RocketDNA Maps Its Shift to Recurring Income, Now Over Half of Revenue

In the RocketDNA xBot Recurring Revenue Update, the drone company said repeat monthly fees passed half of its revenue for the first time in the September 2026 quarter.
By Josua Ferreira -
  • Recurring xBot income passed 50% of group revenue for the first time in the September 2026 quarter, a clear shift away from one-off hardware and older drone services.
  • Quarterly revenue reached $2.46 million, up 31%, and revenue for the first nine months of the year is already 97% of last year's full total.
  • 25 xBots are on paid monthly service and 21 more are in the pipeline, with BMA running them at four Queensland sites and five more big miners on trials.
  • Operating cash flow was negative about $371,000 in the quarter, and cash of about $975,000 rose to about $3.2 million after a $2.23 million share sale.
  • Management's next priorities are turning the pipeline into paying customers, earning more per installed xBot and finishing the Deswik software link.
Summarise with AI:

In its 10 November 2026 investor webinar, RocketDNA (ASX: RKT) outlined that xBot recurring revenue exceeded 50% of group revenue for the first time in the September 2026 quarter. The presentation positioned the company’s managed autonomy model as the driver of a shift from hardware and legacy drone services toward recurring income.

Management reported 25 xBots on paid monthly service, with 21 more in the pipeline. September-quarter revenue was $2.46M, up 31% on the same quarter last year.

Recurring revenue passes half of group revenue for RocketDNA

Headline metrics highlighted in the presentation included:

  • 25 xBots earning monthly fees on customer sites, with 21 in the pipeline
  • $2.46M September-quarter revenue, up 31% on the same quarter last year
  • 1,500+ monthly active users logging into SkyLink and SiteTube

Management said BMA runs xBots across 4 Queensland sites, while 5 more Tier 1 miners have live trials. The presentation featured this comment from BMA’s Head of Geospatial:

Head of Geospatial, BMA

“10 minutes later, you’ve got the flight going, 20 minutes later you’ve got the imagery.”

How managed autonomy works

Managed autonomy means the customer schedules a mission, RocketDNA monitors it, and the data lands in the cloud for everyone on site. The presentation described four steps:

  1. SkyLink: anyone on site can schedule a flight, with no drone licence needed.
  2. Remote Operations Centre: RocketDNA pilots plan the mission and supervise every flight.
  3. xBot: a drone in a weatherproof docking station, installed once, which launches, flies the mission and lands itself.
  4. SiteTube: maps, 3D models, videos and photos are uploaded automatically for the whole team to use.

Management described a bottleneck on most sites today, where one licensed pilot plans and flies by hand and every team’s request queues behind the survey team. With an xBot, flights run on schedule or request, and survey, mine planning, geology, environment, operations and security teams can all use the data.

One installed xBot, four revenue streams

The presentation framed each layer of the stack as a product in its own right, with the layers together delivering a finished outcome.

RocketDNA Four-Layer Revenue Stack

Layer Name Revenue Model
Data and applications Finished outcomes such as automated surveys or inspections Sold as a separate service
Software SkyLink and SiteTube Licensing fee
Remote operations Remote Operations Centre A fee per mission
Hardware xBot Sold or leased

Management said the stack is why revenue per xBot grows without adding hardware. In the automated surveys example, the xBot flies the pit on schedule, and automated photogrammetry processing turns imagery into maps, terrain models and change detection, delivered into the customer’s mine-planning software. A Deswik integration is in progress.

The company pointed to its competitive moat:

  • 60,000+ missions of operating experience since 2012
  • Four global operations centres
  • 20+ enterprise customers
  • Approvals and assurance supporting remote enterprise operations

Financial results and funding

September-quarter performance

Revenue for the September quarter was $2.46M, up 31%. FY26 year-to-date revenue for the 9 months to 30 September 2026 (the company defines FY as the calendar year) was $7.5M, which the company said is 97% of full-year FY25 revenue.

Metric Jun 2026 Sep 2026 Change
Monthly recurring revenue $615K $665K +8%
xBots in pipeline 15 21 +40%
Monthly active users 1,067 1,500+ +50%
Pre-booked flight missions ~25,000 ~25,700 +3%

Cash position and placement

Net operating cash flow was ($371K) after two positive quarters (Q1 +$62K, Q2 +$60K). The quarter included investment in the xBot fleet ($837K) and software ($368K).

Cash at 30 September was $975K, and pro forma cash was $3.205M including the October placement.

The October placement raised $2.23M at 2.15c, a 2.4% premium to the last traded price. It was led by major shareholder Daniel Narayan (Sadietilly Capital), whose holding is now 19.5%. No broker was engaged and there were no material fees. Funds are directed to xBot hardware build-out, software engineering, cyber-security accreditation and working capital.

At $0.020 on 9 November 2026, market capitalisation was $26.78M and enterprise value was $24.33M. Total debt was $0.756M as at 30 September 2026. The register showed retail holders at 49.4% and HNW and family office holders at 39.9%.

What management is targeting next

Management listed the following priorities:

  1. Convert the pipeline, including trials and additional enterprise opportunities.
  2. Deepen utilisation, with more missions and recurring revenue per installed xBot across existing sites.
  3. Advance the Deswik and other integrations through testing and implementation.
  4. Expand SkyLink and SiteTube capabilities.
  5. Pursue customer expansion through renewals and additional sites within existing enterprise accounts.
  6. Assess corporate opportunities that complement the business and support top-line growth.
  7. Focus on operating cash flow and returns from fleet and software investment.

Ready To Learn More About RocketDNA’s xBot Managed Autonomy Model?

With xBot recurring revenue now above 50% of group revenue and 21 more xBots in the pipeline, RocketDNA is shifting toward a scalable, recurring income base. Tier 1 miners such as BMA are already running the platform across multiple sites.

Explore the RocketDNA (ASX: RKT) company profile on StockWire X to see the latest updates, projects and investment insights.


Frequently Asked Questions

What is managed autonomy for drones?

Managed autonomy means the customer schedules a drone mission, RocketDNA pilots monitor it remotely, and the data is uploaded to the cloud for the whole team. The xBot drone launches, flies and lands itself from a weatherproof docking station.

What is an xBot?

An xBot is a RocketDNA drone that sits in a weatherproof docking station on a customer site. It is installed once, then flies missions on schedule and lands itself.

How many xBots are earning monthly fees for RocketDNA?

RocketDNA said 25 xBots are on paid monthly service, with 21 more in the pipeline. Monthly recurring revenue was $665,000 at the end of September 2026.

How much did RocketDNA raise in its October 2026 share sale?

RocketDNA raised $2.23 million at 2.15 cents a share, a 2.4% premium to the last traded price. The raise was led by major shareholder Daniel Narayan, whose holding is now 19.5%.

What did the RocketDNA xBot recurring revenue update say about the September 2026 quarter?

Recurring revenue from xBots passed 50% of group revenue for the first time. Revenue for the quarter was $2.46 million, up 31% on the same quarter last year.

Josua Ferreira
By Josua Ferreira
Partnership Director
Josua Ferreira holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing and Advertising and brings a background in publication, business development, and ASX market storytelling. He has worked with listed companies across the resource sector and broader market, combining sharp commercial instincts with a genuine commitment to keeping investors informed.
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