The latest and greatest commercial drones in the DJI Matrice lineup aren’t for hobbyists, but they represent all the cool tech that might make it to the Mavic line over the next few years.
These new drones are waterproof and in some regions can even be bought with a space-age docking station that looks like a Star Wars prop. However, the use cases that require a dock are illegal for most drone pilots in Canada.
The dock can act as a weather station, surveillance camera, fast charger and more. It looks like a large crate, but the top part automatically opens to allow drones to take off and land. You’ll need dedicated power and internet access to run the dock since it doesn’t have a battery or connection of its own. The Verge notes that you can attach a 4G dongle to the box and there is a backup battery in case of emergencies.
When we move over to look at DJI’s new drones, there are a few cool new high-end specs, but the most appealing feature is the cameras. The M30 and M30T feature 1/2-inch CMOS sensors with a 16x optical zoom apparatus. There is also a 120-megapixel wide-angle lens and a laser range finder. The M30T offers a radiometric thermal camera as well.
The larger Matrice 300 RTK is designed to carry objects, or cameras, but it doesn’t include one.
All the new drones also feature advanced obstacle avoidance cameras placed around the body and a new remote called the RC Plus Controller. This new model has a seven-inch screen and an IP54 rating so it should be usable in the rain. These models also feature hot-swappable batteries.
The DJI M30 series starts at $10,000 USD (roughly $12,500 CAD) and the larger Matrice 300 RTK line starts at $12,000 USD (roughly $15,111 CAD).
