VTOL drone - WingtraOne GEN II
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The VTOL advantage
Cover more ground with a WingtraOne
Map from 2 to 14x more than with multicopter drones and leading fixed-wing drones
Take off and land almost anywhere
A 2 x 2 m (7×7 ft) space is all the WingtraOne VTOL drone needs to take off
Protect the payload
While standard fixed-wing drones belly land, WingtraOne touches down precisely with minimal impact
WingtraOne VTOL drone: do a lot of work in a short time
With WingtraOne you get your data much faster than with other tools, even for large areas.
- Cut mapping time
- Reduce labor costs
- Move on with other projects
*Field time includes setup and changing batteries. This data was generated using Wingtra’s coverage and labor cost calculator. The calculator estimates the field time and labor costs associated with data collection, using a model based on the technical specifications of each drone under common environmental conditions and flight parameters.
Get high-accuracy data every time
(0.3 in/px)
A VTOL drone that's easy to use
WingtraOne’s simple workflow and intuitive system allows surveyors with little to no VTOL drone flight experience to fly with confidence after minimal training.
- Intuitive software and fully-automated VTOL flights
- Top-rated customer support
- Small learning curve
- Complete bundle: start from day one
Technical specifications GEN II VTOL drone
Contact Wingtra or a local distributor. Our experts can:
- Answer any questions about the WingtraOne
- Talk about your business and operational needs
- Advise you about drone use
- Provide you with a quote
Cut survey times and reduce costs
Faster data collection and expanded coverage means fewer people in the field for less time. This lowers the man-hour costs associated with data collection.
A lot of the payload equipment is [USD] 5-6K per payload. The VTOL ensures these won’t get damaged. This gives us the peace of mind being out in the field and being able to take on any project, really."
He went from not being a drone pilot to mapping a whole island with me. That’s how easy it is with this system."
watch demo
See the WingtraOne in action
Take off, land and fly anywhere
Fixed-wing drones have changed the way professionals can map the world. However, the majority of their reliability and safety issues are related to their belly landings.
Thanks to its vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability, the WingtraOne mapping drone combines the cruising flight efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft with the convenient vertical landing of multirotors.
How does the WingtraOne drone work?
WingtraOne explained
The WingtraOne VTOL drone is a hybrid UAV made of only four moving parts: two rotors for propulsion, and two flaps for steering. This simple and sleek design is the result of more than seven years of research and development aimed at creating a more efficient and convenient way for UAV drones to take off and land while carrying heavier cameras.
Take-off
From sitting firmly on its tail, the WingtraOne soars vertically into the sky using its two rotors.
This take-off is fully automated and doesn’t require any piloting skills from the operator.
Flight
Using its two flaps, the WingtraOne tilts 90° to switch into a forward plane-like flight mode for the drone survey.
While using the same rotors as for take-off, WingtraOne flies at an airspeed of 16 m/s (57 km/h, 35 mph).
Land
How does VTOL increase drone survey success?
Beyond take-off and landing positions, VTOL technology can have a massive impact on the success and cost of drone surveys.
Take-off and land anywhere
Confined forest areas or gravel open-pit mine terrain are no longer obstacles. WingtraOne can take off and land everywhere, smoothly.
VTOL
Very little space is needed
Other fixed-wing
Large area for take-off and landing is needed
No belly landing
A standard fixed-wing drone essentially performs controlled crash landings while “falling” on its belly. This can cause serious damage to the drone itself and its cameras. Continuous shocks also cause lots of reliability issues and reduce the lifetime of the drone. By comparison, the WingtraOne lands without damaging its high-end cameras or the drone itself.
VTOL
Each landing is safe even on gravel over many landings.
Other fixed-wing
Drone deteriorates with each landing and risks breaking on rocky terrain.
Easy and safe for the operator
The WingtraOne takes off autonomously and at a safe distance from the drone operator. This means that there are no “hand throwings,” and no more risks of a painful cut on rotors, as is the case with a standard fixed-wing.
VTOL
Always safe distance
Other fixed-wing
Operator and environment in danger
Ability to adapt to moving environment
In case of a changing landing environment, like a drifting boat or recently parked cars, the landing spot can be adjusted via remote control, just like any standard multirotor drone.
VTOL
Easy like with a multicopter
Other fixed-wing
Fixed-wing piloting skills needed
Better payload protection
Standard fixed-wing drones land on their bellies, and their cameras face the ground as they take pictures. This makes them very vulnerable to abrasion, dust, dirt and snow, especially on rough terrain like that found in mining sites. Multiple landings can therefore compromise the operation of expensive cameras and the drones themselves.
Thanks to the vertical landing, WingtraOne’s cameras never come into contact with the ground, protecting these systems from environmental hazards.
