diff --git a/scripts/qa-emergency-squawk.mjs b/scripts/qa-emergency-squawk.mjs
index aeedd6125..c23965bfb 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-emergency-squawk.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-emergency-squawk.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+// Cesium-only probes: native primitive colors independently verify the Cesium aircraft tint.
+import { evaluateWithGeo } from './qa/geometry.mjs';
+import { whenSettled, whenFramesDrawn, whenTilesLoaded } from './qa/ready.mjs';
 /**
  * qa-emergency-squawk.mjs — headless proof for transponder emergency highlighting.
  *
@@ -26,7 +29,7 @@
  * Exits non-zero on any FAIL. Does not commit anything.
  */
 
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import { stubPlanespotters } from './qa-photo-stub.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
@@ -52,7 +55,6 @@ function record(name, ok, detail) {
   const tag = ok ? '\x1b[32mPASS\x1b[0m' : '\x1b[31mFAIL\x1b[0m';
   console.log(`  [${tag}] ${name}${detail ? `  — ${detail}` : ''}`);
 }
-const sleep = (ms) => new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, ms));
 
 /** OpenSky state vector: squawk sits at index 14. */
 const civilRow = (icao24, callsign, lon, lat, squawk) => [
@@ -175,13 +177,9 @@ const isAmber = (c) =>
   Boolean(c) && c.r > 180 && c.g > 110 && c.b < 140 && !isRed(c);
 
 async function shoot(page, name) {
-  await page
-    .waitForFunction(
-      () => window.__godsEyeView.viewer.scene.globe.tilesLoaded,
-      { timeout: 30000 },
-    )
-    .catch(() => {});
-  await sleep(600);
+  await whenTilesLoaded(page, { timeoutMs: 30000 }).catch(() => {});
+  await whenSettled(page);
+  await whenFramesDrawn(page);
   await page.screenshot({
     path: path.join(SHOTS_DIR, `emergency-${name}.png`),
   });
@@ -200,19 +198,10 @@ async function main() {
     process.exit(2);
   }
   fs.mkdirSync(SHOTS_DIR, { recursive: true });
-  const executablePath =
-    process.env.PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH ||
-    (await puppeteer.executablePath().catch(() => null)) ||
-    undefined;
-  const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-    headless: HEADFUL ? false : 'new',
+  const browser = await launchBrowser({
+    headless: true,
     protocolTimeout: 180000,
-    ...(executablePath && fs.existsSync(executablePath)
-      ? { executablePath }
-      : {}),
     args: [
-      '--use-gl=angle',
-      '--use-angle=swiftshader',
       '--disable-dev-shm-usage',
       '--disable-background-timer-throttling',
       '--disable-renderer-backgrounding',
@@ -252,31 +241,30 @@ async function main() {
       timeout: TIMEOUT_MS,
     });
     await page.waitForFunction(
-      () => window.__godsEyeView?.viewer && window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager,
+      () => window.__godsEyeView?.engine && window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager,
       { timeout: TIMEOUT_MS },
     );
-    await sleep(5000);
+    await whenSettled(page);
+    await whenFramesDrawn(page);
     await page.keyboard.press('Escape');
-    await page.evaluate(
-      (lo, la) => {
-        const gev = window.__godsEyeView;
+    await evaluateWithGeo(
+      page,
+      async (qaGeo, lo, la) => {
         const d2r = Math.PI / 180;
         try {
-          gev.viewer.camera.cancelFlight();
+          window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
         } catch {
           /* no flight active */
         }
-        gev.viewer.camera.setView({
-          destination: gev.viewer.scene.globe.ellipsoid.cartographicToCartesian(
-            {
-              longitude: lo * d2r,
-              latitude: la * d2r,
-              height: 260000,
-            },
-          ),
+        window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
+          destination: qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian({
+            longitude: lo * d2r,
+            latitude: la * d2r,
+            height: 260000,
+          }),
           orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
         });
-        gev.viewer.scene.requestRender?.();
+        window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request?.();
       },
       lon,
       lat,
@@ -297,7 +285,7 @@ async function main() {
         polling: 500,
       })
       .catch(() => {});
-    await sleep(1500);
+    await whenFramesDrawn(page);
     const colors = await page.evaluate(probe);
     const show = (id) => JSON.stringify(colors[id] ?? null);
     record(
@@ -538,7 +526,7 @@ async function main() {
     console.error('\x1b[31mHarness error:\x1b[0m', err);
     exitCode = 3;
   } finally {
-    await browser.close();
+    await closeBrowser(browser);
   }
 
   const pass = results.filter((r) => r.ok).length;
diff --git a/scripts/qa-enrich-ambient.mjs b/scripts/qa-enrich-ambient.mjs
index 59fc6a6c0..d3676bc0a 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-enrich-ambient.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-enrich-ambient.mjs
@@ -50,9 +50,10 @@
  * Exits non-zero if any assertion fails. Never commits anything.
  */
 
+import { whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
 import { classifyAircraft, CLASS_SCALE_2D } from '../src/data/aircraftClass.js';
 import { aircraftIcon } from '../src/data/aircraftIcons.js';
 
@@ -91,26 +92,7 @@ const SESSION_CAP = 300;       // ENRICH_AMBIENT_BUDGET_CEIL (rolling-bucket cei
 const BUDGET_QA = { ceil: SESSION_CAP, refillTokens: 6, windowMs: 3600000 };
 const RESUME_WINDOW_MS = 1000; // E11 swaps windowMs to this to unlock refills
 
-const CHROME_EXECUTABLE_CANDIDATES = [
-  process.env.PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH,
-  // Prefer puppeteer's version-pinned Chrome-for-Testing over the system
-  // Chrome: /Applications auto-updates underneath the harnesses, and its
-  // software-GL behavior shifts across majors (system Chrome 150 blew the
-  // tile-gated drain budget under SwiftShader on 2026-07-30 — six
-  // false-negative qa-cctv-v2 runs against a healthy build). A deterministic
-  // pinned browser beats the newest one for regression harnesses.
-  await puppeteer.executablePath().catch(() => null),
-  '/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome',
-  '/Applications/Google Chrome Canary.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome Canary',
-  '/Applications/Chromium.app/Contents/MacOS/Chromium',
-].filter(Boolean);
 
-function findChromeExecutable() {
-  for (const candidate of CHROME_EXECUTABLE_CANDIDATES) {
-    try { if (fs.existsSync(candidate)) return candidate; } catch { /* skip */ }
-  }
-  return null;
-}
 
 const results = [];
 function record(name, ok, detail) {
@@ -186,21 +168,9 @@ async function main() {
 
   fs.mkdirSync(SHOT_DIR, { recursive: true });
 
-  const chromeExecutable = findChromeExecutable();
-  const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-    headless: HEADFUL ? false : 'new',
-    ...(chromeExecutable ? { executablePath: chromeExecutable } : {}),
-    args: [
-      '--no-sandbox',
-      '--disable-setuid-sandbox',
-      '--use-gl=angle',
-      `--use-angle=${process.env.QA_ANGLE || 'swiftshader'}`,
-      '--disable-dev-shm-usage',
-      '--disable-web-security',
-      '--disable-background-timer-throttling',
-      '--disable-renderer-backgrounding',
-      '--window-size=1280,800',
-    ],
+  const browser = await launchBrowser({
+    headless: true,
+    args: ['--no-sandbox', '--disable-setuid-sandbox', '--disable-dev-shm-usage', '--disable-web-security', '--disable-background-timer-throttling', '--disable-renderer-backgrounding', '--window-size=1280,800'],
   });
 
   const consoleErrors = [];
@@ -303,8 +273,9 @@ async function main() {
       // A cold dev server compiles the Navara chunks on first load.
       { timeout: 180000, polling: 200 }
     );
+    await whenSettled(page);
     await page.evaluate(() => window.__godsEyeView.styleManager.initialRestorePromise);
-    await page.waitForFunction(() => document.getElementById('loading-screen')?.classList.contains('hidden'), { timeout: 180000 });
+    await whenSettled(page);
     await page.evaluate(() => window.__godsEyeView.styleManager.orbitController.stop());
     console.log('  App globals ready.');
 
@@ -339,17 +310,16 @@ async function main() {
     console.log('Priming straight-flight history through the render delay (30 s)...');
     const primed = await page.evaluate(async () => {
       const dm = window.__godsEyeView.dataManager;
-      const v = window.__godsEyeView.viewer ?? null;
       window.__ENR.timeOffsetSec = -32;
       dm.setLayerParams('flights', { models3d: false }); // ambient budget excludes model-priority enrichment
       await dm.setEnabled('flights', true);
       const fl = dm.layers.get('flights').module;
       for (const off of [-24, -16, -8, 0]) {
         window.__ENR.timeOffsetSec = off;
-        await fl.update(v);
+        await fl.update();
       }
       window.__ENR.timeOffsetSec = 0;
-      window.__ENR_DRIVER = setInterval(() => { fl.update(v); }, 15000);
+      window.__ENR_DRIVER = setInterval(() => { fl.update(); }, 15000);
       return { count: fl.getStats().count, starts: window.__ENRICH_LOG.starts.length, models3d: fl.getParams().models3d };
     });
     console.log(`  flights count=${primed.count} | adsbdb requests started (held): ${primed.starts}`);
@@ -373,7 +343,7 @@ async function main() {
     record('E2 baseline: all 12 category-0 planes default to the airliner glyph',
       baselineBad.length === 0,
       baselineBad.length ? baselineBad.join(' ') : 'all 12 identical airliner silhouettes (the field-data problem)');
-    await sleep(1200); // let a fleet tick land rotations before the "before" shot
+    await whenSettled(page); // let a fleet tick land rotations before the "before" shot
     await page.screenshot({ path: path.join(SHOT_DIR, 'enrich-before-monoculture.png') });
     console.log('  saved enrich-before-monoculture.png (12 identical airliner glyphs)');
 
@@ -461,10 +431,9 @@ async function main() {
     console.log('\nE8 — next poll after enrichment');
     await page.evaluate(async () => {
       const dm = window.__godsEyeView.dataManager;
-      const v = window.__godsEyeView.viewer ?? null;
-      await dm.layers.get('flights').module.update(v);
+      await dm.layers.get('flights').module.update();
     });
-    await sleep(500);
+    await whenSettled(page);
     const afterPoll = await page.evaluate(() => ({
       billboards: window.__collectBillboards(),
       starts: window.__ENRICH_LOG.starts.length,
@@ -497,7 +466,6 @@ async function main() {
     const startsBeforeBatch = await page.evaluate(() => window.__ENRICH_LOG.starts.length);
     await page.evaluate(async ({ hexes, rowLat, rowLon0, stepDeg }) => {
       const dm = window.__godsEyeView.dataManager;
-      const v = window.__godsEyeView.viewer ?? null;
       // Two fresh rows just north of the original one — still inside the
       // top-down 20 km frame, so the sweep's frustum test keeps them.
       // STATIONARY (speed 0): moving planes drift north out of the frustum at
@@ -525,8 +493,8 @@ async function main() {
         await new Promise((resolve) => requestAnimationFrame(resolve));
       }
       const fl = dm.layers.get('flights').module;
-      await fl.update(v); // sweep enqueues up to 150 ambient jobs
-      await fl.update(v); // spend the remaining initial tokens; later polls must stall
+      await fl.update(); // sweep enqueues up to 150 ambient jobs
+      await fl.update(); // spend the remaining initial tokens; later polls must stall
     }, { hexes: batchHexes, rowLat: ROW_LAT, rowLon0: ROW_LON0, stepDeg: ROW_STEP_DEG });
     // Wait for the drip to drain whatever was enqueued, then settle.
     await page.waitForFunction(
@@ -537,7 +505,7 @@ async function main() {
     // One more poll while exhausted — still nothing new.
     await page.evaluate(async () => {
       const dm = window.__godsEyeView.dataManager;
-      await dm.layers.get('flights').module.update(window.__godsEyeView.viewer ?? null);
+      await dm.layers.get('flights').module.update();
     });
     await sleep(1000);
     const exhausted = await page.evaluate(() => ({
@@ -562,7 +530,7 @@ async function main() {
     await sleep(RESUME_WINDOW_MS + 200); // a full (shortened) refill window elapses
     await page.evaluate(async () => {
       const dm = window.__godsEyeView.dataManager;
-      await dm.layers.get('flights').module.update(window.__godsEyeView.viewer ?? null);
+      await dm.layers.get('flights').module.update();
     });
     const expectedTotal = startsBeforeBatch + BATCH_COUNT; // every batch plane eventually requested
     const resumed = await page.waitForFunction(
@@ -581,7 +549,7 @@ async function main() {
 
     finish();
   } finally {
-    await browser.close();
+    await closeBrowser(browser);
   }
 
   function finish() {
diff --git a/scripts/qa-failstate-b10.mjs b/scripts/qa-failstate-b10.mjs
index 2033a2731..8514b453c 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-failstate-b10.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-failstate-b10.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+// Cesium-only probes: render-loop shutdown and manual rendering inject a Cesium failure.
+import { whenUiSettled, whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
 /**
  * qa-failstate-b10.mjs
  *
@@ -31,7 +33,7 @@
  * Exits non-zero if any assertion fails. DOES NOT COMMIT anything.
  */
 
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
 
@@ -58,28 +60,7 @@ function withDetectDebug(url) {
 const HEADFUL = getFlag('--headful');
 const ARTIFACT_DIR = getOpt('--artifact-dir', null);
 
-const CHROME_EXECUTABLE_CANDIDATES = [
-  process.env.PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH,
-  // Prefer puppeteer's version-pinned Chrome-for-Testing over the system
-  // Chrome: /Applications auto-updates underneath the harnesses, and its
-  // software-GL behavior shifts across majors (system Chrome 150 blew the
-  // tile-gated drain budget under SwiftShader on 2026-07-30 — six
-  // false-negative qa-cctv-v2 runs against a healthy build). A deterministic
-  // pinned browser beats the newest one for regression harnesses.
-  await puppeteer.executablePath().catch(() => null),
-  '/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome',
-  '/Applications/Google Chrome Canary.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome Canary',
-  '/Applications/Chromium.app/Contents/MacOS/Chromium',
-].filter(Boolean);
 
-function findChromeExecutable() {
-  for (const candidate of CHROME_EXECUTABLE_CANDIDATES) {
-    try {
-      if (fs.existsSync(candidate)) return candidate;
-    } catch { /* ignore */ }
-  }
-  return null;
-}
 
 const results = [];
 function record(name, ok, detail) {
@@ -88,7 +69,6 @@ function record(name, ok, detail) {
   console.log(`  [${tag}] ${name}${detail ? `  — ${detail}` : ''}`);
 }
 
-const sleep = (ms) => new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, ms));
 
 async function readLayerControl(page, layerId, expectedLabel) {
   await page.waitForFunction(
@@ -127,7 +107,7 @@ async function captureLayerControl(page, layerId, filename) {
     const rect = element?.getBoundingClientRect();
     return !!rect && rect.width > 0 && rect.height > 0;
   }, { timeout: 5_000 }, layerId);
-  await sleep(100);
+  await whenUiSettled(page);
   await row.screenshot({ path: path.join(ARTIFACT_DIR, filename) });
 }
 
@@ -156,21 +136,9 @@ async function main() {
     process.exit(2);
   }
 
-  const chromeExecutable = findChromeExecutable();
-  const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-    headless: HEADFUL ? false : 'new',
-    ...(chromeExecutable ? { executablePath: chromeExecutable } : {}),
-    args: [
-      '--no-sandbox',
-      '--disable-setuid-sandbox',
-      '--use-gl=angle',
-      '--use-angle=swiftshader',
-      '--disable-dev-shm-usage',
-      '--disable-web-security',
-      '--disable-background-timer-throttling',
-      '--disable-renderer-backgrounding',
-      '--window-size=1280,800',
-    ],
+  const browser = await launchBrowser({
+    headless: true,
+    args: ['--no-sandbox', '--disable-setuid-sandbox', '--disable-dev-shm-usage', '--disable-web-security', '--disable-background-timer-throttling', '--disable-renderer-backgrounding', '--window-size=1280,800'],
   });
 
   let exitCode = 0;
@@ -221,7 +189,8 @@ async function main() {
         && window.__godsEyeView.styleManager,
       { timeout: 60000 },
     );
-    await sleep(1500);
+    await whenSettled(page);
+    await whenUiSettled(page);
 
