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Construction · head to head

Propeller Aero vs Raken

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
Raken logo

Raken

Construction

Daily reporting and field production tracking

From
$40/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; Raken no pricing tiers published on public website. Pricing requires direct contact with sales at 858-290-4477 or [email protected]
  • They diverge on capability: Propeller Aero covers Photogrammetric processing, Raken covers Daily reporting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Propeller Aero and Raken differ
AttributePropeller AeroRaken
Starting priceOn request$40/month
Pricing modelHardware purchase plus a quoted platform subscriptionsubscription
FoundedUnknown2014

Identical on both: 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 Propeller Aero

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

Only in Raken

  • Daily reporting
  • Photo documentation
  • Time tracking
  • Production tracking
  • Safety toolbox talks
  • Procore
  • Autodesk BIM 360
  • Sage

What people use each for

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

Propeller Aero

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

Raken

  • Daily logsnot Propeller Aero
  • Field documentationnot Propeller Aero
  • Progress trackingnot Propeller Aero
  • Time managementnot Propeller Aero

Where each one falls short

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

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

Raken

  • No pricing tiers published on public website. Pricing requires direct contact with sales at 858-290-4477 or [email protected]

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Raken

$40/month
  • Lite$40/month
    • Daily reports
    • Photo documentation
    • Time tracking
  • Pro$80/month
    • Everything in Lite
    • Production tracking
    • Toolbox talks
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Custom workflows
    • API access
    • SSO

Which should you pick?

Choose Propeller Aero if

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

Choose Raken if

  • You need daily reporting.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want photo documentation.
Raken review

Questions people ask

Is Propeller Aero or Raken better?
Neither clearly leads. Propeller Aero starts at On request and Raken at $40/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Propeller Aero or Raken?
Propeller Aero starts at On request and Raken at $40/month.
Does Propeller Aero or Raken run on more platforms?
Propeller Aero runs on Web, iOS, Android. Raken runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Propeller Aero best used for?
Propeller Aero is most often used for a quarry that reconciles stockpile inventory monthly for its accounts and wants the volume evidence to survive an audit, an earthworks contractor claiming progress payments on cubic metres moved who needs an independent measurement the client will accept, a civil site checking whether a subgrade is within tolerance of the design before the surfacing crew arrives, a mine that wants weekly volume reporting without a survey crew on the ground every week. Of those, a quarry that reconciles stockpile inventory monthly for its accounts and wants the volume evidence to survive an audit and an earthworks contractor claiming progress payments on cubic metres moved who needs an independent measurement the client will accept are not what Raken is typically brought in for.
What can Propeller Aero do that Raken cannot?
Propeller Aero covers Photogrammetric processing, AeroPoints ground control, Volume measurement, Design surface comparison. Raken covers Daily reporting, Photo documentation, Time tracking, Production tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Raken: Does Raken offer a free trial?

Yes, Raken offers a free trial option with no pricing details disclosed on the public website. Interested users can start a free trial or schedule a demo to see the product in action.

Source
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.

Raken: What is Raken's pricing model?

Raken uses a quote-based pricing model. No pricing tiers or rates are published on their website. Pricing must be obtained by contacting their sales team.

Source
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.

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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