VTOL
Camera is protected from environmental hazards
Other fixed-wing
Camera is vulnerable to abrasion and dirt
Heavier cameras for higher image quality
Standard fixed-wing drones carry light cameras of lower quality for two main reasons—they’re not powerful enough to take off with a heavier camera, and belly landings would be lethal for heavier drones and their cameras.
Thanks to VTOL, the WingtraOne can carry heavier and better mapping cameras such as the high-end 24 MP Sony RX1R II, enabling more precise aerial maps and better 3D reconstruction.
Stories on the WingtraOne VTOL drone
WingtraOne VTOL drone in surveying applications
VTOL drone WingtraOne use in wildlife research cuts risk, cost and time
The need for a rapid, cost effective solution for monitoring an endangered sea mammal species led the team at Murdoch University, Australia, to evaluate UAV solutions: they quickly found their match in WingtraOne.
We operate the drone from a boat. Without Wingtra’s ability to land in confined areas, we wouldn’t have been able to execute our research.
Amanda Hodgson
Murdoch University, Australia
The WingtraOne was exposed to some strong winds. If we had a standard fixed-wing it would be quite challenging out there. It was nice to have that VTOL capability and not have to worry about bringing it in. Sometimes, there wasn’t a lot of room to land.
Mike Morellato
RPAS Specialist, Geomatics, Strategic Natural Resource Consultants
Drone oil spill survey offers first-of-its-kind view for cleanup
Breaking from years of traditional oil spill survey experience, this resource consultancy firm took WingtraOne halfway around the world to improve response efforts on a high-profile incident.
Norwegian government saves time and money on road surveys with VTOL drone data [ROI study]
The Norwegian Roads Administration has an ambitious zero-fatality road safety goal, and WingtraOne is helping them achieve it with way more efficient, cost-effective and accurate road surveys.
VTOL drone mining surveys improve operations at established coal reserve [case study]
This 30 year-old coal mine is saving time and money with drone mining surveys and stockpile measurements.
Collecting multispectral imagery with VTOL drones in the most challenging conditions
In this webinar, we will talk about how VTOL drone technology helps professionals collect the high quality multispectral imagery over the most complicated terrains.
Drone data and 3D maps tackle road safety at Gotthard Mountain Pass
Learn how Swiss authorities are working with WingtraOne drone 3D maps to prevent rock falls and boost safety along a famous mountain motorway.
These are some of the largest aerial surveys by a drone, and WingtraOne made them possible [case study]
Learn how this company ran large aerial surveys covering hundreds of kilometers for massive, flawless, high-resolution maps based on WingtraOne drone data.
VTOL drone WingtraOne brings wind energy to the Alps
At a lofty altitude of 2500m above sea level, 20 wind turbines of 100m height are to be built. With the construction site in the middle of the mountains, there are no roads to access it, nor is there any pre-existing detailed data for site planning of the wind park itself.
Contact Wingtra or a local distributor. Our experts can:
- Answer any questions about the WingtraOne
- Talk about your business and operational needs
- Advise you about drone use
- Provide you with a quote
About VTOL drones
- How does a VTOL drone work?
- How to choose the best VTOL drones for surveying applications?
- Types of VTOL drones: tailsitter vs. quadplanes
- Comparison of VTOL aircraft for surveying
- The real cost of high-end commercial VTOL drone vs. cheap drones
- What are the different types of drones?
- What is a multicopter (or multirotor) drone?
- How can a rotary aircraft fly?
- What are VTOL hybrid drones?
- What does VTOL stand for?
- What is VTOL UAV?
Choosing the right drone is one of the most important decisions you will make for your aerial survey and mapping project. The decision will depend mostly on your specific application, and the image resolution, level of accuracy and coverage it requires. Costs will also play an important role. It’s important to think not only of the initial investment, but also of the maintenance and support costs of the drone during its lifetime, as well as the work hours required for training and operation.
Below you will find a detailed comparison between two popular types of vertical take-off and landing drones. You’ll also find insights about why purchasing a cheap drone for surveying might end up costing you more over the long run.
Quadplanes and tail-sitters are the two most widely-used types of VTOL drones. Both can take-off and land from confined areas, and both have the ability to carry and protect high-quality cameras. But some key differences will impact the speed, reliability and safety of their survey operations.
The WingtraOne and Quantix both feature VTOL technology, which ensures secure take-off, flight and landing. With both of these drones you eliminate risky belly landings. But that is where the similarities between these two systems end. Find out why WingtraOne is the most advanced VTOL of the two.
Ultimate comparison of image quality, usability and specs of WingtraOne and Quantix
VTOL FAQ
- Multicopter drones (or multirotors) like DJI Phantom 4 RTK
- Fixed-wing drones like Sensefly eBee
- VTOL hybrid drones, combining the advantages of both types of drones, like WingtraOne.