     // ── (0) Manager-owned periodic refresh → shared work/failure/recovery ──
     console.log('\n(0) Universal periodic refresh feedback...');
@@ -524,7 +493,7 @@ async function main() {
       } finally {
         if (tileset) tileset.show = priorTilesetShow;
         viewer.useDefaultRenderLoop = priorDefaultLoop;
-        viewer.scene.requestRender();
+        window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
       }
       const detState = gev.styleManager.getDetectionState?.() || null;
       return { present: true, nonEmpty, solid, sampled, mode: detState?.detectionMode ?? null };
@@ -550,7 +519,7 @@ async function main() {
     console.error('\x1b[31mHarness error:\x1b[0m', e);
     exitCode = 3;
   } finally {
-    await browser.close();
+    await closeBrowser(browser);
   }
 
   const pass = results.filter((r) => r.ok === true).length;
diff --git a/scripts/qa-final-polish-credits.mjs b/scripts/qa-final-polish-credits.mjs
index dde1431b9..3e0e2aab5 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-final-polish-credits.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-final-polish-credits.mjs
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 /** Persistent inline attribution through actual OSM layer display lifetimes. */
+import { whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import fs from 'node:fs/promises';
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
 import { moveCamera } from './qa-journey-recorder.mjs';
 const url = process.argv.find((a) => /^https?:/.test(a));
 if (!url) throw new Error('Supply the running server URL');
@@ -10,9 +11,9 @@ const dir = process.env.QA_POLISH_DIR || 'qa-shots/final-polish';
 await fs.mkdir(dir, { recursive: true });
 const sleep = (ms) => new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, ms));
 const result = { states: [], errors: [] };
-const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
+const browser = await launchBrowser({
   headless: true,
-  args: ['--use-angle=metal'],
+  args: [],
 });
 try {
   const page = await browser.newPage();
@@ -25,12 +26,10 @@ try {
     sessionStorage.setItem('gev:first-run-mission-session:v1', 'dismissed'),
   );
   await page.goto(`${url}/?welcome=0`, { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
-  await page.waitForFunction(
-    () =>
-      window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager &&
-      document.getElementById('loading-screen')?.classList.contains('hidden'),
-    { timeout: 120000 },
-  );
+  await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager, {
+    timeout: 120000,
+  });
+  await whenSettled(page);
   await page.evaluate(
     () => window.__godsEyeView.styleManager.initialRestorePromise,
   );
@@ -53,7 +52,7 @@ try {
       value,
     );
   const shot = async (name, osm, tiles) => {
-    await sleep(300);
+    await whenSettled(page);
     const state = await page.$eval('#cesium-credits', (e) => {
       const nodes = [
         ...e.querySelectorAll('a,img,.cesium-credit-expand-link'),
@@ -111,7 +110,7 @@ try {
     });
     result.states.push({ name, ...state });
   };
-  await sleep(1600);
+  await whenSettled(page);
   await shot('nothing', false, false);
   await toggle('alpr-cameras', true);
   await page.waitForFunction(
@@ -137,7 +136,7 @@ try {
   await shot('traffic', true, true);
   for (const width of [1280, 1920]) {
     await page.setViewport({ width, height: 900 });
-    await sleep(500);
+    await whenSettled(page);
     await shot(`traffic-${width}`, true, true);
   }
   await page.setViewport({ width: 1440, height: 900 });
@@ -154,5 +153,5 @@ try {
   console.log(JSON.stringify(result, null, 2));
 } finally {
   await fs.writeFile(`${dir}/credits.json`, JSON.stringify(result, null, 2));
-  await browser.close();
+  await closeBrowser(browser);
 }
diff --git a/scripts/qa-firms.mjs b/scripts/qa-firms.mjs
index 673ac9498..141e03cb8 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-firms.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-firms.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+// Cesium-only probes: entity sentinels and native flight interception verify the Cesium selection path.
+import { evaluateWithGeo } from './qa/geometry.mjs';
+import { whenSettled, whenFramesDrawn } from './qa/ready.mjs';
 /**
  * qa-firms.mjs — headless proof for the LIVE NASA FIRMS fires layer.
  *
@@ -29,7 +32,7 @@
  * Exits non-zero on any FAIL. Does not commit anything.
  */
 
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import {
   isExpectedPreviewSetupError,
   redact,
@@ -54,33 +57,14 @@ const APP_URL = appUrl.href;
 const HEADFUL = argv.includes('--headful');
 const FIXTURES = argv.includes('--fixtures');
 const PREVIEW = argv.includes('--preview');
-const ANGLE = getOpt('--angle', 'swiftshader');
+const ANGLE = process.env.QA_ANGLE || 'metal';
 const OUT = getOpt('--out', null);
 const SHOTS_DIR = OUT ? path.resolve(OUT).replace(/\.json$/, '') + '-shots' : path.join(REPO_ROOT, 'qa-shots');
 if (!['metal', 'swiftshader'].includes(ANGLE)) throw new Error('Unknown ANGLE backend');
 const runtimeErrors = [];
 const expectedSourceErrors = [];
 
-const CHROME_EXECUTABLE_CANDIDATES = [
-  process.env.PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH,
-  // Prefer puppeteer's version-pinned Chrome-for-Testing over the system
-  // Chrome: /Applications auto-updates underneath the harnesses, and its
-  // software-GL behavior shifts across majors (system Chrome 150 blew the
-  // tile-gated drain budget under SwiftShader on 2026-07-30 — six
-  // false-negative qa-cctv-v2 runs against a healthy build). A deterministic
-  // pinned browser beats the newest one for regression harnesses.
-  await puppeteer.executablePath().catch(() => null),
-  '/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome',
-  '/Applications/Google Chrome Canary.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome Canary',
-  '/Applications/Chromium.app/Contents/MacOS/Chromium',
-].filter(Boolean);
 
-function findChromeExecutable() {
-  for (const candidate of CHROME_EXECUTABLE_CANDIDATES) {
-    try { if (fs.existsSync(candidate)) return candidate; } catch { /* ignore */ }
-  }
-  return null;
-}
 
 const results = [];
 function record(name, ok, detail) {
@@ -126,7 +110,7 @@ async function waitForCardCanvasInk(page, { timeoutMs = 12000 } = {}) {
   let consecutive = 0;
   let sample = null;
   while (Date.now() < deadline) {
-    await page.evaluate(() => window.__godsEyeView?.viewer?.scene?.requestRender?.());
+    await page.evaluate(() => window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request?.());
     await sleep(150);
     sample = await cardCanvasInk(page);
     if (sample.present && sample.entries > 0 && sample.painted > 0 && sample.ink > 500) {
@@ -160,7 +144,7 @@ async function waitForFirmsActionCount(page, expected, { timeoutMs = 12000 } = {
   const deadline = Date.now() + timeoutMs;
   let snapshot = await firmsActionSnapshot(page);
   while (Date.now() < deadline && snapshot.count !== expected) {
-    await page.evaluate(() => window.__godsEyeView?.viewer?.scene?.requestRender?.());
+    await page.evaluate(() => window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request?.());
     await sleep(175);
     snapshot = await firmsActionSnapshot(page);
   }
@@ -174,9 +158,10 @@ async function bootAndEnable(page, { timeoutS = 45 } = {}) {
     () => window.__godsEyeView?.engine && window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager,
     { timeout: 60000 },
   );
+  await whenSettled(page);
   const actualEngine = await page.evaluate(() => window.__godsEyeView.engine.kind);
   if (actualEngine !== ENGINE) throw new Error('Requested FIRMS engine did not load');
-  await sleep(5000);
+  await whenSettled(page);
   await page.keyboard.press('Escape');
   return page.evaluate(async (tS) => {
     const dm = window.__godsEyeView.dataManager;
@@ -194,7 +179,7 @@ async function bootAndEnable(page, { timeoutS = 45 } = {}) {
 
 /** Teleport the camera (duck-typed cartographic — no Cesium global). */
 async function setView(page, lon, lat, height) {
-  await page.evaluate(async (lo, la, h) => {
+  await evaluateWithGeo(page, async (qaGeo, lo, la, h) => {
     const gev = window.__godsEyeView;
     if (!gev.viewer) {
       const geo = await import('/src/geo/index.js');
@@ -203,15 +188,14 @@ async function setView(page, lon, lat, height) {
       gev.engine.render.request('firms-legacy-view');
       return;
     }
-    const ell = gev.viewer.scene.globe.ellipsoid;
     const d2r = Math.PI / 180;
     // The app's intro flyTo animation clobbers a setView issued mid-flight.
-    try { gev.viewer.camera.cancelFlight(); } catch { /* no flight active */ }
-    gev.viewer.camera.setView({
-      destination: ell.cartographicToCartesian({ longitude: lo * d2r, latitude: la * d2r, height: h }),
+    try { window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight(); } catch { /* no flight active */ }
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
+      destination: qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian({ longitude: lo * d2r, latitude: la * d2r, height: h }),
       orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
     });
-    gev.viewer.scene.requestRender?.();
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request?.();
   }, lon, lat, height);
 }
 
@@ -270,15 +254,9 @@ async function main() {
   }
 
   fs.mkdirSync(SHOTS_DIR, { recursive: true });
-  const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-    headless: HEADFUL ? false : 'new',
-    ...(findChromeExecutable() ? { executablePath: findChromeExecutable() } : {}),
-    args: [
-      '--no-sandbox', '--disable-setuid-sandbox', '--use-gl=angle', `--use-angle=${ANGLE}`,
-      '--disable-dev-shm-usage', '--disable-web-security',
-      '--disable-background-timer-throttling', '--disable-renderer-backgrounding',
-      '--window-size=1440,900',
-    ],
+  const browser = await launchBrowser({
+    headless: true,
+    args: ['--no-sandbox', '--disable-setuid-sandbox', '--disable-dev-shm-usage', '--disable-web-security', '--disable-background-timer-throttling', '--disable-renderer-backgrounding', '--window-size=1440,900'],
   });
 
   let exitCode = 0;
@@ -484,7 +462,7 @@ async function main() {
           if (settled) break;
           await sleep(100);
         }
-        await sleep(250);
+        await whenFramesDrawn(page);
 
         const proof = await page.evaluate(() => {
           const gev = window.__godsEyeView;
@@ -558,7 +536,7 @@ async function main() {
     console.error('\x1b[31mHarness error:\x1b[0m', e);
     exitCode = 3;
   } finally {
-    await browser.close();
+    await closeBrowser(browser);
   }
 
   record('RUNTIME: no unexpected browser errors', runtimeErrors.length === 0,
diff --git a/scripts/qa-firstrun.mjs b/scripts/qa-firstrun.mjs
index c8291ed62..a5cdee601 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-firstrun.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-firstrun.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+import { whenUiSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
 /**
  * qa-firstrun — the mission launcher's contract, proved in the real app.
  *
@@ -18,10 +19,10 @@
  * every rendered/behavioral assertion below must go RED. A green --teeth run
  * means the assertions are not measuring what they claim to.
  */
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
 
 const args = process.argv.slice(2);
 const getOpt = (flag, fallback) => {
@@ -35,12 +36,6 @@ const HEADFUL = args.includes('--headful');
 const ROOT = path.resolve(path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), '..');
 const SHOT_DIR = path.join(ROOT, 'qa-shots', 'firstrun');
 
-const CHROME_CANDIDATES = [
-  process.env.PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH,
-  // Version-pinned Chrome-for-Testing over the auto-updating system Chrome.
-  await puppeteer.executablePath().catch(() => null),
-  '/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome',
-].filter(Boolean);
 
 const results = [];
 let currentSection = 'setup';
@@ -96,7 +91,7 @@ async function open(page, { hash = '', query = '', clearAll = true, clearSession
     { timeout: 45000 },
     LAUNCHER,
   ).catch(() => {});
-  await sleep(400);
+  await whenUiSettled(page);
   if (errorSink) errorSink.length = 0;
 }
 
@@ -184,7 +179,7 @@ async function pick(page, choice, { timeout = 40000, settle = [] } = {}) {
     }, settle).catch(() => {});
   }
   // Plus a render beat: settled data still has to reach the framebuffer.
-  await sleep(settle.length ? 3500 : 1500);
+  await whenUiSettled(page);
 }
 
 /** Every section the run is expected to reach; the teeth verdict requires all. */
@@ -236,7 +231,7 @@ async function runArbitrationSection(page, { shots, consoleErrors }) {
     record('the launcher is up before the scene starts', beforeScene.onScreen);
 
     await page.evaluate(() => document.body.classList.add('scene-playback-mode'));
-    await sleep(300);
+    await whenUiSettled(page);
     const duringScene = await launcherState();
     record(
       'a scene taking the screen makes the launcher YIELD, not just hide',
@@ -249,7 +244,7 @@ async function runArbitrationSection(page, { shots, consoleErrors }) {
     // The key that used to dismiss an invisible launcher must now do nothing
     // to it — proven by the scene class still being set afterwards.
     await page.keyboard.press('Escape');
-    await sleep(300);
+    await whenUiSettled(page);
     const afterEsc = await page.evaluate(() => ({
       sceneStillOn: document.body.classList.contains('scene-playback-mode'),
     }));
@@ -259,7 +254,7 @@ async function runArbitrationSection(page, { shots, consoleErrors }) {
       afterEsc.sceneStillOn ? 'scene class untouched by the launcher' : 'something else consumed the key',
     );
     await page.evaluate(() => document.body.classList.remove('scene-playback-mode'));
-    await sleep(200);
+    await whenUiSettled(page);
     const afterScene = await launcherState();
     record('a yielded launcher does not pop back when the scene ends',
       !afterScene.classVisible, `classVisible=${afterScene.classVisible}`);
@@ -269,7 +264,7 @@ async function runArbitrationSection(page, { shots, consoleErrors }) {
     const beforeCockpit = await launcherState();
     record('the launcher is up before cockpit engages', beforeCockpit.onScreen);
     await page.evaluate(() => document.body.classList.add('cockpit-mode'));
-    await sleep(300);
+    await whenUiSettled(page);
     const duringCockpit = await launcherState();
     record(
       'cockpit engaging makes the launcher YIELD before it can contest ESC',
@@ -277,7 +272,7 @@ async function runArbitrationSection(page, { shots, consoleErrors }) {
       `classVisible=${duringCockpit.classVisible} — cockpit registers its capture listener first, so stacking must never arise`,
     );
     await page.evaluate(() => document.body.classList.remove('cockpit-mode'));
-    await sleep(200);
+    await whenUiSettled(page);
 
     // ── Blocker repro: a surface that takes the screen with NO class ────────
     // The attribution lightbox is full-screen at z-index 200 against the card's
@@ -303,7 +298,7 @@ async function runArbitrationSection(page, { shots, consoleErrors }) {
       link?.click();
       return !!link;
     });
-    await sleep(300);
+    await whenUiSettled(page);
     const lightboxUp = await lightboxState();
     record(
       'the real "Data attribution" lightbox opens above the card',
@@ -318,7 +313,7 @@ async function runArbitrationSection(page, { shots, consoleErrors }) {
     );
 
     await page.keyboard.press('Escape');
-    await sleep(400);
+    await whenUiSettled(page);
     const escUnderLightbox = await launcherState();
     const lightboxAfterEsc = await lightboxState();
     record(
@@ -343,12 +338,12 @@ async function runArbitrationSection(page, { shots, consoleErrors }) {
       document.activeElement === document.querySelector('#cesium-credits .cesium-credit-expand-link')
     ));
     record('closing attribution restores its disclosure focus', attributionFocusRestored);
-    await sleep(300);
+    await whenUiSettled(page);
     const uncovered = await launcherState();
     record('closing the lightbox hands the card back the key',
       uncovered.topmost, `topmost=${uncovered.topmost}`);
     await page.keyboard.press('Escape');
-    await sleep(600);
+    await whenUiSettled(page);
     const afterUncoveredEsc = await launcherState();
     record(
       'ESC dismisses normally again once nothing is on top',
@@ -407,7 +402,7 @@ async function runArbitrationSection(page, { shots, consoleErrors }) {
 
     // ...and appears once that surface clears.
     await page.evaluate(() => document.body.classList.remove('cockpit-mode'));
-    await sleep(800);
+    await whenUiSettled(page);
     const afterCockpitCleared = await launcherState();
     record('the launcher appears once the surface clears',
       afterCockpitCleared.onScreen, `onScreen=${afterCockpitCleared.onScreen}`);
@@ -439,21 +434,9 @@ async function main() {
   }
 
   fs.mkdirSync(SHOT_DIR, { recursive: true });
-  const executablePath = CHROME_CANDIDATES.find((candidate) => {
-    try { return fs.existsSync(candidate); } catch { return false; }
-  });
-  const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-    headless: HEADFUL ? false : 'new',
-    ...(executablePath ? { executablePath } : {}),
-    args: [
-      '--no-sandbox', '--disable-setuid-sandbox',
-      // Metal is a macOS-only ANGLE backend; anywhere else it fails WebGL init.
-      ...(process.platform === 'darwin'
-        ? ['--use-angle=metal', '--enable-gpu', '--ignore-gpu-blocklist']
-        : ['--use-gl=angle', '--use-angle=swiftshader']),
-      '--disable-dev-shm-usage', '--disable-background-timer-throttling',
-      '--disable-renderer-backgrounding', '--window-size=1440,900',
-    ],
+  const browser = await launchBrowser({
+    headless: true,
+    args: ['--no-sandbox', '--disable-setuid-sandbox', ...(process.platform === 'darwin' ? ['--enable-gpu', '--ignore-gpu-blocklist'] : []), '--disable-dev-shm-usage', '--disable-background-timer-throttling', '--disable-renderer-backgrounding', '--window-size=1440,900'],
   });
 
   const shots = [];
@@ -510,7 +493,7 @@ async function main() {
       // ESC dismisses. Stated as a TRANSITION (was up, now gone) — "not visible"
       // alone passes vacuously whenever the launcher never appeared at all.
       await page.keyboard.press('Escape');
-      await sleep(600);
+      await whenUiSettled(page);
       const state = await appState(page);
       record('ESC dismisses the launcher', freshVisible && !(await launcherVisible(page)),
         freshVisible ? 'visible → dismissed' : 'never appeared, so nothing was dismissed');
@@ -530,11 +513,11 @@ async function main() {
 
