Upgrading to DJI M200 series, especially V2, could be worth your money if you’re serious about business efficiency. 

DJI M200 Series (Matrice) might seem a little daunting If you’re used to flying with something like DJI Mavic 2 or DJI Phantom 4. After all, these are distinctly larger rigs that come with an equally larger price tag. However, if you’re serious about your aerial operations and they serve an integral part of your business, then the added reliability and flexibility of M200 series can more than pay for itself from the off.

Those smaller crafts (DJI Mavic, DJI Phanom) are all great models in their own right. However, they do come with limitations in terms of the Camera – where the likes of the Mavic has a single fixed gimbal. Also, when you upgrade to a drone that is designed for professional and industrial applications, then so the safety and redundancy feature increase. It could give you greater peace of mind in the air and more options for gathering data.

DJI M200 series offers three variants: The M200, the M210 and the M210 RTK. In terms of core design, they’re largely similar: a sleek and robust foldable quadcopter with retractable landing gear that can be set-up and packed away within a couple of minutes. The introduction of a front-facing FPV camera to each model makes them great for a dual operator system, leaving one person free to fly the drone while another can focus purely on the camera work.

Designed for precision inspection and surveying work, along with plenty of other potential applications, the M200 Series has an IP43 rating. It means DJI M200 series can operate in light rain and a degree of dust, as well as being able to counter stronger winds than your standard commercial drone. They also use a dual battery system for added redundancy and those batteries are self-heating, so you don’t have to worry about problems flying in these colder months.

As well as the usual obstacle avoidance tech, each craft also has the same upward-facing sensor as seen with the Inspire 2. The sensor can detect objects above it – making it even safer when inspecting under bridges, around power lines or even indoors. Combined with its ‘Tripod Flight’ mode, you can expect greater stability and safety with every operation.

DJI M200 Series also introduces a built-in ADS-B receiver, which, coupled with DJI’s AirSense tech, can track the position, altitude and airspeed of any nearby aircraft. A regular feature of most commercial and civilian aircraft (and due to be commonplace in 2020), this not only improves your personal safety but also marks a notable step in the integration of drones into the wider aviation airspace.

DJI M200 for flexible work

Each model is compatible with DJI’s fine array of cameras, such as the X4S and X5S, the excellent Z30 zoom solution and the XT and XT2 thermal cameras. This means you’re free to equip the camera that is best suited to your needs. For detailed inspections and precision surveys, you might want the Zenmuse Z30 with its 30x optical and 6x digital zoom functionality. You can also equip the XT2 that adds a variety of thermal options to your inspection work.

However, while DJI M200 has just the single gimbal, the M210 and M210 RTK have two downward-facing gimbals. The system enables a dual-camera set-up, as well as the option for attaching a camera above the craft, which gives you even greater flexibility in the field.

For example, a search and rescue team or someone inspecting a solar farm could hook up both the Z30 and XT2 and get the best of both worlds on a single flight. On the other side, a survey crew might prefer to include an X4S or X5S for better visuals. Last year, the team here at Coptrz met with the Advanced Wireless Technology Group which use an M210 combined with its AI solutions for search and rescue operations. You can see for yourself how much they’ve benefitted from making the upgrade HERE.

As the name suggests, DJI M210 RTK includes a real-time kinematic solution to help those working in precision inspection and mapping scenarios. With its built-in D-RTK unit, it greatly improves the accuracy of your GPS and GNSS positioning data. The extra cost might not seem worthwhile if you’re only interested in visual data. However, it can be invaluable when accuracy counts and you need centimetre-perfect results for the likes of volumetrics or gathering critical environmental information.

In addition, the M210 models also have the DJI SkyPort compatibility to maximise the company’s Onboard, Mobile and Payload SDKs, and even enable third-party solutions to be incorporated into your workload, with the likes of Slantrange and Sentera for agricultural applications.  This gives you even greater scope to fine-tune your set-up to perfectly suit your everyday needs. So, while DJI Mavic 2 or Phantom 4 might be good at many things, a flexible and professional solution such as DJI M200 Series has the potential to be great at all of them.

M210 V2

Earlier this year, DJI released the new M200 Series V2 collection. Essentially the same three models and with all of the aforementioned features, they look visually alike, except for the new beacon lights, camera, transmission system, and controller.

The addition of the Zenmuse Z7 camera to the payload roster might appeal to some and the V2 models use the newer Cendence S controller. But, the key differences are mostly to be found under the hood with some notable software upgrades further enhancing the quality, reliability and safety of your operations. In short, pretty much anything new and improved from DJI over the past couple of years has been added to the package.

The V2 models use DJI’s latest OcuSync 2.0 transmission system (replacing the older LightBridge 2), supporting dual-band switching between 2.4 and 5.8GHz and boosting the potential range up to 8km – permissions pending of course. Indeed, one of the key features DJI was pushing upon launch was the capacity for the V2 models to operate beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). You won’t find many off-the-shelf drones coming close to that kind of range.

While optional with the original models, the V2 series uses the high-powered TB55 batteries as standard, giving you up to 24 minutes of flight time. The previous battery, TB50, can only give you around 13 minutes of flight time with a full payload.

The newer crafts also make good use of DJI’s TimeSync technology. The system constantly checks the flight controller, GPS and RTK (if you have it) to ensure each image can be tagged with precision data. DJI TimeSync makes the likes of 3D mapping all the more accurate and seamless.

There’s added data security with encryption now up to AES-256 standards. Combined with the numerous upgrades to the FlightHub Enterprise software, you have even more control over how your operations manage and share that all-important data. Other upgrades to the system include some flight-planning options with automated waypoints and enhanced firmware and maintenance support.

The best all-round drone for 2019

Whether you’re working in inspection, surveying, SAR, the emergency services, agriculture or any other field where quality counts, if you want the best results, you need the best equipment. If you’re happy with the results that your DJI Mavic 2 or Phantom 4 Pro are delivering, then that’s fine. But, if you’re working in an industry where quality and accuracy really make a difference, then it could well be time to take your aerial operations to the next level with DJI Matrice 200 Series, especially the V2 model.

Certainly, with the M210 and M210 RTK, there are few better ways to equip yourself with an enterprise-level model that you can tailor to suit your own specific needs without the need to spends tens of thousands on a custom-made solution. And, of course, you’re free to adjust the payload and implement new hardware and software solutions from one job to the next. So you don’t need to carry a fleet of drones around with you, just a few extra accessories to mix and match in order to get the best possible results.

With the V2 models on sale for much the same price as the original version, it makes perfect sense to opt for the upgraded drone – although whether that’s the M200 V2, the M210 V2 or the M210 RTK V2 might depend on what you plan to use it for. As always, the team here at Coptrz would be happy to talk you through your options and help you decide what’s best for your needs!

Why upgrade your Mavic or Phantom?

Get your hands on an ex-display M210 Series V2

If you’re interested in upgrading your drones to the DJI M200 series, we are currently selling our ex-display DJI M210 V2 and DJI M210 RTK V2, neither of these drones have been flown before and are virtually brand-new. You can get either a DJI M210 V2 or DJI M210 RTK V2 with savings of up to £2,000. We can assure you that the units available are still in good condition and, as DJI Enterprise Gold Partner, you are in safe hands for all your technical requirements or advice on maintenance and payloads.

As we only have limited supplies for both units, call us  today on 0330 111 7177 if you’re interested in reserving one of these units. Or, you can also check the full product specification:

DJI M210 V2: https://www.coptrz.com/shop/drones/dji-matrice-210-v2/

DJI M210 RTK V2: https://www.coptrz.com/shop/drones/dji-matrice-210-rtk-v2/

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