What RECON does

RECON LLC (doing business as Rowland Engineering Consultants) is a privately held Alaska-based specialty civil and geological engineering, surveying, GIS, and remote logistics firm that serves natural resource companies and government agencies operating in the state's arctic and subarctic regions. The firm delivers four integrated service lines from offices in Palmer (headquarters) and Fairbanks: engineering services (remote access reconnaissance, feasibility studies, geotechnical investigation, site development, winter/ice road design, geohazard assessment, and construction management); surveying and GIS (large-scale GPS/GNSS control networks, boundary and topographic surveys, construction staking, cartography, and data management); unmanned aerial systems (high-resolution photography, orthoimagery, LiDAR, and 3D modeling via a Part 107-licensed engineering/surveying pilot team); and remote logistics management (transportation, lodging, fuel, medical, and camp operations for austere field sites).

The underlying technology stack is conventional engineering tooling: GNSS/GPS survey instruments, AutoCAD Civil 3D, GIS platforms, fixed-wing and rotary UAVs with photogrammetry and LiDAR sensors, and cold-regions geotechnical and thermal modeling. RECON's defensible capability is its integrated, in-house combination of these tools with a field team trained to operate in remote Alaska conditions using boats, helicopters, snowmachines, and small aircraft, supported by proprietary fast-paced remote route reconnaissance techniques and a 3,500 km GPS control network methodology (the largest the firm has executed to date).

The business model is quote-based, fee-for-project professional services. RECON acquires clients through direct enterprise and government field sales rooted in long-standing relationships and repeat engagements, with no self-serve, channel, or digital marketing motion. Notable customers include Donlin Gold (engaged since 1996), the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, multiple oil and gas exploration operators (since 2006), EarthScope (2013-2017), and Arctic Slope resource development clients (since 2015). The company is family-owned, with majority ownership transferring in 2024 from founder Steve Rowland to his son Isaac Rowland, has not raised external capital, and has executed projects at 290+ locations across Alaska and Canada.

Name

RECON

Legal name

RECON LLC

Website

https://reconllc.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RECON LLC is a privately held Alaska engineering, surveying, GIS, and remote logistics firm that serves mining, oil and gas, and government clients with infrastructure design, geotechnical, and field operations in arctic and subarctic regions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Palmer

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Engineering Consulting Services: Fee-for-service consulting engagements covering civil and geological engineering, geotechnical investigation, infrastructure engineering, site development and design, construction management, and winter/ice road consulting for natural resource clients in Alaska.
2. Surveying and GIS Services: Surveying services including route reconnaissance, topographic acquisition, boundary surveys, as-builts, construction staking, large-scale GPS control networks, and GIS cartography and data management for resource development projects.
3. Remote Logistics Management Services: Planning, management, and overall logistics support for remote Alaska projects, including field schedules, transportation, lodging, fuel supply, medical services, and on-site support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

RECON LLC provides civil and geological engineering, geotechnical investigation, surveying, GIS, and remote logistics services for subarctic infrastructure projects. The firm specializes in remote route reconnaissance, feasibility studies, infrastructure design, construction management, large-scale GPS/GNSS control networks, UAS-based aerial data acquisition, and integrated field logistics for mining, oil and gas, and government clients operating in Alaska's arctic and subarctic regions.