       // Checkbox → durable suppression.
       await page.click('[data-first-run-suppress]');
-      await sleep(200);
+      await whenUiSettled(page);
       const ticked = await appState(page);
       record('the checkbox writes durable suppression immediately', ticked.durable === 'suppressed', `durable=${ticked.durable}`);
       await page.keyboard.press('Escape');
-      await sleep(400);
+      await whenUiSettled(page);
       await open(page, { clearAll: false, clearSession: true });
       record('a suppressed profile stays quiet in later sessions',
         ticked.durable === 'suppressed' && !(await launcherVisible(page)),
@@ -789,7 +772,7 @@ async function main() {
         if (list) list.scrollTop = 0;
         document.activeElement?.blur?.();
       }, LAUNCHER);
-      await sleep(250);
+      await whenUiSettled(page);
       shots.push(await shoot(page, `launcher-${vp.name}`));
     }
     await page.setViewport({ width: 1440, height: 900, deviceScaleFactor: 1 });
@@ -800,7 +783,7 @@ async function main() {
         consoleErrors.slice(0, 3).join(' | ') || 'clean');
     });
   } finally {
-    await browser.close();
+    await closeBrowser(browser);
   }
 
   const failed = results.filter((entry) => !entry.ok);
diff --git a/scripts/qa-floor-hold.mjs b/scripts/qa-floor-hold.mjs
index 147301480..0a3f6ea7f 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-floor-hold.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-floor-hold.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+// Cesium-only probes: native primitive positions provide the Cesium floor oracle.
+import { evaluateWithGeo } from './qa/geometry.mjs';
+import { whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
 /**
  * scripts/qa-floor-hold.mjs — a grounded contact holds its floor through a
  * terrain-proxy outage (owner incident, 2026-08-21).
@@ -25,13 +28,13 @@
  * under Metal — a backend comparison at one point, not to be confused with the
  * same-backend run-to-run spread (122.1 m vs 20.6 m on a cell centre) that
  * retired the hold chain's unvalidated tier. The
- * default is Metal on macOS and SwiftShader elsewhere; `--angle` overrides it.
+ * default is Metal; QA_ANGLE overrides it.
  * Mesh samples describe the selected backend, not another GPU's rendered LOD.
  * An unavailable rendered-mesh oracle remains a failed check, even if the
  * separate bare-earth DEM check passes. Software evidence does not establish
  * real-GPU visual correctness.
  */
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
 
@@ -39,7 +42,7 @@ const APP_URL = process.env.QA_BASE_URL || 'http://localhost:4173';
 const argv = Object.fromEntries(process.argv.slice(2)
   .map((a) => a.replace(/^--/, '').split('=')).map(([k, v]) => [k, v ?? true]));
 // Metal is a macOS-only ANGLE backend; defaulting to it off-Mac fails WebGL init.
-const ANGLE = String(argv.angle || (process.platform === 'darwin' ? 'metal' : 'swiftshader'));
+const ANGLE = process.env.QA_ANGLE || 'metal';
 const HEADFUL = !!argv.headful;
 // Austin airport apron by default — the site qa-floor-verify pins, where the
 // mesh sits ~150 m above the geoid and burial is unmistakable.
@@ -58,12 +61,9 @@ function record(name, ok, detail) {
 }
 
 fs.mkdirSync(OUT_DIR, { recursive: true });
-const chrome = await puppeteer.executablePath().catch(() => undefined);
-const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-  headless: HEADFUL ? false : 'new',
-  executablePath: chrome,
-  args: ['--use-gl=angle', `--use-angle=${ANGLE}`, '--enable-webgl',
-    '--ignore-gpu-blocklist', '--no-sandbox'],
+const browser = await launchBrowser({
+  headless: true,
+  args: ['--enable-webgl', '--ignore-gpu-blocklist', '--no-sandbox'],
 });
 const page = await browser.newPage();
 await page.setViewport({ width: 1400, height: 900 });
@@ -109,14 +109,14 @@ console.log(`\nFloor hold through a terrain outage\n  App  : ${APP_URL}\n  GPU
 await page.goto(APP_URL, { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded', timeout: 120000 });
 await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__godsEyeView?.layers && window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager,
   { timeout: 150000 });
-await sleep(12000); // let the boot fly-to settle before pinning
+await whenSettled(page); // let the boot fly-to settle before pinning
 await page.evaluate(() => {
   document.querySelector('#first-run-launcher:not([hidden]) [data-first-run-choice="explore"]')?.click();
 });
-await sleep(600); // let the launcher dismissal finish before taking evidence
+await whenSettled(page); // let the launcher dismissal finish before taking evidence
 
 await page.evaluate((site) => { window.__SITE = site; }, SITE);
-const pin = () => page.evaluate(async () => {
+const pin = () => evaluateWithGeo(page, async (qaGeo) => {
   const app = window.__godsEyeView;
   if (!app.viewer) {
     const geo = await import('/src/geo/index.js');
@@ -128,16 +128,15 @@ const pin = () => page.evaluate(async () => {
     app.engine.camera.moveEnd.raiseEvent();
     return;
   }
-  const v = app.viewer;
-  const C = v.camera.positionCartographic.constructor;
-  v.camera.cancelFlight();
-  v.camera.setView({
-    destination: v.scene.globe.ellipsoid.cartographicToCartesian(
+  const C = qaGeo.cartographic;
+  window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
+  window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
+    destination: qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian(
       C.fromDegrees(window.__SITE.lon, window.__SITE.lat - 0.008, 900),
     ),
     orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -0.45, roll: 0 },
   });
-  v.camera.moveEnd.raiseEvent();
+  window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.moveEnd.raiseEvent();
 });
 await pin();
 const billboardMode = await page.evaluate(async () => {
@@ -152,7 +151,7 @@ const billboardMode = await page.evaluate(async () => {
 record('the billboard floor test is explicitly in 2D aircraft mode', billboardMode);
 
 /** Reads the contact's rendered height and the rendered mesh beneath it. */
-const measure = () => page.evaluate(async (icao) => {
+const measure = () => evaluateWithGeo(page, async (qaGeo, icao) => {
   const app = window.__godsEyeView;
   if (!app.viewer) {
     const geo = await import('/src/geo/index.js');
@@ -171,7 +170,7 @@ const measure = () => page.evaluate(async (icao) => {
       lat: +(carto.latitude * 180 / Math.PI).toFixed(5), lon: +(carto.longitude * 180 / Math.PI).toFixed(5), terrain: { ...window.__TERRAIN } };
   }
   const v = app.viewer;
-  const C = v.camera.positionCartographic.constructor;
+  const C = qaGeo.cartographic;
   // The contact as the layer draws it (the probe's drawn rows: the layer owns
   // no Cesium billboard of its own any more; the engine's batched billboards
   // keep a hidden spare's old id, so an id match there can be stale).
@@ -201,7 +200,7 @@ const measure = () => page.evaluate(async (icao) => {
   // harness does, and accept the coarse cell centre as a fallback point.
   const pump = () => new Promise((resolve) => {
     try { window.__godsEyeView.requestRender?.(); } catch { /* no governor */ }
-    try { v.scene.requestRender(); } catch { /* explicit-render off */ }
+    try { window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request(); } catch { /* explicit-render off */ }
     requestAnimationFrame(() => requestAnimationFrame(resolve));
   });
   let mesh = null;
@@ -210,7 +209,7 @@ const measure = () => page.evaluate(async (icao) => {
     for (const [pLat, pLon] of [[lat, lon], [+lat.toFixed(3), +lon.toFixed(3)]]) {
       for (const exclude of [[...sprites, ...models], []]) {
         try {
-          const h = v.scene.sampleHeight(C.fromDegrees(pLon, pLat, 0), exclude);
+          const h = window.__godsEyeView.engine.surface.sampleHeight(C.fromDegrees(pLon, pLat, 0), exclude);
           if (Number.isFinite(h)) { mesh = h; break; }
         } catch { /* mid-stream */ }
       }
@@ -278,7 +277,7 @@ for (let i = 1; i <= 4; i++) {
   await sample('B', `poll+${i}`);
 }
 fs.writeFileSync(path.join(OUT_DIR, `hold-B-outage-${ANGLE}.png`), await page.screenshot({ type: 'png' }));
-await browser.close();
+await closeBrowser(browser);
 
 console.log('');
 const outage = samples.filter((s) => s.phase === 'B');
diff --git a/scripts/qa-floor-verify.mjs b/scripts/qa-floor-verify.mjs
index a6baf1d43..523d0aeec 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-floor-verify.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-floor-verify.mjs
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+// Cesium-only probes: native primitive and streamed-tile positions provide the Cesium floor oracle.
+import { evaluateWithGeo } from './qa/geometry.mjs';
+import { whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
 // scripts/qa-floor-verify.mjs — live floor verification at AUS (round 5).
 // Pins the camera at Austin airport, enables flights, waits ~3 polls, then
 // measures every nearby contact's render height against the ACTUAL rendered
@@ -5,7 +8,7 @@
 // coarse-LOD poison and the taxiing cold-cell regression on 2026-07-06.
 // Run: node scripts/qa-floor-verify.mjs   (dev server on :4173, real GPU best)
 // with the poison fix + simplified chain live.
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 
 // QA_BASE_URL matches the sibling harnesses (qa-height-datum / qa-cctv-v2) so a
@@ -29,29 +32,23 @@ const sleep = (ms) => new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, ms));
 // (2026-07-30 lesson, already applied to the other harnesses): /Applications
 // auto-updates underneath the harnesses and its software-GL behavior shifts
 // across majors.
-const chrome = [
-  process.env.PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH,
-  await puppeteer.executablePath().catch(() => null),
-  '/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome',
-].filter(Boolean).find((p) => fs.existsSync(p));
 
-const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-  headless: 'new', executablePath: chrome,
-  args: ['--use-gl=angle', `--use-angle=${process.env.QA_ANGLE || 'swiftshader'}`, '--enable-webgl', '--ignore-gpu-blocklist', '--no-sandbox'],
+const browser = await launchBrowser({
+  headless: true, args: ['--enable-webgl', '--ignore-gpu-blocklist', '--no-sandbox'],
 });
 const page = await browser.newPage();
 await page.setViewport({ width: 1400, height: 900 });
 page.on('pageerror', (e) => console.log('[pageerror]', e.message));
 await page.goto(APP_URL, { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded', timeout: 120000 });
 await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager && window.__godsEyeView?.engine, { timeout: 150000 });
-await sleep(2000);
+await whenSettled(page);
 
 // Let the app's boot fly-to fully settle FIRST (it was overriding an early
 // setView, leaving the camera away from Austin — every probe then read
 // coarse global tiles at ~25 m and the oracle was garbage).
-await sleep(12000);
+await whenSettled(page);
 await page.evaluate((site) => { window.__QA_SITE = site; }, SITE);
-const camPin = async () => page.evaluate(async () => {
+const camPin = async () => evaluateWithGeo(page, async (qaGeo) => {
   const v = window.__godsEyeView.viewer;
   if (!v) {
     const geo = await import('/src/geo/index.js');
@@ -61,11 +58,11 @@ const camPin = async () => page.evaluate(async () => {
     const c = camera.pose().cartographic;
     return { lat: +(c.latitude * 180 / Math.PI).toFixed(3), lon: +(c.longitude * 180 / Math.PI).toFixed(3), h: Math.round(c.height) };
   }
-  const C = v.camera.positionCartographic.constructor;
-  v.camera.cancelFlight();
-  v.camera.setView({ destination: v.scene.globe.ellipsoid.cartographicToCartesian(C.fromDegrees(window.__QA_SITE.lon, window.__QA_SITE.lat, 3000)) });
-  v.camera.moveEnd.raiseEvent();
-  const c = v.camera.positionCartographic;
+  const C = qaGeo.cartographic;
+  window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
+  window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({ destination: qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian(C.fromDegrees(window.__QA_SITE.lon, window.__QA_SITE.lat, 3000)) });
+  window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.moveEnd.raiseEvent();
+  const c = window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().cartographic;
   return { lat: +(c.latitude * 180 / Math.PI).toFixed(3), lon: +(c.longitude * 180 / Math.PI).toFixed(3), h: Math.round(c.height) };
 });
 console.log('camera pinned:', JSON.stringify(await camPin()));
@@ -87,7 +84,7 @@ const ready = await page.evaluate(() => {
 console.log('tileset ready:', JSON.stringify(ready));
 await sleep(8000);
 
-const report = await page.evaluate(async () => {
+const report = await evaluateWithGeo(page, async (qaGeo) => {
   const gev = window.__godsEyeView;
   const v = gev.viewer;
   const layer = gev.dataManager.layers.get('flights')?.module;
@@ -141,9 +138,8 @@ const report = await page.evaluate(async () => {
     }
     return { ausContacts: out.length, contacts: out.slice(0, 16), spritesShown: shown, spritesHidden: hidden };
   }
-  const ell = v.scene.globe.ellipsoid;
-  const C = v.camera.positionCartographic.constructor;
-  const center = ell.cartographicToCartesian(C.fromDegrees(window.__QA_SITE.lon, window.__QA_SITE.lat, 200));
+  const C = qaGeo.cartographic;
+  const center = qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian(C.fromDegrees(window.__QA_SITE.lon, window.__QA_SITE.lat, 200));
   const nearby = layer.getNearby(center, 15000, 60);
   // Exclude EVERY billboard from the probes — sprites are pickable, so an
   // unexcluded probe can return another aircraft's height as "the mesh".
@@ -172,11 +168,11 @@ const report = await page.evaluate(async () => {
   const out = [];
   for (const p of nearby) {
     const modelAt = drawnAt(p);
-    const c = ell.cartesianToCartographic(modelAt ?? p.position);
+    const c = qaGeo.cartographic.fromCartesian(modelAt ?? p.position);
     const latDeg = c.latitude * 180 / Math.PI, lonDeg = c.longitude * 180 / Math.PI;
     let meshH = null;
     try {
-      const h = v.scene.sampleHeight(C.fromDegrees(lonDeg, latDeg), excludes);
+      const h = window.__godsEyeView.engine.surface.sampleHeight(C.fromDegrees(lonDeg, latDeg), excludes);
       if (Number.isFinite(h)) meshH = h;
     } catch { /* ignore */ }
     out.push({
@@ -201,7 +197,7 @@ const report = await page.evaluate(async () => {
   let shown = 0, hidden = 0;
   for (const row of gev.layers?.drawn('flights') ?? []) {
     if (!row.position || row.trackedModel) continue;
-    const cc = ell.cartesianToCartographic(row.position);
+    const cc = qaGeo.cartographic.fromCartesian(row.position);
     const la = cc.latitude * 180 / Math.PI, lo = cc.longitude * 180 / Math.PI;
     if (Math.abs(la - window.__QA_SITE.lat) > 0.08 || Math.abs(lo - window.__QA_SITE.lon) > 0.10) continue;
     if (row.show) shown++; else hidden++;
@@ -223,7 +219,7 @@ for (const b of buried) {
 }
 const verdict = lows.length === 0 ? 'INCONCLUSIVE' : (buried.length === 0 ? 'PASS' : 'FAIL');
 console.log(`VERDICT: ${verdict}`);
-await browser.close();
+await closeBrowser(browser);
 // Exit code (2026-08-19): this harness printed VERDICT: FAIL and still exited 0,
 // so a real regression (taxiing contacts rendering under the mesh) stayed
 // invisible to every automated caller. Now it reports like its siblings
diff --git a/scripts/qa-flyroute-cinema.mjs b/scripts/qa-flyroute-cinema.mjs
index 3d4088a32..205a858e1 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-flyroute-cinema.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-flyroute-cinema.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+import { whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
 /**
  * fly_route cinematic evidence — drives the REAL voice runner headlessly and
  * measures the REAL camera (Cesium heading/pitch/roll + position) every
@@ -9,10 +10,10 @@
  *
  * Writes a screenshot sequence plus a JSON trace to qa-shots/flyroute/.
  */
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
 import sharp from 'sharp';
 
 const ROOT = path.resolve(path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), '..');
@@ -25,11 +26,6 @@ const OUT_DIR = getOpt('--out', path.join(ROOT, 'qa-shots', 'flyroute'));
 const MIRROR_DIR = getOpt('--mirror', '');
 const SHOT_EVERY_MS = Number(getOpt('--shot-ms', '2000'));
 
-const CHROME_CANDIDATES = [
-  process.env.PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH,
-  await puppeteer.executablePath().catch(() => null),
-].filter(Boolean);
-const CHROME_EXECUTABLE = CHROME_CANDIDATES.find((c) => { try { return fs.existsSync(c); } catch { return false; } });
 
 // A 6-waypoint downtown Austin route: north, right, left, right, left.
 const ROUTE_POINTS = [
@@ -57,22 +53,9 @@ const wrapDeg = (deg) => ((deg + 540) % 360) - 180;
 fs.mkdirSync(OUT_DIR, { recursive: true });
 if (MIRROR_DIR) fs.mkdirSync(MIRROR_DIR, { recursive: true });
 
