Case study

United States
Disaster damage assessment

Aerial surveys bring clarity to disaster zones—here’s how

As the number and intensity of natural disasters increase, the need for high-resolution aerial surveys that offer near-real-time insights to response, assessment, and recovery efforts has too. Here’s why the Wingtra platform is an ideal solution for turning this vital survey data around, fast.

March 5, 2025

By Emily Loosli

Limitations of traditional disaster response imagery

Low-resolution data from manned aircraft

Traditional aerial imagery from manned aircraft often lacks the spatial accuracy and detail needed for precise damage assessment.

Slow turnaround times delay assessments and decision-making

Processing and delivering data from traditional systems can take days, significantly slowing down disaster response efforts.

Large and remote areas are difficult to survey with most drones

Many UAVs can’t cover large or inaccessible disaster zones. They just don’t have the endurance or the functionality in challenging terrain. This forces authorities to use less effective manned aircraft.

Tornado damage assessment

On April 10, 2024, an EF2 tornado tore through Slidell, LA, causing significant damage to homes, businesses, and infrastructure.

In response, the St. Tammany Parish Tax Assessor contacted Es², a Wingtra customer, to provide high-resolution aerial imagery for damage assessment.

Location

Slidell, LA

Event

EF2 tornado with 120 MPH winds

Affected area

11.3 mile long / 4,500 acres

Rapid disaster assessment made possible

U Challenge

Large and unpredictable disaster zones

The initial damage area was estimated at 1,750 acres but expanded to 4,500 acres. Traditional methods struggle to adapt to such size and rapid changes in scope.

m Solution

Wide-area coverage in record time

Wingtra enabled Es² to capture 12,000 images over 20 flights, mapping the entire 4,500-acre area in just two days—far faster than conventional methods.

U Challenge

Blocked roads and hazardous conditions

Fallen trees, power lines, and debris made it impossible for ground teams to access many affected areas, delaying damage assessment.

m Solution

Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability

WingtraOne’s VTOL feature ensure aerial data collection even in hard-to-reach locations.

U Challenge

Disaster zones require immediate action

Authorities need high-resolution imagery collected and processed quickly to support emergency assessments and recovery planning.

m Solution

Rapid deployment with emergency coordination

Es² mobilized the WingtraOne GEN II with RGB61 within a day of the tornado, coordinating with local responders to prevent conflicts with emergency aircraft.

Andrew Milanes

President, ES2

As the number and intensity of natural disasters are increasing, the need for high-resolution aerial photography to aid in response, assessment, and recovery efforts has too. The Wingtra platform provides the ideal solution for near real-time data to support disaster response efforts.

Data processing

Images captured

11,898

Average ground sampling distance (GSD)

 0.064 
 ft/px 

Total processing time

 34 
 hours 

Captured data was processed using Pix4Dmatic to create high-resolution orthomosaics and GIS-ready datasets.

The deliverables: actionable aerial insights

High-res aerial imagery

High-resolution imagery provide emergency responders with clear, detailed visuals of the damage.

Orthomosaic

High-resolution orthomosaics enable precise measurements and calculations.

GIS integration

Geotiff orthomosaics were converted into an Esri tile package and published on ArcGIS Online for use with other data layers.

Who is Es²?

Established in 1996, Es² is a leading engineering and surveying firm based in Louisiana.

Specializing in geospatial services, the company offers a full suite of geospatial services, including traditional
surveying, GIS, remote sensing, and UAS.

www.es2-inc.com