DJI alternative for surveying: upgrade to Wingtra
Get more acreage per hour, consistent results across crews and access to more survey sites with a system built for surveying and mapping.
For surveying and mapping teams who
Don’t just replace your quad, upgrade what your survey crew can deliver
- Quad replacement
Similar acreage per hour
You keep the same multirotor coverage structure on mapping jobs
- Upgrade to Wingtra
Higher acreage per hour
Up to 400 ac (160 ha) per hour or 4 miles (6 km) of corridor per hour
- Quad replacement
More battery swaps and relocations
Large sites mean more landings, swaps, and moving around the site.
- Upgrade to Wingtra
Less battery swaps and relocations
- Quad replacement
Looks like DJI, performs differently
DJI-like drones use different software, so you still juggle multiple tools and a learning curve.
- Upgrade to Wingtra
Workflow built for survey teams and repeatable accuracy
Half-day onboarding and repeatable execution across crews
- Quad replacement
Compliance achieved
You meet the compliance requirement and keep flying.
- Upgrade to Wingtra
Compliance achieved and fly over people
Includes compliance plus OOP Category 3 capability for mapping in urban areas over people and vehicle.
A 200-acre (80 ha) survey in practice
- 31+ hours
See time breakdown
Mission planning, permits, safety checks, peer review, office-to-field coordination
5 h 20 min
Ground control setup, GNSS corrections
10 h 40 min
Drone setup, data capture, field-to-office data sync
7 h
Data organization, geotagging, coordinate transformations, file transfers
1 h 16
Support cases, re-flights
7 h
31 h 16 min
(3.9 working days)
- 8+ hours
See time breakdown
Mission planning, permits, safety checks, peer review, office-to-field coordination
2 h 8 min
Ground control setup, GNSS corrections
1 h 20 min
Drone setup, data capture, field-to-office data sync
2 h
Data organization, geotagging, coordinate transformations, file transfers
38 min
Support cases, re-flights
2 h 20 min
8 h 28 min
(1 working day)
- 4 field days plus travel
- Multiple battery rotations
- Extended crew presence on site
- Completed in 1 field day plus travel
- Fewer relocations
- Reduced ground time
Scenario: One standard job, 200 acres (80 ha) at 0.1 ft (3 cm) horizontal and vertical accuracy. Actual time may vary based on the site, crew experience, weather conditions, site type, and other factors.
People think your money is wrapped up in the cost of your drones. I’m here to tell you: Your money is wrapped up in your time. If you can get an additional 15, 20, 30 jobs done a year, now you’re making money.
How the time stacks up over a year
- 78 working days
- 21 working days
- USD 98,673
- USD 25 per acre
- USD 26,767
- USD 7 per acre
Expand access to more survey sites
Many DJI alternatives restore compliance. Wingtra also expands where you can fly and reduces lost time caused by waiver and access constraints.
NDAA, Blue and Green UAS cleared
WingtraRAY is NDAA, Blue and Green UAS cleared in the US. It meets the highest cybersecurity standards and and is pre-approved for civil government and sensitive projects.
FAA Category 3 OOP certification
WingtraRAY’s parachute add-on automatically deploys in emergencies—protecting people on the ground.
It also enables FAA Category 3 OOP certification, so you can legally survey over roads and populated areas—no waivers, no delays. 5
What Cat 3 OOP certification changes for your drone program
Left: Standard drones
Areas in red are off-limits for commercial drone flights without a lengthy waiver process. These include roads, dense population zones, and sensitive infrastructure.
Right: WingtraRAY with parachute and Category 3 OOP certification
With FAA-approved safety features, WingtraRAY can legally fly in most of these red zones—no waivers needed. Only a few restricted areas remain (e.g. near airports, national parks or military zones).
Legally fly over:
Roads and infrastructure
Urban and populated areas
“In the past we’ve been so restricted on the sites that we can fly… Operations over people is a game changer for us… Now that allows us to fly urban infrastructure projects.”
Fits your jobs and your existing setup
Fits your jobs
If your work is mainly surveying and mapping, WingtraRAY is purpose-built for high-frequency mapping programs and repeatable survey deliverables.
Repeatable accuracy, across flights and teams
Wingtra reduces errors at the source and standardizes the workflow so teams deliver consistent results across flights and crews.
Integrate with your existing setup
You don’t have to rebuild your stack to use Wingtra. WingtraRAY plugs into common survey workflows by working with survey-grade GNSS, exporting standard outputs, and supporting the processing tools you already use.
Don’t just replace your quad, upgrade your drone program
FAQ
Can I still do vertical inspection with Wingtra?
Will Wingtra stay approved amid changing US regulations?
Wingtra products already have valid FCC equipment authorizations. Wingtra is deeply committed to the US market and has worked closely with US regulators for years and adapts quickly as requirements change.
With 700+ companies using Wingtra and 40+ partners across the US, supporting US customers is part of how we operate. When regulations change, Wingtra responds to help current products stay compliant and future products get certified.
What makes Wingtra a strong DJI alternative for surveying?
How to switch from DJI to Wingtra
Read the guide for survey teams switching from DJI to Wingtra and learn what changes and what stays the same.
