Summary / Reader response final draft

 The DJI Matrice 300 RTK commercial drone article by Avetics Global (n.d) states that with its new transmission system the OcuSync Enterprise, hot-swappable batteries that provide up to 55 minutes of flight time power the drone’s propulsion system that is strong enough to carry a payload of 2700g. Therefore, enables the flexibility of mounting 3 different payloads simultaneously (Avetics, n.d) which includes DJI’s proprietary Zenmuse H20 series. The drone’s in-built AI Spot-Check programme automates routine inspections. Its own onboard AI software recognises any subject of interest and will identify them in future automated missions. (Avetics, n.d). It also has 6 directional sensing and positioning features with options to customise the aircraft’s sensing behaviour to help keep the aircraft and mission safe (Avetics, n.d). The ability to carry a high payload, feature-packed proprietary Zenmuse series, new transmission system and hot-swappable batteries are just a few of the features which set a new standard above its predecessor, the Matrice 200 V2.

The higher payload capacity of the Matrice 300 RTK as compared to its predecessor, the Matrice 200 V2 which could only carry a payload of 1450g (DJI, 2022a) means that it can be integrated with a variety of cameras, sensors, and accessories such as spotlights and loudspeakers simultaneously as stated by an article by Heliguy (2022). This enables the Matrice 300 RTK to be used for various operations simply by changing the payload it is equipped with. The ability to have a multitude of payloads and yet be able to carry up to 3 payloads simultaneously (DJI, 2022b) is something few drones can do. In contrast, the Matrice 200 V2 could only carry 2 payloads simultaneously (DJI, 2022a).

DJI’s Zenmuse H20 series which is only compatible with the Matrice 300 RTK (DJI, 2022c) has features that set it apart from its competitors. The new Zenmuse H20T combines 4 different sensors into a single payload which consists of a 20MP zoom camera, a 12MP wide-angle camera, a radiometric thermal camera, and a laser rangefinder (DJI, 2022c). Its plethora of sensors work hand in hand with its AI system like taking a set of zoomed-in pictures using its 20MP zoom camera of a framed area of interest in the wide camera view. This allows the user to view an area in greater detail in addition to the wide view. The radiometric thermal camera provides the user with the ability to pin-point any risks by capturing precise temperature readings of an area or object or finding people during rescue operations by detecting their heat signatures (DJI, 2022c). The new OcuSync Enterprise transmission system on the Matrice 300 RTK enables it to go up to a range of 15km as compared to the Matrice 200 V2 which is equipped with the OcuSync 2.0 that could only go up to 8km (Heliguy, 2020). The ability to mount the Zenmuse H20 series already puts the Matrice 300 RTK far ahead of the Matrice 200 V2, in addition with a range of almost double that of the Matrice 200 V2, it is set worlds apart.

The new TB60 batteries which are used for the Matrice 300 RTK are also hot-swappable, meaning the operators can swap out the depleted batteries with new ones without needing to power off the drone which is something the Matrice 200 V2 with its TB55 batteries could not do thus saving time for critical missions (Heliguy, 2020). However, an often-overlooked aspect of the awe-inspiring 55 minutes of flight time, is that it was calculated with the ideal conditions and with no payload attached. In most cases, there will always be at least a single payload attached to the drone given what it was built for. According to a graph provided by DJI (2022b) on the Matrice 300 webpage, the number drops to 43 minutes of flight time with the Zenmuse H20T equipped and to a further 31 minutes under its maximum payload. Still, the flight time has been significantly increased as compared to the Matrice 200 V2. In an article by Heliguy (2020) where they are compared against each other carrying the same payload, the Matrice 300 RTK managed to have a flight time of 46 minutes as compared to the Matrice 200 V2 flight time of 32 minutes. That is nearly a 45% increase in flight time which can be crucial in critical missions.

In conclusion, the technological advances in the Matrice 300 RTK not only set a new standard from the Matrice 200 V2. Features like the longer transmission range along with its longer flight time will be essential to time-critical missions where it is faster to deploy the drone and travel in a straight line by air compared to having to drive and deploy at a nearby location to the area where the mission would be carried out. The Zenmuse H20T also helps increase flight time as it has multiple sensors compacted into a single payload eliminating the need to carry multiple payloads.

References

Avetics Global (n.d). DJI Matrice 300 RTK. https://www.avetics.com/dji-matrice-300-rtk?gclid=CjwKCAjwt7SWBhAnEiwAx8ZLai2nKfOhGEBuHchGSgFFTniFHMl5X3IhC28RUNdwrbFDL4GE0YGyRRoCyOkQAvD_BwE

DJI (2022a). Matrice 200 Series V2. https://www.dji.com/sg/matrice-200-series-v2

DJI (2022b). Matrice 300. https://www.dji.com/sg/matrice-300

DJI (2022c). Zenmuse H20 Series. https://www.dji.com/sg/zenmuse-h20-series

heliguy™ (2020). DJI M300 RTK vs DJI M200 Series. https://www.heliguy.com/blogs/posts/matrice-200-210-rtk-vs-matrice-300-rtk

heliguy™ (2022). DJI M30 Series vs M300 RTK vs Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced. https://www.heliguy.com/blogs/posts/dji-m30-vs-m300-rtk-vs-mavic-2-enterprise-advanced