The Matrice 300 RTK is a commercial drone manufactured by DJI and released in 2020. It has a broadcast transmission of up to 15km, transmitting 1080p content and relying on 2.4/5.8GHz real-time auto-switching (DJI, n.d.). It also has a maximum speed of 82.8km/h, extended maximum flight time of 55 minutes and wind resistance of up to 54km/h (DJI, n.d.). Descending is easier and safer with a 7m/s descend speed and RTK based precision positioning, while the dual-vision and ToF sensors allow it to detect obstacles from up to 40m away (DJI, n.d),.
The drone can be configured with multiple payloads, with a maximum capacity of 3 simultaneous payloads (2.7kg, single upward and dual downward gimbals). It also provides for dual remote controller setup (DJI, n.d.). Finally, its AI features allow for live mission recording, automated future missions, waypoint creation, and object marking with the camera (DJI, n.d.).
The Matrice 300 RTK is an excellent addition to the existing range of commercial drones due to the considerable hardware and software improvements, giving an edge in functionality.
Several key hardware improvements may be noted. The IP45 ingress protection offered by the M300 provides high levels of dust and wind resistance, allowing the drone to be used in myriad environments (Drone Flight Academy, 2020). Further, the FPV camera is larger and covers a wider angle, providing for more optimal captures (James, 2020). The H20 and H20T, developed specifically for the M300, offer superior features in areas like zoom (20 megapixels vs predecessor Z30’s 2 megapixels) and thermal imaging (Douglas, 2020). The H20T also eliminates the need for multi-camera or dual gimbal setups, providing for greater portability and cost savings (James, 2020). Therefore, the M300 is useful in many situations and environments.
However, two key caveats may be noted. First, despite the advertised flight time of up to 43 minutes with the H20T payload, in-field testing showed that the flight time average was only 32.5 minutes (Drone Flight Academy, 2020). This casts doubt over the reliability and utility of the M300. Secondly, this is exacerbated by its bulky TB60 batteries and the fact that the charging station only allows up to two TB60 batteries to be charged simultaneously (Drone Flight Academy, 2020). This further reduces the M300’s utility, particularly for long missions, and adds significantly to the cost, as additional batteries or chargers would have to be purchased. At a starting price of USD $10000 (Dinh, 2020), this adds to an already hefty expense and requires further consideration, especially if it will be used for longer missions.
That being said, software improvements to the M300 make it a more attractive package. DJI has placed much emphasis on the incorporation of AI in the M300’s operational capabilities. For example, the M300 provides for live mission recording, allowing the drone to document mission actions like zoom level and gimbal orientation, to create sample mission files for future missions of similar requirements (Drone Flight Academy, 2020). Further, the M300 is able to mark an object with its camera and track it while continuously detecting its dynamic location. Therefore, the clever use of advanced AI capabilities facilitates the conduct of many different types of missions.
In summary, the M300 represents a significant step-up from the previous generation (eg. M200). Its seemingly hefty price may be attributed to its hardware and software enhancements and is actually mitigated due to the eliminated need to buy multiple cameras due to the holistic functions of the H20T. However, it may not be the most advisable option for heavy use on long missions.
Word count (excluding references): 590 words
References
Dinh, V. (2020, July 23). How much does the DJI Matrice 300 RTK drone cost? Candrone. Retrieved from https://candrone.com/blogs/news/how-much-does-dji-matrice-300-rtk-system-cost
DJI. (n.d.). Matrice 300 RTK. DJI. Retrieved from https://www.dji.com/sg/matrice-300
DJI. (n.d.). Specs. DJI. Retrieved from https://www.dji.com/sg/matrice-300/specs
Douglas, A. (2020, May 7). IN-DEPTH: DJI’s new Matrice 300 RTK and Zenmuse H20 Series. Commercial Drone Professional. Retrieved from https://www.commercialdroneprofessional.com/in-depth-djis-new-matrice-300-rtk-and-zenmuse-h20-series/
Drone Flight Academy. (2020, August 7). DJI Matrice 300 RTK: Test and Review. Steel City Drones Flight Academy. Retrieved from https://steelcityflightacademy.com/blog/dji-matrice-300-rtk-extensive-test-and-review/#dji-m300-pricing
James, D. (2020, May 12). What DJI’s Matrice 300 RTK Could Mean For Consumer Drones. No Film School. Retrieved from https://nofilmschool.com/what-djis-matrice-300-rtk-means