DJI recently released the Dock 2. This product helps automate the task of drone tasks, allowing the drone to take flight, perform its autonomous mission, return to base and recharge.
The Dock 2 is exclusively designed for the DJI Matrice 3D/3TD drone, which starts at starting at A$6,780. When we combine the price of the dock and the drone, we’re close to $20k for this solution. For the right commercial application, this will be money well spent as the functionality could replace human workloads, often in dangerous environments and delivers a repeatable, accurate data capture of a designated area.
Compatible with DJI FlightHub 2, automated aerial missions can be managed and monitored through cloud-based operations. As a powerful end-to-end enterprise solution, DJI Dock 2 can streamline daily operations for surveying, inspections, asset management, and security.
“Over the years, DJI’s industrial-grade drones have helped everyday heroes worldwide save lives, improve worker safety across industries, and conserve ecosystems amid climate changes.
Christina Zhang, Senior Director of Corporate Strategy at DJI.
Today, far too many workers must perform repetitive but complex and dangerous jobs manually onsite. With DJI Dock 2, we’re delivering a cost-effective automatic aerial solution to complete these jobs efficiently from a safe distance.”
Easily Fly Automatic Missions with Dock 2
Compared to the previous generation, Dock 2 is significantly smaller and lighter while offering superior operation capabilities and cloud-based intelligent functions. For example, using DJI FlightHub 2, high-precision 3D models can be created based on collected flight data.
With this information, drones can be programmed to automatically adjust the camera’s angle to capture the same area in subsequent flights. Routine surveying tasks can be automated with features like this, improving worker safety and efficiency.
Easy-to-deploy, lightweight design
DJI Dock 2 weighs 75 pounds (34kg) and measures 22.4 inches in length x 22.9 inches in width x 18.3 inches in height (570mm x 583mm x 465mm). Being 75% smaller and 68% lighter than the previous generation, two adults can carry it by hand—making installation easier and more cost-effective.
Efficient site evaluation for swift deployment
DJI Dock 2 uses vision sensors to evaluate a site before deploying the drone, ensuring the flight path and destination have good GNSS signals. This significantly expedites the site selection process to 12 minutes or less, down from 5 hours. Once ready, it can quickly complete propeller inspections and get accurate RTH location information using its dual RTK antennas, allowing the drone to take off within a minute.
Reliable in extreme weather conditions
DJI Dock 2 can operate steadily, even in harsh climates and environments. It is IP55-rated for dust and water resistance and uses gauges for rainfall, wind speed, and temperature to sense real-time weather changes. Using DJI FlightHub 2 with online weather forecasting, timely warnings can be sent, and flight tasks can be terminated as needed.
Steady and cost-effective remote operations
DJI Dock 2 can be programmed to complete missions automatically, but at any time, operators can control the flight and gimbal angle from anywhere. Internal and external fisheye lenses provide real-time conditions within and outside the dock, allowing operators to remotely observe weather conditions, environmental circumstances, and takeoff and landing situations.
In the hangar, the drone’s battery can be wirelessly charged to 90% from 20% in approximately 32 minutes.
Minimum support, even during emergencies
DJI Dock 2 only requires maintenance every six months. If there is a power outage, it can operate independently with the built-in battery for 5 hours, leaving sufficient time for the drone to return and land. Also, DJI FlightHub 2 immediately sends email notifications if a flight task fails, allowing operators to trace and troubleshoot accurately.
High-precision aerial missions with new DJI Matrice 3D/3TD
An all-new DJI Matrice 3D/3TD drone is designed to meet the high-standard operational requirements for DJI Dock 2. Both drones feature integrated RTK antennas, omnidirectional obstacle sensing, and automatic obstacle bypass, enhancing the success rate of each automatic flight task. They also boast a 50-minute maximum flight time, a 6-mile operating radius, an IP54 rating for wind and dust, and can recharge for 400 cycles.
- Matrice 3D is designed for automatic mapping and surveying missions. It features a tele camera (1/2-inch CMOS, 162mm format equivalent, 12MP of effective pixels) and a wide camera (4/3 CMOS, 24mm format equivalent, 20 MP of effective pixels) with a mechanical shutter, meeting the needs for 1:500 high-precision mapping tasks.
- Matrice 3TD is designed for security and inspection operations. It features the same tele camera as the Matrice 3D but a different wide camera (1/1.32-inch CMOS, 24mm format equivalent, 48MP of effective pixels). It also includes an additional infrared camera (40mm format equivalent, 640×512 resolution for normal mode and 1280×1024 resolution for UHR infrared image mode, 28x digital zoom) that can depict both visible light and thermal images.
Integrated open ecosystem with extensive capabilities
DJI supports an open ecosystem, allowing operators the flexibility to use both DJI and third-party software and payloads. For example, DJI Dock 2 is compatible with DJI TerraAPI for 2D/3D model reconstruction or DJI FlightHub 2 for cloud-based operations. Meanwhile, the DJI Matrice 3D/3TD can use third-party payloads such as loudspeakers, spotlight, or parachute using the E-Port and E-Port Lite (all sold separately).
Availability
DJI Dock 2 will be available for purchase starting at A$12,850, DJI Matrice 3D starting at $6,780 AUD, and $8,920 AUD for Matrice 3TD.
These prices do not include tax or installation and deployment service fees.
Both versions of Dock 2 can be reserved through local authorised DJI Enterprise dealers starting March 26.
You can learn more at https://enterprise.dji.com/dock-2
