# Industry: Stockpile Volumes In mining and aggregates, customers use drones because drone-based volumetric measurement has become the industry standard for bulk inventory. While early on we had to prove accuracy, today the conversation has shifted. Customers generally trust drone accuracy but struggle reconciling drone-measured volume with their internally measured mass. The core tension in sales conversations is this: **They measure mass. We measure volume.** Bridging that gap requires education around density factors, moisture content, and measurement methodology. The biggest competition is not another drone company — it is internal drone programs. After that come established players like Firmatek, scale companies like Wingfield, and contract-driven firms like Stockpile Reports. # ▶️txStockpiles: Sales Training Videos #### txStockpiles 1 - Industry Overview #### txStockpiles 2 - Customers Pt. 1 #### txStockpiles 3 - Customers Pt. 2 #### txStockpiles 4 - Prospecting #### txStockpiles 5 - Trade Orgs #### txStockpiles 6 - Competitors #### txStockpiles 7: In-Person Sales Calls # Part 1: Industry Structure # PART 1: INDUSTRY STRUCTURE (Aggregates & Mining) ### 1.1 What We Actually Do We do not “serve mining.” We perform: > **Aerial inventory measurement and volumetric reporting for outdoor bulk materials.** Mining & aggregates just happens to be the best-fit vertical. ### Core Function: - Capture aerial imagery - Generate 3D surface models - Calculate volumes - Provide cut/fill comparisons - Deliver audit-ready reporting Everything else is industry context. ## 1.2 The Mining & Aggregates Ecosystem #### A. Metals Mining (Not Our Focus) - Gold, copper, iron ore - Massive open pits - Benches, haul roads, highwalls - Rare in Texas - Highly engineered, global operators **Status:** Opportunistic, not primary. --- #### B. Coal Mining (Declining Sector) - Strip mining - Draglines - Massive earth movement - Regulatory decline **Status:** Low priority. --- #### C. Construction Materials (PRIMARY FOCUS) This is where we dominate. It includes: - Crushed Stone (Quarries) - Sand & Gravel (Dredge or excavated) - Lime/Cement - Terminals - Ready Mix (Batch Plants) - Asphalt Plants - Concrete Recyclers This entire chain touches the same materials multiple times. That’s the key insight. # PART 2: THE MATERIAL FLOW Why This Industry Works for Us # 2.1 Quarry (Stone Mining) ### Process: 1. Remove overburden 2. Drill bore holes 3. Blast rock 4. Load shot rock 5. Haul to primary crusher 6. Convey to secondary crushers 7. Separate by size 8. Stockpile finished product ### Drone Applications: - Overburden cut/fill - Bench progression - Shot rock volume - Finished stockpiles - Monthly reconciliation - Multi-surface comparisons (RTK required) # 2.2 Sand & Gravel Plants ### Process: 1. Excavate or dredge 2. Wash material 3. Screen material 4. Separate sand vs gravel 5. Stockpile products ### Key Differences vs Quarries: - Messier sites - Poor pile definition - Moisture variability - Often near rivers - Heavy wash plant infrastructure ### Drone Applications: - Wet sand volume - Multi-product tracking - Dredge progression - Wash plant feed tracking # 2.3 Cement & Lime Plants ### Process: 1. Mine limestone 2. Crush material 3. Heat in kiln (extreme temps) 4. Produce clinker/lime 5. Store in silos 6. Fuel kilns with coal ### Drone Applications: - Coal inventory - Overburden - Raw material piles - Outdoor storage - Terminal inventory Indoor stockpiles = possible but not preferred. # 2.4 Terminals ### Function: - Rail in - Stockpile - Load out to trucks - Serve metro markets ### Strategic importance: - Centrally located - High throughput - Recurring inventory need Terminals are ideal recurring customers. # 2.5 Ready Mix (Batch Plants) ### Function: - Store aggregates in bins - Mix with cement + water - Load concrete trucks - Deliver within 30-minute radius ### Why We Love Them: - Extremely dense geographically - Multiple sites per owner - Recurring replenishment - Tight inventory cycles - Easy visual identification (silos + bins) # 2.6 Asphalt Plants ### Process: - Aggregate - Oil binder - Heat drum - Mix - Load hot ### Key marker: - The “arch” structure over drum system - RAP (Recycled Asphalt Pavement) piles ### Drone Applications: - RAP volume - Aggregate inventory - Multi-yard operations # 2.7 Concrete Recyclers ### Function: - Accept demolished concrete - Crush it - Screen it - Sell flex base ### Often: - Messy yards - Mixed materials - Irregular piles

Great recurring volume clients.