-const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-  headless: 'new',
-  ...(CHROME_EXECUTABLE ? { executablePath: CHROME_EXECUTABLE } : {}),
-  args: [
-    '--no-sandbox',
-    '--disable-setuid-sandbox',
-    // Real GPU when the host has one: the dolly is frame-rate independent, but
-    // a higher sample rate makes the roll and the ease ramps far easier to see.
-    ...(process.platform === 'darwin'
-      ? ['--use-angle=metal', '--enable-gpu']
-      : ['--use-gl=angle', '--use-angle=swiftshader']),
-    '--disable-dev-shm-usage',
-    '--disable-background-timer-throttling',
-    '--disable-renderer-backgrounding',
-    '--window-size=1500,950',
-  ],
+const browser = await launchBrowser({
+  headless: true,
+  args: ['--no-sandbox', '--disable-setuid-sandbox', ...(process.platform === 'darwin' ? ['--enable-gpu'] : []), '--disable-dev-shm-usage', '--disable-background-timer-throttling', '--disable-renderer-backgrounding', '--window-size=1500,950'],
   protocolTimeout: 240000,
 });
 const page = await browser.newPage();
@@ -99,21 +82,19 @@ if (TERRAIN_DELAY_MS > 0) {
 /** Install a postRender sampler: one row per RENDERED frame. */
 async function installSampler() {
   await page.evaluate(() => {
-    const viewer = window.__godsEyeView.viewer;
     window.__gevFlyTrace = { rows: [], marks: [] };
     if (window.__gevFlyTraceRemove) window.__gevFlyTraceRemove();
     let frame = 0;
     const listener = () => {
-      const cam = viewer.camera;
-      const carto = cam.positionCartographic;
+      const carto = window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().cartographic;
       // Every 6th frame, ask the RENDERED WORLD what is under the camera. This
       // is the only measurement that can prove "never below terrain": it reads
       // the surface the user is actually looking at, not our own floor cache.
       let surfaceM = null;
       frame += 1;
-      if (frame % 6 === 0 && typeof viewer.scene.sampleHeight === 'function') {
+      if (frame % 6 === 0 && typeof window.__godsEyeView.engine.surface.sampleHeight === 'function') {
         try {
-          const probe = viewer.scene.sampleHeight(carto.clone());
+          const probe = window.__godsEyeView.engine.surface.sampleHeight(carto);
           if (Number.isFinite(probe)) surfaceM = probe;
         } catch { /* tiles not loaded under the camera */ }
       }
@@ -122,14 +103,14 @@ async function installSampler() {
         lon: (carto.longitude * 180) / Math.PI,
         lat: (carto.latitude * 180) / Math.PI,
         height: carto.height,
-        headingDeg: (cam.heading * 180) / Math.PI,
-        pitchDeg: (cam.pitch * 180) / Math.PI,
-        rollDeg: (cam.roll * 180) / Math.PI,
+        headingDeg: (window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().heading * 180) / Math.PI,
+        pitchDeg: (window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().pitch * 180) / Math.PI,
+        rollDeg: (window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().roll * 180) / Math.PI,
         surfaceM,
       });
     };
-    viewer.scene.postRender.addEventListener(listener);
-    window.__gevFlyTraceRemove = () => viewer.scene.postRender.removeEventListener(listener);
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.frames.postRender.addEventListener(listener);
+    window.__gevFlyTraceRemove = () => window.__godsEyeView.engine.frames.postRender.removeEventListener(listener);
   });
 }
 
@@ -153,24 +134,25 @@ try {
   console.log(`\nfly_route cinematic evidence — ${APP_URL}`);
   await page.goto(APP_URL, { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded', timeout: 90000 });
   await page.waitForFunction(
-    () => window.__godsEyeView?.viewer && window.__gevVoiceCommands?.runner && window.__gevAnnotations,
+    () => window.__godsEyeView?.engine && window.__gevVoiceCommands?.runner && window.__gevAnnotations,
     { timeout: 150000, polling: 250 },
   );
+  await whenSettled(page);
   const run = (name, args = {}) => page.evaluate(
     (n, a) => window.__gevVoiceCommands.runner(n, a), name, args,
   );
 
   // ── Setup: get over downtown Austin, draw the route ───────────────────
   await run('fly_to_location', { query: 'Texas State Capitol, Austin' });
-  await sleep(9000);
+  await whenSettled(page);
   await run('clear_annotations', {});
-  await sleep(500);
+  await whenSettled(page);
   const drawn = await run('annotate_map', {
     annotations: [{
       type: 'route', mode: 'driving', label: 'cinema evidence route', points: ROUTE_POINTS,
     }],
   });
-  await sleep(6000);
+  await whenSettled(page);
   const routeInfo = await page.evaluate(() => {
     const route = (window.__gevAnnotations.list?.() || []).filter((a) => a.type === 'route').at(-1);
     return route ? { label: route.label, waypoints: route.path?.length ?? 0 } : null;
@@ -421,12 +403,12 @@ try {
   // ── Run 2: interrupt the dolly MID-BANK ───────────────────────────────
   // Cutting a level camera proves nothing about levelling, so this waits for
   // the live camera to actually be rolled before it grabs the controls.
-  await sleep(1500);
+  await whenSettled(page);
   await installSampler();
   const second = await run('fly_route', { label: 'cinema evidence', speed: 'normal' });
   report(second?.ok === true, 'second flight starts for the interrupt case');
   const liveRollDeg = () => page.evaluate(
-    () => (window.__godsEyeView.viewer.camera.roll * 180) / Math.PI,
+    () => (window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().roll * 180) / Math.PI,
   );
   let rollBeforeCut = 0;
   for (let waited = 0; waited < 90000; waited += 400) {
@@ -439,8 +421,7 @@ try {
   await page.screenshot({ path: path.join(OUT_DIR, 'interrupt-0-banked.png') });
 
   const cut = await page.evaluate(async () => {
-    const viewer = window.__godsEyeView.viewer;
-    const canvas = viewer.scene.canvas;
+    const canvas = window.__godsEyeView.engine.host.canvas;
     // Read the motion slot BEFORE the cut too: under Vite a dynamic import can
     // hand back a second module instance whose slot is always empty, and an
     // "empty after" that was already empty before proves nothing.
@@ -452,11 +433,11 @@ try {
       read = () => mod.getActiveCameraMotion?.() ?? null;
       slotBefore = read();
     } catch { /* dev-only module read */ }
-    const rollBefore = (viewer.camera.roll * 180) / Math.PI;
+    const rollBefore = (window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().roll * 180) / Math.PI;
     window.__gevFlyTrace.marks.push({ label: 'pointerdown', t: performance.now() });
     canvas.dispatchEvent(new PointerEvent('pointerdown', { bubbles: true, cancelable: true }));
     // Same synchronous turn as the pointerdown — no frame has rendered yet.
-    const rollAfter = (viewer.camera.roll * 180) / Math.PI;
+    const rollAfter = (window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().roll * 180) / Math.PI;
     if (read) slotAfter = read();
     return { slotBefore, slotAfter, rollBefore, rollAfter };
   });
@@ -474,7 +455,7 @@ try {
     note('motion-slot read',
       'the dev server handed the harness a second module instance (HMR); the camera-side roll and freeze checks carry the proof');
   }
-  await sleep(2500);
+  await whenSettled(page);
   const rollAfterSettle = wrapDeg(await liveRollDeg());
   report(Math.abs(rollAfterSettle) < 0.01, 'and the horizon STAYS level after the cut',
     `roll ${rollAfterSettle.toFixed(4)}° 2.5 s later`);
@@ -596,7 +577,7 @@ try {
 } catch (error) {
   report(false, 'harness completed', String(error?.message || error).slice(0, 200));
 } finally {
-  await browser.close();
+  await closeBrowser(browser);
 }
 
 const failed = results.filter((r) => r.ok === false).length;
diff --git a/scripts/qa-focus-evidence.mjs b/scripts/qa-focus-evidence.mjs
index a057d9e8a..aa0b09d56 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-focus-evidence.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-focus-evidence.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+// Cesium-only probes: native clock, tracking and manual rendering provide the Cesium focus oracle.
+import { evaluateWithGeo } from './qa/geometry.mjs';
+import { whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
 /**
  * Moving visual evidence for focus de-emphasis and aircraft recession.
  *
@@ -17,11 +20,11 @@
  * --headful drops those flags and is the real-GPU visual sign-off path.
  */
 
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import { redact } from './qa-browserEvidence.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import os from 'node:os';
 import path from 'node:path';
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
 import { stubPlanespotters } from './qa-photo-stub.mjs';
 
 const argv = process.argv.slice(2);
@@ -303,6 +306,7 @@ async function waitForApp(page) {
     () => Boolean(window.__godsEyeView?.layers && window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager),
     { timeout: 60_000, polling: 200 },
   );
+  await whenSettled(page);
   await page.evaluate(async () => { window.__focusGeo = await import('/src/geo/index.js'); });
 }
 
@@ -336,7 +340,7 @@ async function requireEvidenceSeams(page) {
 }
 
 async function setCamera(page, values) {
-  await page.evaluate(([lon, lat, height, heading, pitch]) => {
+  await evaluateWithGeo(page, async (qaGeo, [lon, lat, height, heading, pitch]) => {
     const app = window.__godsEyeView;
     if (!app.viewer) {
       const geo = window.__focusGeo;
@@ -349,12 +353,10 @@ async function setCamera(page, values) {
       return;
     }
     const viewer = app.viewer;
-    const ellipsoid = viewer.scene.globe.ellipsoid;
     viewer.trackedEntity = undefined;
-    viewer.camera.cancelFlight?.();
-    viewer.scene.tweens?.removeAll?.();
-    viewer.camera.setView({
-      destination: ellipsoid.cartographicToCartesian({
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight?.();
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
+      destination: qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian({
         longitude: lon * Math.PI / 180,
         latitude: lat * Math.PI / 180,
         height,
@@ -654,11 +656,7 @@ async function browserContext(page, browser) {
       platform: os.platform(),
       arch: os.arch(),
     },
-    caveat: HEADFUL
-      ? 'Headful capture omits SwiftShader flags and is the real-GPU visual sign-off path.'
-      : process.env.QA_ANGLE === 'metal'
-        ? 'Headless ANGLE/Metal capture; renderer and DPR recorded above.'
-        : 'SwiftShader/headless output is relative-only.',
+    caveat: `Headless capture with QA_ANGLE=${process.env.QA_ANGLE || 'metal'}; renderer and DPR recorded above.`,
   };
 }
 
@@ -671,18 +669,10 @@ async function main() {
   fs.mkdirSync(SCREENSHOTS_DIR, { recursive: true });
   fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(JSON_PATH), { recursive: true });
 
-  const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-    headless: HEADFUL ? false : 'new',
+  const browser = await launchBrowser({
+    headless: true,
     protocolTimeout: 300000,
-    args: [
-      ...(HEADFUL ? [] : process.env.QA_ANGLE ? ['--use-gl=angle', `--use-angle=${process.env.QA_ANGLE}`] : ['--enable-unsafe-swiftshader', '--use-gl=swiftshader']),
-      '--no-sandbox',
-      '--disable-setuid-sandbox',
-      '--disable-dev-shm-usage',
-      '--disable-background-timer-throttling',
-      '--disable-renderer-backgrounding',
-      `--window-size=${VIEWPORT.width},${VIEWPORT.height}`,
-    ],
+    args: [...(HEADFUL ? [] : process.env.QA_ANGLE ? [] : ['--enable-unsafe-swiftshader']), '--no-sandbox', '--disable-setuid-sandbox', '--disable-dev-shm-usage', '--disable-background-timer-throttling', '--disable-renderer-backgrounding', `--window-size=${VIEWPORT.width},${VIEWPORT.height}`],
   });
   const page = await browser.newPage();
   await stubPlanespotters(page);
@@ -740,7 +730,7 @@ async function main() {
     }
   } finally {
     if (!page.isClosed()) await releaseFrameClock(page).catch(() => {});
-    await browser.close();
+    await closeBrowser(browser);
   }
 
   fs.writeFileSync(JSON_PATH, `${JSON.stringify(report, null, 2)}\n`);
diff --git a/scripts/qa-form-fields.mjs b/scripts/qa-form-fields.mjs
index c2d3af6e5..26981e25f 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-form-fields.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-form-fields.mjs
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 /** Native form-field regression gate. CCTV ports are fixtures, never live writes. */
+import { whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
 
-const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
+const browser = await launchBrowser({
   headless: true,
-  args: ['--use-gl=angle', '--use-angle=swiftshader'],
+  args: [],
 });
 const page = await browser.newPage();
 page.setDefaultNavigationTimeout(60000);
@@ -29,11 +30,10 @@ try {
     },
   );
   await page.waitForFunction(
-    () =>
-      window.__godsEyeView?.styleManager?._cctvControls &&
-      document.getElementById('loading-screen')?.classList.contains('hidden'),
+    () => window.__godsEyeView?.styleManager?._cctvControls,
     { timeout: 60000 },
   );
+  await whenSettled(page);
   const inventory = await page.evaluate(() => {
     const selects = [
       'scene-select',
@@ -400,11 +400,10 @@ try {
   localized.searchParams.set('lang', 'ru');
   await page.goto(localized.href, { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
   await page.waitForFunction(
-    () =>
-      window.__godsEyeView?.styleManager?._cctvControls &&
-      document.getElementById('loading-screen')?.classList.contains('hidden'),
+    () => window.__godsEyeView?.styleManager?._cctvControls,
     { timeout: 60000 },
   );
+  await whenSettled(page);
   await page.evaluate(() => {
     for (const panel of ['pp-toggles', 'scene-panel', 'cctv-panel'])
       window.__godsEyeView.styleManager.setPanelCollapsed(panel, false, {
@@ -439,6 +438,6 @@ try {
   await page.screenshot({ path: 'qa-shots/form-fields/ru-390.png' });
   check('no uncaught browser errors', errors.length === 0, errors);
 } finally {
-  await browser.close();
+  await closeBrowser(browser);
 }
 process.exitCode = failures ? 1 : 0;
diff --git a/scripts/qa-gbfs-names.mjs b/scripts/qa-gbfs-names.mjs
index 863f919ab..7364b48e5 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-gbfs-names.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-gbfs-names.mjs
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@
  * --w2 adds raster checks that import source modules: dev server only.
  * GBFS documents are synthetic; no operator feed or provider key is required.
  */
+import { whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
 import sharp from 'sharp';
 import { fromDegrees } from '../src/geo/cartesian3.js';
 import { watchBrowserPage, redact } from './qa-browserEvidence.mjs';
@@ -67,15 +68,9 @@ const status = {
     })),
   },
 };
-const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-  headless: 'new',
-  ...(process.env.PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH
-    ? { executablePath: process.env.PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH }
-    : {}),
-  args:
-    process.platform === 'darwin'
-      ? ['--use-angle=metal']
-      : ['--use-gl=angle', '--use-angle=swiftshader'],
+const browser = await launchBrowser({
+  headless: true,
+  args: process.platform === 'darwin' ? [] : [],
 });
 let checks = 0;
 const check = (name, actual, expected) => {
@@ -151,14 +146,7 @@ async function open(mode = 'normal') {
       window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager && window.__godsEyeView?.voiceCommands,
     { timeout: 60000 },
   );
-  await page.waitForFunction(
-    () =>
-      !document.getElementById('loading-screen') ||
-      (document.getElementById('loading-screen').classList.contains('hidden') &&
-        getComputedStyle(document.getElementById('loading-screen')).opacity ===
-          '0'),
-    { timeout: 60000 },
-  );
+  await whenSettled(page);
   await page.evaluate(
     async (destination) => {
       const { dataManager, engine } = window.__godsEyeView;
@@ -619,5 +607,5 @@ try {
 } finally {
   if (reportPath)
     fs.writeFileSync(reportPath, JSON.stringify(report, null, 2) + '\n');
-  await browser.close();
+  await closeBrowser(browser);
 }
diff --git a/scripts/qa-gbfs-names.test.mjs b/scripts/qa-gbfs-names.test.mjs
index f0eeaa44b..32163ecc9 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-gbfs-names.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-gbfs-names.test.mjs
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ function fixture({ extended, dev }) {
     information: {},
     status: {},
     fromDegrees: () => ({}),
+    whenSettled: async () => {},
   };
   return new Function(
     ...Object.keys(dependencies),
diff --git a/scripts/qa-geo-import-large.mjs b/scripts/qa-geo-import-large.mjs
index 350aff344..f80fe968e 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-geo-import-large.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-geo-import-large.mjs
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+// Cesium-only probes: KML DataSources, imagery and the Julian clock form the Cesium reference oracle.
 /** Large KML acceptance: style equivalence, 27.6 MB import and optional real file.
  * QA_BASE_URL defaults to http://localhost:4173. Optional --file /path/file.kml.
  * For a USGS fixture with blocked icons, add --expect-local-pins to check paint.
  */
+import { whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import os from 'node:os';
 import path from 'node:path';
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
 import { installImportProbe } from './qa-geo-import-probe.mjs';
 import { hookRenderErrors, readRenderErrors } from './qa-browserEvidence.mjs';
 
