terraDrone
terraDrone is a Lisbon-headquartered drone surveying firm providing LiDAR, photogrammetry, thermal, and GIS mapping services to mining, energy, forestry, and environmental clients across Portugal, Spain, Italy, Angola, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What terraDrone does
terraDrone (legal entity TerraSIG Lda.) is a Portuguese drone-based aerial surveying and geospatial analytics firm founded in 2014 and headquartered in Lisbon. The company provides LiDAR, photogrammetry, thermal imaging, multispectral, and bathymetric aerial data capture, complemented by GIS mapping and cartographic deliverables. Its core technology stack includes PPK/RTK drone platforms, multi-sensor payloads, and the recently introduced Geo-IA module (2023), which applies deep learning to 2D imagery and 3D point clouds for automated classification and object detection.
The firm serves clients across mining, energy, agriculture, forestry, environmental monitoring, civil engineering, and public-sector conservation. Named engagements include power line inspection for EDP, mining surveys for Zircom and Armando Rito Engenharia, forestry work for Altri, Navigator Company and Ecorede, and participation in EU-funded Life Montado Adapt and Life Desert Adapt projects. Operations extend beyond Portugal into Spain, Italy, Angola, and São Tomé and Príncipe, with a reported base of 500+ Portuguese clients and 200+ international clients.
terraDrone operates a project-based professional services model with quote-driven pricing tied to site size, sensor mix, and deliverable scope. A representative daily capacity of ~500 hectares or ~30 km of linear corridor implies discrete engagements rather than subscription contracts. The 2023 launch of Geo-IA, funded via the PRR Startup Voucher, represents the company's first move toward an AI-enabled analytics layer that could sit alongside its traditional services revenue, though no SaaS or recurring revenue mechanics are disclosed.
terraDrone firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- terraDrone
- Legal name
- TerraSIG Lda.
- Website
- https://terradrone.pt
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- terraDrone is a Lisbon-headquartered drone surveying firm providing LiDAR, photogrammetry, thermal, and GIS mapping services to mining, energy, forestry, and environmental clients across Portugal, Spain, Italy, Angola, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
terraDrone industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aerial Surveying and Geospatial Services
- NAICS
- Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (54137), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aerial Surveying & Crop Scouting (Imaging, Mapping, Stand Counts) (AFACAIAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Remote Sensing & Imaging (Satellite, UAV/Drone, Aerial, Multispectral/Hyperspectral) (AFAGALAC), Drone/UAV Data Capture & Processing Software (AFAAAFAH), Aerial & Ground Patrols for Vegetation Encroachment (LiDAR, UAV/Drone, Helicopter) (EUADAOAF)
Keywords
Where terraDrone is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
terraDrone business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Drone Surveying and Mapping Services: Project-based professional services revenue from aerial data acquisition, photogrammetric processing, LiDAR scanning, and cartographic production. Services include topographic surveys, volumetry, forest inventory, NDVI mapping, and 3D modeling delivered in various CAD/GIS formats.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
terraDrone product offering
Product offeringCore offering
terraDrone provides drone-based aerial surveying services including LiDAR scanning, photogrammetry, multispectral imaging, and GIS/cartographic production. Project-based deliverables include topographic surveys, digital terrain/surface models, classified point clouds, orthophotos, volumetric analyses, forest inventories, and NDVI vegetation maps for engineering, forestry, agriculture, environmental, and energy clients. The company retains in-house PPK/RTK positioning, AI-assisted point cloud classification (Geo-IA), and ISO-compliant processing workflows.
Product overview
terraDrone is a drone-based geospatial data acquisition and processing company founded in 2014, offering a unified service spanning aerial data collection (via photogrammetry and LiDAR), data processing, and downstream deliverables. The portfolio consists of four core service lines — Topographic Survey (including aerial photography), LiDAR, Volumetry, and Cartography/GIS — which feed into a structured set of deliverable products including Digital Surface Models (MDS), Digital Terrain Models (MDT), Point Clouds (LAS, classified), and RGB Orthophotos. Vegetation-focused services and products encompass NDVI/Infrared mapping, Forest Inventory, Tree Survey, Vegetation Survey, and Precision Agriculture. A 3D Modeling service covers heritage sites, objects, and terrain/vegetation. Geo-IA is the company's AI-powered module for automated object counting and point cloud classification using Deep Learning applied to 2D images and 3D point clouds. All services rely on drone-based sensors (RGB 24/42 Mpx, LiDAR, multispectral 4-band) with PPK/RTK positioning, and deliver data in CAD (DWG), GIS (SHP), and 3D formats (OBJ, PLY, FBX, LAS, GeoTIFF).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Topographic Survey (Levantamento Topográfico) 3D altimetric and 2D planimetric mapping including high vegetation and hydrography, delivered in DWG or SHP with orthophoto, 3D breaklines, contour lines, and elevation points. For engineering and infrastructure clients.
- LiDAR Mapping Service Airborne LiDAR 3D mapping using laser pulses with 24 Mpx RGB sensor for point cloud colorization. Ideal for structures, buildings, and terrain with dense vegetation.
- Volumetry (Volumetria) Multi-temporal volumetric analysis of landfill or excavation volumes, with quantity evolution reports by area or section. Used by mining and quarrying operators.
- Cartography (Cartografia) Cartographic modeling of terrain elevation and 2D vectorization based on DGT Technical Standards for Certified Cartography or client specifications.
