TL;DR: Earthworks tracking software answers two questions: how much material has moved since the last survey, and how far the site is from the design. Drone platforms answer the first well from repeat surveys. Takeoff and survey tools answer the second against a design surface. Most earthworks teams need a tool for each question, or one that does both.
Key takeaways
- Earthworks sit inside a large market. According to the US Census Bureau, highway construction alone was worth $141.9 billion in 2025, and most road jobs start with earthworks.
- Drone volumes match ground surveys closely. According to a 2016 ISPRS study at a quarry, drone and GPS volumes for the same stockpile differed by 1.1%.
- Survey to survey and survey to design are different calculations. One needs two surveys on the same ground control, and the other needs a clean design surface.
- Accuracy depends on ground control. According to the help center of Birdi (birdi.io), drone maps reach 2 to 4 cm vertical accuracy with RTK and good ground control.
- Weekly surveys catch drift early. A cut that runs a few centimeters low across a large pad is a big volume by the next claim.
What does earthworks tracking software measure?
Earthworks tracking software measures two things. The first is change between surveys: cut, fill and net volume since the last survey, which is progress. The second is the difference between the current surface and the design surface: what is left to cut or fill, which is remaining work. Tools differ sharply on which of the two they do well.
A drone survey gives a dense surface of the whole site. Comparing it with the previous survey shows what moved. Comparing it with the design shows what is left. The first comparison needs both surveys tied to the same ground control. The second needs a design surface in a format the software can read, usually from the engineer's CAD files.
Why earthworks quantities matter
Earthworks are usually paid by quantity. So the volume moved is the basis of the progress claim, and the volume remaining is the basis of the forecast. A wrong number either way costs money: an overclaim gets disputed, and an underclaim leaves cash on the table. For how surveys support that, see our guide to comparing two drone surveys.
How did we choose and compare the tools?
We chose tools that earthworks contractors and mine site teams use to track quantities from survey data, and compared them on volume since last survey, cut and fill to design, data types in one view, access for people outside the paid team, processing, and pricing. Birdi is listed first, and the order is not a ranking.
Every product fact was checked on the vendor's own website or help center on October 7, 2026. Where a tool does not do one of the two jobs, its entry says so plainly, including Birdi's.
Two kinds of tool
The list mixes two kinds of tool on purpose. Drone platforms (Birdi, Propeller, DroneDeploy) process and share surveys. Takeoff and survey software (AGTEK, InSite, Trimble Business Center) builds design surfaces and calculates quantities against them. Many contractors use one of each.
The best earthworks tracking software in 2026
The earthworks tracking tools compared here are Birdi, Propeller, DroneDeploy, AGTEK, InSite Elevation Pro and Trimble Business Center. Three are drone platforms and three are takeoff or survey software. Each entry carries the same fields, so you can see which question each tool answers, checked on October 7, 2026.
1. Birdi
Best for: Contractors and mine sites that want volume change between surveys, shared with project managers, finance and owners in one map.
Typical customer size / segment: Mid-sized construction, civil and mining teams of roughly 30 to 500 staff.
Key strengths:
- The Base DEM method sets an earlier survey's elevation model as the base, to read cut, fill and net volume since that survey.
- Difference grids color the elevation change across the whole site between two surveys, on Growth and Ultimate.
- Sites carry ground control and earlier elevation models into each new map of the same location.
Volume against a design surface: Not supported. Export the DTM as a GeoTIFF to your design or takeoff software for that.
Access for people outside the paid team: Guests view and download without using a paid seat.
Data types in one view: Orthomosaics, elevation models, point clouds, 360 photos, PDFs and DXF overlays in 2D.
Processing: Cloud.
Watch-outs: Not for a surveyor who wants hands-on control of photogrammetry processing. It also does not suit a sole operator shopping on price alone.
Pricing: Growth is $287 USD a month, billed annually. Ultimate is priced by quote (checked October 7, 2026).
2. Propeller
Best for: Earthworks and civil contractors who want progress, design conformance and machine data on one platform.
Typical customer size / segment: Earthworks, civil and mining contractors whose survey team runs the workflow.
Key strengths:
- Cut and fill from the previous survey and against the design, with bench volumes and area progress.
- DirtMate machine tracking fills the gaps between surveys.
