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Energy · head to head

Cutsforth InsightCM vs iHawk by Cyberhawk

Cutsforth InsightCM logo

Cutsforth InsightCM

Energy

Multi-physics condition monitoring for generators and rotating plant, moved from National Instruments to Cutsforth

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
iHawk by Cyberhawk logo

iHawk by Cyberhawk

Energy

Asset inspection data platform sold by a drone inspection service company, not standalone software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cutsforth InsightCM ownership moved from National Instruments to Cutsforth while NI itself was absorbed by Emerson, so support contracts, documentation and any assumption of NI or Emerson backing need reconfirming from scratch.; iHawk by Cyberhawk cyberhawk's business is inspection services, so the platform is normally sold as part of a capture contract and the software line item cannot be compared cleanly against standalone asset inspection platforms
  • They diverge on capability: Cutsforth InsightCM covers Multi-physics correlation, iHawk by Cyberhawk covers Visual data management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cutsforth InsightCM and iHawk by Cyberhawk actually diverge.

Attributes where Cutsforth InsightCM and iHawk by Cyberhawk differ
AttributeCutsforth InsightCMiHawk by Cyberhawk
PlatformsWindows, Web, CloudWeb

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Energy).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cutsforth InsightCM

  • Multi-physics correlation
  • Continuous waveform capture
  • NI hardware compatibility
  • Electromagnetic interference analysis
  • On-premise or cloud
  • Configurable acquisition
  • Automated alarming
  • Fleet view

Only in iHawk by Cyberhawk

  • Visual data management
  • Defect tagging and tracking
  • Visualive AI review
  • Geospatial layers
  • Asset hierarchy
  • Progress monitoring
  • Reporting and export

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cutsforth InsightCM

  • A generating station correlating partial discharge, EMI and vibration on a turbine generator in one diagnosis rather than three separate systemsnot iHawk by Cyberhawk
  • A nuclear operator needing continuous waveform retention as evidence for a condition-based maintenance casenot iHawk by Cyberhawk
  • An industrial site with legacy NI acquisition hardware already installed on critical machinesnot iHawk by Cyberhawk
  • Comparing identical generators across a fleet to separate a machine-specific fault from a design characteristicnot iHawk by Cyberhawk

iHawk by Cyberhawk

  • A transmission operator inspecting several thousand towers annually that needs defect history per structure rather than a folder of photographs per campaignnot Cutsforth InsightCM
  • An offshore operator that wants flare tip and structural inspection imagery held against the same asset tags used in its maintenance systemnot Cutsforth InsightCM
  • A capital project owner tracking construction progress from repeated aerial capture over a two year buildnot Cutsforth InsightCM
  • A utility responding to a regulator that requires evidence of condition assessment across a defined asset populationnot Cutsforth InsightCM

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cutsforth InsightCM

  • Ownership moved from National Instruments to Cutsforth while NI itself was absorbed by Emerson, so support contracts, documentation and any assumption of NI or Emerson backing need reconfirming from scratch.
  • Cutsforth is a small specialist company, so a buyer standardising a fleet-wide monitoring platform is accepting a vendor with far less scale than Emerson, SKF or Bently Nevada.
  • The product depends on data acquisition hardware on the machine, and that hardware is typically the larger part of the cost, which the software conversation tends to obscure.
  • Its strength is high-value generation and large rotating assets; instrumenting a broad population of ordinary pumps and fans with it is disproportionately expensive.
  • Continuous multi-physics capture produces large volumes of waveform data, so storage sizing and retention policy are real deployment decisions rather than defaults.

iHawk by Cyberhawk

  • Cyberhawk's business is inspection services, so the platform is normally sold as part of a capture contract and the software line item cannot be compared cleanly against standalone asset inspection platforms
  • Nothing is published about price, and because contracts bundle flights, processing and platform access, the recurring cost after the inspection campaign ends is often not clear at signature
  • The value of the platform grows with the length of the historical series held in it, which makes switching increasingly expensive over time and gives the vendor leverage at renewal
  • It is a review and management platform rather than an enterprise asset management system, so defect findings still need to reach SAP or Maximo to become work orders, and that integration is a project in its own right
  • Automated defect detection reduces review effort but does not remove the need for qualified inspection engineers to sign off findings, so headcount savings are smaller than a technology-led business case usually assumes

