For commercial drone pilots everywhere, the release of DJI's latest drone was a red-letter day.
Unveiled to the public on March 21, the DJI Matrice 30 (M30) series immediately made the wish list of UAV professionals everywhere.
Ushering in the new generation of enterprise drones for DJI, the Matrice 30 series -- boasting a 41-minute flight time and hitting a top speed of 51 MPH -- comes packed full of new features and innovative technology.
The drone represents the perfect balance of power, portability, efficiency, and adaptability...for most remote pilots.
But, is it right for you? Let's break it down.
Matrice 30 Series is Lightweight & Portable
The first thing that truly "jumps off of the page" with the DJI Matrice 30 is its portability.
If you've been lugging a giant drone around, you know the pain of seeing a Mavic series and thinking, "why can't you be like that?"
DJI knew that, and they've finally released a solution fit for nearly any use case.
The total weight of the M30, which includes two batteries, is 3770 ± 10 g. That's only a little over eight (8) lbs. Now, compare that to the Matrice 300 RTK, whose take-off weight is nearly 20 lbs.
So, it's less than half the weight, which is great. But, that's not the most impressive feature...it's also foldable.
The Matrice 30 condenses from unfolded dimensions of 470×585×215 mm (L×W×H) to folded dimensions of 365×215×195 mm - that's approximately 18.5 × 23 × 8.5 inches to 14.5 × 8.5 × 7.5 inches, respectively.
Pinned up against the Mavic 3 (approx. 13.7 x 11 x 4.2 inches unfolded; 8.7 x. 3.8 x 3.6 inches folded), it's much larger, but still incredibly compact, all things considered.
And, thanks to its relatively small size, this drone can easily be carried in a pack, transportable to even the most remote locations.
If you've ever felt limited by the size and weight of your current UAS, the Matrice 30 is for you.
DJI M30 & M30T Optics Package
As a commercial drone pilot, you need payloads that serve a wide range of applications. They should also should produce clear, crisp, highly accurate images and footage.
The Matrice 30 series certainly is up to the task, as it comes equipped with an impressive optics package.
Wielding a 1/2" 48MP CMOS zoom camera sensor with an optical zoom of up to 16x, and a max hybrid zoom of 200x, you’ll be able to get up close and personal from any distance.
And, with 8K video resolution, you’ll capture every stunning, high definition detail of your flight. A major benefit with 8K is that, in post production, you can zoom or crop to 4K footage and get far more detail than your standard 4K sensor offers.
Additionally, the M30 comes standard with a 24mm wide-angle camera that provides a display field of view (DFOV) of 84°. This 12MP 1/2'' CMOS sensor camera also records in 4K/30fps.
The standard payload also includes a laser rangefinder, which detects the distance to objects between 3m - 1200m (approx. 9 ft. – 3,900 ft) with an accuracy of ±(0.2m+D×0.15%).
And, if you need thermal imaging capabilities, the Matrice 30T model has you covered. It includes a 640x512px at 30Hz resolution radiometric thermal camera with temperature measurement accuracy of ±2℃.
If you need the highest quality images and footage, or your use cases require highly precise thermography, then you'll want to add Matrice 30 to your fleet.
Rugged & Adaptable
We've all been there.
When adverse weather conditions strike, you're limited to what you can do with your UAS. That puts you in a bad spot, especially if you're working in public safety. In that case, timing is everything, which means weather needs to be as much of a non-factor as possible.
If that sounds like you, you'll genuinely appreciate the M30. As a suggest platform, it's uninhibited by nasty weather conditions.
In fact, both the M30 and M30T resist winds of up to 33 MPH (15 m/s), fly in heavy rain, and can endure temperatures of as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit, and as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit (-20° C～50° C).
Seriously. It's build for bad weather.
The DJI M30 series is IP55 rated - it's protected from solid objects and a quantity of dust that would interfere with normal operation. And, it can even withstand water jets projected by a nozzle (6.3mm) from any angle.
That said, it's not submersible, so don't take it out for a swim.
So, if you're looking for a UAS that was built to take on harsh weather conditions, M30 is a great way to go.