- Propeller CAD builds earthworks designs on the survey terrain.
Volume against a design surface: Yes.
Access for people outside the paid team: New users get view-only permission by default. The annual platform fee covers 40 standard users.
Data types in one view: Surveys, design files, point clouds, 360 photos and machine data.
Processing: Cloud, with AeroPoints ground control and PPK hardware.
Watch-outs: Pricing is by quote. It centers on the survey team, so check how owners and other staff will use it.
Pricing: Contact for pricing.
3. DroneDeploy
Best for: Contractors who want earthworks tools inside a wider drone, 360 and inspection platform.
Typical customer size / segment: Individual pilots through to large contractors on quoted team plans.
Key strengths:
- Aerial Pro analyzes earthworks cut and fill by region, exports quantities and tracks progress to design.
- Automated ground control tagging and accuracy alerts.
- Syncs with Esri, Autodesk and Procore.
Volume against a design surface: Yes, on Aerial Pro and the Advanced Flight & Analysis plan.
Access for people outside the paid team: View-only links to a single map date on paid accounts.
Data types in one view: Orthomosaics, 3D models, panoramas, video and 360 walks.
Processing: Cloud.
Watch-outs: Team plans are by quote, and the design comparison sits on its higher plans. Cost appears in 2 of 9 Capterra reviews.
Pricing: Flight & Analysis is $4,188 USD billed annually for one pilot. Aerial Pro is by quote (checked October 7, 2026).
4. AGTEK
Best for: Earthworks estimators and project teams who need takeoff, machine control models and production tracking in one family of tools.
Typical customer size / segment: Civil construction contractors of all sizes, according to AGTEK.
Key strengths:
- Gradework, its flagship, for earthwork takeoff, estimating and 3D modeling.
- Imports PDFs, CAD files and drone imagery to calculate earthwork volumes and material quantities.
- Machine and drone tracking for hauls completed, volume removed and cycle times.
Volume against a design surface: Yes, as its core use.
Access for people outside the paid team: Reports and mobile apps for team members and stakeholders.
Data types in one view: Designs, takeoffs, drone surveys and machine data.
Processing: Desktop, with drone data processing options.
Watch-outs: It is estimating and takeoff software first, so expect training for staff outside estimating.
Pricing: Contact for pricing.
5. InSite Elevation Pro
Best for: Estimators who take off earthwork and utility quantities from PDFs, CAD and drone data, and build machine control models.
Typical customer size / segment: Earthwork, site and utility contractors.
Key strengths:
- Earthwork and utility takeoff from PDF, CAD and drone data.
- A cut and fill contour map and grid for quantity validation.
- Exports GPS surfaces to Topcon, Trimble, CAT, Leica and Komatsu machine control.
Volume against a design surface: Yes.
Access for people outside the paid team: Not published.
Data types in one view: Plans, CAD, drone surfaces and machine control models.
Processing: Desktop.
Watch-outs: It is a takeoff tool rather than a shared site record, so drone imagery and progress photos live elsewhere.
Pricing: Contact for pricing.
6. Trimble Business Center
Best for: Surveyors who process GNSS, total station, scanner and drone data and deliver surfaces and quantities for planning and payment.
Typical customer size / segment: Survey and civil engineering firms and contractors with survey teams.
Key strengths:
- Brings GNSS, total station, scan, UAV and machine control data into one project.
- Surfaces, takeoff and quantities for planning and payment.
- TBC Aerial Photogrammetry processes third-party UAV data.
Volume against a design surface: Yes.
Access for people outside the paid team: Point clouds can be published to the Trimble Connect web viewer.
Data types in one view: Survey, scan, UAV, mobile mapping and machine control data.
Processing: Desktop.
Watch-outs: It is professional survey software, so it suits a surveyor, not a project manager or owner.
Pricing: Contact for pricing.
Survey to survey or survey to design: which do you need?
You need survey-to-survey volumes to measure progress and support each claim. You need survey-to-design volumes to know what is left and to check the surface against the specification. Most earthworks jobs need both, so the practical question is whether one tool does both well, or whether a drone platform and a takeoff tool share the work.
How the two calculations differ
A survey-to-survey volume subtracts last month's surface from this month's. Its error comes mostly from the two surveys disagreeing, so it needs the same ground control each time. A survey-to-design volume subtracts the current surface from the design. Its error comes from the survey and from how cleanly the design surface was built. Our guide to repeat drone surveys covers keeping surveys consistent.
