Aeroenvironment is the Pentagon’s top supplier for drones. Their Quantix drone is an attempt to address the civilian agriculture market. Wingtra, on the other hand, is a Swiss company focusing purely on VTOL drone technology for surveying and mapping. Here is our comparison of the two systems.
The summary: Dual payload versus top image quality
Both drones feature VTOL and fixed-wing technology. They take off, land and fly well. Most importantly, you get rid of risky belly landings. But that’s where the similarities stop. The Quantix is designed for agriculture, so it comes with a dual payload for RGB and multi-spectral images that is fixed on the mainboard of the drone. The WingtraOne, by comparison, carries swappable payloads, used one at a time. Each Wingtra payload offers high-end solutions. Here is the lowest GSD test image comparison of the two drones:
WingtraOne + Sony RX1R II
GSD: 0.8 cm (0.3 in)/px
Altitude: 65 m (213 ft)
Real resolution: 0.95 cm (0.4 in)
Coverage: 110 ha (272 ac)
WingtraOne + Sony QX1
GSD: 1.4 cm (0.6 in)/px
Altitude: 66 m (217 ft)
Real resolution: 1.74 cm (0.7 in)
Coverage: 150 ha (371 ac)
Quantix
GSD: 2.55 cm (1 in)/px
Altitude: 110 m (361 ft)
Real resolution: 3.63 cm (1.4 in)
Coverage: 160 ha (395 ac)
Test images at the lowest possible GSD of each drone. The 42MP full-frame sensor of the WingtraOne pays off with more than three times lower GSD and striking resolution lines* for the RX1R II. You can easily compare these lines by looking at the center of the Siemens Stars, which show the degree of clarity or blur. More test images at the same altitude and same GSD are below in the test image section. Note: all coverage figures in this report are theoretical and calculated based on listed coverage unless we list them as tested.
*Real resolution for all images is based on measurements of the fine-lined Siemens Star, which reduces measurement errors.
WingtraOne pros
- VTOL, no belly landings
- Top image quality with 42MP full-frame sensor
- Top GNSS module with L1/L2 receiver delivers down to 1 cm (0.4 in) accuracy
- High coverage for resolution—190 ha (469 ac) at 1.4 cm (0.55 in)/px GSD
- Swappable payloads and modular GNSS PPK
- Composite airframe
- The color, if you like orange
- Adjustable flight altitude and custom overlap settings
- Terrain following
- Pause and resume feature
- Corridor mapping functionality
WingtraOne cons
- Costs more for higher-quality frame, payloads and results
- Does not carry multiple payloads per flight
- Telemetry is not integrated in tablet of ground station
Quantix pros
- VTOL
- Subscriptions start at affordable prices
- Comes with its own post-processing solution (which we didn’t test)
- As a foam drone, its industrialization and build quality are very good
- Takes RGB and multi-spectral pictures at the same time
- Good flight controls
Quantix cons
- No PPK or RTK option
- Lacks essential settings needed for surveying, e.g., the flight altitude is fixed
- No option to adjust GSD
- No terrain following
- Low image quality
- Very large box that needs two people to handle it
- Some question marks around coverage and battery life
The verdict
If you need high quality and accuracy in surveying, go for the WingtraOne. It is the better drone for surveying. If you are on a tight budget and need the drone primarily for agriculture, then give the Quantix a closer look, but make sure you can extract the analytics you need.
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The long read: Review of WingtraOne vs. Quantix
Features review
You really want to know everything about the two drones before spending thousands of dollars? Here is our in-depth analysis of features, detailed test pictures and the most important specs.
Transport and handling
The Quantix case is quite large and you will need a pickup or SUV to transport it. It’s also hard for one person to carry. Needing two operators can double your salary cost. That said, the Quantix case looks and feels rock solid—able to take strong impact.
On the other hand, the WingtraOne hard case, while solid and protective, fits into a micro car, and the soft-shell backpack option lets one person carry it easily and safely on their back practically anywhere while carrying a pilot box in one hand.
Product and quality
The WingtraOne has a high-quality glass fiber airframe featuring replaceable side stands and a middle stand. As a ground station, you get a Samsung Tab Active 2, which passed military spec testing for 21 environmental conditions, including temperature, dust, shock/vibration and extreme pressures. The base station also includes a charging station and two sets of smart batteries, as well as a remote control, telemetry module, and an anemometer to gauge wind.
