Breakthrough GPS-enabled Ground Control Point Technology Moves to Patent Issuance

HUNTSVILLE, AL | April 14, 2025 — InTerra Inc., a leading innovator in drone-enabled surveying and geospatial technologies, announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has officially allowed its patent application for SmarTarget™, the company’s flagship GPS-enabled ground control point system.

SmarTarget transforms how drone surveyors and mapping professionals establish ground control. By embedding GPS intelligence directly into durable, field-ready targets, SmarTarget simplifies the process of capturing and processing high-accuracy Ground Control Points (GCPs) — and does so with repeatability and defensibility that traditional workflows can’t match.

“SmarTarget began as a simple concept — to eliminate the pain of ground control while increasing precision,” said Peter Funk, Chief Technology Officer at InTerra. “To see that vision formally recognized with a U.S. patent is both humbling and motivating. It validates the work our team has put into every line of firmware, every sensor selection, and every design iteration.”

“This patent allowance is a milestone that validates the technical ingenuity behind SmarTarget,” said Larry Donelson, CEO of InTerra Inc. “We’ve spent years developing, refining, and field-deploying a solution that makes high-precision mapping not only more efficient, but more accessible to the full range of UAS users. This recognition further reinforces SmarTarget as a proprietary and industry-defining tool.”

InTerra expects the patent to formally issue following submission of a final drawing revision and payment of the issue fee, with issuance anticipated within 60–90 days.

This patent will mark a significant addition to InTerra’s growing portfolio of innovations in drone mapping, PPK/RTK positioning, and smart geospatial automation. The company has also released Locator v4, a companion desktop software system that integrates with SmarTarget and supports base station workflows, automated GCP detection, and precision-adjusted target positioning.

With DOTs, engineering firms, and survey professionals increasingly demanding accuracy that can be verified and repeated, InTerra’s solutions are positioned at the forefront of smart surveying workflows.

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