Set up your SURVEY61
The SURVEY61 is powered by the Sony Sony RX1R IIIfeatures a full-frame 61 MP sensor paired with a low-distortion 35 mm lens, making it ideal for high-accuracy earthworks and large-scale topographic surveys. It delivers accuracy better than 3 cm even without ground control points (GCPs), significantly reducing field time and accelerating project completion.
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Ensure that the USB-C cable is securely connected
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Insert the standard payload SD card
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Ensure the camera is configured with the correct settings.
(1): Set the aperture dial to 4.5 (default setting) by turning the ring on the camera lens. Select normal lens mode by turning the second ring to 0,3m-∞ .
(2): Set the exposure compensation dial to +-0 (default setting).
(3): Set the mode dial to manual (M).
Camera settings
The camera settings of the SURVEY61 can be changed through the Wingtra app. There are predefined settings for better results in different general light conditions. To access the settings, you first need to turn on the WingtraRAY. Then, open the Wingtra app on your tablet and connect the telemetry.
Create a new flight plan and select SURVEY61 as the payload option. To change the camera settings, either click on the telemetry icon on the top bar or click on "change" in the respective step in pre-flight checklist (see below image). Then, select the predefined setting based on the light conditions at that moment in the field.
The default settings (aperture: f/4.5, exposure time: 1/1600, exposure bias: 0) give great results in an extensive range of light conditions.
The ISO is set to automatic, so the camera adjusts it automatically depending on the lighting conditions.
In case of dark conditions, select the dark condition settings (aperture: f/4.5, exposure time: 1/1250, exposure bias: +0.3), which will increase the exposure time and bias to better adapt to the low illumination.
On the other hand, selecting "Bright conditions" to decrease the exposure time and bias gives better results in the case of bright conditions (aperture: f/4.5, exposure time: 1/2000, exposure bias: -0.3).
The default, JPEG extra fine option increases the image quality settings while keeping the default aperture and exposure settings. Note that there will be slightly increased geotagging and processing time in this case.
It is also possible to select custom camera settings. Custom settings allow you to select your own specific settings for aperture, exposure time (shutter speed) , exposure bias, white balance and image quality.
How to change the camera settings
When selecting predefined or custom camera settings, the following two settings have to be adjusted on the camera itself:
- Aperture: Set the aperture dial to the value shown in the Wingtra app by turning the ring on the camera lens (... 4, 4.5, 5.0, 5.6 ...).
- Exposure bias: Set the exposure compensation dial to the value shown in the Wingtra app (...-0.3, +-0, +0.3, ...)
The other settings (exposure time, white balance and image quality) are defined through the app.
Note:
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If the aperture and exposure values set on the camera do not match those displayed in the Wingtra app, a warning message will appear in the pre-flight checklist. The warning is not blocking and flying will still be possible.
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The last used camera settings for each payload are saved in the drone and are persistent across drone reboots.
Best practices for flying with the SURVEY61
To achieve optimal results when flying with the SURVEY61 camera, plan the appropriate flight altitude based on the required GSD and use adequate image overlap according to the density and complexity of the area.
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Standard Area |
Dense area |
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Side overlap: |
70% |
80% |
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Frontal overlap: |
70% |
85% |
The complete camera specifications are available on this page.
If you run into an issue please submit a support request.