Komatsu, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of heavy machinery for construction and mining and the first company to commercialize the Autonomous Haul System, announced plans to integrate Skycatch’s autonomous aerial data capture solution into their construction business. First announced at a press release in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo today, Komatsu’s Smart Construction branch will leverage Skycatch’s fully autonomous UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) solution and sophisticated data analytics tools to operate safer, cheaper, and smarter than ever before.
This partnership is a significant milestone for the global construction industry in moving forward with automation fueled by data. Komatsu’s President and CEO, Akinori Onodera, had this to say about the deal:
“I’m very excited to be working with Skycatch moving forward. We’ve understood the potential of automated drone technology early on, and Skycatch’s product gives us incredible insights into what’s happening with our equipment on the ground. We now have the fastest, most comprehensive aerial data solution out there, which will give our clients a measurable advantage in remotely managing their construction equipment and operations.”
This is also a huge push for the blossoming commercial drone market. Christian Sanz, Skycatch's Founder and CEO, believes that Skycatch has the best technology and team to take on this partnership:
"Skycatch has pioneered the space of automating machines for massive data retrieval at scale. In doing so, we are able to provide hi-res data at an incredibly fast, safe and efficient rate for companies all over the world. Our uniquely talented team of engineers, designers, and operations staff is excited to continue to push forward with Komatsu, as we both share the same passion to unleash this innovative technology to their thousands of active global jobs sites. "
Komatsu and Skycatch are both confident that 2015 and beyond will see an incredible boost to construction productivity as a result of autonomous UAV technology. Komatsu has been focused for years on providing state of the art equipment intelligence to its clients. This includes services such as remote access to machine locations, updates on local operation conditions, and intelligent machine control. By integrating Skycatch’s product, Komatsu’s clients will now be able to see the real time location and status of their machines as well as the local operating conditions using the fastest, safest, and most comprehensive solution available.
Skycatch is thrilled to have Komatsu as a partner moving forward. Stay tuned to see the incredible insights gained when Smart Construction meets smart UAV technology.