DJI, a leader in unmanned aerial technology, recently unveiled the new Matrice 200 drone series (M200), which is purpose-built for professional users to perform aerial inspections and collect data.
The M200 series’ folding body is easy to carry and easy to set up, with a weather- and water-resistant body, ideal for field operations. It offers DJI’s first upward-facing gimbal mount, opening up the undersides of bridges, towers, and other structures to inspection. It is compatible with DJI’s powerful X4S and X5S cameras, as well as the high-powered Z30 zoom camera and the XT camera for thermal imaging. It has a forward-facing first-person view camera, allowing a pilot and a camera operator to monitor separate images on dual controllers. Its safety features include obstacle avoidance sensors facing forward, up and down, as well as an ADS-B receiver for advisory traffic information from nearby manned aircraft. With a dual-battery setup, the M200 platform can fly for up to 35 minutes with a mounted camera.
“Drones have quickly become a standard part of the enterprise toolkit and industrial users have come to rely on DJI technology to efficiently collect aerial data,” said Paul Guo, Director Enterprise Solutions at DJI. “With the M200 series, DJI introduces a holistic solution designed specifically for these users. We are revolutionizing professional workflows by making it possible to use advanced sensors in various combinations to make sophisticated tasks such as bridge inspections, land surveying, and search-and-rescue missions easier, safer, and more reliable than ever before.”
The M200 series is designed for professionals using drones for more precise, efficient, and safe aerial data collection. Examples of industry applications include:
- Public Safety—When time is of essence and weather conditions turn foul, first responders require a versatile and reliable aerial platform. Carrying visual and/or thermal sensors, the M200 provides situational awareness of potentially dangerous situations such as fires, searches, and natural disasters. Incident commanders can use data collected by the M200 to make smarter and better decisions, protecting life and property while minimizing the safety risk to rescue personnel.
- Critical Infrastructure Inspections—Work near power lines, telecommunications towers, and bridges puts inspectors at risk of falls and electric shock. DJI’s M200 improves safety as work can be done from a distance. The M200 can identify millimeter-sized faults in buildings, roads and bridges in real time, making those operations more safe, efficient, and effective.
- Construction Site Mapping—Surveying and mapping often need to be conducted regardless of weather conditions and other external factors. The M200 is a rugged platform designed to handle tough conditions. The M200 gives construction site managers an efficient tool to review progress and workflow, ensuring more efficient use of resources.
Standard and Pro versions
The M200 series comes in three versions. The standard M200 is equipped with one downward-facing gimbal mount. The M210 opens up for multiple payload configurations—one single downward facing gimbal mount, two parallel downward-facing gimbal mounts, or one upward-facing gimbal mount. The M210 features additional connectivity ports to support third-party sensors and accessories. The M210 has the capability to support additional sensors in the future, and additional payload can be mounte