- GIS and Cartography Services (SIG e Cartografia) GIS services including orthophoto production, constraint maps, land use maps, ICNF-compliant habitat and micro-habitat cartography, carbon quantification, and biomass estimation.
- NDVI and Infrared Vegetation Mapping Infrared sensor-based vegetation reflectance measurement and vegetation indices (NDVI, NDWI, GNDVI) for plant vigor assessment, permeable/impermeable segmentation, and semi-automatic tree identification.
- Vegetation Survey (Levantamento da Vegetação) Mapping of protected species (holm oak and cork oak per ICNF methodology), urban/municipal tree inventory, habitat cartography, remote forest inventory, and biomass/phyto-volume/carbon measurement.
- Aerial Photography Drone-based aerial image capture with orthophoto production at resolutions up to 1 cm/pixel, delivered in GeoTIFF, JPG, or PDF format.
- Geo-IA (Geo-Intelligence Artificial) AI and Deep Learning service for automated object counting and 3D point cloud classification, applied to aerial image and LAS point cloud analysis.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 500 hectares or 30 km surveyed per day
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use terraDrone
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
terraDrone technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability6 records
Feature4 records
terraDrone partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- EDPminorPilot project partnership for medium and high voltage electrical network (LMAT) monitoring. terraDrone conducted tree collision risk assessment along 90km of power lines in the municipality of Figueira da Foz.
- Faculdade de Ciências de Lisboa (FCUL)minorCollaboration on invasive species detection mapping using drone and multispectral sensors on the Alentejo coast to detect acacia invasion in eucalyptus plots.
- ADPMminorProject partner in Life Montado Adapt (2016-2021) and Life Desert Adapt (2017-2022) international projects for mapping cork oak forests in Portugal, Spain, and Italy to assess climate change impacts.
- Centro de Estudos Florestais, ISAminorResearch collaboration on Mediterranean riparian forest carbon retention study. LiDAR and photogrammetric survey conducted in Ribeira de Alcolobre, Constância.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
terraDrone competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- DroneDeploy: Cloud-based drone mapping and data analytics platform used by surveyors for orthomosaics, 3D models, and volumetric analysis. Represents a software-led competitive threat to terraDrone's manual service delivery.
- Pix4D: Photogrammetry and drone data processing software widely used by surveying service providers. Comparable through the value chain terraDrone occupies for data processing and GIS deliverable generation.
- Propeller Aero: Drone data platform focused on surveying, volumetrics, and earthworks for construction and mining. Direct overlap with terraDrone's volumetry, topographic, and mining/quarry customer use cases.
Direct peers
- PrecisionHawk: Drone-based data analytics company serving agriculture, energy, and insurance. Comparable in aerial data capture and analytics services for similar enterprise verticals to terraDrone.
- senseFly (Parrot): Fixed-wing drone manufacturer and surveying solutions provider serving agriculture, mining, and surveying professionals globally. Comparable through the drone-surveying value chain and end-customer verticals.
- Cyberhawk: UK-based drone inspection and aerial surveying company serving energy, infrastructure, and industrial clients. Comparable in service-led drone surveying for energy and infrastructure asset owners.
- ITER Systems: Spanish aerial surveying and geospatial data company providing LiDAR, photogrammetry, and cartography services. Operates in adjacent Iberian markets with the same service portfolio as terraDrone.
- Aerolaser: Spanish drone and airborne LiDAR surveying firm offering topographic, cartographic, and forestry services across Iberia. Closely comparable in service mix, geography, and customer segments to terraDrone.
Broad incumbents
- Trimble Inc. Global geospatial technology incumbent offering surveying hardware, software, and services across construction, agriculture, and forestry. Competes with terraDrone on enterprise-grade geospatial workflows and OEM solutions.
- Leica Geosystems: Hexagon-owned surveying and geospatial measurement solutions provider offering scanners, GNSS, and software. Broad incumbent in the same survey/cartography workflow space terraDrone serves.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
terraDrone social profiles
Digital presenceterraDrone financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
terraDrone leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
terraDrone funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
terraDrone 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 terraDrone
What does terraDrone do?
terraDrone provides drone-based aerial surveying services including LiDAR scanning, photogrammetry, multispectral imaging, and GIS/cartographic production. Project-based deliverables include topographic surveys, digital terrain/surface models, classified point clouds, orthophotos, volumetric analyses, forest inventories, and NDVI vegetation maps for engineering, forestry, agriculture, environmental, and energy clients. The company retains in-house PPK/RTK positioning, AI-assisted point cloud classification (Geo-IA), and ISO-compliant processing workflows.
Is terraDrone a public or private company?
terraDrone is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was terraDrone founded?
terraDrone was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is terraDrone based?
terraDrone is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does terraDrone make money?
One revenue line is on record: drone Surveying and Mapping Services.
Who are terraDrone's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are DroneDeploy, Pix4D and Propeller Aero. Direct peers are PrecisionHawk, senseFly (Parrot), Cyberhawk, ITER Systems and Aerolaser. Broad incumbents are Trimble Inc. and Leica Geosystems.
Does terraDrone have an API?
No public API is recorded for terraDrone.
What industry is terraDrone in?
terraDrone's product category is Aerial Surveying and Geospatial Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFACAIAJ, Aerial Surveying & Crop Scouting (Imaging, Mapping, Stand Counts), with a secondary code of AFAGALAC, Remote Sensing & Imaging (Satellite, UAV/Drone, Aerial, Multispectral/Hyperspectral). Its NAICS code is 54137.