Wingcopter Expands Beyond Cargo, Eyes LiDAR Surveying Market

German Drone Maker Ventures Into Long-Range Infrastructure Inspection

Wingcopter, the German drone manufacturer known for its cutting-edge cargo delivery drones, is taking a significant step into the geospatial industry. At GEO WEEK, a leading trade show for geospatial technology, the company announced its expansion into long-range beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) LiDAR surveying. With this move, Wingcopter aims to revolutionize the way critical infrastructure such as power lines, pipelines, railways, and remote terrain is mapped and inspected.

The expansion builds on Wingcopter’s years of experience in developing eVTOL drones capable of long-range, high-payload operations. The company’s flagship drone, the Wingcopter 198, will now be equipped with advanced LiDAR and camera systems, allowing for precise and efficient data collection over vast areas. With a single flight, the drone can survey up to 37 miles while carrying a 10-pound sensor payload, covering as much as 2,560 acres in just 42 minutes.

The announcement comes as Wingcopter continues to advance its FAA type certification process in the United States, a critical step in proving the drones’ reliability. At the trade show, Ansgar Kadura, co-founder and chief strategy officer at Wingcopter, spoke about the company’s evolving vision and how surveying aligns with its broader mission.

“For years, we have been focused on developing reliable drones for cargo delivery, particularly in medical logistics,” Kadura said. “But with the maturity of our technology and the reliability we have achieved, we felt the time was right to expand into new applications. The long-range capability, high payload capacity, and reliability of our system make it ideally suited for LiDAR-based infrastructure inspection.”

From Cargo to Critical Infrastructure

Wingcopter originally built its reputation on drone-based delivery, particularly in remote and underserved regions where traditional transportation infrastructure is inadequate. The company has played a significant role in medical supply delivery, helping transport vaccines, medicines, and other essential supplies to areas with limited access to healthcare facilities.

The move into surveying and geospatial data collection represents a natural evolution of the company’s technology. The Wingcopter 198’s tilt-rotor mechanism allows it to take off and land vertically like a helicopter but fly long distances like a fixed-wing aircraft. This efficiency enables it to cover much larger areas than traditional multi-rotor drones, making it a cost-effective and scalable solution for large-scale mapping and infrastructure inspection.

Kadura believes that Wingcopter’s new surveying capabilities could have a profound impact on public safety and environmental monitoring. One of the key applications for LiDAR-equipped drones is power line inspection, an area that has gained significant attention due to its role in wildfire prevention.

“A lot of wildfires are caused by vegetation growing into power lines,” Kadura explained. “Traditional inspection methods rely on helicopters, which are not only expensive but also pose significant safety risks. In recent years, several helicopters have crashed while inspecting power lines, with fatal consequences. With our drone, we eliminate this risk and reduce costs at the same time.”

Technical Superiority and Certification Challenges

The Wingcopter 198 stands out for its combination of long-range capability, precision, and reliability. Its tilt-rotor design, which enables it to transition from vertical takeoff to fixed-wing flight, makes it ten times more efficient than traditional hovering drones. Equipped with a high-end LiDAR sensor, the system can achieve a data density of up to 570 points per square meter with an accuracy of 10 millimeters and a precision of 5 millimeters.

The company has conducted extensive testing to ensure the reliability and durability of its drones. Over 6,000 flight hours have been logged across multiple environments, including high-temperature conditions in Spain and higher-altitude, humid environments in Malawi. Several units have already surpassed 1,000 flight hours, reinforcing Wingcopter’s confidence in the system’s longevity.

The FAA type certification process is a key milestone in Wingcopter’s expansion strategy. Once certified, the drone will be eligible for broader commercial use in the United States, a major market for surveying and infrastructure inspection. Similar certification efforts are also underway in Brazil and Japan.

“There are not many drones in the world that have gone through this level of certification,” Kadura noted. “We are putting the system through rigorous failure handling and fail-safe tests to meet the very high aviation safety standards for drones.”

Global Deployment and Industry Adoption

Wingcopter is already seeing strong interest from global partners. In Brazil, its local partner, Synerjet, plans to deploy fleets of Wingcopter 198 drones for surveying applications. Synerjet’s Director of Drone Operations and Development, Augustinho Simoes, emphasized the potential for expansion beyond infrastructure inspection into areas such as asset management, vegetation monitoring, and large-scale terrain mapping.

The company is also exploring new applications based on industry feedback. At GEO WEEK, several visitors expressed interest in bathymetric LiDAR scanning, a technique used to map shallow water environments. Traditional bathymetric sensors rely on sonar systems, which are limited to ship-based surveys. Drones equipped with LiDAR could offer an alternative solution for mapping shorelines and other shallow-water regions where ships cannot easily operate.

Wingcopter’s global reach is steadily expanding. The company operates in multiple regions, with key customers and flight operations in North America, Europe, Brazil, Japan, and Africa. In addition to its headquarters in Germany, Wingcopter has a strong footprint in the U.S.  to support its growing presence in the North American market.

Looking to the Future

Wingcopter’s expansion into surveying is just the beginning. The company is continuously refining its technology and exploring new sensor integrations to enhance its capabilities. While the configuration currently under development will support high-end LiDAR systems, Kadura hinted at additional features coming up in the future, including a downward-facing camera that would provide a live stream for emergency landings.

“There is always room for improvement,” Kadura said. “We are actively engaging with customers to understand their needs and refine our solutions accordingly. We have visited GEO WEEK to learn from surveyors in order to consider their demand for specific sensor integrations or functionalities.”

The company also continues to expand its distribution network, working with regional partners to accelerate adoption in new markets. Wingcopter’s sales model includes both direct sales and partnerships with distributors, allowing it to reach a broad customer base across different industries. In the logistics space Wingcotper also offers the drone-based delivery service for commercial and governmental customers.

As drone technology continues to reshape industries, Wingcopter’s entry into LiDAR surveying positions it as a key player in the future of geospatial data collection. The ability to conduct large-scale, high-precision surveys with a fully electric, long-range drone offers a compelling alternative to traditional methods, promising greater efficiency, cost savings, and improved safety.

“We aren’t just launching a product; we are engaging with surveyors, infrastructure managers, and environmental researchers to build a solution that meets their needs,” Kadura said. “We invite industry professionals to engage with us and explore the possibilities.”

For those interested in learning more about Wingcopter’s new surveying capabilities, the company is actively seeking discussions with potential customers and partners through its website. As the technology matures and regulatory approvals progress, Wingcopter is set to play a significant role in the next generation of drone-based geospatial intelligence.

Tags: Wingcopter, LiDAR surveying, BVLOS drones, infrastructure inspection, FAA certification, geospatial mapping

Tags: BVLOS drones, FAA certification, geospatial mapping, infrastructure inspection, LiDAR surveying, Wingcopter

Categories: Geo Week, Wingcopter

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