Product overview

RECON LLC (doing business as Rowland Engineering Consultants) is a civil and geological engineering and surveying company specializing in remote route reconnaissance, infrastructure development, and project management in arctic and subarctic regions of Alaska. The company offers an integrated portfolio of four core service lines: Engineering Services (including remote access reconnaissance, feasibility studies, geotechnical investigation, and construction management), Surveying & GIS Services (including large-scale GPS control networks and cartography), Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS/UAV) for aerial data acquisition including photography, orthoimagery, LiDAR, and 3D modeling), and Remote Logistics Management (field program management and logistics for remote Alaska operations). The company maintains offices in Palmer and Fairbanks, Alaska, and has completed projects at over 290 locations across Alaska and Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Engineering Services Comprehensive engineering services for remote and subarctic infrastructure projects, including remote access reconnaissance, project feasibility studies, infrastructure engineering, geotechnical investigation, site development and design, construction management, winter/ice road design, and geohazard assessment for arctic and subarctic environments in Alaska. Targeted at natural resource companies (mining, oil and gas), government agencies, and infrastructure developers in Alaska.
• Surveying and GIS Services Professional surveying and geographic information system services including remote engineering support, large-scale GPS/GNSS control networks, route reconnaissance, topographic acquisition, boundary surveys, as-builts, construction staking, resource development surveys, cartography, and GIS data management for infrastructure projects. Targeted at resource developers, government agencies, and infrastructure projects in Alaska.
• Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS/UAV) Aerial Data Acquisition Aerial data acquisition using an Unmanned Aerial System fleet, including high-resolution photography, orthoimagery, LiDAR, DEM surfaces, and 3D modeling for site inspections and remote field reconnaissance. All UAV pilots have engineering and/or surveying backgrounds and Part 107 commercial licenses, ensuring technical-grade outputs. Three pilots operate from Fairbanks and Palmer offices.
• Remote Logistics Management Field program management and logistics services for remote Alaska projects, including planning, transportation coordination (boat, helicopter, snowmachine, small aircraft), fuel supply, lodging and camp operations, medical services, and on-site support for scientific/environmental studies, camps, and drill programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,500 km GPS control network completed with 130 ground control and checkpoint measurements in 23 days, delivered on time and within budget
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Alaska Department of Natural Resources - Division of Geological & Geophysical SurveyscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRECON acted as prime contractor, teaming with two other companies, contracted by ADNR's Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys to plan and implement a GPS control network spanning 3,500 kilometers along the western coast of Alaska. Approximately 130 ground control and checkpoints were set and surveyed in 23 days. All deliverables were submitted on time and within budget.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• HDR: Large U.S. engineering firm with an Alaska office serving transportation, water, and resource clients. Broader portfolio and deeper bench make HDR a competitor on larger engagements that exceed RECON's capacity.
• Tetra Tech: Global consulting and engineering firm with environmental, geotechnical, and cold-regions expertise. Overlaps with RECON on environmental field studies, remote logistics, and resource development support.
• WSP: Global engineering consultancy with Alaska transportation, environmental, and resource sector engagements. Larger-scale incumbent competing for major infrastructure and resource-development mandates.
• Stantec: Global engineering, surveying, and environmental services firm with an established Alaska practice. Competes with RECON on larger resource and infrastructure projects while offering broader capabilities and greater capacity.
• Michael Baker International: U.S. engineering consulting firm with surveying, geospatial, and infrastructure practices that overlap with RECON's GPS control network, GIS, and remote infrastructure engineering work.

Direct peers

• PDC Inc. Engineers: Alaska civil, structural, and environmental engineering firm with a Fairbanks presence. Directly comparable in geographic footprint and client base, competing for similar municipal and resource-sector work.
• R&M Engineering-Kodiak: Alaska-based civil engineering and land surveying firm serving municipal, state, and resource clients. Comparable in size, geography, and service mix to RECON, with similar reliance on remote Alaska projects.
• Bristol Engineering Services: Alaska-based engineering and environmental services firm (subsidiary of Bristol Bay Native Corporation). Competes for similar infrastructure, surveying, and resource-development work across Alaska.
• DOWL: Alaska-headquartered civil engineering and surveying firm serving transportation, water, and resource development clients across Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Closest direct peer to RECON in terms of Alaska-centric engineering practice and government/resource client mix.
• Shannon & Wilson: Geotechnical engineering and environmental services firm with deep Alaska and cold-regions experience. Overlaps directly with RECON's geotechnical investigation, permafrost, and cold-regions engineering capabilities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rowland-engineering-consultants

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

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 RECON