Spexi Geospatial said on March 17 it will pay drone pilots on its LayerDrone network in USD Coin on the Base blockchain, signalling a new economic model for capturing high-resolution Earth imagery.
The move links verified data collection directly to onchain payments, reflecting a broader shift in how physical world data is gathered, validated and monetised for artificial intelligence systems.
“Using USDC on Base to pay drone pilots is a great example of how onchain payments make real-world work easier,”
Said Base head, Wilson Cusack.
Spexi and LayerDrone are building a decentralised drone imagery network designed to produce standardised, high-quality datasets that address persistent limitations in satellite imagery such as low resolution and inconsistent updates.
The platform coordinates independent drone pilots who follow standardised capture methods, with imagery verified and compensated automatically via smart contracts once approved, creating what resembles a ride-sharing model for aerial mapping, and following the announcement the Spexi share price was unchanged at $0.00.
The company says its drone imagery can be up to 900 times clearer than traditional satellite data, enabling applications across insurance risk modelling, urban planning, and AI-driven digital twin environments that require precise spatial inputs.
Spexi has been integrating blockchain infrastructure since 2022 and spun out LayerDrone in 2025 to create verifiable geospatial records, with pilot programmes already active across cities including Austin and San Francisco as it works towards a near real-time global map.