DJI Launches New Weather Resistant M200 Drone Series

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by Graham SheldonFebruary 27^th, 2017

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DJI announced a new drone over the weekend: the M200. Aimed at the industrial side of the drone market, its ability to handle rough weather may make it ideal for filmmakers as well. All the details on the new DJI M200 series below: 

Image Credit: DJI

According to manufacturer DJI, the new Matrice 200 series is equipped for a variety of applications including search and rescue, power line inspection, and wind turbine and bridge inspection. For those of you out there that don’t read cinema5D for wind turbine inspection solutions, the drone can fly in inclement weather and is protected by its closed shell from dust, cold, water and particles. Most importantly for filmmakers, it can carry the Zenmuse X4S, Zenmuse X5S, Zenmuse Z30, Zenmuse XT (FLIR Thermal) gimbals mounted on the top and/or bottom of the airframe.

You can also mount two forward/bottom-facing cameras adjacent to one another on the M200 as illustrated in the image above, allowing for a thermal view to be available at the same time as your normal camera view. While not designed for 3D, the ability to mount two cameras in close proximity on an aerial platform does present interesting creative possibilities for filmmakers.

Image Credit: DJI

Its dual-battery system allows for flight times of up to 32 minutes with a single gimbal payload and the battery department will even heat itself in freezing temperatures. If one battery fails, the other battery will take over to allow the drone to safely land.

Watch the Matrice 200 in action in the below video:

Obstacle-avoidance features have been improved in the M200 and it can now detect objects above, below and in front while flying. When it reaches an obstacle the drone will hover in place and there is an audio indicator to warn the pilot of a possible impending collision.

The M200 is available in both a pro and standard version, with the standard version allowing for only one downward facing gimbal mount. There is also another version, dubbed the M200 RTK, that is equipped with a D-RTK module for “centimeter precision navigation”.

If you are a professional drone operator in the market for a UAV that can withstand the elements then the M200 might be for you. While certainly not a go-to drone for all situations, I can see the Matrice 200 being used in a wide variety of wildlife projects, such as Planet Earth II, where you might want a little more protection for your pricey flying investment.

Availability: Q2 2017

Price: TBD

Technical Highlights: 

• Flight Time: Up to 32 minutes (with single gimbal)
• Built for adverse weather conditions (dust, rain, particles, cold)
• Dual-battery power redundancy
• Self-heating batteries
• Three different camera payload configurations
• Onboard FPV camera
• Resistant to magnetic interference
• Three versions available: M200 (Standard), M200 RTK (Precision Navigation), M210 (Pro)

For more information on the M200 series visit HERE.

What do you think? Does the M200 have a place in your future rough weather productions? Or should it be relegated purely for industrial use? Comment below!