How Nearmap Scaled AI Data Labeling for Aerial Imagery

Introduction

Nearmap, a leading provider of high-resolution aerial imagery, needed a trusted partner to scale its AI and product initiatives. As demand for accurate, high-volume image and 3D data annotation grew, Nearmap turned to Appen. Through a long-term collaboration, Appen delivered the flexibility, quality, and scale that helped Nearmap accelerate its AI capabilities and bring innovative products to market faster.

About Nearmap

Nearmap is a pioneer in the aerial imagery industry, providing consistently updated, high-resolution content that empowers industries like insurance, construction and government. As Nearmap’s technology solutions evolved to become increasingly AI-driven, the need for precise, large-scale data annotation became critical to maintaining its leadership position. Nearmap sought a partner who could match its pace of innovation with operational excellence and deliver annotation expertise at scale through dedicated, on-site teams.

Challenge

To meet its ambitious AI goals, Nearmap needed:

• A scalable and agile workforce to manage complex image and 3D annotation tasks
• Consistent, high-quality data to fuel AI model development
• The ability to quickly ramp production up or down in response to business needs
• A partner capable of supporting pilots, proof-of-concepts (PoCs), and full production deployments seamlessly
• High-throughput annotation capacity delivered by a dedicated, closely supervised team

Maintaining quality at scale, adapting to evolving project scopes, and ensuring operational resilience were essential to success.

Solution

Appen delivered a phased, strategic approach designed to grow with Nearmap’s evolving requirements:

• Pilot to Production Success: The relationship began in late 2019 with a small pilot team of analysts annotating and validating structures in 3D. As a newly introduced product, Appen’s ability to provide a team that rapidly understood Nearmap’s challenges and the importance of the product set the foundation for long-term scaling.
• Dedicated Cavite Delivery Centre: A highly trained, on-site team in Cavite drives consistent, high-quality outcomes through close collaboration and supervision. As Nearmap launched new initiatives and piloted new tooling and workflows, Appen responded quickly, moving new projects efficiently from proof-of-concept to production.
• Scalable, Specialized Workforce: Appen steadily expanded the team to meet increasing volumes, growing from 5 to over 180 analysts from 2019–2025. Specialist and reviewer roles were introduced early to maintain accuracy and consistency as output scaled.
• Flexible Capacity & Agile Innovation Support: With a 180,000-hour minimum annual commitment, Appen consistently exceeded production targets, flexibly adding overtime staffing during peak periods to meet growing demand without sacrificing quality.
• Operational Excellence & Partnership: Throughout the engagement, Appen maintained close collaboration with internal Nearmap teams, aligning on quality metrics, adapting to changing requirements, and continuously optimising project delivery.

By combining deep project expertise with operational agility, Appen ensured that Nearmap’s AI strategies were supported every step of the way.

Results

Over the course of the partnership, Appen and Nearmap achieved remarkable success:

• Strategic Growth: What began as a small pilot became a multi-year partnership delivering hundreds of thousands of annotation hours annually through a dedicated Cavite team — all while maintaining consistently high quality and throughput.
• Accelerated Innovation: With Appen’s flexible, expert annotation services, Nearmap rapidly piloted, validated, and scaled new AI labelling projects, accelerating time-to-market for AI-powered products and services.
• Operational Resilience: The dedicated on-site team model ensured uninterrupted delivery even as project complexity and volumes grew, supporting Nearmap’s ability to meet customer demand and business objectives.
• Trusted Partnership: Nearmap’s ongoing investment — expanding existing workstreams and launching new initiatives — reflects the strong trust and value built through the partnership with Appen’s expert Cavite team and dedicated facilities.

Together, Nearmap and Appen demonstrate how scaling AI annotation at volume doesn’t require sacrificing quality, expertise, or agility.

Conclusion

The partnership between Nearmap and Appen showcases how operational excellence and strategic alignment can drive AI innovation at scale. By combining Appen’s flexible, high-quality annotation solutions with Nearmap’s visionary approach to aerial imagery, the two companies created a powerful foundation for growth and leadership in a competitive market.

As Nearmap continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible with AI and imagery, Appen remains a trusted partner, ready to support its next wave of innovation.