Case Study: GeoAcuity assesses California fire damage faster with WingtraOne by Wingtra

Overcoming redwoods and mixed terrain, WingtraOne offers a new level of insight into California fire damage assessment

GeoAcuity, working with the City of Lafayette Police Department, faced the challenge of rapidly assessing extensive wildfire damage across the CZU Lightning Complex in California. The terrain was difficult to survey, with steep, undulating ground and dense redwood forest stands, and the team needed fast, clear mapping over a very large area to support recovery, search and rescue, and public information efforts. Wingtra provided the WingtraOne VTOL drone with a Sony QX1 camera payload to help meet that need.

Using WingtraOne, GeoAcuity and the Lafayette Police Department mapped more than 1,500 acres in a single day of four flights, producing a cohesive, high-resolution map that blended seamlessly with other survey data. The solution offered safe operation in tight launch areas, terrain following, and much greater coverage than multirotor drones, helping authorities identify hazards before residents returned and giving stakeholders and property owners the detailed information they needed. Wingtra’s system played a key role in speeding damage assessment and improving recovery communications.

GeoAcuity

Greg Crutisinger

Director of Applied Research