Pricing, plan by plan

Cutsforth InsightCM

On request
  • InsightCM$undefined/year
    • Priced per monitored machine and channel count rather than per user
    • Data acquisition hardware quoted separately and often the larger cost
    • On-premise and cloud deployments priced differently

iHawk by Cyberhawk

On request
  • iHawk platform$undefined/year
    • Usually contracted together with Cyberhawk inspection services
    • Priced by asset count, data volume and inspection programme scope
    • Standalone platform licensing available on request but not the standard route

Which should you pick?

Choose Cutsforth InsightCM if

  • You need multi-physics correlation.
  • You work on Windows, Web, Cloud.
  • You also want continuous waveform capture.
Cutsforth InsightCM review

Choose iHawk by Cyberhawk if

  • You need visual data management.
  • You also want defect tagging and tracking.
iHawk by Cyberhawk review

Questions people ask

Is Cutsforth InsightCM or iHawk by Cyberhawk better?
Neither clearly leads. Cutsforth InsightCM starts at On request and iHawk by Cyberhawk at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cutsforth InsightCM or iHawk by Cyberhawk?
Cutsforth InsightCM starts at On request and iHawk by Cyberhawk at On request.
Does Cutsforth InsightCM or iHawk by Cyberhawk run on more platforms?
Cutsforth InsightCM runs on Windows, Web, Cloud. iHawk by Cyberhawk runs on Web.
What is Cutsforth InsightCM best used for?
Cutsforth InsightCM is most often used for a generating station correlating partial discharge, emi and vibration on a turbine generator in one diagnosis rather than three separate systems, a nuclear operator needing continuous waveform retention as evidence for a condition-based maintenance case, an industrial site with legacy ni acquisition hardware already installed on critical machines, comparing identical generators across a fleet to separate a machine-specific fault from a design characteristic. Of those, a generating station correlating partial discharge, emi and vibration on a turbine generator in one diagnosis rather than three separate systems and a nuclear operator needing continuous waveform retention as evidence for a condition-based maintenance case are not what iHawk by Cyberhawk is typically brought in for.
What can Cutsforth InsightCM do that iHawk by Cyberhawk cannot?
Cutsforth InsightCM covers Multi-physics correlation, Continuous waveform capture, NI hardware compatibility, Electromagnetic interference analysis. iHawk by Cyberhawk covers Visual data management, Defect tagging and tracking, Visualive AI review, Geospatial layers.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cutsforth InsightCM: Is InsightCM still a National Instruments product?

No. It was developed by NI but is now owned and developed by Cutsforth. NI itself became part of Emerson in October 2023.

iHawk by Cyberhawk: Can I buy iHawk without Cyberhawk's inspection services?

Ask explicitly. The company positions the platform as enterprise software, but its normal route to market is bundled with data capture, so standalone terms are negotiated rather than listed.

Cutsforth InsightCM: Does it require NI hardware?

It is compatible with NI-based acquisition systems and with Cutsforth monitoring hardware, so existing NI installations carry over.

iHawk by Cyberhawk: Who owns the inspection data?

That is contract-specific and should be settled before signature, including what format you receive on exit and whether historical defect tagging comes with you.

Cutsforth InsightCM: What makes it different from a vibration platform?

It correlates several measurement types, including partial discharge and electromagnetic interference, which matters on generators rather than on general rotating equipment.

iHawk by Cyberhawk: What does it cost?

Not published. Expect pricing driven by asset count, data volume and the scope of the inspection programme.

Cutsforth InsightCM: Can it be deployed on-premise?

Yes, on-premise or cloud, which is why it remains viable for nuclear and utility sites with data residency rules.

iHawk by Cyberhawk: Does it replace an asset management system?

No. It manages inspection data and findings. Work orders and maintenance planning stay in SAP, Maximo or your equivalent.

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