Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], January 31: Airace, co-founded by Swayambhu Mohanty, is revolutionizing the geospatial industry by making high-precision GNSS technology both affordable and accessible. Inspired by the gaps in expensive, complex solutions, Airace focuses on simplifying geospatial data collection and analysis through intuitive products like the FX6i GNSS receiver and Airace One software suite. By integrating advanced technology, such as multi-constellation tracking and tilt compensation, with affordable pricing, Airace ensures that professionals in fields like surveying, agriculture, and engineering can rely on high-precision data without barriers. The company’s NTRIP Caster service provides free RTK corrections globally, making accurate GNSS positioning available to all. With plans to expand globally and introduce next-gen products and AI-driven tools, Airace is set to continue transforming the geospatial landscape, driving innovation, and making technology accessible to industries worldwide.
- What inspired you to co-found Airace, and how does your experience in the geospatial industry influence your approach to innovation?
My journey in the geospatial industry began with a deep fascination for how location-based data can transform the way we understand and interact with the world. Over the years, working in this field, I noticed a significant gap—many advanced geospatial solutions were either too expensive or too complex for a vast majority of users, especially in emerging markets like India. That realization sparked the idea for Airace.
At Airace, we wanted to bridge this gap by developing high-precision GNSS technology that is not only affordable but also easy to use. My experience at Aerialbees Geospatial Solutions gave me firsthand exposure to the challenges professionals face in surveying, construction, agriculture, and infrastructure planning. This background helped me shape Airace’s vision—to provide cutting-edge geospatial tools that anyone, from a field surveyor to a large enterprise, can use with ease and confidence.
Innovation, for me, comes from listening to the people who use our products. We constantly engage with surveyors, engineers, and GIS professionals to understand their pain points and refine our technology to solve real-world problems. Our focus is always on practical innovation—making geospatial technology more intuitive, accessible, and impactful.
- Geospatial technology is rapidly evolving. How is Airace staying ahead of the curve in this competitive industry?
Geospatial technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace, with developments in AI, cloud computing, and real-time data processing reshaping the industry. At Airace, we stay ahead by being agile and proactive in our approach to innovation.
One of our key strategies is integrating the latest advancements in hardware and software seamlessly. Our Airace FX6i GNSS receiver, for instance, supports multi-constellation satellite tracking, tilt compensation, and precise point positioning (PPP), ensuring accuracy even in challenging environments. But hardware alone is not enough—our Airace One software suite and Airace Geo Studio provide a user-friendly interface for data collection, processing, and analysis, making geospatial work more efficient and streamlined.
We also focus heavily on research and development. Our team constantly experiments with new algorithms and processing techniques to enhance GNSS accuracy and reliability. Additionally, our free global NTRIP Caster service allows professionals to access RTK corrections over the internet, improving real-time precision across different locations.
Beyond technology, we believe in building a strong geospatial community. By engaging with professionals through training, webinars, and industry collaborations, we stay updated on emerging needs and trends. This customer-centric approach helps us adapt quickly and ensure our solutions remain relevant and valuable.
- The Airace FX6i GNSS receiver is a flagship product of your brand. What makes it unique compared to other GNSS receivers in the market?
The Airace FX6i is designed to combine top-tier precision with affordability and ease of use, making it a game-changer in the GNSS industry. Several features set it apart:
- Millimeter-Precision Accuracy: The FX6i delivers exceptional accuracy thanks to its intelligent processing and multi-constellation support, ensuring reliable data even in urban environments or under tree canopies.
- Tilt Compensation: Unlike traditional receivers that require perfect leveling, the FX6i’s tilt compensation allows users to take accurate measurements even on sloped or uneven terrain—saving time and effort.
- Compact & Lightweight: Weighing less than a bottle of water, it’s easy to carry around, making fieldwork less physically demanding.
- Long Battery Life: With up to 20 hours of continuous operation, professionals can work through an entire day without worrying about power interruptions.
- Seamless Wireless Connectivity: The FX6i supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and LoRa, allowing effortless data transfer and long-range communication up to 12 km.
- Versatile Compatibility: Whether users work with CAD, GIS, or other geospatial software, the FX6i supports multiple data formats like CSV, DXF, and KML, ensuring smooth integration into existing workflows.
- Rugged Durability: With an IP67 rating, it’s built to withstand extreme weather conditions, dust, and water exposure, ensuring reliability in tough field environments.
What makes the FX6i truly unique is that it offers high-end features at a fraction of the cost of traditional GNSS receivers, making precision geospatial technology accessible to more professionals worldwide.
- How does the Airace One software suite and Airace Geo Studio enhance the geospatial data collection and processing experience for users?
At Airace, we understand that hardware is just one part of the equation—software plays an equally important role in streamlining workflows and improving efficiency. That’s why we developed the Airace One software suite and Airace Geo Studio to simplify data collection, processing, and analysis.
- Airace One: This mobile-friendly software allows users to set up the FX6i receiver, collect and stake out points, and export data in various formats. It supports multiple coordinate systems and is compatible with different devices, making field data collection effortless. Whether you’re surveying a construction site or mapping agricultural fields, Airace One ensures accuracy with a user-friendly interface.
