Caterpillar Inc. has acquired Skycatch Inc., a company specializing in drone automation, spatial data capture, and mine-site analytics. The purchase is intended to expand Caterpillar’s digital mining platform and support its transition from a heavy equipment manufacturer to a broader mining technology provider.
Skycatch’s technology captures high-frequency, high-precision spatial data across large mining operations. This data is processed using artificial intelligence tools to create near-real-time digital twins of physical sites. The system allows operators to measure stockpiles, track material movement, monitor pit and haul road conditions, and compare actual progress against planned schedules. These updates occur more frequently than conventional survey cycles typically allow.
For autonomous operations, the fresher spatial data is expected to help Cat MineStar systems account for changing mine conditions, including haul-road profiles, dump locations, active work areas, and traffic patterns. This more current view of the mine could improve route planning, reduce operating uncertainty, and help both human-operated and autonomous fleets work from the same updated digital version of the site.
Denise Johnson, Caterpillar Resource Industries President, stated that acquiring Skycatch aligns with the company’s strategy to address customer challenges. She noted that integrating near-real-time, high-resolution spatial data into both RPMGlobal and MineStar solutions can help improve mine site performance by enhancing safety, productivity, and predictability across operations using staffed and autonomous fleets.
Skycatch’s technology will integrate with existing Cat MineStar automation and RPMGlobal software. RPMGlobal, which Caterpillar also acquired, provides over 30 software applications for long-term mine planning, scheduling, asset performance modeling, project optimization, and equipment simulation. Prior to the acquisition, RPMGlobal solutions were used by mining companies in 125 countries to design pits, schedule production, manage maintenance, and model operational scenarios before the first ton of ore is moved.
Richard Mathews, CEO of RPMGlobal, said Skycatch’s ability to process large volumes of spatial data at improved speeds opens up a fundamentally different way of operating. Christian Sanz, CEO of Skycatch, added that the acquisition strengthens their ability to support customers while increasing the value delivered. Skycatch has built its own network of global customers over the past decade.