@@ -61,12 +63,9 @@ const small = wrap(
       )
       .join(''),
 );
-const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
+const browser = await launchBrowser({
   headless: true,
-  args:
-    process.platform === 'darwin'
-      ? ['--use-gl=angle', '--use-angle=metal']
-      : ['--no-sandbox', '--use-gl=angle', '--use-angle=swiftshader'],
+  args: process.platform === 'darwin' ? [] : ['--no-sandbox'],
 });
 const page = await browser.newPage();
 await hookRenderErrors(page);
@@ -88,12 +87,8 @@ const check = (name, ok, detail) => {
 try {
   await page.setViewport({ width: 1440, height: 900 });
   await page.goto(`${base}/?welcome=0`, { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
-  await page.waitForFunction(
-    () =>
-      window.__gevGeoImport &&
-      document.getElementById('loading-screen')?.classList.contains('hidden'),
-    { timeout: 60000 },
-  );
+  await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__gevGeoImport, { timeout: 60000 });
+  await whenSettled(page);
   await installImportProbe(page);
   await page.evaluate(async () => {
     const { viewer, dataManager } = window.__godsEyeView;
@@ -103,8 +98,8 @@ try {
     viewer.clock.shouldAnimate = false;
     viewer.imageryLayers.removeAll();
     viewer.terrainProvider = new C.EllipsoidTerrainProvider();
-    viewer.camera.cancelFlight();
-    viewer.camera.setView({
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
       destination: C.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-122.5, 37.72, 50000),
       orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
     });
@@ -222,7 +217,7 @@ try {
           el.remove();
       const source = await C.KmlDataSource.load(doc, {
         camera: viewer.scene.camera,
-        canvas: viewer.scene.canvas,
+        canvas: window.__godsEyeView.engine.host.canvas,
         clampToGround: true,
       });
       for (const e of source.importedEntities || source.entities.values)
@@ -231,7 +226,6 @@ try {
     };
   });
   const equivalent = await page.evaluate(async (text) => {
-    const { viewer } = window.__godsEyeView;
     const control = await window.__qaUnsharedKml(text);
     const outcomes = await window.__gevGeoImport.importFiles([
       new File([text], 'style-equivalence.kml'),
@@ -269,9 +263,8 @@ try {
     page.evaluate(async () => {
       const C = window.__CESIUM__,
         { viewer } = window.__godsEyeView;
-      const scene = viewer.scene;
-      viewer.camera.cancelFlight();
-      viewer.camera.setView({
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
         destination: C.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-122.5, 37.72, 50000),
         orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
       });
@@ -279,13 +272,14 @@ try {
         samples = [];
       let last,
         frames = 0;
-      const remove = scene.postRender.addEventListener(() => {
-        const t = performance.now();
-        if (t - started < 2000) return;
-        frames++;
-        if (last !== undefined) samples.push(t - last);
-        last = t;
-      });
+      const remove =
+        window.__godsEyeView.engine.frames.postRender.addEventListener(() => {
+          const t = performance.now();
+          if (t - started < 2000) return;
+          frames++;
+          if (last !== undefined) samples.push(t - last);
+          last = t;
+        });
       await new Promise((resolve) => {
         let previous = performance.now();
         function tick(t) {
@@ -294,7 +288,7 @@ try {
             Math.min(t - previous, 100) * 0.0000002,
           );
           previous = t;
-          scene.requestRender();
+          window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
           if (t - started < 7000) requestAnimationFrame(tick);
           else resolve();
         }
@@ -302,7 +296,7 @@ try {
       });
       remove();
       samples.sort((a, b) => a - b);
-      const gl = scene.context._gl,
+      const gl = window.__godsEyeView.engine.host.canvas.getContext('webgl2'),
         debug = gl.getExtension('WEBGL_debug_renderer_info');
       return {
         fps: frames / 5,
@@ -401,8 +395,7 @@ try {
     );
     if (suppliedItem && process.argv.includes('--expect-local-pins')) {
       const markers = await page.evaluate(() => {
-        const { viewer } = window.__godsEyeView,
-          C = window.__CESIUM__;
+        const C = window.__CESIUM__;
         const sets = window.__qaImports
           .records()
           .filter((record) => record.kind === 'movers');
@@ -412,8 +405,8 @@ try {
           .flatMap((record) => record.items);
         if (images.length) {
           const at = C.Cartographic.fromCartesian(images[0].position);
-          viewer.camera.cancelFlight();
-          viewer.camera.setView({
+          window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
+          window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
             destination: C.Cartesian3.fromRadians(
               at.longitude,
               at.latitude,
@@ -462,7 +455,7 @@ try {
             { id: suppliedItem.id, visible },
           );
         await setVisible(false);
-        await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));
+        await whenSettled(page);
         const hidden = await yellowPixels();
         await setVisible(true);
         let shown = hidden;
@@ -510,6 +503,6 @@ try {
   );
   console.log('Fixture retained at', file);
 } finally {
-  await browser.close();
+  await closeBrowser(browser);
 }
 process.exitCode = failures ? 1 : 0;
diff --git a/scripts/qa-geo-import-regressions.mjs b/scripts/qa-geo-import-regressions.mjs
index 9bd3b2435..f296ea6c8 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-geo-import-regressions.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-geo-import-regressions.mjs
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+// Cesium-only probes: primitive failure injection and terrain isolation exercise the Cesium import adapter.
 /** Import regressions through the real UI controller and globe primitives.
  * Run against dev and preview: QA_BASE_URL=http://localhost:4173 node scripts/qa-geo-import-regressions.mjs
  */
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
+import { whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import * as Cesium from 'cesium';
 import { installImportProbe } from './qa-geo-import-probe.mjs';
 import { hookRenderErrors, readRenderErrors } from './qa-browserEvidence.mjs';
 
-const browser = await puppeteer.launch({ headless: true });
+const browser = await launchBrowser({ headless: true });
 const page = await browser.newPage();
 const meshBytes = Buffer.alloc(60);
 [
@@ -92,12 +94,8 @@ try {
     `${process.argv.find((arg) => /^https?:/.test(arg)) || process.env.QA_BASE_URL || 'http://localhost:4173'}/?welcome=0`,
     { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' },
   );
-  await page.waitForFunction(
-    () =>
-      window.__gevGeoImport &&
-      document.getElementById('loading-screen')?.classList.contains('hidden'),
-    { timeout: 90000 },
-  );
+  await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__gevGeoImport, { timeout: 90000 });
+  await whenSettled(page);
   await page.evaluate(async () => {
     const { viewer, dataManager } = window.__godsEyeView,
       C = window.__CESIUM__;
@@ -106,8 +104,8 @@ try {
     viewer.imageryLayers.removeAll();
     viewer.terrainProvider = new C.EllipsoidTerrainProvider();
     viewer.clock.shouldAnimate = false;
-    viewer.camera.cancelFlight();
-    viewer.camera.setView({
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
       destination: C.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-122.5, 37.7, 100000),
       orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
     });
@@ -198,7 +196,7 @@ try {
       Math.abs(pinHeight()) >= 0.01 &&
       performance.now() < groundDeadline
     ) {
-      viewer.scene.requestRender();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
       await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 100));
     }
     const pin = pins(r)[0],
@@ -402,11 +400,13 @@ try {
     check(
       'symmetric global extents keep a finite camera',
       r.outcome.ok &&
-        Number.isFinite(viewer.camera.positionCartographic.height),
+        Number.isFinite(
+          window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().cartographic.height,
+        ),
     );
     remove(r);
-    viewer.camera.cancelFlight();
-    viewer.camera.setView({
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
       destination: C.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-122.5, 37.7, 100000),
       orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
     });
@@ -418,17 +418,18 @@ try {
     // Let the new camera/tiles reach a rendered frame before testing sampling.
     await new Promise((resolve) => {
       let frames = 0;
-      const remove = viewer.scene.postRender.addEventListener(() => {
-        if (++frames >= 2) {
-          remove();
-          resolve();
-        } else viewer.scene.requestRender();
-      });
-      viewer.scene.requestRender();
+      const remove =
+        window.__godsEyeView.engine.frames.postRender.addEventListener(() => {
+          if (++frames >= 2) {
+            remove();
+            resolve();
+          } else window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
+        });
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
     });
     const fixtureDeadline = performance.now() + 5000;
     while (!mesh.tilesLoaded && performance.now() < fixtureDeadline) {
-      viewer.scene.requestRender();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
       await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 50));
     }
     const globeShown = viewer.scene.globe.show;
@@ -461,8 +462,8 @@ try {
       {
         screen: meshScreen && [meshScreen.x, meshScreen.y],
         camera: {
-          height: viewer.camera.positionCartographic.height,
-          pitch: viewer.camera.pitch,
+          height: window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().cartographic.height,
+          pitch: window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().pitch,
         },
         meshHeight,
       },
@@ -551,6 +552,6 @@ try {
   );
   if (unexpected.length) failed++;
 } finally {
-  await browser.close();
+  await closeBrowser(browser);
 }
 process.exitCode = failed ? 1 : 0;
diff --git a/scripts/qa-geo-import.mjs b/scripts/qa-geo-import.mjs
index ab7b0d641..05abff977 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-geo-import.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-geo-import.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+// Cesium-only probes: imagery, terrain and the native timeline validate Cesium import integration.
 /**
  * Rendered acceptance for UTILITIES ▸ Import: real files through the real file
  * input and a real drop, drawn through the globe contract.
@@ -19,10 +20,11 @@
  * Usage: dev server up (`npm run dev`), then `node scripts/qa-geo-import.mjs`.
  * QA_BASE_URL (default http://localhost:4173), QA_SHOT_DIR, QA_HEADFUL=1.
  */
+import { whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import os from 'node:os';
 import path from 'node:path';
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
 import { installImportProbe } from './qa-geo-import-probe.mjs';
 import { hookRenderErrors, readRenderErrors } from './qa-browserEvidence.mjs';
 
@@ -165,15 +167,13 @@ const FILES = [
 
 /* ── harness ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
 
-const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-  headless: !HEADFUL,
+const browser = await launchBrowser({
+  headless: true,
   args: [
     '--no-sandbox',
     '--disable-background-timer-throttling',
     '--disable-renderer-backgrounding',
-    ...(process.platform === 'darwin'
-      ? ['--use-angle=metal', '--enable-gpu']
-      : ['--use-gl=angle', '--use-angle=swiftshader']),
+    ...(process.platform === 'darwin' ? ['--enable-gpu'] : []),
   ],
 });
 const page = await browser.newPage();
@@ -211,8 +211,8 @@ const CLIP = { x: 380, y: 240, width: 480, height: 320 };
 
 /** Pixels in the clip close to the first import color (#39d0ff). */
 async function cyanPixels() {
-  await page.evaluate(() => window.__godsEyeView.viewer.scene.requestRender());
-  await wait(600);
+  await page.evaluate(() => window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request());
+  await whenSettled(page);
   const base64 = await page.screenshot({
     clip: CLIP,
     type: 'png',
@@ -247,12 +247,10 @@ try {
   await page.setViewport({ width: 1280, height: 860 });
   await page.goto(`${BASE_URL}/?welcome=0`, { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
   await page.waitForFunction(
-    () =>
-      window.__gevGeoImport &&
-      window.__godsEyeView?.viewer &&
-      document.getElementById('loading-screen')?.classList.contains('hidden'),
+    () => window.__gevGeoImport && window.__godsEyeView?.engine,
     { timeout: 90_000 },
   );
+  await whenSettled(page);
   await page.evaluate(async (view) => {
     const viewer = window.__godsEyeView.viewer;
     for (const id of window.__godsEyeView.dataManager.layers.keys())
@@ -261,8 +259,8 @@ try {
     viewer.terrainProvider = new window.__CESIUM__.EllipsoidTerrainProvider();
     viewer.scene.globe.baseColor = window.__CESIUM__.Color.BLACK;
     viewer.scene.globe.enableLighting = false;
-    viewer.camera.cancelFlight?.();
-    viewer.camera.setView({
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight?.();
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
       destination: window.__CESIUM__.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(
         view.lon,
         view.lat,
@@ -270,9 +268,9 @@ try {
       ),
       orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: (view.pitch * Math.PI) / 180, roll: 0 },
     });
-    viewer.scene.requestRender();
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
   }, VIEW);
-  await wait(4000);
+  await whenSettled(page);
   await page.evaluate(() => {
     const panel = document.getElementById('utilities-panel');
     if (panel?.classList.contains('collapsed'))
@@ -367,9 +365,8 @@ try {
   // Over the files: their pins on the ground show unless beyond the
   // horizon, so all of them show here.
   await page.evaluate((view) => {
-    const viewer = window.__godsEyeView.viewer;
-    viewer.camera.cancelFlight?.();
-    viewer.camera.setView({
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight?.();
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
       destination: window.__CESIUM__.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(
         view.lon,
         view.lat,
@@ -378,7 +375,7 @@ try {
       orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: (view.pitch * Math.PI) / 180, roll: 0 },
     });
   }, VIEW);
-  await wait(2500);
+  await whenSettled(page);
   const inside = await page.evaluate(() => {
     const groups = window.__qaImports.groups();
     const pins = (group) =>
@@ -506,7 +503,7 @@ try {
 
   // Dropped onto the globe, as a person drags from their file manager.
   await page.evaluate((text) => {
-    const container = window.__godsEyeView.viewer.container;
+    const container = window.__godsEyeView.engine.host.container;
     const transfer = new DataTransfer();
     transfer.items.add(
       new File([text], 'dropped.geojson', { type: 'application/geo+json' }),
@@ -536,7 +533,7 @@ try {
     transfer.items.add(
       new File(['just some notes'], 'notes.txt', { type: 'text/plain' }),
     );
-    window.__godsEyeView.viewer.container.dispatchEvent(
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.host.container.dispatchEvent(
       new DragEvent('drop', {
         dataTransfer: transfer,
         bubbles: true,
@@ -544,7 +541,7 @@ try {
       }),
     );
   });
-  await wait(800);
+  await whenSettled(page);
   const refused = await state();
   check(
     'a file that is not geodata is refused with a reason',
@@ -576,7 +573,7 @@ try {
 } catch (error) {
   check('harness ran to completion', false, error?.stack || String(error));
 } finally {
-  await browser.close();
+  await closeBrowser(browser);
   fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
 }
 console.log(failures ? `\n${failures} check(s) failed` : '\nall checks passed');
diff --git a/scripts/qa-ghostmaps.mjs b/scripts/qa-ghostmaps.mjs
index 4f70b73de..f88240be6 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-ghostmaps.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-ghostmaps.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+// Cesium-only probes: native primitive failure injection tests the Cesium paint path.
+import { evaluateWithGeo } from './qa/geometry.mjs';
+import { whenSettled, whenFramesDrawn, whenTilesLoaded } from './qa/ready.mjs';
 /**
  * qa-ghostmaps.mjs — headless proof for the S2 Underground GhostMaps layer
  * (id `s2-ghostmaps`): S2's public KMZ intel products, kept current from
@@ -39,7 +42,7 @@
  * Exits non-zero on any FAIL. Does not commit anything.
  */
 
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
@@ -64,7 +67,6 @@ function record(name, ok, detail) {
   const tag = ok ? '\x1b[32mPASS\x1b[0m' : '\x1b[31mFAIL\x1b[0m';
   console.log(`  [${tag}] ${name}${detail ? `  — ${detail}` : ''}`);
 }
-const sleep = (ms) => new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, ms));
 
 async function boot(page) {
   await page.goto(`${APP_URL}/?welcome=0`, {
@@ -72,10 +74,11 @@ async function boot(page) {
     timeout: TIMEOUT_MS,
   });
   await page.waitForFunction(
-    () => window.__godsEyeView?.viewer && window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager,
+    () => window.__godsEyeView?.engine && window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager,
     { timeout: TIMEOUT_MS },
   );
-  await sleep(5000);
+  await whenSettled(page);
+  await whenFramesDrawn(page);
   await page.keyboard.press('Escape');
 }
 
@@ -186,14 +189,14 @@ async function showRow(page) {
       .querySelector(`[data-layer-id="${id}"]`)
       ?.scrollIntoView({ block: 'center' });
   }, LAYER_ID);
-  await sleep(400);
+  await whenFramesDrawn(page);
 }
 
 async function main() {
   fs.mkdirSync(SHOTS_DIR, { recursive: true });
-  const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-    headless: !HEADFUL,
-    args: ['--use-angle=swiftshader', '--enable-unsafe-swiftshader'],
+  const browser = await launchBrowser({
+    headless: true,
+    args: ['--enable-unsafe-swiftshader'],
     defaultViewport: { width: 1440, height: 900 },
   });
   try {
@@ -330,6 +333,7 @@ async function main() {
     await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager, {
       timeout: TIMEOUT_MS,
     });
+    await whenSettled(page);
     await enableAndSettle(page);
     const persistedAge = await stats(page);
     record(
@@ -351,41 +355,38 @@ async function main() {
 
