The DJI Dock 4 introduces a new approach to autonomous drone operations. The solution combines automatic battery replacement, a new enterprise drone—the DJI Matrice 5TD—RTK positioning via the DJI O4 Ground Station, and integrated operation with DJI FlightHub 2.
The result is a platform designed for more continuous missions, higher data quality, and remote responsiveness across a range of operating conditions.
Automatic Battery Replacement: Less Downtime
The main new feature of the DJI Dock 4 is automatic battery replacement, a first for the DJI Dock series. The swap takes less than 25 seconds, and DJI states that the time to return to operation is less than 45 seconds, from the aircraft’s landing to the completion of the swap and takeoff.
This advancement significantly reduces downtime between flights. Instead of waiting for the battery to charge, the aircraft can return to service shortly after returning to the dock. The solution combines automatic battery replacement with wireless charging and can store up to three batteries in the compartments designed for the mechanism.
For security operations, emergency response, or continuous inspection, this capability allows for a more consistent aerial presence and enables a rapid response to new alerts.
RTK: More Accurate Positioning via the O4 Ground Station
Another significant advancement is the RTK support integrated into the new communication architecture. The DJI O4 Ground Station supports an RTK base station and the reception of satellite signals required for high-precision positioning.
The system offers a horizontal accuracy of 1 cm + 1 ppm and a vertical accuracy of 3 cm + 1 ppm. These values depend on proper RTK calibration, clear sky visibility, satellite distribution, and the absence of significant interference.
In practice, RTK can improve the accuracy of the aircraft’s location and mission-related data. This capability is particularly relevant for surveying, technical inspections, repeatable operations, and missions where exact positioning is an operational requirement.
The O4 Ground Station is also designed to help maintain communication in obstructed locations, such as urban areas, industrial facilities, or areas with rugged terrain. It supports Ethernet and 4G connectivity via the DJI Cellular Dongle 2, depending on the configuration used.
Matrice 5TD
The DJI Dock 4 is complemented by the new DJI Matrice 5TD, a platform equipped to collect visual and thermal data using a single aircraft. The system integrates a wide-angle camera, a telephoto lens, an infrared camera, color night vision, and a laser rangefinder with a range of up to 3 km.
The telephoto lens allows for observing details from a distance. It captures objects at 400 meters and can identify small defects in power lines at 100 meters. The laser rangefinder adds distance data and PinPoint coordinates to the video, making it useful for inspections, search-and-rescue operations, and fire assessment.
It also features three-directional mmWave radar, rotating LiDAR, and six-directional vision. These sensors help detect obstacles, including power lines, in complex and low-light environments. Its flight time is up to 59 minutes.
Day and Night Operation in Adverse Conditions
The Matrice 5TD was designed to operate in a variety of lighting conditions. During the day, the combination of the wide-angle camera, telephoto lens, and laser rangefinder allows you to observe, zoom in, and measure without coming into contact with the target.
At night, the infrared camera reveals thermal differences and can help identify overheating or anomalies. Color night vision allows for capturing visual information without relying exclusively on an additional light source. The drone can also use an auxiliary NIR light for black-and-white night vision.
Fusion mode combines visible and infrared information into a single image, displaying contours and thermal distribution within the same frame. This feature facilitates the interpretation of events during security operations, equipment inspections, or incident response.
The DJI Dock 4 is designed to operate between -40 °C and 50 °C and features IP56 protection. The system includes battery preheating in cold environments and built-in air conditioning to help maintain optimal conditions inside the dock.
FlightHub 2: From Live Stream to Decision
DJI FlightHub 2 is the operations management hub. The platform allows you to track the flight, view the live stream, and configure AI-driven workflows.
Through the Virtual Cockpit, operators can search for objects by text or image. The Matrice 5TD can detect 17 types of objects in real time, including vehicles, boats, and animals. When a relevant situation is identified, FlightHub 2 can send notifications via SMS, email, or through the platform itself and trigger actions such as taking photos, recording video, tracking, or remaining in flight.
This integration transforms video into a source of operational information. Teams are no longer reliant solely on continuous observation and can set criteria to receive alerts and respond more quickly and consistently.
Are you evaluating an autonomous solution for your operation? HPDRONES can help you tailor the DJI Dock 4 to your mission, positioning, communication, and data management requirements.
