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Construction · head to head

Buildots vs Propeller Aero

Buildots logo

Buildots

Construction

Hard hat mounted 360 cameras and computer vision that score build progress against the BIM model

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Propeller Aero logo

Propeller Aero

Construction

Drone survey processing and earthworks volume measurement for sites that measure stockpiles weekly

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Buildots tracking depends on a BIM model maintained at construction level of detail; on a job where the model is stale or was never built for coordination, the comparison degrades and much of the value disappears.; Propeller Aero platform pricing is not published and is scoped by sites and users, so a contractor with many short-lived sites can be quoted very differently from one with a few long ones, and neither can benchmark against a list price
  • They diverge on capability: Buildots covers Hard hat 360 capture, Propeller Aero covers Photogrammetric processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buildots and Propeller Aero actually diverge.

Attributes where Buildots and Propeller Aero differ
AttributeBuildotsPropeller Aero
Pricing modelquoteHardware purchase plus a quoted platform subscription

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Construction).

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 Buildots

  • Hard hat 360 capture
  • Model to as-built comparison
  • Per activity progress scoring
  • Programme deviation alerts
  • Delay forecasting
  • Visual evidence trail
  • Subcontractor performance reporting

Only in Propeller Aero

  • Photogrammetric processing
  • AeroPoints ground control
  • Volume measurement
  • Design surface comparison
  • Progress timeline
  • Machine telemetry
  • Corrections network

What people use each for

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

Buildots

  • A residential tower where the same fit-out sequence repeats on forty floors and the contractor wants an objective read on cycle timenot Propeller Aero
  • A hospital or data centre fit-out where MEP first fix progress is disputed between the main contractor and trades every monthnot Propeller Aero
  • A developer that wants independent progress evidence before certifying an interim payment applicationnot Propeller Aero
  • A contractor building a production rate history across projects so future programmes are based on measured output rather than assumptionnot Propeller Aero

Propeller Aero

  • A quarry that reconciles stockpile inventory monthly for its accounts and wants the volume evidence to survive an auditnot Buildots
  • An earthworks contractor claiming progress payments on cubic metres moved who needs an independent measurement the client will acceptnot Buildots
  • A civil site checking whether a subgrade is within tolerance of the design before the surfacing crew arrivesnot Buildots
  • A mine that wants weekly volume reporting without a survey crew on the ground every weeknot Buildots

Where each one falls short

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

Buildots

  • Tracking depends on a BIM model maintained at construction level of detail; on a job where the model is stale or was never built for coordination, the comparison degrades and much of the value disappears.
  • The data only arrives if someone walks the site every week with the camera, so coverage decays quietly when the site team is under pressure, exactly when the reporting is most needed.
  • Pricing is per project rather than per seat and includes hardware, so a contractor cannot roll it out cheaply across a portfolio of small jobs and it is uneconomic below a certain project value.
  • It reads interior fit-out and repetitive vertical work far better than structure, groundworks or external envelope, so a large fraction of a project's programme is outside what it can score.
  • Making progress objective creates commercial friction with subcontractors whose valuations have historically been negotiated, and contractors who deploy it without addressing that in the subcontract get pushback rather than adoption.

Propeller Aero

  • Platform pricing is not published and is scoped by sites and users, so a contractor with many short-lived sites can be quoted very differently from one with a few long ones, and neither can benchmark against a list price
  • The corrections network is free only while you hold a current platform licence, so cancelling the platform subscription reintroduces a 1,000 dollar per year per group hardware cost that many buyers do not model
  • AeroPoints are a hardware purchase at 1,000 dollars each and most sites need several, so the true entry cost includes several thousand dollars of equipment on top of a subscription
  • It measures rather than designs, so a contractor still needs Civil 3D, Trimble Business Center or an equivalent to produce and revise the design surfaces the measurement is compared against
  • Accuracy depends on flight planning, ground control placement and weather, and a poorly flown survey produces a confident wrong volume, so an organisation still needs someone who understands survey error rather than only a drone pilot

Pricing, plan by plan

Buildots

On request
  • Buildots$undefined/year
    • Priced per project by size and duration
    • Camera hardware included in the engagement
    • Model onboarding and setup quoted separately

Propeller Aero

On request
  • AeroPoint ground control unit$1000/one-time
    • Single solar-powered GNSS ground control marker
    • Includes 12 months of the Propeller Corrections Network
    • Network renewal 1,000 USD per year per AeroPoint group
  • Propeller Platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted by number of sites, users and survey volume
    • Not published
    • Processing turnaround and support level vary by agreement

Which should you pick?

Choose Buildots if

  • You need hard hat 360 capture.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want model to as-built comparison.
Buildots review

Choose Propeller Aero if

  • You need photogrammetric processing.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want aeropoints ground control.
Propeller Aero review

Questions people ask

Is Buildots or Propeller Aero better?
Neither clearly leads. Buildots starts at On request and Propeller Aero at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buildots or Propeller Aero?
Buildots starts at On request and Propeller Aero at On request.
Does Buildots or Propeller Aero run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Buildots best used for?
Buildots is most often used for a residential tower where the same fit-out sequence repeats on forty floors and the contractor wants an objective read on cycle time, a hospital or data centre fit-out where mep first fix progress is disputed between the main contractor and trades every month, a developer that wants independent progress evidence before certifying an interim payment application, a contractor building a production rate history across projects so future programmes are based on measured output rather than assumption. Of those, a residential tower where the same fit-out sequence repeats on forty floors and the contractor wants an objective read on cycle time and a hospital or data centre fit-out where mep first fix progress is disputed between the main contractor and trades every month are not what Propeller Aero is typically brought in for.
What can Buildots do that Propeller Aero cannot?
Buildots covers Hard hat 360 capture, Model to as-built comparison, Per activity progress scoring, Programme deviation alerts. Propeller Aero covers Photogrammetric processing, AeroPoints ground control, Volume measurement, Design surface comparison.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Buildots: What does Buildots cost?

It is quoted per project based on size, duration and scope, with camera hardware included. Nothing is published.

Propeller Aero: How much does Propeller cost?

The platform is quoted and not published. AeroPoints are 1,000 US dollars each, with the corrections network included for twelve months and thereafter free while a platform licence is current, otherwise 1,000 dollars a year per group.

Buildots: Do I need a BIM model?

Yes. The system scores progress by comparing captured conditions against model objects, so the model quality sets the ceiling on accuracy.

Propeller Aero: Do I need AeroPoints?

No, you can use conventional surveyed ground control, but the AeroPoints workflow is the main reason contractors choose Propeller over generic photogrammetry.

Buildots: What kind of projects suit it?

Repetitive vertical work with heavy interior fit-out. Civil, groundworks and external envelope are poorly covered.

Propeller Aero: Is it survey grade?

Propeller states centimetre-level accuracy with correct ground control. Whether that satisfies a contract depends on your specification and on how the survey was flown, not on the software alone.

Buildots: Who does the site walks?

Your own site team, typically once or twice a week. There is no Buildots operator on site.

Propeller Aero: Who owns the data?

You retain your survey data and can export surfaces and point clouds, but check the export formats and retention terms in your contract before closeout, because bulk historical export is not a self-service one-click operation.

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