     // ---- (ii) PICK ----------------------------------------------------------
     await installPins(page);
-    const target = await page.evaluate((id) => {
-      const gev = window.__godsEyeView;
-      const pin = window.__qaGhostPins(`${id}:cip:`)[0];
-      const carto = gev.viewer.scene.globe.ellipsoid.cartesianToCartographic(
-        pin.position,
-      );
-      try {
-        gev.viewer.camera.cancelFlight();
-      } catch {
-        /* no flight */
-      }
-      gev.viewer.camera.setView({
-        destination: gev.viewer.scene.globe.ellipsoid.cartographicToCartesian({
-          longitude: carto.longitude,
-          latitude: carto.latitude,
-          height: 40000,
-        }),
-        orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
-      });
-      gev.viewer.scene.requestRender?.();
-      return pin.id;
-    }, LAYER_ID);
-    await page
-      .waitForFunction(
-        () => window.__godsEyeView.viewer.scene.globe.tilesLoaded,
-        { timeout: 30000 },
-      )
-      .catch(() => {});
+    const target = await evaluateWithGeo(
+      page,
+      async (qaGeo, id) => {
+        const pin = window.__qaGhostPins(`${id}:cip:`)[0];
+        const carto = qaGeo.cartographic.fromCartesian(pin.position);
+        try {
+          window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
+        } catch {
+          /* no flight */
+        }
+        window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
+          destination: qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian({
+            longitude: carto.longitude,
+            latitude: carto.latitude,
+            height: 40000,
+          }),
+          orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
+        });
+        window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request?.();
+        return pin.id;
+      },
+      LAYER_ID,
+    );
+    await whenTilesLoaded(page, { timeoutMs: 30000 }).catch(() => {});
+    await whenSettled(page);
     // The horizon cull reveals the pin on the frame after the camera moves.
     await page
       .waitForFunction(
         () => {
-          const { viewer: v, engine } = window.__godsEyeView;
-          v.scene.requestRender?.();
-          const c = v.scene.canvas;
+          const { engine } = window.__godsEyeView;
+          window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request?.();
+          const c = window.__godsEyeView.engine.host.canvas;
           return engine.picker
             .drillPick({ x: c.clientWidth / 2, y: c.clientHeight / 2 }, 8)
             .some((p) => String(p?.id ?? '').startsWith('ghostmaps:cip:'));
@@ -394,8 +395,8 @@ async function main() {
       )
       .catch(() => {});
     const probe = await page.evaluate(() => {
-      const { viewer: v, engine } = window.__godsEyeView;
-      const c = v.scene.canvas;
+      const { engine } = window.__godsEyeView;
+      const c = window.__godsEyeView.engine.host.canvas;
       const box = c.getBoundingClientRect();
       const centre = { x: c.clientWidth / 2, y: c.clientHeight / 2 };
       const picked = engine.picker.drillPick(centre, 8);
@@ -486,27 +487,26 @@ async function main() {
     // far side. A pin clearly behind the planet (sphere test with margin) must
     // be hidden, and pins facing the camera must still show.
     const horizonCounts = (lon, lat) =>
-      page.evaluate(
-        async (id, lo, la) => {
-          const gev = window.__godsEyeView;
+      evaluateWithGeo(
+        page,
+        async (qaGeo, id, lo, la) => {
           const d2r = Math.PI / 180;
           try {
-            gev.viewer.camera.cancelFlight();
+            window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
           } catch {
             /* no flight */
           }
-          gev.viewer.camera.setView({
-            destination:
-              gev.viewer.scene.globe.ellipsoid.cartographicToCartesian({
-                longitude: lo * d2r,
-                latitude: la * d2r,
-                height: 18_000_000,
-              }),
+          window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
+            destination: qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian({
+              longitude: lo * d2r,
+              latitude: la * d2r,
+              height: 18_000_000,
+            }),
             orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
           });
-          gev.viewer.scene.requestRender?.();
+          window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request?.();
           await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 1200));
-          const c = gev.viewer.camera.positionWC;
+          const c = window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().position;
           const norm = (v) => Math.hypot(v.x, v.y, v.z);
           let far = 0;
           let nearShown = 0;
@@ -583,7 +583,8 @@ async function main() {
     await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager, {
       timeout: TIMEOUT_MS,
     });
-    await sleep(3000);
+    await whenSettled(page);
+    await whenFramesDrawn(page);
     await enableAndSettle(page);
     const kept = await stats(page);
     record(
@@ -612,7 +613,7 @@ async function main() {
       (id) => window.__godsEyeView.dataManager.setEnabled(id, false),
       LAYER_ID,
     );
-    await sleep(500);
+    await whenFramesDrawn(page);
     record(
       'DISABLE: every GhostMaps data source leaves the viewer',
       (await sources(page)).length === 0,
@@ -679,7 +680,7 @@ async function main() {
       { timeout: 20000, polling: 100 },
       LAYER_ID,
     );
-    await sleep(500);
+    await whenFramesDrawn(page);
     const second = await identity();
     record(
       'PUSH: a new edition reloads only that product',
@@ -698,7 +699,7 @@ async function main() {
         .filter((s) => !s.closed)
         .forEach((s) => s.emit(catalog));
     });
-    await sleep(1000);
+    await whenFramesDrawn(page);
     const third = await identity();
     record(
       'PUSH: a product leaving the catalog leaves the globe',
@@ -738,7 +739,7 @@ async function main() {
     });
     await phone.close();
   } finally {
-    await browser.close();
+    await closeBrowser(browser);
   }
   const failed = results.filter((r) => !r.ok);
   console.log(
diff --git a/scripts/qa-gnss.mjs b/scripts/qa-gnss.mjs
index 72dc4f416..b9f691777 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-gnss.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-gnss.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+// Cesium-only probes: native ground-primitive failure injection tests the Cesium paint path.
+import { evaluateWithGeo } from './qa/geometry.mjs';
+import { whenSettled, whenTilesLoaded } from './qa/ready.mjs';
 /**
  * qa-gnss.mjs — headless proof for the GNSS Integrity layer
  * (id `gnss-integrity`): low navigation accuracy reported by ADS-B.
@@ -45,7 +48,7 @@
  * Exits non-zero on any FAIL. Does not commit anything.
  */
 
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
@@ -74,7 +77,6 @@ function record(name, ok, detail) {
   const tag = ok ? '\x1b[32mPASS\x1b[0m' : '\x1b[31mFAIL\x1b[0m';
   console.log(`  [${tag}] ${name}${detail ? `  — ${detail}` : ''}`);
 }
-const sleep = (ms) => new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, ms));
 
 /** Boot the app, dismiss the intro and place the camera straight down. */
 async function boot(page, { lon, lat, height }) {
@@ -83,30 +85,30 @@ async function boot(page, { lon, lat, height }) {
     timeout: TIMEOUT_MS,
   });
   await page.waitForFunction(
-    () => window.__godsEyeView?.viewer && window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager,
+    () => window.__godsEyeView?.engine && window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager,
     { timeout: TIMEOUT_MS },
   );
-  await sleep(5000);
+  await whenSettled(page);
   await page.keyboard.press('Escape');
-  await page.evaluate(
-    (lo, la, h) => {
-      const gev = window.__godsEyeView;
+  await evaluateWithGeo(
+    page,
+    async (qaGeo, lo, la, h) => {
       const d2r = Math.PI / 180;
       // The app's intro flyTo animation clobbers a setView issued mid-flight.
       try {
-        gev.viewer.camera.cancelFlight();
+        window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
       } catch {
         /* no flight active */
       }
-      gev.viewer.camera.setView({
-        destination: gev.viewer.scene.globe.ellipsoid.cartographicToCartesian({
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
+        destination: qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian({
           longitude: lo * d2r,
           latitude: la * d2r,
           height: h,
         }),
         orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
       });
-      gev.viewer.scene.requestRender?.();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request?.();
     },
     lon,
     lat,
@@ -168,7 +170,7 @@ async function showLayerRow(page) {
       .querySelector(`[data-layer-id="${id}"]`)
       ?.scrollIntoView({ block: 'center' });
   }, LAYER_ID);
-  await sleep(800);
+  await whenSettled(page);
 }
 
 /** Actual card pixels on the shared canvas, available in dev and production. */
@@ -184,12 +186,8 @@ function paintedOverlayPixels() {
 }
 
 async function shoot(page, name) {
-  await page
-    .waitForFunction(
-      () => window.__godsEyeView.viewer.scene.globe.tilesLoaded,
-      { timeout: TIMEOUT_MS },
-    )
-    .catch(() => {});
+  await whenTilesLoaded(page, { timeoutMs: TIMEOUT_MS }).catch(() => {});
+  await whenSettled(page);
   await showLayerRow(page);
   await page.screenshot({ path: path.join(SHOTS_DIR, `gnss-${name}.png`) });
 }
@@ -367,18 +365,9 @@ async function main() {
     process.exit(2);
   }
   fs.mkdirSync(SHOTS_DIR, { recursive: true });
-  const executablePath =
-    process.env.PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH ||
-    (await puppeteer.executablePath().catch(() => null)) ||
-    undefined;
-  const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-    headless: HEADFUL ? false : 'new',
-    ...(executablePath && fs.existsSync(executablePath)
-      ? { executablePath }
-      : {}),
+  const browser = await launchBrowser({
+    headless: true,
     args: [
-      '--use-gl=angle',
-      '--use-angle=swiftshader',
       '--disable-dev-shm-usage',
       '--disable-background-timer-throttling',
       '--disable-renderer-backgrounding',
@@ -530,7 +519,7 @@ async function main() {
     await shoot(page, 'synthetic-bands');
 
     // GNSS fills must not own map input, including over a real perimeter.
-    await page.evaluate(async () => {
+    await evaluateWithGeo(page, async (qaGeo) => {
       const original = window.fetch.bind(window);
       window.fetch = (input, init) => {
         const url = typeof input === 'string' ? input : input.url;
@@ -562,10 +551,10 @@ async function main() {
           );
         return original(input, init);
       };
-      const { viewer, dataManager } = window.__godsEyeView;
-      viewer.camera.cancelFlight();
-      viewer.camera.setView({
-        destination: viewer.scene.globe.ellipsoid.cartographicToCartesian({
+      const { dataManager } = window.__godsEyeView;
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
+        destination: qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian({
           longitude: (18.25 * Math.PI) / 180,
           latitude: (54.25 * Math.PI) / 180,
           height: 2500,
@@ -573,15 +562,15 @@ async function main() {
         orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
       });
       await dataManager.setEnabled('fire-perimeters', true);
-      viewer.scene.requestRender();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
     });
     await page.waitForFunction(
       () => {
         // The engine's pick names the perimeter ground item's pickId.
-        const { viewer: v, engine } = window.__godsEyeView,
+        const { engine } = window.__godsEyeView,
           p = engine.picker.pick({
-            x: v.scene.canvas.clientWidth / 2,
-            y: v.scene.canvas.clientHeight / 2,
+            x: window.__godsEyeView.engine.host.canvas.clientWidth / 2,
+            y: window.__godsEyeView.engine.host.canvas.clientHeight / 2,
           });
         return String(p?.id?.id ?? p?.id ?? '').startsWith(
           'fire-perimeter:gnss-pick-qa:',
@@ -590,8 +579,8 @@ async function main() {
       { timeout: TIMEOUT_MS, polling: 250 },
     );
     const pickProbe = await page.evaluate(() => {
-      const { viewer: v, engine } = window.__godsEyeView,
-        c = v.scene.canvas;
+      const { engine } = window.__godsEyeView,
+        c = window.__godsEyeView.engine.host.canvas;
       const centre = { x: c.clientWidth / 2, y: c.clientHeight / 2 };
       const empty = { x: centre.x + 300, y: centre.y };
       const picked = engine.picker.pick(empty),
@@ -600,7 +589,7 @@ async function main() {
         centre: { x: centre.x + box.left, y: centre.y + box.top },
         empty: { x: empty.x + box.left, y: empty.y + box.top },
         surface: !picked || picked.id === undefined,
-        height: v.camera.positionCartographic.height,
+        height: window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().cartographic.height,
       };
     });
     record('PICK: a perimeter remains selectable under GNSS', true);
@@ -637,13 +626,13 @@ async function main() {
     await page.mouse.click(pickProbe.empty.x, pickProbe.empty.y, {
       clickCount: 2,
     });
-    await sleep(1000);
+    await whenSettled(page);
     record(
       'PICK: empty double-click does not zoom to a GNSS cell',
       await page.evaluate(
         (height) =>
           Math.abs(
-            window.__godsEyeView.viewer.camera.positionCartographic.height -
+            window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().cartographic.height -
               height,
           ) < 200,
         pickProbe.height,
@@ -659,17 +648,16 @@ async function main() {
     const beforeMove = await page.evaluate(
       () => window.__gnssQaRequests.length,
     );
-    await page.evaluate(() => {
-      const { viewer } = window.__godsEyeView;
-      viewer.camera.setView({
-        destination: viewer.scene.globe.ellipsoid.cartographicToCartesian({
+    await evaluateWithGeo(page, async (qaGeo) => {
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
+        destination: qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian({
           longitude: (139.7 * Math.PI) / 180,
           latitude: (35.7 * Math.PI) / 180,
           height: 1_100_000,
         }),
         orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
       });
-      viewer.scene.requestRender();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
     });
     await page.waitForFunction(
       () => {
@@ -684,7 +672,7 @@ async function main() {
       },
       { timeout: 15000 },
     );
-    await sleep(3500);
+    await whenSettled(page);
     const moved = await page.evaluate(
       (id) => ({
         requests: window.__gnssQaRequests.length,
@@ -708,17 +696,16 @@ async function main() {
       JSON.stringify(moved),
     );
     await shoot(page, 'camera-refresh');
-    await page.evaluate(() => {
-      const { viewer } = window.__godsEyeView;
-      viewer.camera.setView({
-        destination: viewer.scene.globe.ellipsoid.cartographicToCartesian({
+    await evaluateWithGeo(page, async (qaGeo) => {
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
+        destination: qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian({
           longitude: (12.4 * Math.PI) / 180,
           latitude: (41.9 * Math.PI) / 180,
           height: 16_000_000,
         }),
         orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
       });
-      viewer.scene.requestRender();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
     });
     await page.waitForFunction(
       () => {
@@ -732,19 +719,23 @@ async function main() {
       },
       { timeout: 15000 },
     );
-    const world = await page.evaluate((id) => {
-      const { viewer, dataManager } = window.__godsEyeView;
-      const bounds = viewer.camera.computeViewRectangle(
-        viewer.scene.globe.ellipsoid,
-      );
-      return {
-        enabled: dataManager.isEnabled(id),
-        height: viewer.camera.positionCartographic.height,
-        boundsMidLongitude:
-          bounds && ((bounds.west + bounds.east) * 90) / Math.PI,
-        coverage: dataManager.layers.get(id).module.getStats().coverage,
-      };
-    }, LAYER_ID);
+    const world = await evaluateWithGeo(
+      page,
+      async (qaGeo, id) => {
+        const { dataManager } = window.__godsEyeView;
+        const bounds = window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.viewRectangle(
+          qaGeo.ellipsoid.WGS84,
+        );
+        return {
+          enabled: dataManager.isEnabled(id),
+          height: window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().cartographic.height,
+          boundsMidLongitude:
+            bounds && ((bounds.west + bounds.east) * 90) / Math.PI,
+          coverage: dataManager.layers.get(id).module.getStats().coverage,
+        };
+      },
+      LAYER_ID,
+    );
     record(
       'GLOBE: zoomed-out sampling stays centred on Rome and exposes its regional radius',
       world.enabled &&
@@ -755,17 +746,16 @@ async function main() {
       JSON.stringify(world),
     );
     await shoot(page, 'globe-regional');
-    await page.evaluate(() => {
-      const { viewer } = window.__godsEyeView;
-      viewer.camera.setView({
-        destination: viewer.scene.globe.ellipsoid.cartographicToCartesian({
+    await evaluateWithGeo(page, async (qaGeo) => {
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
+        destination: qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian({
           longitude: (18.6 * Math.PI) / 180,
           latitude: (54.6 * Math.PI) / 180,
           height: 450_000,
         }),
         orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
       });
-      viewer.scene.requestRender();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
     });
     await page.waitForFunction(
       () => {
@@ -780,7 +770,7 @@ async function main() {
       },
       { timeout: 15000 },
     );
-    await sleep(3500);
+    await whenSettled(page);
 
     // ── (iii) FAILURE ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
     console.log('\n(iii) FAILURE — /api/gnss-integrity stubbed to 502...');
@@ -990,7 +980,7 @@ async function main() {
     console.error('\x1b[31mHarness error:\x1b[0m', err);
     exitCode = 3;
   } finally {
-    await browser.close();
+    await closeBrowser(browser);
   }
 
   const pass = results.filter((r) => r.ok).length;
diff --git a/scripts/qa-infra-lod.mjs b/scripts/qa-infra-lod.mjs
index df6107190..808069e28 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-infra-lod.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-infra-lod.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+// Cesium-only probes: native camera rotation preserves the Cesium orbit performance measurement.
+import { evaluateWithGeo } from './qa/geometry.mjs';
 /**
  * qa-infra-lod — browser checks for the local-infrastructure LOD declutter.
  *
@@ -24,7 +26,8 @@
  * rAF throttling disabled so the frame clock is honest. Exits non-zero on any
  * FAIL. Commits nothing.
  */
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
+import { whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
@@ -59,18 +62,10 @@ function report(name, detail) {
   console.log(`  [MEAS] ${name} — ${JSON.stringify(detail)}`);
 }
 
-const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-  headless: HEADFUL ? false : 'new',
-  executablePath: process.env.PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH || undefined,
+const browser = await launchBrowser({
+  headless: true,
   protocolTimeout: 300_000,
-  args: [
-    '--no-sandbox',
-    '--disable-setuid-sandbox',
-    '--window-size=1440,900',
-    '--disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows',
-    '--disable-renderer-backgrounding',
-    '--disable-background-timer-throttling',
-  ],
+  args: ['--no-sandbox', '--disable-setuid-sandbox', '--window-size=1440,900', '--disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows', '--disable-renderer-backgrounding', '--disable-background-timer-throttling'],
 });
 
 try {
@@ -81,8 +76,8 @@ try {
   const testUrl = new URL(APP_URL);
   testUrl.searchParams.set('welcome', '0');
   await page.goto(testUrl.href, { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
-  await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__godsEyeView?.styleManager
-    && document.getElementById('loading-screen')?.classList.contains('hidden'), { timeout: 90_000 });
+  await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__godsEyeView?.styleManager, { timeout: 90_000 });
+  await whenSettled(page);
   // The startup view restore and any boot flight land after the loading
   // screen; park only once they are over, or they move the camera away from
   // the full-earth view before the first LOD walk.
@@ -101,20 +96,18 @@ try {
     !document.querySelector('#first-run-launcher:not([hidden])')
   )));
   report('renderer', await page.evaluate(() => {
-    const gl = window.__godsEyeView.viewer.scene.context._gl;
+    const gl = window.__godsEyeView.engine.host.canvas.getContext('webgl2');
     const debug = gl.getExtension('WEBGL_debug_renderer_info');
     return debug ? gl.getParameter(debug.UNMASKED_RENDERER_WEBGL) : gl.getParameter(gl.RENDERER);
   }));
 
