What's new
DJI presented the Matrice 5T, described as a flagship lightweight model for professional use. According to a report by IT之家, this is the first time the company has included lidar, millimeter-wave radar, and a color visual perception system as standard on a lightweight drone for the industry. The official price in mainland China is 57,488 yuan.
The announced equipment includes a native 1K thermal camera and visible-light cameras at multiple focal lengths, as well as IP55 protection and a claimed maximum endurance of 59 minutes. The company indicates use ranging from emergencies and rescue to electrical inspections, topographic surveys, transport, water, and public safety.
Why it matters
The key point is the combination of three types of sensors on the same lightweight aircraft. According to the source, lidar can detect thin obstacles such as power lines even at night, with a wire detection range of up to 32 meters; millimeter-wave radar continues to provide distance data in dense fog, dust, and snow; and the low-light visual perception system maintains visual localization down to 0.5 lux.
On the operational side, DJI states that the drone powers on and takes off in about 10 seconds and can perform modeling while flying: photos are sent back to the remote controller and converted locally into point clouds or 2.5D models, with 200 images processed in 8 minutes. The so-called bat propellers keep noise at 80 dB(A), a feature intended for urban surveillance and wildlife observation.
Performance and limitations
The published spec sheet reports a 98 percent increase in thrust per axis compared with the Matrice 4T and a motor phase-loss detection and control system. The drone is stated to be operational between minus 20 and 50 degrees Celsius. The transmission system includes high-gain antennas in the remote controller and two 4G modules on the aircraft, with automatic selection of the best link and the ability to use a second drone as a radio relay, with a claimed range of up to 40 kilometers.
To be verified
The promised performance remains to be verified in real-world use, in particular the 59-minute endurance with different payloads, the accuracy of wire detection, and the quality of the fusion between thermal and visible images. The source does not report availability outside mainland China or delivery times. The price of 57,488 yuan is the official Chinese price and should not be converted into other currencies without a confirmed exchange rate.