- Airace Geo Studio: Our desktop software is designed for professionals who need advanced GNSS data processing. It offers Rinex conversion, static and kinematic processing, and enhanced accuracy algorithms, helping users refine their datasets for precise geospatial insights. The platform is intuitive yet powerful, catering to both beginners and experts in the field.
Additionally, we offer Airace Onehub, an online portal that facilitates live tracking, project management, and seamless data import/export, making collaboration easier for teams working on large-scale geospatial projects.
By integrating these software solutions with our hardware, we provide a complete ecosystem that enhances productivity, accuracy, and ease of use—whether in the field or at the desk.
- What role does affordability and accessibility play in Airace’s mission, and how are you achieving this balance without compromising quality?
Affordability and accessibility are at the core of Airace’s mission. When we founded the company, we saw that high-precision geospatial technology was often prohibitively expensive, putting it out of reach for many professionals, especially in developing countries. Our goal was to democratize this technology, making world-class GNSS solutions available to everyone, regardless of budget or expertise.
We achieve this balance through several strategies:
- Innovative Engineering: Instead of relying on expensive proprietary components, we optimize our hardware and software using cutting-edge yet cost-efficient technologies. This allows us to maintain high quality while keeping prices competitive.
- In-House Development: By designing our own software solutions like Airace One, Airace Geo Studio, and Airace Onehub, we reduce dependency on third-party licensing fees, which helps keep our products affordable.
- Scalability: Our NTRIP Caster service provides free RTK corrections globally, removing the need for costly base stations, making precision GNSS more accessible to individual users and small businesses.
- Customer-Centric Approach: We offer flexible purchasing models, training resources, and dedicated support, ensuring that even first-time users can maximize the potential of our technology.
Ultimately, our philosophy is simple: Geospatial technology should empower, not exclude. By focusing on affordability, ease of use, and continuous innovation, we’re making high-precision GNSS accessible to industries like construction, agriculture, and surveying—enabling professionals to work smarter, faster, and more accurately.
- With industries like agriculture, surveying, and engineering heavily relying on geospatial data, what are the biggest challenges these sectors face, and how does Airace address them?
Each of these industries relies on accurate geospatial data, but they also face unique challenges that impact efficiency, cost, and decision-making.
- Surveying: One of the biggest challenges for surveyors is achieving high precision in difficult environments, such as urban settings with signal obstructions or remote areas with limited network connectivity. Traditional surveying equipment can also be expensive and complex to operate.
- How Airace helps: The FX6i GNSS receiver provides millimeter-accurate data with multi-constellation support, ensuring strong satellite reception even in challenging locations. It’s also affordable and easy to use, making it accessible to both large surveying firms and independent professionals.
- Agriculture: Farmers increasingly rely on geospatial data for precision farming, yield mapping, and resource optimization, but affordability and ease of use remain major concerns, especially in developing regions.
- How Airace helps: Our free NTRIP Caster service delivers RTK corrections globally, allowing farmers to use precision positioning without investing in expensive base stations. The FX6i’s PPP (Precise Point Positioning) capability also ensures accurate field mapping, even in the absence of an RTK network.
- Engineering & Infrastructure: Large-scale construction and infrastructure projects demand real-time, highly accurate geospatial data for planning, execution, and monitoring. However, integrating GNSS data into existing CAD/GIS workflows can be cumbersome.
- How Airace helps: Our Airace One software suite simplifies field-to-office workflows by allowing seamless data collection, processing, and export in multiple formats like CSV, DXF, and KML. Additionally, our Airace Onehub portal enables real-time project monitoring, making it easier to manage geospatial data across teams.
Across all these industries, we focus on affordability, ease of use, and high precision, ensuring that professionals can rely on our technology without barriers to entry.
- What’s next for Airace? Are there plans for new product launches, partnerships, or global expansion?
2025 is going to be an exciting year for Airace! We have several major initiatives in the pipeline:
- New Product Launches: We’re developing next-generation GNSS receivers with even better tilt compensation, faster signal acquisition, and enhanced AI-powered processing for improved accuracy in challenging environments.
- Expanded Software Capabilities: We’re working on AI-driven geospatial data analysis tools that will further enhance Airace One and Airace Geo Studio, offering users deeper insights with minimal manual effort.
- Stronger Industry Partnerships: We are in discussions with leading surveying and engineering firms to integrate Airace technology into their workflows, expanding our reach across industries.
- Global Expansion: While Airace has gained strong traction in India, we are actively expanding into Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, where demand for cost-effective, high-precision geospatial technology is rapidly growing.
- Educational Initiatives: We believe in empowering the next generation of geospatial professionals. We’re partnering with universities and training institutes to provide hands-on experience with GNSS technology.
Our vision remains clear: to make geospatial technology accessible, powerful, and transformative for industries worldwide. With continued innovation and strategic partnerships, Airace is poised to redefine how professionals interact with geospatial data.