PrecisionHawk today announced that it has purchased Uplift Data Partners. Uplift specializes in the delivery of turnkey inspection services for construction, building information management (BIM) and real-estate. Uplift’s nationwide network of commercially trained drone pilots will join PrecisionHawk’s Droners.io network of more than 15,000 drone pilots, one of the largest networks of its kind. Suzanne El-Moursi, CEO of Uplift, will join PrecisionHawk’s executive leadership team managing the company’s construction line of business.
“This acquisition displays PrecisionHawk’s commitment to strengthening our technology and expertise in high-growth markets,” said Michael Chasen, PrecisionHawk CEO. “By combining PrecisionHawk’s leading-edge products and services with Uplift’s industry experience and training standards, our customers will receive best-in-class aerial data and analytics for complex construction and facility inspection projects through a simple and easy to procure process.”
Uplift Data Partners was formed in 2015 as a fully integrated subsidiary of Clayco, one of the nation’s largest architecture, engineering, design-build and construction firms, with more than $2.0 billion in annual revenue. Through the acquisition, Clayco will exclusively source its construction projects to PrecisionHawk, and will serve on PrecisionHawk’s Board of Advisors to support the growth of the company’s services and software in the construction industry.
“PrecisionHawk is leading the commercial drone market by combining superior technology with deep expertise in the markets that they serve. Through this acquisition, Clayco customers gain access to a new level of technological sophistication for more scalable and robust operations, while continuing to benefit from Uplift’s deep understanding of the demanding nature of engineering and construction industry drone missions,” said Clayco CEO, Bob Clark.
This is the fifth acquisition for PrecisionHawk in 2018. Early acquisitions include Droners.io and Airvid. In September it purchased both HAZON, Inc. and InspecTools Inc., which specialize in the delivery of inspection services and technology for the energy industry. Their integration with PrecisionHawk has created dynamic synergy, providing solutions that elevate airborne intelligence and strengthen the data value chain for the enterprise.
Similar to the energy space, the construction industry has experienced a rapid uptake in the adoption of commercial drone technology. Drones are now one of the leading innovative technologies that are transforming the construction process since they decrease the need for lengthy visual inspections, reduce planning time, improve worker safety and identify problems.
Uplift CEO, Suzanne El-Moursi said: “Our mission at Uplift is to support the modernization of the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry by creating tools and training that improve the accessibility of drone services, thereby delivering true value to construction projects. The construction industry is uniquely rugged, yet defined by innovation and intelligence, and we are thrilled to join PrecisionHawk, a company that is both aligned to this mission and committed to the growth and expansion of the industry.”
PrecisionHawk is a leading provider of drone technology for the enterprise. PrecisionHawk’s client list includes Fortune 500 companies and market leaders in 150 countries, spanning a range of industries, including agriculture, energy, insurance, government and construction. To date, PrecisionHawk has raised more than $100 million from leading venture capital firms including Third Point Ventures and Millennium Technology Value Partners, with strategic investments from enterprise customers and partners including Comcast Ventures, DuPont, Intel Capital, NTT Docomo, and Yamaha Motor. The company, founded in 2010, is privately held and headquartered in Raleigh, NC.