Sponsored by WISPR Systems
Recent years have seen an explosion of use cases for drones, ranging from entertainment shows to replace fireworks, to delivery services, to air taxis, and many more. As the technology becomes more widely produced and more accessible, more use cases will continue to pop up, and newer ones will become more established and commonplace. However, there are also industries like surveying, utility inspection, and construction that have been using drones for years now and in which UAV usage is, if not the norm, then something close to that.
Even in these spaces where the technology is well-established, at least relative to other spaces, there is still plenty of innovation. Companies are listening to the end users and adapting to their needs, with WISPR Systems being a great example of this. Still a relatively new company having been founded in 2016, the Mississippi-based UAV manufacturer has already made its mark on the industry with its rugged drones made specifically for these surveying and construction workflows. That was certainly true of their first UAV model to hit the market, the Ranger Pro Series, and in 2024 they’ve introduced their newest drone on the market, the SkyScout.
There are many features that make this UAV an ideal option for surveying, construction, and inspection workflows, including the ease of transport. Given that these are fields that are constantly moving locations and need to transport their drone between job sites – which can range to the other side of town to the other side of the globe – the ability to easily transport this equipment is a simplistic but crucial aspect. The SkyScout remains plenty rugged enough to handle the variety of conditions needed for these workflows but is foldable to reduce size and “ultra lightweight.”
In addition to removing any hassle of transport, the SkyScout boasts “smart,” hot-swappable, plane-safe batteries. That means, in addition to again not having to worry about transportation, work doesn’t need to stop when the battery runs out, and jobs can stay on schedule. The drone also includes collision avoidance – a very important feature on job sites – dual-band RTK navigation, geotagging capabilities for photos, and vibration control along with a dampening mount to ensure smooth images and videos.
Speaking of those images and videos, it’s the data collected with the SkyScout that is, of course, the value for end users in the surveying, inspection, and construction spaces, and WISPR’s new drone is built for interchangeable payloads. These payloads include cameras ranging from 24 megapixels with the company’s custom mapping payload that also includes full-frame sensor and mechanical shutter, to 61 megapixels with the Sony ILX-LR1. Users can also utilize sensors from Gremsy with the ZIO and VIO, as well as the RESPI M2X laser scanner, which includes 32 lasers and three returns.
WISPR was on hand at Geo Week 2024 to show off the new SkyScout to attendees of the event and was met with positive reviews from those in Denver. The company told Geo Week News, “WISPR Systems had an extremely successful presence at Geo Week 2024. It’s becoming evident from customers that WISPR is known in the industry as the easiest drone solution and is purposefully built to cater to professionals. This piece of craftsmanship not only stands as a testament to our commitment to quality and durability, but also showcases our dedication to supporting local industries and promoting a legacy of excellence.”
It wasn’t just coming from them, either. Layne Meylain, a business development manager with SiSo Air said, “It’s very clear that WISPR has taken the time to talk to its customers to build the solution that everyone has been looking for.”
WISPR System is set to release its first production units April 22, 2024.
Learn more about SkyScout and WISPR's full portfolio of offerings!
