dScribe AI

What do they actually do

dScribe AI builds software that uses computer vision to measure bulk materials. It turns imagery from drones or fixed cameras into 3D models and calculates stockpile and silo volumes, so sites can see levels, changes, and trends on a repeatable schedule (solutions pages, mining/quarries).

The product is aimed at mines and quarries, feed mills and grain storage, and bulk material yards/terminals. It replaces slow, periodic manual surveys and outsourced contractors with faster, more frequent scans and volume reports that can feed day‑to‑day planning and reporting (company site, YC profile).

Who are their target customer(s)

• Mine or quarry operations manager: Needs daily or weekly stockpile volumes but relies on spot checks and manual surveys that are slow, costly, and often inaccurate (manual surveys can be off by 30–50%) (YC).
• Feed mill or grain‑storage inventory manager: Must reconcile deliveries and consumption against silo/stack levels but works from guesses or infrequent measurements, causing missed deliveries and production hiccups (feed stockpiles).
• Yard/logistics planner at a bulk materials terminal: Schedules trucks and haulers based on uncertain counts, leading to under‑loaded or extra trips and wasted transport capacity (YC).
• Finance or asset controller for on‑site inventory: Faces mismatched book value vs. physical stock because surveys are inaccurate, complicating reporting and insurance claims (mining/quarries).
• Companies outsourcing periodic survey work: Pay for repeated manual measurement campaigns and want faster, repeatable results using drone/3D workflows to cut cost and turnaround time (site, docs).

How would they acquire their first 10, 50, and 100 customers

• First 10: Founder‑led, on‑site pilots at 20–30 high‑impact mines, quarries, feed mills, and bulk terminals, offering a no‑cost two‑week trial that delivers a 3D scan, validated volume report, and explicit ROI; convert pilots to paid annual subscriptions based on repeatable accuracy and operational value (site, YC).
• First 50: Turn early wins into references and run joint field demos with regional drone service providers, survey contractors, and equipment rental firms; sell packaged “pilot → install → subscription” offers partners can deliver, supported by case studies and referral discounts (solutions).
• First 100: Scale with two motions: (1) AEs/SDRs for multi‑site corporate rollouts and vertical aggregators; (2) a partner program certifying surveyors/drone operators for self‑service installs at smaller sites. Publish ERP/weighbridge integration guides, standardize bundles, and invest in case studies and short field videos to drive inbound (site).

What is the rough total addressable market

Top-down context:

Global surveying and mapping services are estimated around $9–14B; aerial/drone survey submarkets are in the low billions and growing, and stockpile volumetrics are a subset of this spend (Verified Market Research, Fact.MR, Grand View Research, Intel MR).

Bottom-up calculation:

Using $9.6B as a base surveying market and assuming 10–30% relates to bulk‑material volumetrics gives a global TAM of ~$0.9–2.9B/year; applying a 24% North America share yields ~$230–700M/year SAM in NA (Verified Market Research, Fact.MR regional share).

Assumptions:

• Volumetric stockpile work represents 10–30% of surveying/aerial services spend today.
• North America accounts for ~24% of global surveying/mapping services revenue.
• Frequency of measurement and pricing are similar to current surveying/aerial service norms; increased measurement cadence would expand TAM.

Who are some of their notable competitors

• Propeller Aero: Drone data platform used by quarries and earthworks to create site surveys and measure stockpile volumes; well‑adopted in aggregates.
• DroneDeploy: Reality capture and drone mapping platform with stockpile volumetrics and reporting used across construction and mining.
• Pix4D: Photogrammetry software suite for processing drone imagery into 3D models and calculating volumes.
• Stockpile Reports: Specialized stockpile measurement provider using phone, drone, and aerial imagery to track bulk inventory.
• Firmatek: Surveying services firm focused on mining and aggregates; offers drone‑based volumetrics and inventory reports.