WingtraRAY Received C3 and C6 Drone Certifications
The certification allows commercial operators to conduct beyond visual line of sight flights in Europe.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Robotics
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Wingtra has secured C3 and C6 class identification labels for its WingtraRAY drone, following a successful conformity assessment by EU Drone Port. These certifications enable operators to fly in the Open category A3 and perform specific standard scenario STS-02 operations.
Why it matters
This regulatory clearance unlocks advanced mapping capabilities across Europe by permitting beyond visual line of sight missions over controlled ground areas. It follows the 2025 certification of the WingtraOne Gen II, expanding the fleet options available to survey and mapping teams.
The WingtraRAY features a maximum flight endurance of 59 minutes and achieves 100 hectares of coverage in 10 minutes. Its imaging system provides a GSD resolution of 2.7 cm/px at 120 m altitude, with the system delivering a 40% improvement in field efficiency over its predecessor.
The players
Wingtra
A developer of vertical take-off and landing mapping drones focused on survey and enterprise applications.
EU Drone Port
An aviation authority body responsible for issuing EU-type examination certificates for unmanned aerial systems.
The details
The certification process involved a comprehensive review of the drone's hardware, software, firmware, and documentation. Engineers conducted indoor and outdoor testing to verify remote identification capabilities, geo-awareness systems, and safety functions. The C6 certification specifically authorizes beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights, where a pilot controls the drone from up to 2 km away with observers, or 1 km without, maintaining a 150 m distance from populated areas.
Timeline
2025: WingtraOne Gen II received C3 certification.
September 2026: WingtraRAY received C3 and C6 certification.
The Tech Race
European drone manufacturers are currently racing to secure C6 class labels to enable high-efficiency mapping beyond visual range. Achieving this status validates Wingtra's hardware architecture against the rigorous safety standards required for European standard scenario STS-02 operations.
Mapping teams can now utilize the WingtraRAY for authorized flights under STS-02, which permits surveying controlled ground areas at greater distances than standard visual line of sight missions. This change primarily affects professional survey workflows requiring high-accuracy aerial data collection.
The takeaway
Commercial drone operators should monitor European regulatory updates for the adoption of additional standard scenarios beyond STS-02. Future performance benchmarks for the WingtraRAY will indicate whether current field efficiency gains hold under varying environmental conditions.
Further reading
For more on the hardware standards shaping autonomous flight, see our coverage in Robotics.
Source note: This article includes information reported by sUAS News - The Business of Drones.
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