Caterpillar adds Skycatch to mining tech stack – Metal Tech News
Caterpillar adds Skycatch to mining tech stack
Metal Tech News – July 7, 2026
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Caterpillar / Data Mine North
Caterpillar has acquired Skycatch, a spatial data capture and mine-site analytics company that is expected to strengthen Cat automation, as well as mine safety and productivity
Skycatch acquisition adds near-real-time mine mapping and AI analytics to Caterpillar’s growing digital mining platform
From a new Cat AI Assistant powered by Nvidia’s industrial-grade edge AI platform to its acquisition of Australian mining software leader RPMGlobal, Caterpillar Inc. is increasingly looking less like a heavy equipment company with integrated technology and more like a mining technology company that also manufactures some of the largest earthmoving machines on the planet
That transition continues with Caterpillar’s acquisition of Skycatch Inc., a specialist in drone automation, spatial data capture, and mine-site analytics
“Acquiring Skycatch aligns with our strategy to solve our customers’ toughest challenges,” said Caterpillar Re
Skycatch’s technology captures high-frequency, high-precision spatial data across large mine sites and pairs it with AI tools that can help create a near-real-time digital twin of the physical operation
The tech company’s spatial data tools can help measure stockpiles, track material movement, monitor pit and haul road conditions, compare actual mining progress against the plan, and update digital mine models with fresher information than conventional survey cycles typically provide
For autonomous operations, fresher spatial data is expected to help Cat MineStar systems better account for changing mine conditions, from haul-road profiles and dump locations to active work areas and traffic patterns. That more current view of the mine could improve route planning, reduce operating uncertainty, and help human-operated and autonomous fleets work from the same updated digital version of the site
“Skycatch’s ability to process large volumes of spatial data at dramatically improved speeds opens up a fundamentally different way of operating,” said RPMGlobal CEO Richard Mathews
Instead of relying on periodic surveys or older mine plans, Skycatch technology will provide mine operators with updated mine site spatial data that can be integrated into existing Cat MineStar automation and RPMGlobal software
RPMGlobal brings a suite of more than 30 software applications covering long-term mine planning, scheduling, asset performance modeling, project optimization, and equipment simulation
Prior to Caterpillar’s acquisition, RPMGlobal solutions were already being 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
Bringing in Skycatch technology will help keep those designs, production schedules, and operational scenarios up to date until the last ton of ore is moved
“By integrating near-real-time, high-resolution spatial data into both RPM and MineStar solutions, we can help customers improve mine site performance by enhancing safety, productivity, and predictability across their operations using both staffed and autonomous fleets,” said Johnson
Much like RPMGlobal, Skycatch has built its own network of global customers over the past decade
“This next step strengthens our ability to support our customers while increasing the value we can deliver,” said Skycatch CEO Christian Sanz
Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News
With more than 18 years of covering mining, Shane is renowned for his insights and in-depth analysis of mining, mineral exploration, and technology metals
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 907-726-1095
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-lasley-ab073b12/
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