# PART 3: COMPANY STRATIFICATION # Tier 1 – Super Majors ### Examples: - Martin Marietta - Heidelberg Materials - CRH - Rogers Group - AMI ### Characteristics: - Hundreds of locations - Regional divisions - Area managers - Structured corporate hierarchy ### Approach: - Start local - Expand regionally - Learn division structure - Sell upward after entry # Tier 2 – Regionals ### Examples: - Burnco - TexMix - Arcosa - Knife River ### Characteristics: - Multi-state - 5–40 locations - Strong regional identity - Decision-making semi-centralized

Ideal targets.

# Tier 3 – Local Multi-Yard Operators ### Examples: - Titan ReadyMix - Reynolds Asphalt - 3–6 site operators ### Sweet spot: - Enough scale to care - Not too bureaucratic - Recurring opportunity - Accessible leadership # Tier 4 – One-Off Operators ### Examples: - Single yard sand pit - Small ready mix startup ### Generally: - Budget sensitive - Low complexity - Limited growth potential ### Low priority unless: - Strategic geography - Clusters nearby # Part 4: Prospecting System We structure it into 4 channels. # 4.1 Visual Map Prospecting (Old School) Method: - Open Google Maps (Satellite) - Look for: - Scars on earth - Silos - Bins - Rail spurs - Conveyors - RAP piles - Label locations - Build custom My Maps layers Purpose: - Identify clusters - Build pilot-efficient routes - Evaluate density before selling

This is strategic, not random.

# 4.2 Permit-Based Prospecting (Underrated Weapon) ### Key idea: > Go where they are required to register. ### Examples: - TCEQ wastewater permits (Ready Mix) - Air quality permits - Mining permits (ODNR) - Surface mining databases - EPA regulated entities ### These lists: - Already verified - Already filtered - Often public - Often exportable ### From there: - Import into spreadsheet - Import into Google My Maps - Visualize density - Build route strategy

This is scalable prospecting.

# 4.3 Trade Organization Prospecting ### Levels: #### National: - NSSGA - NAPA - NRMCA - American Cement Association #### State: - TEXAPA - Oklahoma Aggregates - Ohio Concrete Association ### Tactics: - Member directories - Board of directors lists - Event attendance - Buyer guides - Sponsorships - Podcast appearances

These are curated lists of ideal clients.

