Survey-grade accuracy. No GCPs. No site shutdowns.
A GCP-free workflow you can trust to deliver survey-grade accuracy
Traditional photogrammetry relies on ground control points (GCPs) to correct errors from camera geometry, image timing, and positioning uncertainty.
With SURVEY61, you rely on precise image geotagging and a few independent checkpoints to verify accuracy and deliver survey-grade results.
61MP sensor
Mechanical shutter
Low-distortion optics
Precise PPK positioning
SURVEY61 accuracy white paper
Review the accuracy and repeatability testing behind SURVEY61. This white paper covers 102 flights across 5 test sites and shows consistent sub-3 cm (0.1 ft) results using checkpoints only.
SURVEY61 vs terrestrial scanner
On a 20 ha (40 ac) stockpile survey, SURVEY61 delivered nearly the same result as a Trimble SX10. The total volume difference was just 0.24 m3, and the average surface difference was 2.6 cm.
Skip the GCPs to survey 6x faster* and save 60% on labor cost
By removing the most time-consuming part of the field work, you no longer need to spend hours placing and measuring dozens of targets across the site, which means:
- 6x faster field work*
- Save 60% on labor costs
- Keep your teams safe from hazard on active sites
Capture active sites and highways without waiver or site shutdowns
With the parachute add-on, WingtraRAY unlocks operations over people, including active construction sites and roads, without stopping work on the ground.
Survey where the work happens without shutting down sites, waiting for waivers or putting ongoing operations at risk.
Survey over roads and populated areas legally and safely—no waiver, no waiting 5
(Enabled by the parachute add-on)
Legally fly over:
Roads and infrastructure
Urban and populated areas
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 map and survey in most of these red zones—no waivers needed. Only a few restricted areas remain (e.g. near airports, national parks or military zones).
Survey over roads and populated areas—with simplified compliance 6
(Enabled by the parachute add-on)
Urban jobs just got easier 7
WingtraRAY’s parachute unlocks the ability to get permits for flights over roads, buildings, or populated areas—even in countries where it wasn’t possible before.
No permit needed for open land 8
Fly BVLOS with a simple declaration 9
For high-frequency, repeatable survey-grade data
Get survey data in time for key earthworks decisions
Wingtra and SURVEY61 helps you get frequent survey data to support every bid, progress check and payment review
Data sets
- High-accuracy stockpile volumetrics
- Short-interval change detection
- Mid-size mine or pit mapping
Frequent surveys for accurate, updated stockpile measurements
- Get survey-grade accuracy across your entire site, often
- Trust accurate and reliable stockpile volumes for inventory, billing, and compliance
- Survey 400 acres, or 4 linear miles per field hour, and schedule more frequent surveys
- Get the most current site view with next-day deliverables thanks to fast processing
- Fly over active sites and equipment with OOP-approval—no shutdowns, no exposing crew to site hazards.
An fast workflow to capture and analyze earthworks by the next day
- Set up the site, coordinate system and flight area before crews go to the field
- Share the plan for review, reduce setup mistakes and keep survey standards consistent
Capture
- Fly WingtraRAY to collect dense aerial data across the site
- Capture checkpoints with WingtraGROUND or your team’s existing GNSS workflow to support validation
Process
- Correct image geotags with PPK to support 3 cm (0.1 ft) accuracy
- Process in Wingtra software or export geotagged images into your team’s existing tools
Use the data
- Use the results for topo, progress checks, cut and fill analysis, stockpile measurement, volume verification or payment review in your downstream workflow
What survey teams say in the field
WingtraRAY with the SURVEY61 matches all my earthworks requirements: Accurate data repeatedly, SORA compliance, excellent support, and an efficient and easy to use workflow for my team.
SURVEY61 tech specs
at 120 m (400 ft) flight altitude
at 1.3 cm/px (0.51/px) GSD
Including set up time, with 3 check points, preflight checks, flight with 1 mile VLOS. SURVEY61 @ 0.5 in/px (400 ft), 70% side, 70% front, 22 m/s flight speed
with PPK
at 46 m AGL (150 ft)
Other sensors
FAQ
Why are GCPs (Ground Control Points) used in drone surveying workflows?
When do I need GCPs and when do I use a GCP-free workflow?
Context
- Ground Targets can be used either as Ground Control Points (GCPs) where they are used in photogrammetry to actually tie in the map to your Ground Target locations. Or they can be used as Check Points (CPs) just for accuracy validation.
- An accurate drone solution like WingtraRAY + SURVEY61 allows you to get repeatedly to 0.1 ft or 3 cm vertical accuracy without the use of GCPs. This means that you can work with just CPs or without Ground Targets at all.
What does that mean for my project?
- For all projects where accuracy matters, working with CPs for accuracy verification is recommended. We recommend placing 3+ CPs for accuracy verification.
- For projects, where a license surveyors stamp is required, or for high-stake projects, where you need additional redundancy and a fallback in case something would be off, a higher number of well-placed Ground Targets is recommended. You can use them as GCPs or CPs if they are well placed. Using highly accurate Ground Targets as GCPs can even improve your map accuracy.
- If accuracy does not matter, you can skip Ground Targets altogether.
What is survey-grade accuracy
Survey-grade accuracy is not a universally standardised term. We use it, like many surveyors, for maps with an absolute accuracy of less than 0.1 ft (3 cm).
An absolute accuracy of 0.1 ft (3 cm) means that the x, y and z coordinates of a point in your deliverable, in a local projected coordinate system of your choice, is less than 3 cm off to it’s true location. We assess this through the RMSE in x, y and z over a number of independent Check Points.
SURVEY61
1 Maximum coverage at 120 m (400 ft) and 60% overlap
2 Achievable when following Wingtra’s recommended workflow: flying Wingtra drones with built-in GNSS PPK, using WingtraGROUND or a survey-grade base station within 10 km, and processing in Wingtra software. Accuracy assessed on independent checkpoints.
3 at 46 m AGL (150 ft)
Parachute and compliance
5 The WingtraRAY parachute add-on is required to enable both US Cat. 3 OOP certification and EASA C6 certification. With Cat. 3 OOP, WingtraRAY can legally fly over people and moving vehicles in the US—covering 98% of land without a waiver. In Europe, C6 certification qualifies WingtraRAY for EASA’s STS-02 scenario, allowing BVLOS flights with airspace observers without a full risk assessment (SORA). The parachute also unlocks faster approvals in high-value urban and infrastructure projects with the MOC 2512 & 2511 compliance.
The drone and parachute add-on can be purchased together or separately. The parachute add-on can be installed at any time.
Cat 3 OOP approval in the US, and C6 and C3 marks in Europe have been granted.
6 Operational limitations are dependent on your authorisation, but WingtraRAY’s parachute module and compliance evidence enables authorisations that are not possible with most drones.
7 WingtraRAY with the parachute qualifies for SORA permits using MOCs 2512 and 2511. This enables simplified compliance and unlocks flight approvals for urban projects.
8 WingtraRAY is C3 certified, qualifying it for Open Category flights without permits under EASA rules.
9 With C6 certification, WingtraRAY will support standard scenario STS-02 declarations for BVLOS flights with airspace observers.