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Field Service · head to head

Percepto vs Trimble

Percepto logo

Percepto

Field Service

Drone-in-a-box inspection with the AIM software that runs the missions and reads the results

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Trimble logo

Trimble

Construction

Construction and building information platform

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Percepto aIM is built for Percepto aircraft and base stations, so buying the software is buying the fleet, and a site that already owns DJI or other drones cannot bring them into it.; Trimble listed on UK G-Cloud 14 at £30 to £50 per user per month for Viewpoint Field View, Trimble's construction field management product, submitted directly by Trimble UK Limited
  • They diverge on capability: Percepto covers Drone-in-a-box base station, Trimble covers Project management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Percepto and Trimble actually diverge.

Attributes where Percepto and Trimble differ
AttributePerceptoTrimble
Starting priceOn request$500/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryField ServiceConstruction
FoundedUnknown1978

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Percepto

  • Drone-in-a-box base station
  • Autonomous scheduled missions
  • AIM mission management
  • Optical gas imaging payload
  • Thermal and visual inspection
  • Change detection
  • Alarm-triggered response
  • Georeferenced asset history

Only in Trimble

  • Project management
  • BIM collaboration
  • Document management
  • Field coordination
  • Analytics
  • Revit
  • AutoCAD
  • Procore

What people use each for

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

Percepto

  • A refinery replacing manual methane leak detection rounds with scheduled optical gas imaging flightsnot Trimble
  • A remote mine site that cannot economically station inspection crews and needs weekly stockpile and infrastructure surveysnot Trimble
  • A utility substation network needing thermal inspection of switchgear on a fixed cycle with an auditable recordnot Trimble
  • A port or tailings facility that wants an automatic aerial response when an alarm fires at three in the morningnot Trimble

Trimble

  • BIM collaborationnot Percepto
  • Project coordinationnot Percepto
  • Document managementnot Percepto
  • Field operationsnot Percepto

Where each one falls short

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

Percepto

  • AIM is built for Percepto aircraft and base stations, so buying the software is buying the fleet, and a site that already owns DJI or other drones cannot bring them into it.
  • Everything depends on beyond-visual-line-of-sight regulatory approval, which is strong in the United States and patchy elsewhere, so a European or Asian site may face a materially different operating envelope for the same money.
  • Pricing is a per-site annual programme covering hardware, software and support, with no published rates, so comparing it against hiring an inspection contractor requires a full proposal.
  • The base station is fixed infrastructure requiring power, connectivity and a site survey, which means a linear asset such as a pipeline needs several installations rather than one system.
  • Weather, wind limits and airspace restrictions still ground flights, so the inspection schedule an operator plans around is a best case, and manual fallback procedures still have to exist.

Trimble

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud 14 at £30 to £50 per user per month for Viewpoint Field View, Trimble's construction field management product, submitted directly by Trimble UK Limited

Pricing, plan by plan

Percepto

On request
  • Percepto AIM programme$undefined/year
    • Base station and aircraft
    • AIM software subscription
    • Site survey, installation and regulatory support

Trimble

$500/month
  • Connect$500/month
    • Project management
    • Collaboration
    • Document control
  • EnterpriseFree
    • BIM integration
    • Advanced analytics
    • Custom workflows

Which should you pick?

Choose Percepto if

  • You need drone-in-a-box base station.
  • You also want autonomous scheduled missions.
Percepto review

Choose Trimble if

  • You need project management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want bim collaboration.
Trimble review

Questions people ask

Is Percepto or Trimble better?
Neither clearly leads. Percepto starts at On request and Trimble at $500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Percepto or Trimble?
Percepto starts at On request and Trimble at $500/month.
Does Percepto or Trimble run on more platforms?
Percepto runs on Web. Trimble runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Percepto best used for?
Percepto is most often used for a refinery replacing manual methane leak detection rounds with scheduled optical gas imaging flights, a remote mine site that cannot economically station inspection crews and needs weekly stockpile and infrastructure surveys, a utility substation network needing thermal inspection of switchgear on a fixed cycle with an auditable record, a port or tailings facility that wants an automatic aerial response when an alarm fires at three in the morning. Of those, a refinery replacing manual methane leak detection rounds with scheduled optical gas imaging flights and a remote mine site that cannot economically station inspection crews and needs weekly stockpile and infrastructure surveys are not what Trimble is typically brought in for.
What can Percepto do that Trimble cannot?
Percepto covers Drone-in-a-box base station, Autonomous scheduled missions, AIM mission management, Optical gas imaging payload. Trimble covers Project management, BIM collaboration, Document management, Field coordination.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Percepto: Can I use Percepto AIM with drones I already own?

No. The system is designed around Percepto's own aircraft and base station.

Percepto: Do I need a pilot on site?

Not in jurisdictions where beyond-visual-line-of-sight operation is approved. Confirm the approval position for your country before committing.

Percepto: What does it cost?

Percepto does not publish pricing. Expect an annual per-site programme covering hardware, the AIM subscription and support.

Percepto: Can it detect gas leaks?

Yes, with an optical gas imaging payload, which is one of the main reasons oil and gas operators buy it.

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