Safety & Redundancy
Does your work take you to dangerous and challenging locations?
If you're reading this, then it most likely does.
You need a drone that keeps you and your team safe. After all, that's one of the main reasons to own one of this stature.
Make no mistake - the M30 series offers extensive safety features that will keep your drone operations running without hindrance.
Both models feature dual-vision and time-of-flight (ToF) sensors on all six sides of the drone, keeping it safe, even in tight spots. They collect extensive depth and multi-directional information for obstacle avoidance, enabling you to focus more on your mission.
The M30 series includes a four-antenna redundancy design - each of which provides the aircraft with transmission services.
The UAS also supports OcuSync 3 Enterprise and 4G network transmission to work simultaneously. That provides an extra layer of transmission redundancy, which means you'll experience unmatched flight safety.
And, it has a built-in automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) called DJI AirSense, which alerts the pilot if crewed aircraft are nearby.
The M30 can even operate with one of its dual batteries failing, and can make an emergency landing with only three propellers.
This only scratches the surface of the extensive safety features of the Matrice 30. That said, in terms of safety, this drone is quite literally for everyone.
Remote Controller
The M30 is quite impressive. So, of course, it needs a controller to match.
The DJI RC Plus features a 7-inch widescreen with dual control mode - one to fly and one to capture.
With an IP54 rating, this remote is highly water resistant and dustproof.
Whether you're flying in the heat of the desert or the chill of the artic, this remote won't let you (or your drone) down.
It's tailor-made for enterprise use, featuring enhanced transmission capabilities.
Four built-in antennas support the aforementioned OcuSync 3 Enterprise, enabling triple-channel 1080p video transmission and seamless swapping between input feeds.
So, if you're working in complex environments where you need a reliable connection (and we all do), then the M30 is for you.
DJI Pilot 2 App
That leads us into the interface.
To improve piloting efficiency and flight safety, DJI revamped its enterprise flight interface and released the all-new DJI Pilot 2.
The app allows pilots to access drone and payload controls with a single tap.
Additionally, a series of customizable buttons on the DJI RC Plus significantly improves the user interface experience. It also makes adjusting the camera and dropping PinPoints an effortless process.
The app includes pre-flight checklists (fly with confidence!), an optimized navigation display, and alert notifications for improved safety and situational awareness.
Looking for a user-friendly interface for your next flight? Yep, you're going to want the Matrice 30 with DJI Pilot 2.
DJI FlightHub 2
Need to review the job site quickly? High-resolution, low-latency live-streaming? A streamlined collaboration effort for your missions?
With DJI FlightHub, your missions go faster without losing any of the necessary information.
That means rapid environment checks, mission live-streaming with multiple users simultaneously, live annotations visible to all team members, and communication across various types of devices.
If collaboration is key for you and your UAS team, the M30 and DJI FlightHub 2 deliver.
DJI Dock
Do you have set locations from which you fly? Perhaps something more permanent?
If so, DJI developed a rugged docking station for their flagship enterprise drone, built to operate 24/7.
In addition to housing the drone, the DJI Dock serves as a landing/launching platform, recharges the Matrice 30, and can execute missions programmed in DJI FlightHub 2.
A built-in cooling system allows batteries to charge from 10-90% in just 25 minutes.
It's quite literally like adding a new member to your operations team.
Bringing It All Together
You've read about the features and you know why you need a UAS in the first place.
So, is the DJI Matrice 30 for you?
The M30 represents the cutting edge of portability and adaptability in a commercial drone.
From its light weight and foldable design to its incredibly powerful payload, the M30 packs a punch like never before for commercial remote pilots.
Now, if you're a beginner or prosumer, or content creator, you'll want to go in a different direction. Your missions are more suited for the Mavic, Phantom, Evo, or Inspire series drones.
However, if you're working with a UAS operations team that requires enterprise level usage, then the M30 might just be the best choice for you.
Order your DJI Matrice 30 today, starting at $9,999 for the M30, and $13,999 for the M30T.
Not sure which one is right for you? Just connect with us in the chat box or contact us here.
Fly safely!
