About Us

Nick is the co-founder and CEO of Cordel. Nick inspires and leads a diverse and geographically dispersed team. He helps pioneer cutting-edge Machine Learning, LiDAR and automated analytics technologies for the world’s infrastructure networks. With an entrepreneurial spirit and highly competent leadership style, Nick is always looking for the best in himself and his teams.

Aaron co-founded Cordel in 2012 and has extensive technology experience of both hardware and software across a range of settings, covering a wide range of remote sensor technologies, including LiDAR and photogrammetry, data fusion & data processing, machine learning, UI design and more. He has a degree in Computer Sciences and Mathematics from University of Newcastle, New South Wales.

Ashley joined Cordel in 2015 and led the development of UAVAIR from 1 to 26 employees to become the largest provider of UAV Training in the country. In this time, Ashley secured contracts with State governments and the Australian Defence Force. Ashley is a Board Member of the Australian Association of Unmanned Systems.

Robert has over 30 years experience as a senior financial manager, including 12 years as Vice President Finance for BHP Billiton and 3 years as CFO of SubZero Group Limited, both listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. He was most recently the Principal of CFO Centre Pty Ltd.

Nick joined Cordel in 2020, having been a senior executive with Airbus’ Intelligence business in North America. He joined Airbus in 2017 as a founding member of Airbus Aerial, a start-up SaaS company that leveraged AI and machine learning to derive insights from a combination of satellite, airplane, and drone imagery. Prior to Airbus, Nick spent three years at Skyward, a SaaS drone operations management software company. He was a member of the founding team and lead business development from 2014 through to acquisition by Verizon in early 2017. Prior to his career in the technology industry.

Erik has over 20 years of experience in the GIS industry and has built his career specializing in field-based data collection. Most recently, he was the Technical Director, GIS Field Services, Robotics and Automation at CSX, a Class 1 Freight Railroad. He was responsible for mapping and maintaining the asset inventory across their 21,000 miles of track. He built and deployed several LiDAR units around the network to capture and update changes.

Mike Mischke is a retired BNSF Railway Senior Systems Engineer who spent over 45 years developing advanced technology solutions to track assessment focusing on the goal of improving railway operational safety and advancing track assessment systems. Retire as a member of BNSF Technology Service (TS) Image/Video Analytics team leading the development machine vision systems to automate the detection of conditions that may affect the safe operation of trains and maintenance personnel. His career began at BNSF in 1996 with the engineering department managing the advancement of track measurement information systems. Mike is an technology innovator with experience in the field of track assessment technology, condition data analytics, geographic information systems (GIS), UAS data systems and railway networks for traffic planning. Diverse work history which includes FRA testing program with Ensco, international maintenance of way track testing development/production Plasser American Corporation then developing the utilization GPS technology in railway industry with GPS Technology Corporation.