At an event today in the headquarters of the Menlo Park fire department in California, DJI and thermal imaging specialists FLIR unveiled the latest result of their partnership: The Zenmuse XT2.
Setting the standard for the next generation of aerial imaging
The Zenmuse XT2 is a dual vision camera that combines thermal and visual sensors. The visual camera offers 4K video and 12mp stills from its 1/1.7″ CMOS sensor. With the second thermal camera, both can record and stream at the same time, allowing teams on the ground to compare a live feed with a thermal one in real time.
DJI and FLIR’s two-eyed camera also comes with a raft of new intelligent features – including FLIR’s Multi-Spectral Dynamic Imaging (MSX).
The applications for this range from providing situational awareness in hazardous material situations to equipping firefighters, search and rescue teams, infrastructure inspection crews and agronomists.
Introducing the DJI Zenmuse XT2 – a dual sensor thermal imaging solution that sets the standard for the next generation in aerial imaging.
Learn more: https://t.co/FYsP5PeYr2 pic.twitter.com/cdeFBviaDF— DJI Enterprise (@DJIEnterprise) March 28, 2018
The XT2 can be mounted on DJI’s M200 Series and the M600 Pro. The new features are available for Android pilots today with the DJI Pilot app, and later in April with the DJI XT Pro app for iOS users.
“The Zenmuse XT2 continues our longstanding partnership with FLIR to create the most powerful thermal imaging solution available on a drone today. This is a significant advancement for public safety professionals who are using drones to save lives and creating new industrial applications across different verticals,” said Jan Gasparic, Head of Enterprise Partnerships at DJI.
“Our new Payload SDK makes it possible for any manufacturer to create a payload specific to their customers’ needs that will work seamlessly with DJI’s aircraft. We believe these two advances will not only strengthen DJI’s leadership in the commercial drone industry, but will also provide a powerful, flexible and standardized platform which customers from different industries can build upon.”
DJI’s Payload SDK
Working on the new Payload SDK, @sentera_uas was able to integrate the new AGX710 on to any M200 Series drone. pic.twitter.com/1ovOpvghmL
— DJI Enterprise (@DJIEnterprise) March 28, 2018
DJI also made an announcement that will be significant to manufacturers and developers looking to take their tools to the sky. The new Payload SDK will make it easier to build applications on top of DJI platforms. The new DJI Skyport adapter and Payload SDK together give developers everything they need to integrate any tool onto the M200 Series.
The aim is to reduce the complexity with Skyport, a gimbal port adapter that enables an external payload to be seamlessly integrated to DJI drones. An external sensor or payload can be easily installed and controlled just as if it were a DJI Zenmuse camera.
The set-up will connect directly to the drone’s power supply, eliminating the need for external cables and batteries. The Payload SDK also allows access to the drone’s powerful data communications system, providing operators the ability to communicate directly with the sensor and receive its data in real time.
“We are excited to see what the industry does with this new tool,” the company tweeted.
Malek Murison is a freelance writer and editor with a passion for tech trends and innovation. He handles product reviews, major releases and keeps an eye on the enthusiast market for DroneLife.
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