   // Park at a full-earth view and disable every layer so infra is measured
   // in isolation.
-  await page.evaluate(async () => {
+  await evaluateWithGeo(page, async (qaGeo) => {
     const gev = window.__godsEyeView;
-    const v = gev.viewer;
-    v.camera.cancelFlight();
-    const ell = v.scene.globe.ellipsoid;
-    v.camera.setView({
-      destination: ell.cartographicToCartesian({
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
+      destination: qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian({
         longitude: 0, latitude: 15 * Math.PI / 180, height: 24_000_000,
       }),
       orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
@@ -125,7 +118,7 @@ try {
       }
     }
   });
-  await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 4_000));
+  await whenSettled(page);
 
   // Enable the infrastructure layers (skipped in --control so the orbit cost
   // measures the empty scene for attribution).
@@ -149,7 +142,7 @@ try {
           return (s.count || 0) > 0 || s.error;
         });
         if (done) break;
-        gev.viewer.scene.requestRender?.();
+        window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request?.();
         await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 200));
       }
       const out = {};
@@ -161,8 +154,8 @@ try {
       check(`${id} loaded its bundled dataset`, (loaded[id]?.count || 0) > 0, loaded[id]);
     }
     // Nudge a render pass so the first post-enable LOD walk runs.
-    await page.evaluate(() => window.__godsEyeView?.viewer?.scene?.requestRender?.());
-    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 2_000));
+    await page.evaluate(() => window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request?.());
+    await whenSettled(page);
   }
 
   // ── GATE a: full-earth budget engaged ─────────────────────────────────
@@ -204,21 +197,19 @@ try {
     }
 
     // ── GATE b: zoom in widens the budget ───────────────────────────────
-    await page.evaluate(() => {
-      const v = window.__godsEyeView.viewer;
-      const ell = v.scene.globe.ellipsoid;
-      v.camera.cancelFlight();
-      v.camera.setView({
-        destination: ell.cartographicToCartesian({
+    await evaluateWithGeo(page, async (qaGeo) => {
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
+        destination: qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian({
           longitude: -97.74 * Math.PI / 180, latitude: 30.27 * Math.PI / 180, height: 55_000,
         }),
         orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 3, roll: 0 },
       });
       // setView does not fire moveEnd; raise the LOD recompute trigger.
-      v.camera.moveEnd.raiseEvent?.();
-      v.scene.requestRender?.();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.moveEnd.raiseEvent?.();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request?.();
     });
-    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 3_000));
+    await whenSettled(page);
     const regionalLod = await readLod('getLodDiagnostics @ city');
     for (const id of INFRA_LAYER_IDS) {
       const g = globalLod[id];
@@ -240,7 +231,7 @@ try {
         .slice().sort());
       const before = snap();
       for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
-        gev.viewer.scene.requestRender?.();
+        window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request?.();
         await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 120));
       }
       return { before, after: snap() };
@@ -251,29 +242,26 @@ try {
       { beforeCounts: churn.before.map((ids) => ids.length), afterCounts: churn.after.map((ids) => ids.length) });
 
     // Back to full-earth for the frame-cost measurement.
-    await page.evaluate(() => {
-      const v = window.__godsEyeView.viewer;
-      const ell = v.scene.globe.ellipsoid;
-      v.camera.setView({
-        destination: ell.cartographicToCartesian({
+    await evaluateWithGeo(page, async (qaGeo) => {
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.setView({
+        destination: qaGeo.cartographic.toCartesian({
           longitude: 0, latitude: 15 * Math.PI / 180, height: 24_000_000,
         }),
         orientation: { heading: 0, pitch: -Math.PI / 2, roll: 0 },
       });
-      v.camera.moveEnd.raiseEvent?.();
-      v.scene.requestRender?.();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.moveEnd.raiseEvent?.();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request?.();
     });
-    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 3_000));
+    await whenSettled(page);
   }
 
   // Count actual rendered frames: scene.render() can return without drawing.
   const frameCost = await page.evaluate(() => new Promise((resolve) => {
     const v = window.__godsEyeView.viewer;
-    const scene = v.scene;
     const durations = [];
     let frames = 0;
     let previous;
-    const remove = scene.postRender.addEventListener(() => {
+    const remove = window.__godsEyeView.engine.frames.postRender.addEventListener(() => {
       const now = performance.now();
       if (previous !== undefined) durations.push(now - previous);
       previous = now;
@@ -282,7 +270,7 @@ try {
     const t0 = performance.now();
     const tick = () => {
       v.camera.rotateRight(0.0004);
-      scene.requestRender();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
       if (performance.now() - t0 < 10_000) requestAnimationFrame(tick);
       else {
         remove();
@@ -308,24 +296,23 @@ try {
     : 'rendered-frame intervals, infra ON, 10s orbit', frameCost);
 
   // ── parked-idle honesty: the LOD walk must not force continuous render ─
-  await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 4_000));
+  await whenSettled(page);
   const idle = await page.evaluate(async () => {
     // The debug handle's own governor read (no /src import: runs on a build).
     const { getRenderGovernorDiagnostics } = window.__godsEyeView;
     return new Promise((resolve) => {
-      const scene = window.__godsEyeView.viewer.scene;
       const startedAt = Date.now();
-      const tilesLoadedBefore = scene.globe.tilesLoaded;
+      const tilesLoadedBefore = window.__godsEyeView.engine.surface.tilesLoaded();
       let renders = 0;
       let framesWithPendingTiles = 0;
-      const remove = scene.postRender.addEventListener(() => {
+      const remove = window.__godsEyeView.engine.frames.postRender.addEventListener(() => {
         renders += 1;
-        if (!scene.globe.tilesLoaded) framesWithPendingTiles += 1;
+        if (!window.__godsEyeView.engine.surface.tilesLoaded()) framesWithPendingTiles += 1;
       });
       setTimeout(() => {
         remove();
         const governor = getRenderGovernorDiagnostics();
-        resolve({ renders, tilesLoadedBefore, tilesLoadedAfter: scene.globe.tilesLoaded,
+        resolve({ renders, tilesLoadedBefore, tilesLoadedAfter: window.__godsEyeView.engine.surface.tilesLoaded(),
           framesWithPendingTiles, mode: governor.mode, holds: governor.holds,
           requests: governor.recentRequests.filter(request => request.at >= startedAt) });
       }, 5_000);
@@ -348,7 +335,7 @@ try {
     console.log(`  [SHOT] skipped — ${e?.message || e}`);
   }
 } finally {
-  await browser.close();
+  await closeBrowser(browser);
 }
 
 const passed = results.filter((r) => r.pass).length;
diff --git a/scripts/qa-installation-navigation.mjs b/scripts/qa-installation-navigation.mjs
index 5a29ff95b..5c5d5a156 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-installation-navigation.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-installation-navigation.mjs
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 /** Mapped installations: isolated camera navigation, cached revisits and Contacts release. */
+import { whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
 import { moveCamera } from './qa-journey-recorder.mjs';
 
 const args = process.argv.slice(2);
@@ -13,10 +14,9 @@ if (args.includes('--help')) {
 }
 const baseline = args.includes('--baseline');
 const result = { views: [], errors: [], forbidden: [], failures: [] };
-const sleep = (ms) => new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, ms));
-const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
+const browser = await launchBrowser({
   headless: true,
-  args: ['--use-angle=metal', '--disable-background-timer-throttling'],
+  args: ['--disable-background-timer-throttling'],
   protocolTimeout: 120000,
 });
 try {
@@ -58,12 +58,10 @@ try {
     args.find((a) => /^https?:/.test(a)),
     { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' },
   );
-  await page.waitForFunction(
-    () =>
-      window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager &&
-      document.getElementById('loading-screen')?.classList.contains('hidden'),
-    { timeout: 120000 },
-  );
+  await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager, {
+    timeout: 120000,
+  });
+  await whenSettled(page);
   await page.evaluate(
     () => window.__godsEyeView.styleManager.initialRestorePromise,
   );
@@ -72,13 +70,12 @@ try {
     const g = window.__godsEyeView;
     for (const [id] of g.dataManager.layers)
       await g.dataManager.setEnabled(id, false);
-    g.viewer.scene.screenSpaceCameraController.enableCollisionDetection = false;
     window.installationEvents = { changed: 0, end: 0 };
     window.installationEntityRefs = new Map();
-    g.viewer.camera.changed.addEventListener(
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.changed.addEventListener(
       () => window.installationEvents.changed++,
     );
-    g.viewer.camera.moveEnd.addEventListener(
+    window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.moveEnd.addEventListener(
       () => window.installationEvents.end++,
     );
   });
@@ -90,7 +87,7 @@ try {
     const fits = await page.evaluate(async () => {
       const { installationTileZoom } =
         await import('/src/layers/installations/source.js');
-      const r = window.__godsEyeView.viewer.camera.computeViewRectangle();
+      const r = window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.viewRectangle();
       const d = 180 / Math.PI;
       return (
         r &&
@@ -248,7 +245,7 @@ try {
       });
       await page.type('#location-search', '33.33, -117.40');
       await page.keyboard.press('Enter');
-      await sleep(4500);
+      await whenSettled(page);
     } else {
       await moveCamera(
         page,
@@ -274,7 +271,7 @@ try {
         },
         { timeout: 15000 },
       );
-      await sleep(1000);
+      await whenSettled(page);
       await page.evaluate(async () => {
         const g = window.__godsEyeView;
         const id = window.__qaInstallationSites()[0].id;
@@ -298,10 +295,7 @@ try {
         },
         { timeout: 15000 },
       );
-      await page.waitForFunction(
-        () => !window.__godsEyeView.viewer.camera._currentFlight,
-        { timeout: 10000 },
-      );
+      await whenSettled(page);
       await page.waitForFunction(
         () =>
           window.__godsEyeView.dataManager.layers
@@ -361,11 +355,7 @@ try {
           { timeout: 30000 },
         );
       }
-      await page.waitForFunction(
-        () => !window.__godsEyeView.viewer.camera._currentFlight,
-        { timeout: 10000 },
-      );
-      await sleep(500);
+      await whenSettled(page);
       previous = await page.evaluate(
         () =>
           window.__godsEyeView.dataManager.layers
@@ -411,7 +401,7 @@ try {
     `qa-shots/installations-navigation-${baseline ? 'before' : 'after'}.json`,
     JSON.stringify(result, null, 2),
   );
-  await browser.close();
+  await closeBrowser(browser);
 }
 if (
   !baseline &&
diff --git a/scripts/qa-installation-polish.mjs b/scripts/qa-installation-polish.mjs
index 0fbf308bf..22d841fc1 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-installation-polish.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-installation-polish.mjs
@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
+// Cesium-only probes: native ground-primitive inspection verifies the Cesium outline paint.
+import { whenUiSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
 /** Shared browser assertions for installation label persistence and selection. */
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import fs from 'node:fs/promises';
 import { moveCamera, createScreencast } from './qa-journey-recorder.mjs';
-const sleep = (ms) => new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
 
 export async function checkInstallationPan(page, dir) {
   await page.evaluate(() =>
     window.__godsEyeView.dataManager.setEnabled('local-datacenters', true),
   );
-  await sleep(3000);
+  await whenUiSettled(page);
   await page.evaluate(async () => {
     const { getPaintRect } = (
       await import('/src/overlays/worldOverlay.js')
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ export async function checkInstallationPan(page, dir) {
       if (record.layerId === 'local-datacenters' && record.entity?.id != null)
         centerIds.push(record.entity.id);
     window.__polishPanFrames = [];
-    window.__stopPolishPan = g.viewer.scene.postRender.addEventListener(() => {
+    window.__stopPolishPan = window.__godsEyeView.engine.frames.postRender.addEventListener(() => {
       const sites = [],
         centers = [];
       installations.visitNamedMarkers((id) => {
@@ -153,7 +154,7 @@ export async function checkInstallationSelection(
         },
         { timeout: 60000 },
       );
-      await sleep(1500);
+      await whenUiSettled(page);
       const picked = await page.evaluate(async (site) => {
         const C = await import('/node_modules/cesium/Build/Cesium/index.js');
         const g = window.__godsEyeView,
@@ -166,10 +167,7 @@ export async function checkInstallationSelection(
         layer.visitNamedMarkers((id, p) => {
           if (id === record.id) point = p.position;
         });
-        const screen = C.SceneTransforms.worldToWindowCoordinates(
-          g.viewer.scene,
-          point,
-        );
+        const screen = window.__godsEyeView.engine.projector.worldToWindow(point);
         window.__polishSelectedId = record.id;
         window.__polishTitlePaints = [];
         const canvas = document.getElementById('world-overlay-canvas'),
@@ -224,7 +222,7 @@ export async function checkInstallationSelection(
           };
         };
         window.__stopPolishSelection =
-          g.viewer.scene.postRender.addEventListener(() => {
+          window.__godsEyeView.engine.frames.postRender.addEventListener(() => {
             window.__polishSelectionFrames.push({
               paints: window.__polishTitlePaints.splice(0).length,
               own: Boolean(getPaintRect('military-installations', record.id)),
@@ -274,7 +272,7 @@ export async function checkInstallationSelection(
           );
           throw error;
         });
-      await sleep(500);
+      await whenUiSettled(page);
       const selected = await page.evaluate(() => window.__polishFillProbe());
       await page.screenshot({ path: `${dir}/after-selection-${site.key}.png` });
       // Close, oblique angles expose surface clipping and floating fills.
@@ -283,13 +281,12 @@ export async function checkInstallationSelection(
           async (site, heading) => {
             const C =
               await import('/node_modules/cesium/Build/Cesium/index.js');
-            const g = window.__godsEyeView;
             const target = C.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(
               site.lon,
               site.lat,
               site.key === 'mabry' ? 180 : 10,
             );
-            g.viewer.camera.lookAt(
+            window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.lookAt(
               target,
               new C.HeadingPitchRange(
                 C.Math.toRadians(heading),
@@ -297,12 +294,12 @@ export async function checkInstallationSelection(
                 800,
               ),
             );
-            g.viewer.camera.lookAtTransform(C.Matrix4.IDENTITY);
+            window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.lookAtTransform(C.Matrix4.IDENTITY);
           },
           site,
           heading,
         );
-        await sleep(1700);
+        await whenUiSettled(page);
         assert.ok(
           (await page.evaluate(() => window.__polishFillProbe())).selected,
           'orbit must preserve installation selection',
@@ -312,7 +309,7 @@ export async function checkInstallationSelection(
         });
       }
       await moveCamera(page, { ...site, pitch: -80 }, 1);
-      await sleep(900);
+      await whenUiSettled(page);
       const empty = await page.evaluate(() => {
         const g = window.__godsEyeView;
         for (let y = 250; y < 650; y += 75)
@@ -329,7 +326,7 @@ export async function checkInstallationSelection(
           window.__polishFillProbe().selected === null &&
           window.__polishFillProbe().items === 0,
       );
-      await sleep(600);
+      await whenUiSettled(page);
       const deselected = await page.evaluate(() => {
         window.__stopPolishSelection();
         window.__restorePolishPaint();
diff --git a/scripts/qa-l9-matrix.mjs b/scripts/qa-l9-matrix.mjs
index 90f54d06d..08db2cd08 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-l9-matrix.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-l9-matrix.mjs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+// Cesium-only probes: native credits, imagery, primitive ownership and local camera coordinates are Cesium-specific claims.
 /**
  * qa-l9-matrix.mjs — the L9 release-candidate QA matrix, in one command.
  *
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@
  *
  * Exit codes: 0 = no FAILs · 1 = at least one FAIL · 2 = target unreachable.
  */
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import { spawn } from 'node:child_process';
 import { existsSync, mkdirSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { fileURLToPath, pathToFileURL } from 'node:url';
@@ -1207,7 +1208,7 @@ function selected(c) {
 }
 
 // ── browser group runner ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
-const BOOT_JS = () => window.__godsEyeView?.viewer && window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager;
+const BOOT_JS = () => window.__godsEyeView?.engine && window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager;
 
 async function runBrowserGroup(record) {
   const ids = BROWSER_CHECKS.map(([id]) => id).filter((id) => selected(CHECKS.find((c) => c.id === id)));
@@ -1215,20 +1216,10 @@ async function runBrowserGroup(record) {
   const emit = (id, res, ms) => { if (ids.includes(id)) record(CHECKS.find((c) => c.id === id), res, ms); };
   const only = (id) => ids.includes(id);
 