# 4.4 GIS & Industry Databases ### Examples: - Mineralocity - State GIS Mine Locators - Aggregates Atlas ### These allow: - Geographic density analysis - Multi-site targeting - Competitive mapping - Territory optimization # PART 5: IDEAL CUSTOMER PROFILE (ICP) # PART 5: IDEAL CUSTOMER PROFILE (ICP) ### Ideal Customer: - 3+ locations - Outdoor stockpiles - Recurring throughput - Controller or CFO involved - Regional decision maker - Audit sensitivity - Volume discrepancies possible ### Avoid: - One-off yards - Hyper-budget sensitive - No accounting oversight - No recurring need # PART 6: INTERNAL REQUIREMENTS To serve this industry well, we must: - Maintain strong RTK alignment month-over-month - Prevent vertical shift errors - Use ground control properly - Deliver consistent file naming - Maintain repeatable workflows - Train pilots on plant layout recognition - Understand material flow to interpret data This is how we differentiate. # Key Sales Concepts ## 1. Volume vs. Mass (The Core Education Piece) Customers measure: - Truck scales (in/out weights) - Belt scales (production output) - Loader bucket scales - Sometimes multiple checkpoints per load These all measure **mass**. We measure: - **Volume** To convert volume to mass, they must apply a **density factor**, which is: - Material-specific - Moisture-dependent - Compaction-dependent - Variable throughout the pile Example principle: - 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet - If material is 95 lbs/cu ft → 2,565 lbs per cubic yard - ÷ 2,000 = 1.2825 tons per cubic yard (density factor) Density is never constant: - Wet sand ≠ dry sand - Top of pile ≠ bottom of pile - Bottom-feed conveyors change density continuously This is why discrepancies occur. --- ## 2. The Moisture Problem (Hidden Differentiator) At sand plants: - Belt scales measure wet material - Water drains after stacking - Drone measures post-drainage volume So when customers say: > "Your numbers don’t match ours." The real issue is often: - They measured water. - We measured material. **Sales Angle:** Volume rarely changes month-to-month. Moisture constantly changes. We can show consistent ±1% volumetric tracking over time. That’s reliability. # Strategic Sales Themes ### Educate without attacking. ### Emphasize consistency over time. ### Frame internal programs as hidden cost centers. ### Reinforce that we are specialists — not generalists. # Competitor Breakdown ## 1️⃣ Internal Drone Programs (Biggest Competitor) Most common threat: - “We do this ourselves.” Typical setup: - Propeller - DroneDeploy - Dedicated employee - Software subscriptions ($10k–$50k+) - Vehicles, labor burden, equipment Sales Positioning: - They’re not drone experts. - Inconsistency is common. - Total labor + software + overhead is significant. - We deliver consistent, repeatable results. Simple framing: > If you don’t want to change the toner in your copier, you probably don’t want to manage your own drone program. --- ## 2️⃣ Firmatek - Long-standing industry player - Historically truck-mounted LiDAR - Now using drones - Heavy in utilities now - Strong presence with Vulcan, Martin Marietta, etc. They: - Offer stockpile volumes, cut/fill, ortho, methane, etc. - Are experienced but not dominant everywhere - Still hiring frequently (possible churn or growth) Sales angle: - We offer the same services. - We can be more responsive and consistent. --- ## 3️⃣ Wingfield (Scale Companies) Primary business: - Truck scales - Belt scale calibration Secondary: - Truck-mounted LiDAR - Volumetric scanning Often regional. Sales angle: - They are scale experts, not drone experts. - Their volumetric methods rely on assumptions. --- ## 4️⃣ StockpileReports.com Approach: - Contract pilots (FlyGuys, etc.) - App-based phone scanning - Fixed camera systems - DOT contracts Issues: - Phone scanning incomplete (can’t see backs of piles) - Fixed infrastructure expensive and unreliable - Reports may look polished but have blind spots Customer feedback: - Systems unreliable - Trust issues Sales angle: - We capture full geometry. - No infrastructure required. - Higher data integrity. # 🔽Sample Stockpile Reports # Stockpile Inventory – Sample Reports ## Purpose of This Page This page provides downloadable sample reports for use in the sales process. These reports are: - Real examples of deliverables (with sensitive data removed) - Representative of what clients receive - Approved for external sharing **Use these samples to:** - Demonstrate professionalism - Set expectations - Build trust - Shorten the sales cycle --- ## 🎯 When to Send a Sample Report Send a sample report when: - A prospect asks, “What does your report look like?” - An executive wants to see format before committing - A new contact is comparing vendors - You need to reinforce credibility after a discovery call - You are positioning us as the “easy button” Do **not** send samples too early in cold outreach. Send them once there is established interest. --- ## 📊 What Our Reports Communicate When sharing a sample, you are not just sending a PDF. You are communicating: - Third-party measurement integrity - Repeatable methodology - Executive-ready formatting - Audit-ready documentation - Professional data processing standards Remember: We are not selling drone flights. We are selling **inventory confidence**. --- ## Available Sample Reports ### Standard Monthly Inventory Report **Best For:** Aggregates, sand & gravel, crushed stone operations Includes: - Site overview map - Stockpile labeling - Volume table (by pile & total) - Month-over-month comparison (if applicable) - Executive summary page
[![image.png](https://wiki.txdroneco.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-02/scaled-1680-/image.png)](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iXAGzmru4PPDD_8QOKIga-yG7fOrsPie/view?usp=drive_link "Asphalt Plant Demo Report") [![image.png](https://wiki.txdroneco.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-02/scaled-1680-/qJ8image.png)](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lpS2hp-LgwdJajFSMW-GRMYCmrecEk35/view?usp=drive_link "Ready-Mix Plant Demo Report ")
##### [**🔗 Asphalt Plant Demo Report**](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iXAGzmru4PPDD_8QOKIga-yG7fOrsPie/view?usp=drive_link "Asphalt Plant Demo Report") ##### [**🔗 Ready-Mix Plant Demo Report** ](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lpS2hp-LgwdJajFSMW-GRMYCmrecEk35/view?usp=drive_link "Ready-Mix Plant Demo Report ")
[![image.png](https://wiki.txdroneco.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-02/scaled-1680-/P60image.png)](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wezc38cXB9FT36ryqmo2RSuFCnw6EuYs/view?usp=drive_link "Sand & Gravel Plant Demo Report") [![image.png](https://wiki.txdroneco.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-02/scaled-1680-/IO8image.png)](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LsdJjbggszNRL2Slros0m4MWGOnlMkQS/view?usp=drive_link "Quarry Plant Demo Report")
##### [**🔗 Sand & Gravel Plant Demo Report**](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wezc38cXB9FT36ryqmo2RSuFCnw6EuYs/view?usp=drive_link "Sand & Gravel Plant Demo Report") ##### [**🔗 Quarry Plant Demo Report**](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LsdJjbggszNRL2Slros0m4MWGOnlMkQS/view?usp=drive_link "Quarry Plant Demo Report")