GoPro Integration

Connect a GoPro camera to the Survey App for hands-free photo capture during field surveys. The GoPro takes higher-quality photos than a phone camera, and keeps your hands free while working.

Available on Android and iOS — GoPro integration works on both platforms. Web is not supported.

Compatibility: Tested and validated with GoPro Hero 13 Black. GoPro Hero 9 through 12 models are supported but have not been field-tested — if you encounter issues with an older model, please report them.

Connection Modes

The available connection modes depend on your platform:

Mode	Connection	Platforms	Best For
Cable (USB-C)	USB-C cable between phone and GoPro	Android only	Reliable connection, instant photo download
Wireless (Bluetooth)	Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)	Android and iOS	Freedom of movement, GoPro mounted remotely

On iOS, the app automatically uses Wireless (Bluetooth) mode — there is no cable option. On Android, you can choose either mode.

Both modes allow hands-free photo capture during voice and form surveys.

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Setting Up Cable Mode (USB-C) — Android Only

Cable mode connects your phone directly to the GoPro with a USB-C cable. Photos are downloaded instantly after each capture.

Requirements

• USB-C cable (phone to GoPro)
• GoPro Hero series camera (Hero 9 or later)
• The GoPro serial number suffix (last 4 characters — printed on the camera body near the USB port)

Steps

1. Plug the USB-C cable into both the phone and GoPro
2. Tap the camera icon in the survey header bar
3. Select Cable (USB-C) on the mode selection screen
4. Enter the last 4 characters of your GoPro serial number (e.g., 1234)
5. Grant USB permission when the Android dialog appears
6. The camera icon turns blue with a battery percentage badge when connected

The serial number is saved — you won't need to enter it again for the same GoPro.

How Photos Work in Cable Mode

When you (or the AI voice assistant) take a photo:

1. The GoPro switches to Photo mode automatically
2. The shutter fires
3. A preview image downloads to your phone immediately
4. The photo appears in the survey's media gallery
5. The GoPro returns to its previous mode

The phone camera never opens — everything happens through the GoPro.

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Setting Up Wireless Mode (Bluetooth)

Wireless mode connects via Bluetooth, letting you mount the GoPro away from your phone — on a tripod, hard hat, or chest mount.

Requirements

• GoPro Hero series camera (Hero 9 or later) with Bluetooth enabled
• Phone Bluetooth turned on
• GoPro and phone within Bluetooth range (~10 metres)

Steps — Android

1. Turn on your GoPro and ensure Bluetooth is enabled in its settings
2. Tap the camera icon in the survey header bar
3. Select Wireless (Bluetooth) on the mode selection screen
4. The app scans for nearby GoPro cameras
5. Tap your GoPro in the list
6. Accept the Bluetooth pairing dialog on your phone
7. The camera icon turns blue with a Bluetooth indicator when connected

Steps — iOS

1. Turn on your GoPro and put it in Pairing mode (Connections > Connect Device)
2. Tap the camera icon in the survey header bar
3. The app goes straight to Bluetooth scanning (no mode selection on iOS)
4. Tap your GoPro in the list
5. Accept the Bluetooth pairing dialog on your iPhone
6. The camera icon turns blue with a Bluetooth indicator when connected

After the initial pairing, the GoPro auto-reconnects — you don't need to put it in Pairing mode again.

How Photos Work in Wireless Mode

When you take a photo wirelessly:

1. The GoPro fires the shutter via Bluetooth
2. A pending photo placeholder appears in the media gallery (dashed border, amber badge)
3. The GoPro filename is shown on the placeholder (e.g., GOPR0042.JPG)
4. The full-resolution photo is downloaded later via transfer (see Transferring Wireless Photos)

Photos are not downloaded immediately over Bluetooth — they remain on the GoPro's SD card until you transfer them.

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Taking Photos During Surveys

Once connected (either mode), GoPro photos work anywhere you can normally take photos:

Voice Mode

The AI assistant uses the GoPro automatically:

• When the template has photo hints, the AI prompts: "Taking a photo of the equipment nameplate..."
• Say "take a photo" at any time — the GoPro fires instead of opening the phone camera
• In cable mode, the photo appears immediately
• In wireless mode, a pending placeholder appears

Form Mode

Tap any camera icon next to a field, group, or instance:

• The GoPro fires and captures a photo
• In cable mode, the preview downloads and attaches immediately
• In wireless mode, a placeholder is created with the GoPro filename

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Transferring Wireless Photos

If you used wireless mode, your photos are still on the GoPro's SD card. Transfer them after finishing your survey session(s).

The transfer method depends on your platform:

Platform	Transfer Method	How It Works
Android	USB-C cable	Plug in the cable — photos transfer via USB/MTP
Android	WiFi	The app connects to the GoPro's WiFi network wirelessly (same as iOS)
iOS	WiFi	The app connects to the GoPro's WiFi network wirelessly

Android WiFi transfer note: Hero 9, 10, and 11 cameras are not supported via WiFi transfer on Android — use the USB-C cable for those models. Hero 12 and later work on both methods.