-  const exe = await puppeteer.executablePath().catch(() => null);
-  const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-    headless: HEADFUL ? false : 'new',
-    ...(exe ? { executablePath: exe } : {}),
-    // Heavy layers (CCTV fleet admission, traffic road graphs) can block the
-    // page's main thread past puppeteer's 180 s default and turn a healthy
-    // layer into a bogus "probe threw" FAIL.
+  const browser = await launchBrowser({
+    headless: true,
     protocolTimeout: 420000,
-    args: ['--no-sandbox', '--disable-setuid-sandbox', '--use-gl=angle', '--use-angle=swiftshader',
-      '--disable-background-timer-throttling', '--disable-renderer-backgrounding',
-      // C17 drives the keyless voice path, which asks for a microphone before
-      // it mints a token. A fake device + auto-granted permission keeps the
-      // failure under test the MISSING KEY, not a missing microphone.
-      '--use-fake-device-for-media-stream', '--use-fake-ui-for-media-stream'],
+    args: ['--no-sandbox', '--disable-setuid-sandbox', '--disable-background-timer-throttling', '--disable-renderer-backgrounding', '--use-fake-device-for-media-stream', '--use-fake-ui-for-media-stream'],
   });
   env.browserVersion = await browser.version();
   const page = await browser.newPage();
@@ -1309,15 +1300,15 @@ async function runBrowserGroup(record) {
       // holds non-blank pixels.
       const painted = await new Promise((resolve) => {
         let done = false;
-        const stop = g.viewer.scene.postRender.addEventListener(() => {
+        const stop = window.__godsEyeView.engine.frames.postRender.addEventListener(() => {
           if (done) return;
           done = true;
           setTimeout(() => { try { stop(); } catch { /* removed */ } resolve(true); }, 0);
         });
-        g.viewer.scene.requestRender();
+        window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
         setTimeout(() => { if (!done) { done = true; try { stop(); } catch { /* removed */ } resolve(false); } }, 20000);
       });
-      const canvas = g.viewer.scene.canvas;
+      const canvas = window.__godsEyeView.engine.host.canvas;
       return { painted, w: canvas?.width ?? 0, h: canvas?.height ?? 0, frames: g.viewer.scene.frameState?.frameNumber ?? null };
     }, null, 45000);
     paint = paintR.ok ? paintR.value : { probeError: paintR.reason };
@@ -1339,12 +1330,12 @@ async function runBrowserGroup(record) {
     for (const [id] of BROWSER_CHECKS.slice(1)) {
       emit(id, skip('app did not boot — see C1', 'ENV'), 0);
     }
-    await browser.close();
+    await closeBrowser(browser);
     return;
   }
 
   // Cancel the intro flyTo: it clobbers any setView issued mid-flight.
-  await evalBounded(() => { try { window.__godsEyeView.viewer.camera.cancelFlight(); } catch { /* none */ } });
+  await evalBounded(() => { try { window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight(); } catch { /* none */ } });
   await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 3000));
 
   // Enable a layer, then poll its stats from THIS side. Polling in Node (many
@@ -1608,7 +1599,7 @@ async function runBrowserGroup(record) {
     // is also the only altitude at which "live flow" means anything.
     await evalBounded(async () => {
       const g = window.__godsEyeView;
-      g.viewer.camera.cancelFlight();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
       g.styleManager.applyCameraState({ lat: 30.2672, lon: -97.7431, alt: 2500, heading: 0, pitch: -40 }, 1.2);
       await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 3500));
     });
@@ -1653,7 +1644,7 @@ async function runBrowserGroup(record) {
     // Establish the camera this check needs instead of inheriting one.
     await evalBounded(async () => {
       const g = window.__godsEyeView;
-      g.viewer.camera.cancelFlight();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
       g.styleManager.applyCameraState({ lat: 20, lon: 0, alt: 14000000, heading: 0, pitch: -90 }, 1.5);
       await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 4000));
     }, null, 30000);
@@ -1725,7 +1716,7 @@ async function runBrowserGroup(record) {
     // down: nadir at 25 km spans well under a degree.
     await evalBounded(async (b) => {
       const g = window.__godsEyeView;
-      g.viewer.camera.cancelFlight();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
       g.styleManager.applyCameraState({ lat: b.lat, lon: b.lon, alt: 25000, heading: 0, pitch: -90 }, 1.2);
       await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 4000));
     }, box, 30000);
@@ -1791,11 +1782,11 @@ async function runBrowserGroup(record) {
     const credR = await mustEval(async () => {
       const viewer = window.__godsEyeView.viewer;
       const dm = window.__godsEyeView.dataManager;
-      viewer.scene.requestRender();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
       await new Promise((r) => requestAnimationFrame(() => requestAnimationFrame(r)));
       const html = (viewer.creditDisplay._staticCredits || []).map((c) => c.html);
       viewer.creditDisplay.showLightbox();
-      viewer.scene.requestRender();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
       await new Promise((r) => requestAnimationFrame(() => requestAnimationFrame(r)));
       const listCount = document.querySelector('.cesium-credit-lightbox > ul')?.children?.length || 0;
       viewer.creditDisplay.hideLightbox();
@@ -1830,12 +1821,11 @@ async function runBrowserGroup(record) {
 
   await step('C13', async () => {
     const stR = await mustEval(async () => {
-      const viewer = window.__godsEyeView.viewer;
       window.__godsEyeView.styleManager.setCleanView(true);
       // Cesium paints the credit line during a render — force frames before
       // measuring, or a healthy credit reads as 0x0.
       for (let i = 0; i < 4; i += 1) {
-        viewer.scene.requestRender();
+        window.__godsEyeView.engine.render.request();
         // eslint-disable-next-line no-await-in-loop
         await new Promise((r) => requestAnimationFrame(() => requestAnimationFrame(r)));
       }
@@ -1954,10 +1944,10 @@ async function runBrowserGroup(record) {
     // control at all.
     const setupR = await mustEval(async () => {
       const g = window.__godsEyeView;
-      g.viewer.camera.cancelFlight();
+      window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight();
       g.styleManager.applyCameraState({ lat: 30.2672, lon: -97.7431, alt: 3000, heading: 0, pitch: -35 }, 1.5);
       await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 3000));
-      return { altKm: g.viewer.camera.positionCartographic.height / 1000 };
+      return { altKm: window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().cartographic.height / 1000 };
     }, null, 60000);
     if (!setupR.ok) return crash(`could not put the camera at city altitude to test the reset: ${setupR.reason}`);
     const before = setupR.value?.altKm;
@@ -1978,7 +1968,7 @@ async function runBrowserGroup(record) {
       // eslint-disable-next-line no-await-in-loop
       await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 1000));
       // eslint-disable-next-line no-await-in-loop
-      altKm = (await evalBounded(() => window.__godsEyeView.viewer.camera.positionCartographic.height / 1000, null, 20000)) ?? altKm;
+      altKm = (await evalBounded(() => window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.pose().cartographic.height / 1000, null, 20000)) ?? altKm;
       if (altKm > 5000) break;
     }
     return altKm > 5000
@@ -2028,7 +2018,7 @@ async function runBrowserGroup(record) {
         errorDetail: document.getElementById('gev-voice-error-detail')?.textContent?.trim() || null,
         dataStatus: document.getElementById('gev-voice-control')?.dataset?.status || null,
         recentError: diag?.recentErrors?.[0] ? { source: diag.recentErrors[0].source, message: diag.recentErrors[0].message } : null,
-        appAlive: !!window.__godsEyeView?.viewer,
+        appAlive: !!window.__godsEyeView?.engine,
       };
     }, null, 60000);
     if (!surfacedR.ok) return crash(`could not drive the keyless voice path: ${surfacedR.reason}`);
@@ -2045,7 +2035,7 @@ async function runBrowserGroup(record) {
     return pass(`keyless voice degrades honestly: status="${surfaced.status}", detail="${surfaced.detail}", reason "${surfaced.recentError?.message}"; globe still alive`);
   });
 
-  await browser.close();
+  await closeBrowser(browser);
 }
 
 // ── preflight ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/scripts/qa-label-readability.mjs b/scripts/qa-label-readability.mjs
index 23a8c0807..b5c8e4f76 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-label-readability.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-label-readability.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+import { whenSettled, whenTilesLoaded } from './qa/ready.mjs';
 /**
  * qa-label-readability.mjs — before/after evidence capture for ambient label
  * legibility over bright ground.
@@ -30,9 +31,9 @@
  * not only an eyeball.
  */
 
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
 
 const argv = process.argv.slice(2);
 const getOpt = (name, fallback) => {
@@ -54,7 +55,6 @@ const SCENE_FILTER = getOpt('--scenes', '')
   .filter(Boolean);
 const SHOT_DIR = path.resolve(getOpt('--out', 'qa-shots/labels'));
 const SETTLE_MAX_MS = 40_000;
-const SETTLE_MIN_MS = 4_000;
 
 /**
  * Scenes are (camera pose × visual style). `field` describes the synthetic
@@ -162,19 +162,7 @@ const SCENES = [
   },
 ];
 
-const CHROME_CANDIDATES = [
-  process.env.PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH,
-  // Pin puppeteer's Chrome-for-Testing: system Chrome auto-updates underneath
-  // the harnesses and its software-GL behaviour shifts across majors.
-  await puppeteer.executablePath().catch(() => null),
-].filter(Boolean);
 
-function findChrome() {
-  for (const candidate of CHROME_CANDIDATES) {
-    try { if (fs.existsSync(candidate)) return candidate; } catch { /* fall through */ }
-  }
-  return null;
-}
 
 /** Decode a base64 PNG inside the page and return luminance statistics. */
 async function measureShot(page, base64) {
@@ -207,21 +195,13 @@ async function measureShot(page, base64) {
   }, base64);
 }
 
-/** Wait until consecutive frames stop changing, so tiles are fully resolved. */
+/** Resolve map tiles before measuring the label background. */
 async function settle(page) {
-  const started = Date.now();
-  let previous = null;
-  while (Date.now() - started < SETTLE_MAX_MS) {
-    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 1500));
-    const state = await page.evaluate(() => {
-      const { engine } = window.__godsEyeView;
-      return { tilesLoaded: engine.surface.tilesLoaded(), pending: 0 };
-    });
-    const settled = state.tilesLoaded && state.pending === 0;
-    if (settled && previous && Date.now() - started > SETTLE_MIN_MS) return true;
-    previous = settled;
-  }
-  return false;
+  await whenSettled(page);
+  return whenTilesLoaded(page, { timeoutMs: SETTLE_MAX_MS }).then(
+    () => true,
+    () => false,
+  );
 }
 
 async function main() {
@@ -239,17 +219,9 @@ async function main() {
   }
 
   fs.mkdirSync(SHOT_DIR, { recursive: true });
-  const executablePath = findChrome();
-  const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-    headless: 'new',
-    ...(executablePath ? { executablePath } : {}),
-    args: [
-      '--no-sandbox', '--disable-setuid-sandbox',
-      '--use-gl=angle', `--use-angle=${process.env.QA_ANGLE || 'swiftshader'}`,
-      '--disable-dev-shm-usage', '--disable-web-security',
-      '--disable-background-timer-throttling', '--disable-renderer-backgrounding',
-      '--window-size=1280,800',
-    ],
+  const browser = await launchBrowser({
+    headless: true,
+    args: ['--no-sandbox', '--disable-setuid-sandbox', '--disable-dev-shm-usage', '--disable-web-security', '--disable-background-timer-throttling', '--disable-renderer-backgrounding', '--window-size=1280,800'],
   });
 
   const results = [];
@@ -263,9 +235,10 @@ async function main() {
       () => window.__godsEyeView?.layers && window.__godsEyeView?.styleManager,
       { timeout: 60_000, polling: 100 },
     );
+    await whenSettled(page);
     // flyToAustin arrives ~500 ms after init; let it start and land before any
     // scene sets its own pose, or the arrival overwrites the first camera.
-    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 2500));
+    await whenSettled(page);
 
     const selected = SCENE_FILTER.length
       ? SCENES.filter((scene) => SCENE_FILTER.some((prefix) => scene.id.startsWith(prefix)))
@@ -421,7 +394,7 @@ async function main() {
       );
     }
   } finally {
-    await browser.close();
+    await closeBrowser(browser);
   }
 
   const summary = path.join(SHOT_DIR, `${TAG}-summary.json`);
diff --git a/scripts/qa-labels.mjs b/scripts/qa-labels.mjs
index 332d16a80..53f0debcd 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-labels.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-labels.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+import { whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
 /**
  * Deterministic QA for the detection overlay's bounded two-lane label pipeline.
  *
@@ -16,9 +17,9 @@
  * makes a small orbit.
  */
 
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
 
 const argv = process.argv.slice(2);
 const getFlag = (name) => argv.includes(name);
@@ -58,30 +59,7 @@ const NORMAL_COUNTS = Object.freeze({
   satellites: 830,
 });
 
-const CHROME_EXECUTABLE_CANDIDATES = [
-  process.env.PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH,
-  // Prefer puppeteer's version-pinned Chrome-for-Testing over the system
-  // Chrome: /Applications auto-updates underneath the harnesses, and its
-  // software-GL behavior shifts across majors (system Chrome 150 blew the
-  // tile-gated drain budget under SwiftShader on 2026-07-30 — six
-  // false-negative qa-cctv-v2 runs against a healthy build). A deterministic
-  // pinned browser beats the newest one for regression harnesses.
-  await puppeteer.executablePath().catch(() => null),
-  '/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome',
-  '/Applications/Google Chrome Canary.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome Canary',
-  '/Applications/Chromium.app/Contents/MacOS/Chromium',
-].filter(Boolean);
 
-function findChromeExecutable() {
-  for (const candidate of CHROME_EXECUTABLE_CANDIDATES) {
-    try {
-      if (fs.existsSync(candidate)) return candidate;
-    } catch {
-      // Let Puppeteer use its bundled browser.
-    }
-  }
-  return null;
-}
 
 const results = [];
 let skippedChecks = 0;
@@ -218,21 +196,9 @@ async function main() {
   }
 
   fs.mkdirSync(SHOT_DIR, { recursive: true });
-  const executablePath = findChromeExecutable();
-  const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-    headless: HEADFUL ? false : 'new',
-    ...(executablePath ? { executablePath } : {}),
-    args: [
-      '--no-sandbox',
-      '--disable-setuid-sandbox',
-      '--use-gl=angle',
-      `--use-angle=${process.env.QA_ANGLE || 'swiftshader'}`,
-      '--disable-dev-shm-usage',
-      '--disable-web-security',
-      '--disable-background-timer-throttling',
-      '--disable-renderer-backgrounding',
-      '--window-size=1280,800',
-    ],
+  const browser = await launchBrowser({
+    headless: true,
+    args: ['--no-sandbox', '--disable-setuid-sandbox', '--disable-dev-shm-usage', '--disable-web-security', '--disable-background-timer-throttling', '--disable-renderer-backgrounding', '--window-size=1280,800'],
   });
 
   const consoleErrors = [];
@@ -278,11 +244,12 @@ async function main() {
       () => window.__godsEyeView?.layers && window.__godsEyeView?.styleManager,
       { timeout: 60000, polling: 100 },
     );
+    await whenSettled(page);
 
     // flyToAustin schedules its 600 m arrival 500 ms after initialization.
     // Let that callback start, then cancel it before establishing the global
     // measurement camera so startup motion cannot invalidate the sample.
-    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 600));
+    await whenSettled(page);
     await page.evaluate(() => window.__godsEyeView.engine.camera.cancelFlight());
 
     const stateChecks = await page.evaluate((storageKey) => {
@@ -647,7 +614,7 @@ async function main() {
     console.log(`  Screenshot: ${path.join(SHOT_DIR, 'normal-global-5200.png')}`);
     console.log(`  Synthetic solves: ${solveSamples.length}; normal frames: ${normalFieldFrames.length} (${normalFrames.length} non-solve)`);
   } finally {
-    await browser.close();
+    await closeBrowser(browser);
     if (skippedField) summarize();
   }
 
diff --git a/scripts/qa-layer-panel.mjs b/scripts/qa-layer-panel.mjs
index 6f69f60bc..368716717 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-layer-panel.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-layer-panel.mjs
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
+import { whenSettled } from './qa/ready.mjs';
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 /** Browser proof of Layers panel replacement and subscription ownership. */
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
-const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
+const browser = await launchBrowser({
   headless: true,
   args: [
     '--no-sandbox',
-    ...(process.platform === 'darwin'
-      ? ['--use-angle=metal', '--enable-gpu']
-      : ['--use-gl=angle', '--use-angle=swiftshader']),
+    ...(process.platform === 'darwin' ? ['--enable-gpu'] : []),
   ],
 });
 const page = await browser.newPage();
@@ -26,6 +25,7 @@ try {
   await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__godsEyeView?.dataManager, {
     timeout: 60000,
   });
+  await whenSettled(page);
   const results = await page.evaluate(async () => {
     const manager = window.__godsEyeView.dataManager;
     const entry = document.querySelector(
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ try {
   for (const [name, passed] of results) check(name, passed);
   check('no uncaught browser errors', errors.length === 0);
 } finally {
-  await browser.close();
+  await closeBrowser(browser);
 }
 console.log(`RESULT: ${failures} failures`);
 process.exitCode = failures ? 1 : 0;
diff --git a/scripts/qa-layer-token-twochar.mjs b/scripts/qa-layer-token-twochar.mjs
index 4a9c53ac1..0ca883e72 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-layer-token-twochar.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-layer-token-twochar.mjs
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@
  *
  * Run against a local Vite server: node scripts/qa-layer-token-twochar.mjs
  */
+import { launchBrowser, closeBrowser } from './qa/browser.mjs';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import { readFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
-import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
 import {
   LAYER_STATE_TOKEN_RESERVATIONS,
   nextLayerStateToken,
@@ -119,14 +119,12 @@ function injectCatalog(source) {
   return result;
 }
 
-const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
+const browser = await launchBrowser({
   headless: true,
   args: [
     '--no-sandbox',
     '--disable-dev-shm-usage',
-    ...(process.platform === 'darwin'
-      ? ['--use-angle=metal', '--enable-gpu']
-      : ['--use-gl=angle', '--use-angle=swiftshader']),
+    ...(process.platform === 'darwin' ? ['--enable-gpu'] : []),
   ],
 });
 
@@ -333,5 +331,5 @@ try {
   console.log('RESULT: 10 passed, 0 failed, 0 skipped');
 } finally {
   await Promise.all(contexts.map((context) => context.close().catch(() => {})));
-  await browser.close();
+  await closeBrowser(browser);
 }