LayerDrone in 2025

In 2025, LayerDrone launched as Earth’s first autonomous aerial data network. It is now the largest standardized drone imagery network in the world, with over 5.5M acres mapped, 180k missions flown, and over 10k community contributors. Here’s everything you need to know about what the network accomplished this year. 

The LayerDrone Foundation was created in April 2025

Since 2022, Spexi has been harnessing blockchain technology to make the network more efficient and scalable. Now, as of April 2025, LayerDrone has been spun out from Spexi Geospatial Inc. to enable anyone to contribute, access, and build on its imagery datasets, with Spexi acting as LayerDrone’s founding core contributor. 

LayerDrone’s 2025 in review

The LayerDrone Network was established with ambitious goals for its founding year: 4-million acres of high-resolution imagery via 150,000 successful missions, 10,000 community members, and 4000 registered drone pilots. As of December, 2025:

• LayerDrone has over 5.5M acres imaged (goal: 4M)
• LayerDrone contributors have completed over 180k missions (goal: 150k)
• LayerDrone has over 11k community members (goal: 10k)
• LayerDrone has approximately 8k registered pilots (goal: 4k) 

In addition, the Open Capture campaign, the largest expansion in network history, launched 200k+ missions in 40+ municipalities on the LayerDrone network. 

Did LayerDrone meet its 2025 goals?

LayerDrone’s goals in 2025 were built on four strategic pillars: pilots; builders; sustainable economics; and worldwide accessibility. Below is every goal that LayerDrone set and met in 2025.

• Launch RP-only missions to help new pilots test the network 
• Implement community governance for network decisions, like determining city launch order on the network
• Launch XP to track non-pilot contributions to the network 
• Release comprehensive network documentation 
• Expand or update network coverage following natural disasters to support recovery efforts
• Achieve 97%+ carbon emission reduction vs. satellite/aircraft alternatives
• Add 50 new municipalities to the network
• Image over 3M acres in 2025
• Launch bounty systems for community-requested imagery (i.e. “request a Spexigon”, or “requestagons”)

LayerDrone in 2026

LayerDrone’s first year was spent establishing the network’s foundation, decentralizing the contributor community, and expanding the network. Ongoing goals for LayerDrone include:

• Conducting a successful Mainnet launch
• Expanding token rewards and mechanisms for premium missions
• Establishing the "Spexigon" spatial framework as an industry standard
• Establishing partnerships with Value-Added Providers beyond Spexi
• Releasing comprehensive API and developer tools
• Expanding coverage to new countries

These goals will continue in 2026, particularly when the protocol’s planned token launches. A specific token launch date and next steps for contributors will be shared by LayerDrone on this blog and other official channels soon. 

LayerDrone is the world’s first autonomous aerial data network. Heading into 2026, LayerDrone is also Earth’s largest standardized drone imagery network. And anyone can be a part of it.