When to Transfer

The survey list screen shows a badge when you have pending GoPro photos:

3 GoPro photos pending — tap to transfer

Steps — Android (USB-C Cable Transfer)

1. Tap the GoPro transfer badge on the survey list screen
2. A summary shows how many photos are pending across which sessions
3. Tap Start Transfer
4. Plug the USB-C cable between your phone and GoPro
5. Grant USB permission if prompted
6. Photos download one by one — a progress bar shows the current file and count
7. Each photo is resized and uploaded to the server automatically
8. A results summary shows successes and any failures

Steps — WiFi Transfer (Android and iOS)

1. Tap the GoPro transfer badge on the survey list screen
2. A summary shows how many photos are pending across which sessions
3. Make sure the GoPro is powered on and nearby
4. Tap Start Transfer
5. The app reconnects to the GoPro via Bluetooth (if not already connected)
6. The app reads WiFi credentials from the GoPro and enables its WiFi hotspot
7. A system dialog may appear asking you to join the GoPro's WiFi network — tap Join (iOS) or tap Connect (Android)
8. Photos download one by one over WiFi — a progress bar shows the current file and count
9. The app automatically restores your normal WiFi connection after downloading
10. Each photo is resized and uploaded to the server
11. A results summary shows successes and any failures

Important: Your phone temporarily loses internet access while connected to the GoPro's WiFi. This is normal — internet is restored automatically after the transfer.

Transfer Screen States

State	What You See
Summary	"X photos pending across Y sessions" with a Start button
Preparing GoPro WiFi (WiFi mode)	Enabling the GoPro's wireless access point
Connecting to GoPro WiFi (WiFi mode)	Joining the GoPro's WiFi network (system dialog may appear)
Waiting for USB (Android cable)	"Plug USB-C cable between phone and GoPro"
Downloading	Progress bar with current filename and X/Y count
Restoring Internet (WiFi mode)	Reconnecting to your normal WiFi network
Uploading	Upload progress (resizing and uploading to server)
Results	Success/failure summary with retry option for failures

After Transfer

• Pending placeholders in the media gallery are replaced with the actual photos
• Photos sync to the server like any other survey media
• On Android, you can safely disconnect the USB cable

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Status Indicators

Header Toggle Icon

The camera icon in the survey header shows your connection state:

Icon	Meaning
Muted camera	Not configured — tap to set up
Pulsing cable/Bluetooth icon	Connecting...
Blue camera + battery %	Connected via cable
Blue camera + Bluetooth symbol + battery %	Connected wirelessly
Red camera	Connection error — tap to reconnect

Disconnect Banner

If the GoPro connection drops during a survey (cable unplugged, GoPro turned off, out of Bluetooth range), a warning banner appears at the top of the screen. The app attempts to reconnect automatically.

Media Gallery

Indicator	Meaning
Standard photo thumbnail	Photo captured and available
Dashed border + amber badge	Pending wireless photo (not yet transferred)
GoPro filename label	Shows the file on the GoPro's SD card (e.g., GOPR0042.JPG)

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Tips

• Cable mode is simpler (Android) — if you don't need the GoPro mounted remotely, use a cable for instant photo downloads
• WiFi transfer — available on both Android and iOS. Keep the GoPro nearby and powered on when transferring. Don't close the app during transfer.
• Android Hero 9-11 cameras — use USB-C cable for transfer; WiFi transfer is not supported for these models on Android
• Battery badge — keep an eye on the GoPro battery percentage shown on the header icon
• Transfer promptly — transfer wireless photos before clearing local data or formatting the GoPro's SD card
• One GoPro at a time — the app connects to a single GoPro per survey session
• Serial number persists (Android cable mode) — once entered, it's remembered across sessions
• WiFi connection dialog — if the system dialog says "Unable to connect", tap OK — the app retries automatically

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Troubleshooting

GoPro not detected (cable mode — Android)

• Check the USB-C cable is firmly connected at both ends
• Try a different USB-C cable — some cables are charge-only and don't support data
• Ensure the GoPro is powered on
• Verify the serial number suffix matches the last 4 characters on your camera

GoPro not found (wireless mode)

• Check Bluetooth is enabled on both the phone and GoPro
• On iOS, put the GoPro in Pairing mode for the first connection (Connections > Connect Device)
• Ensure the GoPro is in pairing mode (check GoPro settings)
• Move closer — Bluetooth range is approximately 10 metres
• Close the GoPro Quik app if it's running — it can interfere with the Bluetooth connection
• Restart Bluetooth on the phone and try again

Photos not capturing

• Check the GoPro has an SD card inserted with available space
• Ensure the GoPro battery isn't critically low
• In cable mode (Android), verify the USB permission was granted
• Try disconnecting and reconnecting

Transfer fails (Android — USB)

• Retry failed photos using the retry button on the results screen
• Check the GoPro SD card hasn't been removed or reformatted
• Ensure you have internet connectivity for the upload step
• If a photo was deleted from the GoPro before transfer, the pending placeholder will remain — remove it manually from the media gallery

Transfer fails (WiFi — Android and iOS)

• Make sure the GoPro is powered on and nearby
• If the WiFi dialog was cancelled, tap Start Transfer to try again
• If "Unable to connect" appears repeatedly, try turning the GoPro off and on again
• Ensure Bluetooth is enabled — the app uses Bluetooth to set up the WiFi transfer
• Check that the GoPro battery isn't critically low — WiFi transfer uses more power than Bluetooth alone
• After transfer, if your normal WiFi doesn't reconnect automatically, open Wi-Fi settings and select your network
• Android Hero 9, 10, or 11 cameras: WiFi transfer is not supported for these models on Android — use the USB-C cable instead

Connection drops frequently

• Cable (Android): Check for a loose or damaged USB-C cable
• Wireless: Move the phone closer to the GoPro, reduce obstructions
• The app reconnects automatically — wait a few seconds before manually reconnecting