Overview
DroneDeploy supports the upload and processing of imagery captured with Wingtra fixed-wing drones, including Post-Processed Kinematic (PPK) corrected datasets. This article explains supported features, the required file structure for the Smart Uploader and integration limitations.
Availability: Who has access?
Wingtra upload and processing is available on Enterprise plans. Wingtra is available for processing through the Smart Uploader; however, autonomous flight planning is not available for Wingtra aircraft in the DroneDeploy Flight app. Please contact your Account Executive or Customer Success Manager if you want to enable Wingtra for your organization.
What is supported
Wingtra datasets exported directly from the aircraft SD card
PPK processing using the .sbf file produced by the aircraft
Standard Wingtra image metadata in the metadata.json file
Multiple flights from a single project upload
Required file structure
Wingtra writes image metadata to a separate Wingtra JSON metadata file rather than embedding it in image EXIF data. The uploader needs the full directory structure to match images to their metadata. A standard Wingtra export from the SD card uses the following structure:
PARENT/
DATA/
<flight>.json
<flight>.sbf
FLIGHT RECORD/
<flight>.ulg
IMAGES/
<flight>.jpgDroneDeploy uses these specific files:
JSON: Image metadata such as geotags, timestamps and camera info
SBF: Raw GNSS observation data used for PPK processing
JPGs: The imagery files
How to upload Wingtra data
Follow these steps to upload your data:
Connect the Wingtra SD card to your computer or copy the full export folder to a local drive.
In your DroneDeploy project, click the Upload tab.
Start a new Smart Upload.
Drag the entire parent folder into the Smart Uploader file selection area.
Confirm the detected map plan and click Start Upload.
[IMPORTANT] You must drag the entire parent folder instead of individual subfolders. DroneDeploy requires the JSON, SBF and JPG files together to associate metadata correctly. If you select only the IMAGES folder or drag files individually, the upload fails with a "no GPS data" error because the image EXIF does not contain location information.
PPK processing
When your Wingtra dataset includes a SBF file, DroneDeploy runs PPK processing automatically as part of the standard upload flow.
For background on RTK, PPK, and GCPs, see What is the Difference Between RTK, PPK, and GCPs?.
Limitations and considerations
Folder-level drag required: You must drag the entire parent directory into the uploader.
Metadata format: The integration relies on standard Wingtra naming conventions. Datasets that you rename or reorganize after exporting from the SD card may fail.
No autonomous flight: Perform flight planning in the Wingtra ecosystem. Use DroneDeploy for upload, processing and analysis only.
No autonomous flight logs. Flights flown outside DroneDeploy can be logged manually using Custom Flight Records.
Validated sensors: The integration is validated on Wingtra One with the standard RGB payload. Newer sensors may require updates—contact the Support team if you encounter issues with a new sensor.
FAQs
Q: Does the "No GPS data" error occur on upload? A: This happens if you drag in only the IMAGES folder or omit the JSON file. Drag the entire parent directory and try again.
Q: Why does the upload fail after copying or renaming files? A: The JSON filename must match its corresponding image filenames. For example, MyFlight_01.json pairs with MyFlight_01_00001.jpg. Restore the original filenames or re-export from the SD card.
Q: What if some images are missing GPS after processing? A: Confirm the JSON file in the DATA folder lists those image sequence IDs. Wingtra occasionally splits flights across multiple JSON files; include all of them in the upload.
If your issue isn't covered above, contact support@dronedeploy.com with the original SD card export attached.
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