How accurate are drone earthworks quantities?
Drone earthworks quantities are typically accurate to within a few percent with good ground control. In the 2016 quarry study, drone and GPS volumes for the same stockpile differed by 1.1%. Accuracy falls quickly without ground control, and repeat surveys vary more than single ones, which matters most for survey-to-survey volumes.
Birdi publishes its own figures by capture method. With RTK and three to five well-distributed ground control points, vertical accuracy is 2 to 4 cm, and two surveys vary 2 to 5 cm. With RTK alone, repeat surveys vary 5 to 15 cm. On a large pad, a few centimeters is a large volume, so ground control is worth its cost. See our guide to ground control for volumes.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate earthworks volumes from a drone survey?
Process the drone images into an elevation model, then compare it with another surface. Against the previous survey, the difference is the material moved. Against the design surface, it is the material left to move. Use the same ground control on every survey, and check the base surface before reporting any volume.
What is cut and fill?
Cut is material removed where the ground is higher than required, and fill is material placed where it is lower. On a project, cut and fill are measured against the design surface, or between two surveys to track progress. The balance between them decides how much material is hauled in or out.
How often should earthworks be surveyed?
Many earthworks sites are surveyed weekly or fortnightly, often to match progress meetings and payment claims. Fast bulk earthworks may need more frequent surveys. Whatever the cadence, fly the same plan with the same ground control each time, so the volumes between surveys measure real change rather than survey noise.
Can drones replace a surveyor for earthworks?
No. Drones capture the whole surface quickly and safely, but a surveyor still sets out the works, establishes ground control and checks final levels against the specification. Many contractors use drones for progress and quantities, and surveyors for set-out and the checks a contract requires.
What accuracy do earthworks volumes need?
It depends on the contract and the use. Progress quantities are judged across the whole site, while final levels on a pad or road are checked at specific points to the specification. Drone surveys with good ground control reach a few centimeters vertically, which suits progress and quantities. Final level checks still use ground survey.
About the author
This guide was written by the Birdi team. Birdi (birdi.io) is a geospatial AI workspace that construction, civil and mining teams use to share drone surveys, volumes and site data in one map. We checked every product fact against each vendor's own website or help center on October 7, 2026.
Related reading
- Stockpile volume software: platforms for measuring volumes at mine sites.
- Comparing two drone surveys: measuring what changed between surveys, step by step.
- Birdi vs Propeller: two survey platforms compared.
- Digital elevation models explained: what a DEM is and how it is used.
Sources
Statistics and research
- U.S. Census Bureau. "Monthly Construction Spending, December 2025." https://www.census.gov/construction/c30/pdf/pr202512.pdf
- Raeva, P.L., Filipova, S.L. and Filipov, D.G. "Volume Computation of a Stockpile: A Study Case Comparing GPS and UAV Measurements in an Open Pit Quarry." ISPRS Archives XLI-B1, 2016. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprsarchives-XLI-B1-999-2016
- Wang, X., Al-Shabbani, Z., Sturgill, R., Kirk, A. and Dadi, G.B. "Estimating Earthwork Volumes Through Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems." Transportation Research Record 2630, 2017. https://doi.org/10.3141/2630-01
Vendor documentation (read October 7, 2026)
- Birdi Help Center. "How accurate are my maps?" https://help.birdi.io/en/articles/13837409
- Birdi Help Center. "How to compare stockpile volumes between two surveys in Birdi." https://help.birdi.io/en/articles/16591511
- Birdi Help Center. "How to create a difference grid in Birdi." https://help.birdi.io/en/articles/16726906
- Birdi Help Center. "What outputs are available for export from processing?" https://help.birdi.io/en/articles/14492980
- Birdi. "Pricing." https://www.birdi.io/pricing
- Propeller. "Construction." https://www.propelleraero.com/construction/
- DroneDeploy. "Pricing." https://www.dronedeploy.com/pricing
- AGTEK. "Products." https://www.agtek.com/products/
- InSite Software. "InSite Elevation Pro." https://www.insitesoftware.com/
- Trimble. "Trimble Business Center." https://geospatial.trimble.com/en/products/software/trimble-business-center
