Wanfeng’s aerial survey aircraft unveiled with turnkey engineering solutions

Apr 7, 2021 (China Knowledge) – The general aviation enthusiasts recently witnessed the debut of DA62 SurveyStar, a special-mission aircraft developed by the Austria-based Diamond Aircraft Industry, a subsidiary of Zhejiang Wanfeng Auto Wheel (002085). DA62 SurveyStar, the first of its kind, was delivered to Germany’s GeoFly in just six months after signing the contract and applauded as a dazzling new star in the world’s aerial survey industry.

With more advanced and powerful functions compared to similar special-mission aircraft in the global marketplace, DA62 SurveyStar provides a full-suite of turnkey engineering solutions for buyers. Its initial configuration features a multi sensor setup for simultaneous data acquisition. The Universal Nose carries an airborne LiDAR system from Riegl, while the 20“hatch equips with the latest Large Format Camera System from Vexcel Imaging in combination with Somag’s GSM4000 gyro-stabilized mount and an IGI Flight Management System. This configuration allows a total endurance of 7 hours including a 2 men crew.

Aicke Damrau, the Managing Director GeoFly commented that the purchase was a very special step and DA62 applications are very versatile. He also likes the range of speeds and the possibility of refuelling with jet fuel. The low consumption of the DA62 of approximately 50 liters per hour is another important point, he added.

Mario Spiegel, the Sales Manager Europe and North America, said that the handover of the first DA62 SurveyStar is a big milestone for Diamond Aircraft’s Special Mission Aircraft Division as it brings to fruition all the effort put into the aircraft’s development as well as marking a start of a new era. Mario believes the introduction of the most modern and efficient Aerial Survey aircraft will likely be the most observed one in the industry as other companies may have to follow GeoFly’s steps in order to remain competitive.

The rollout of such an advanced and specialized aircraft will provide Wanfeng a clear edge in the special-mission market and cement its leading position in general aviation manufacturing worldwide via “Diamond” brand.