Jan 23, 2018 – Wingtra, the Swiss drone company that develops the first commercially successful VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) drone, has signed a partnership agreement with RDO Integrated Controls, one of the largest Topcon dealers in the United States. RDO will now be selling Wingtra drones via its dealer network in 13 US states including California and Texas.
"We see Wingtra’s solution as a great fit with our vision of bringing the a strong and diverse portfolio of commercial UAV equipment to market. Their VTOL drone WingtraOne is a huge technological advancement, which finally fills the gap between multirotor and fixed wing drones" – commented Matt Hayes, Mapping Product Supervisor at RDO. "This partnership will help alleviate many pain points for customers within the industry.”
WingtraOne takes off and lands as a multicopter but flies in the air as a fixed wing aircraft. This technology eliminates the risk of damaging the aircraft while landing, lets the drone carry heavier and thus better sensors (e.g. 40MP Sony RX1RII) and still allows mapping of large areas. The drone is controlled through the mission planning software WingtraPilot and collects survey grade aerial data that can be further post processed into high resolution 2D maps (orthomosaics) and 3D models.
"For Wingtra this partnership is a huge boost. RDO is a trusted distribution partner for UAVs and we are excited to see the WingtraOne being sold through their extensive sales network." stated Justus Bamert, head of Sales for the US at Wingtra.
About Wingtra
Founded in 2014, Wingtra develops, manufactures and sells the very first commercially successful VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) drone for mapping and surveying. Founded as a spin-off from world’s leading engineering school ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), Wingtra is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Wingtra’s WingtraOne drone is already available globally directly and through its distribution partners in US, China, Europe, Australia etc. For more information, visit www.wingtra.com.
About RDO Equipment Co.
Founded in 1968, RDO Equipment Co. sells and supports agriculture, construction, environmental, positioning, surveying, and irrigation equipment from manufacturers including John Deere, Vermeer, and Topcon. With 78 locations across the United States and partnerships in Russia, Ukraine, and Australia, RDO Equipment Co. is a total solutions provider. Learn more at www.rdoequipment.com.
About RDO Integrated Controls
RDO Integrated Controls, founded in 2009, is a division of RDO Equipment Co. that provides solutions through GPS, lasers, GIS, survey, UAVs and machine control technology for the construction, mining, and landfill industries across the United States. For more information, visit www.rdoic.com.
