DJI Announces Zenmuse XT2 4K Visual and Thermal Camera

DJI drones are now developed to do special tasks like firefighting and infrastructure inspection. Thanks to the Zenmuse XT2, now these aerial vehicles can record heat signatures which are impossible for us to see directly. To do this job, these drones carry an array of thermal imaging sensors. They are also becoming more reliable for emergency situations. It doesn’t end there because manufacturers can make use of the Payload SDK to integrate external units, like cameras, sensors, etc. This way, the drones will be much more advanced in the future.

When it comes to thermal imaging, the Zenmuse XT2 is very powerful. It’s designed to turn collected data into actionable insights. The incredible performance is derived from a 4K visual camera and a FLIR® thermal imager. This combination is the reason why it’s possible for us to see visual data while the drone is flying. Real-time information is clearly important for industrial inspections. Other than that, operators can also take advantage of smart features, one of which is the FLIR MSX technology. For those wondering if temperature data and visual can be merged into one for drone operation, this is the answer. With this technology, we can observe objects more closely.

There are a number of DJI drones compatible with the Zenmuse XT2, including the Matrice 200 series. According to some sources, it will be rolled out to the DJI pilot Android app first, and then followed by the DJI XT Pro app. Regarding its outdoor performance, the camera is weather-resistant as evidenced by its IP44 ingress protection rating. It shows that the camera can be used in different conditions, such as snow, rain, fog, etc.

As for the quality, it sports a 12-megapixel sensor with two resolution options, 336 x 256 and 640 x 512. When the camera is tracking an object, there are two Modes that can be activated. The first one is called QuickTrack, which helps center the camera on a particular area. Meanwhile, the HeatTrack Mode, as the name suggests tracks the hottest part visible to the camera.