A new compact enterprise drone uses LiDAR and mmWave radar to spot invisible power lines at night | Daily Reports Online
- DJI’s new drone brings high-resolution thermal imaging to rescue operations
- The Matrice 5T can detect thin power lines 32 meters away
- Its thermal camera offers four times the resolution of conventional sensors
DJI has introduced the Matrice 5T, an enterprise-level drone designed for search and rescue, emergency response, and demanding inspection missions.
Its high-resolution thermal camera and enhanced night vision allow operators to examine difficult locations, including environments with extremely limited visibility.
The aircraft also offers up to 59 minutes of flight time, improved obstacle avoidance, and longer communication range for operations across challenging terrain.
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1K thermal imaging and night vision improve search capabilities
The Matrice 5T features a thermal camera with native 1280 × 1024 resolution, providing four times as many pixels as conventional 640 × 512 sensors.
Its ultra-high-resolution infrared mode increases output to 2560 × 2048, allowing operators to examine heat patterns with additional image detail.
These capabilities could prove particularly useful during search-and-rescue operations, where identifying people in darkness or on difficult terrain remains challenging.
The wide-angle camera uses a 1/0.98-inch sensor and f/1.8 aperture, supported by artificial intelligence enhancements for low-light photography.
DJI claims the system can capture full-color images under illumination measuring just 0.01 lux, an extremely dark operating environment.
The drone also includes a 50 MP medium telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom for examining infrastructure and distant objects.
Another telephoto camera provides 11x optical zoom, 176x hybrid zoom, and monochrome night vision, allowing operators to examine license plates from distances reaching 400 meters.
Obstacle detection receives similar attention through the combination of LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, and omnidirectional visual sensors.
The LiDAR system can identify thin obstacles, including electrical cables, from distances reaching 32 meters during nighttime operations.
Radar helps detect surrounding objects when fog, rainfall, or airborne dust interfere with conventional visual sensing.
Meanwhile, combined visual and radar information supports navigation in locations where satellite positioning signals become weak or unreliable.
Long transmission range, onboard AI, and automated inspections
DJI has also upgraded communications through its O4 Enterprise system, which supports transmission distances reaching 40km.
Automatic frequency switching helps maintain connections around urban interference, while cellular connectivity and relay configurations improve coverage around physical obstructions.
For search operations across difficult landscapes, these could help crews receive aerial footage from greater distances without relying entirely on direct connections.
The aircraft can also coordinate relay arrangements involving multiple drones when terrain obstructs conventional transmission paths.
Its onboard artificial intelligence can identify more than 20 object categories by examining thermal and conventional camera feeds simultaneously.
Operators connected to DJI FlightHub 2 can search for objects using written descriptions or reference images, then establish automated patrol routes with customized actions.
For surveying, DJI Terra supports centimeter-level measurements without ground control points under specified conditions.
The software can also generate thermal maps, measure temperatures, and identify abnormal heat patterns during inspections of solar installations and electrical infrastructure.
DJI says the remote controller processes 200 photographs within eight minutes, generating point clouds or 2.5D models for field assessments.
The aircraft additionally supports automated inspection routes, moving vessel takeoffs, and landings on designated ship deck markings.
The Matrice 5T carries an IP55 rating and operates between -20°C and 50°C, although actual endurance depends on operating conditions.
DJI also offers enterprise protection packages covering repairs, annual battery replacement, flyaway incidents, and additional warranty support.
The Matrice 5T is now available for purchase through authorized DJI Enterprise dealers, with interested buyers able to contact local distributors for pricing and availability.
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