The problem
Multirotors map small sites well but run out of battery at 30 minutes — a 20 km power line corridor or a 10 km² survey block becomes a week of flights. Manned aircraft and winged UAVs cover the ground but need runways, catapults and recovery nets. The gap between them is where projects stall.
What the application demands
- Vertical launch, wing-borne endurance — no runway, no catapult, 2+ hours on task.
- RTK accuracy — 2–5 cm horizontal without ground control points on most projects.
- Coverage confidence in the field — knowing before landing whether the block is complete, so gaps don’t cost a second site visit.
- Payload flexibility — full-frame survey camera, LiDAR scanner, or both.
Recommended configuration
| Role | Product | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Airframe | YD-Voyager VTOL | Vertical launch, 150 min cruise, 180 km range |
| Onboard computer | YD-Core NX8 | In-flight coverage QA and LiDAR time-stamping |
| Datalink | YD-Link 10 | Corridor-scale telemetry and flight status |
The YD-Voyager’s nose bay takes a 2-axis stabilized survey camera or a compact LiDAR; with a YD-Core NX8 aboard, the coverage footprint is checked against the mission plan during flight and gaps are re-flown before the aircraft lands.
