The two companies formalize their partnership to scale iHawk drone analytics, autonomous data capture and AI-assisted site analysis on live EPC projects.
Bechtel Corporation and Cyberhawk have expanded their collaboration on drone-based construction monitoring. The two companies formalized joint work on capturing, processing and using construction data. The effort spans complex engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) projects. The expanded scope covers the toolchain that turns raw aerial captures into project decisions. The focus is near real-time site intelligence, a requirement for scaling AI, robotics and autonomous systems in construction environments.
The two companies have worked together since 2018. That year, Bechtel, Cyberhawk and Shell launched one of the first large-scale deployments of weekly drone-based construction monitoring. The teams paired aerial data with the Cyberhawk iHawk platform to run data-driven project execution.
“Advanced construction capabilities depend on having a clear and current view of the jobsite,” said John Platt of Bechtel. “By strengthening how we capture and use site data, we are improving execution today while enabling the next generation of automation.”
“Our iHawk platform uses AI to convert drone data into actionable project intelligence, automating analysis, surfacing risk, and driving faster, smarter decisions at scale,” said Matt Zafuto of Cyberhawk.
Live project deployments and iHawk collaboration
Both companies are deploying and testing new approaches on live projects. Priorities include autonomous data capture, automated processing pipelines and AI-assisted site analysis. The teams follow a field deployment, rapid iteration and scaling cycle for proven solutions. The model puts new tools into field use, iterates on results and scales what works to additional job sites.
EPC Expo 2026 session
Platt and Zafuto co-presented the latest work at the Energy Projects Conference and Expo 2026 in Houston. The event ran June 16-17, 2026. Their session was titled “Enabling AI and Automation in Construction: Building a Real-Time Understanding of the Jobsite.” It outlined practical approaches now in the field. It also covered the foundation required to enable AI, robotics and autonomous operations “inside the fence.”
More information is available at Cyberhawk.
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Ian McNabb is a journalist focusing on drone technology and lifestyle content at Dronelife. He is based between Boston and NH and, when not writing, enjoys hiking and Boston area sports.
