Everything you need to know about C-Astral drones can be summed up in their “Fly Further – See Better” slogan. These electrically powered drones have been engineered to be user-friendly with a design that has ideal aerodynamic efficiency and was further recognized with a prestigious Red Dot Design Award in 2024. At XPONENTIAL 2025, attendees got to see what makes these features so distinct.

Two versions of the C-Astral SQA eVTOL were on display at the booth. The latest version of their SQA eVTOL is fully compatible with the YellowScan LiDAR system, and this integration was completed to support a forestry project with the EU. This new edition is 20% more efficient and 30% quieter. Additional changes include a switch from a nose-mounted sensor to a belly-mounted setup which is better for waterproofing and flying at lower altitudes. There are also multiple sensor options, as the drone can be equipped with the EYE-X HD8, a stabilized gimbal that captures thermal info and visible imagery.

Additional features of the SQA eVTOL include precise VTOL takeoff and landing capabilities as well as a flight range of up to 180 km. The automated digital preflight checklist allows for autonomous operation via a simple graphic interface, enabling efficiencies with countless surveying and inspection tasks as well as for public safety teams.

All of these features stem from C-Astral’s approach to a modular design for a drone that can be used for various purposes, including disaster monitoring, search and rescue, pipeline and power grid monitoring, wildlife migration tracking and border security. However, that approach also extends to the actual operations in each of these applications.

“The idea was to make everything as simple as possible,” said Rok Tomažič, Sales Manager at C-Astral. “We wanted users to be able to swap payloads quickly so that they’d be able to easily capture different types of info on the same project. That ease of use is also why the winglets clip on and off, so you can be flight-ready in less than 5 minutes. All of it is about providing an effective solution to solve problems that come up in harsh environments where you need to make quick decisions.”

To learn more about the SQA eVTOL, click here.