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Remote Sensing & Geospatial Vision (satellite/drone imagery) (HDAAAEAL), Satellite/Aerial/Remote Sensing MRV (Methane plumes, land-use change) (EUAHADAL)

Keywords

• Aerial remote sensing
• Airborne photogrammetry
• Oil spill detection
• GIS mapping services
• LiDAR surveying

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 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 Remote Sensing Services: Aerial data acquisition and processing services including photogrammetry, LiDAR, hyperspectral imaging, and oil spill detection. Services are project-based with significant engagement lengths typically involving government agencies and oil and gas operators. Revenue from specialized survey missions, GIS applications, and real-time intelligence services during oil spill responses.
2. Data Products and Cartography: Sale of digital cartographic products including orthophotos, true orthophotos, DSM, DTM, thematic maps, and point cloud data. Products generated from aerial surveys and sold to municipal governments, mining companies, and environmental organizations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Fototerra provides aerial survey and remote sensing services including aerophotogrammetry, LiDAR, hyperspectral imaging, GIS application development, and cartographic data products. Its flagship POSEIDON platform delivers real-time airborne maritime surveillance and oil spill detection using an integrated multi-sensor suite (SLAR, IR/UV, VIS, MWR, LFS, EO/IR) for government agencies and oil and gas operators in North and South America.

Product overview

Fototerra is an aerial survey and remote sensing company offering a comprehensive portfolio of airborne data acquisition and geospatial analysis services. The core product is POSEIDON, an advanced airborne maritime surveillance system for oil spill detection and monitoring. Supporting products include aerial imaging systems (HRSC-AX and DMC digital cameras), hyperspectral sensing (ProSpecTIR VS with 357 bands), LiDAR laser mapping, and AirFilm GPS-integrated filming. Data products include Digital Surface Models (DSM), Digital Terrain Models (DTM), orthophotos, true orthophotos, digital cartography, and thematic maps. Services span aerophotogrammetry, GIS application development, cartography, topography, geology, geotechnical studies, and sector-specific solutions for oil & gas, mining, municipalities, environment, and agrobusiness. The company operates a fleet of aircraft (Piper Seneca II, Cessna 206U, Embraer EMB-110) equipped with specialized sensors for comprehensive aerial survey operations across North and South America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• POSEIDON: Advanced airborne maritime surveillance system for oil spill and pollution monitoring, detection, and real-time identification. Provides intelligence on scene including area detection, coordinates, thickness mapping, classification, and volume measurement of oil spills.

Products and services

• POSEIDON Maritime Surveillance System
• Digital Surface Model (DSM)
• Digital Terrain Model (DTM)
• Orthophoto
• True Orthophoto
• Digital Cartography
• Thematic Maps
• Aerial Photogrammetry Service
• Cartography Service
• Multipurpose Technical Cadastre
• GIS Application Development
• Crossing Studies

Quantifiable outcome

• 5-hour mission time covering 1,100 nautical miles
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Airborne Support Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2017Joint venture announced December 2017 to provide fully integrated airborne oil spill response services in the Gulf of Mexico. Combines ASI's leadership in aerial dispersant application with Fototerra's aerial remote sensing and POSEIDON technology for oil spill detection and analysis. Services include aerial remote sensing, aerial dispersant application supported by remote sensing, and GIS services.
• SpecTIR LLCcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2009Technology partnership established in 2009 resulting in availability of ProSpecTIR VS hyperspectral system for South American market. Enables imaging up to 357 spectral bands covering 0.4-2.5µm range. Makes Fototerra the only company in Brazil offering hyperspectral technology.
• Digimapas ChileminorOthers · 1 January 2005Related entity established in 2005 under Digimapas group for LiDAR operations in Chile. Used two medium format cameras combined with high resolution laser mapping system for forest monitoring. Generated cartographic database for 7 million hectares of mountainous forests.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nearmap: Nearmap provides high-resolution aerial imagery and geospatial data products for mapping, planning, and asset management, comparable to Fototerra's aerial photogrammetry, orthophoto, and digital surface model offerings.
• BlackSky Holdings: BlackSky delivers on-demand satellite imagery and geospatial intelligence for government and commercial monitoring, overlapping with Fototerra's government-focused remote sensing service lines.
• Planet Labs: Planet Labs operates a high-revisit earth observation satellite constellation delivering imagery and analytics for agriculture, forestry, and government, directly comparable to Fototerra's geospatial data acquisition business.
• EagleView: EagleView specializes in high-resolution aerial imagery capture and analytics for property, insurance, and government, closely comparable to Fototerra's photogrammetric survey and orthophoto products.
• Maxar Technologies: Maxar provides satellite imagery and geospatial analytics for defense, intelligence, and commercial customers, competing with Fototerra in remote sensing-based geospatial intelligence across similar government and enterprise buyers.

Emerging players

• ICEYE: ICEYE operates a SAR satellite constellation delivering frequent imagery for monitoring and response use cases, an emerging competitive substitute for parts of Fototerra's aerial remote sensing workflow.

Others

• Optimare GmbH: Optimare manufactures the POSEIDON maritime surveillance platform and Medusa system used by Fototerra; an enabling technology partner rather than a direct competitor, but directly relevant due to its maritime pollution monitoring capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• Trimble: Trimble provides geospatial technology, surveying, and mapping solutions across agriculture, construction, and government, broadly comparable to Fototerra's GIS, mapping, and aerial survey services.
• Airbus Defence and Space (Intelligence): Airbus offers satellite-based earth observation and geospatial services (e.g., SPOT, Pleiades) overlapping with Fototerra's remote sensing and mapping offerings, but as part of a much larger aerospace and defense portfolio.
• Hexagon (Leica Geosystems): Hexagon provides geospatial and surveying solutions, including airborne LiDAR and photogrammetry via Leica Geosystems, competing with Fototerra across mapping, mining, and infrastructure verticals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfgZ8wvS8SjWuP0m5y8NYFg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fototerra-aerial-survey-llc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Fototerra