Above Surveying vs Propeller: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Above Surveying and Propeller to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
Above Surveying
5.7/10
UK drone inspection and data company for utility-scale solar plants. It pairs aerial thermographic surveys with its SolarGain cloud platform for inspection, QA and digital twin data.
Propeller
6.8/10
Propeller is a cloud 3D mapping and survey analytics platform. It turns drone and GNSS data into measurable site models for earthworks, construction, mining and aggregates teams.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 5.7/10 | 6.8/10 |
| Integration | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Security | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Analytics | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Ease of Use | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Customization | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Scalability | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Features | ||
| Digital Twin | ||
| Drone Inspection | ||
| GIS and Mapping | ||
| Inspection Automation | ||
| Asset Registry | Not listed | |
| Document Control | Not listed | |
| Engineering Design | Not listed | |
| Inspection Checklists | Not listed | |
| LiDAR Processing | Not listed | |
| SCADA and IoT Integration | Not listed | |
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Above Surveying
Our data shows no clear advantage over Propeller.
Why choose Propeller
- Higher Integration score (7/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Security score (7/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for construction (9/10 vs 7/10)
- Better fit for drone service providers (7/10 vs 5/10)
Pros & Cons
Above Surveying
Pros
- Built only for solar: thermography finds hotspots, string faults, junction box failures and PID at the module level.
- One platform covers the full lifecycle, from topographic surveys and construction monitoring to O&M inspections.
- SolarGain accepts data from third-party providers as well as Above's own flights, so the platform is not tied to Above's survey service.
- Large track record: Above reports more than 10,000 sites, and its acquisition of ucair expanded its reach in Europe.
- ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certified.
Cons
- No public pricing; every engagement needs a quote.
- Only useful for solar assets, not other infrastructure.
- No published integrations list, API documentation or security and trust page.
- Few independent user reviews on G2, Capterra or similar sites.
Propeller
Pros
- Combines drone, LiDAR, GNSS rover and total station data on a single map, regardless of which hardware captured it.
- AeroPoints give survey-grade ground control without the manual surveying normally needed to set control points.
- Strong stockpile, cut and fill, and progress tooling, with a long track record in earthworks and aggregates.
- Integrates with common construction systems such as Procore, Trimble Connect, Autodesk Build and HCSS.
- The trust center shows a SOC 2 Type 2 attestation.
Cons
- No published software pricing, so buyers have to request a quote.
- Hardware such as AeroPoints and DirtMate adds separate costs on top of the software.
- Reviewers find less depth for vertical construction and interior fitout work.
- Some reviewers say the price may seem high to smaller clients.
Not sold on either?
Air Inspection Automation (AiA)Our product
Plans DJI drone inspection missions for power line towers from LiDAR scans: it finds the towers, places photo stops, checks clearance, and splits the route into battery flights.
Made by the team behind b stack radar. Shown here because it fits this topic. It is not part of our rankings. How we rank tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Propeller scores higher on our Industrial & Infrastructure Software criteria: 6.8/10 against 5.7/10 for Above Surveying. The largest gap is in Ease of Use: 6/10 for Above Surveying and 8/10 for Propeller.
No, neither Above Surveying nor Propeller lists a free plan.
Propeller is the better fit for construction: we rate it 9/10 for them, against 7/10 for Above Surveying.
