Best Thermal Drones of 2024

• Explore how thermal drones are transforming data collection, boosting operational accuracy, and enhancing efficiency across multiple industries;

• Discover the impact of thermal drones in public safety, industrial inspections, agriculture, and search and rescue missions with real-world examples;

• Understand how thermal data is collected, processed, and utilised to improve decision-making and outcomes;

• Learn about the different thermal drone options available and how to choose the best one for your specific needs and operations.

Thermal drones are revolutionising industries by providing critical thermal data for applications such as search and rescue, public safety, inspections, and precision agriculture, helping professionals make informed decisions and improve operational efficiency.

In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits and applications of various DJI drones and thermal cameras to help you choose the best option.

How Thermal Imaging Works

Thermal imaging, or thermography, is a technology that visualises heat emitted by objects as infrared radiation.

Since every object above zero gives off this radiation, thermal imaging provides a way to 'see' heat patterns that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye.

Why Use Thermal Drones?

Thermal drones combine mobility and imaging to capture aerial data over large or hard-to-reach areas, benefiting industries like emergency response, agriculture, construction, and utilities with unmatched efficiency and precision.

Applications of Thermal Drones

• Search and Rescue: Thermal drones can quickly locate missing individuals in challenging terrains, as demonstrated in North Wales, where officers used a drone with a thermal payload to find a missing pensioner faster and more accurately than a helicopter.

  

  

• Firefighting: Infrared drones enhance situational awareness, helping firefighters detect hotspots and navigate smoke, as seen when West Midlands Ambulance Service used them to tackle a warehouse fire, improving safety and response times.

  

  

• Law Enforcement: Police deploy thermal drones to locate hidden suspects, monitor illegal activities (e.g., cannabis farms), and provide real-time surveillance during critical incidents.

  

  

• Infrastructure Inspections: Thermal drones are used to identify issues like damaged insulation, leaks, electrical faults, and problems in hard-to-reach areas such as bridges and towers.

  

  

• Precision Agriculture: Drones assist in optimising irrigation, detecting water stress in crops, and improving yields with higher spatial resolution and flexibility than satellite imaging.

Best Thermal Drones and Payloads

DJI Mavic 3 Thermal

The DJI Mavic 3 Thermal (M3T) is a lightweight, foldable drone engineered for rapid deployment and versatile aerial data collection. Equipped with a triple-camera system, including a high-resolution thermal sensor, this drone offers thermal and visual imaging capabilities.

Weighing just 920g, its compact design ensures easy transport and quick setup, which is perfect for ad-hoc missions or smaller-scale operations. The Mavic 3T is particularly effective for search and rescue, infrastructure inspections, precision agriculture, and firefighting.

If portability, ease of deployment, and cost-efficiency are essential for your missions, the DJI Mavic 3T provides a highly adaptable solution for effective thermal and visual data capture.

Key Features:

• Triple-Camera System: Equipped with a 1/2-inch CMOS 48MP wide camera for detailed visual imaging, a 1/2-inch CMOS 12MP telecamera with 56x hybrid zoom for long-range data collection, and a 640 x 512 px thermal sensor for detecting temperature variations.

• Simultaneous RGB and Thermal Comparisons: Real-time 28x split-screen zoom enables side-by-side comparisons of RGB and thermal imagery.

• Lightweight and Portable: Weighs 920g with a compact, foldable design for easy transport and quick deployment.

• Extended Flight Time: Up to 45 minutes flight time.

• Ease of Use: It supports seamless integration with DJI enterprise software tools, such as the DJI Thermal Analysis Tool, for post-mission analysis.

DJI M30T

The DJI Matrice 30T (M30T) is a rugged enterprise drone built for demanding operations in public safety, firefighting, security, search and rescue, and industrial inspections, thanks to its IP55 rating and ability to reliably operate in temperatures ranging from -20°C to 50°C.

Its weatherproof design combines advanced imaging capabilities for precise data collection. This drone features an integrated payload with wide-angle and zoom cameras, a thermal sensor, and a laser rangefinder.

If your operations require a robust, all-weather drone for high-stakes missions, especially in industrial or emergency settings, the DJI M30T is ideal for large-scale deployments.

Key Features:

• Integrated Payload: Includes a 640 x 512 thermal sensor, 12MP wide camera, 48MP zoom camera (200x max zoom), and 1200m laser rangefinder.

• All-Weather Performance: IP55 rating and operational range from -20°C to 50°C for use in tough conditions.

• Portable Design: Lightweight, foldable frame for easy transport and quick deployment.

• Extended Flight Time: Up to 41 minutes with rapid charging and long battery life.

• Enterprise Integration: Compatible with DJI RC Plus and FlightHub 2 for streamlined operations.

DJI Zenmuse H30T Payload

The DJI Zenmuse H30T (H30T) is a multi-sensor payload designed for the DJI M350 RTK and M300 RTK drones. It provides advanced thermal imaging, powerful zoom capabilities, and exceptional durability.

The H30T excels in long-range operations, offering superior thermal, zoom and night vision capabilities for highly detailed inspections. Ideal for professionals in public safety, security, and industrial inspections, it ensures precise data collection in challenging environments.

Perfect for inspecting hazardous sites, assisting search and rescue missions and much more, the H30T’s advanced thermal and visual sensors provide accurate measurements and observations, even in low-light or dark conditions.

The H30T is an excellent choice for operators already owning an M350 RTK or M300 RTK, enabling them to improve the accuracy and efficiency of their operations even further.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive Thermal Sensor: 1280 x 1024 resolution - improved by 4x. 32x digital zoom. Supports zoom and infrared and simultaneous split-screen display.

• Detailed Visual Zoom: 40MP camera with 400x digital zoom and 34x optical zoom and optimised stabilisation.

• Highly Accurate Laser Rangefinder: Enhanced range of up to 3,000m, with an accuracy of 0.2 m under 500m and 1m over 500m.

• Night Vision Capabilities: Illuminate dark areas up to 100m with NIR bands and activate night mode for enhanced clarity in full-colour or black-and-white.

• Multi-Touch Gesture: Easily manage the camera features using the touchscreen settings on the DJI RC Plus Controller.

• Weather Resistant: IP54 rated and handles temperatures from -20° to 50°C.

DJI Dock 2 with M3TD

The DJI Dock 2 and M3TD provide a remote, automated drone-in-a-box solution designed for public safety, security, and industrial inspections.

Operated via cloud-based software, this system enables on-demand data collection with minimal human intervention. The solution supports Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, reducing the need for on-site personnel while ensuring efficiency and scalability.

The M3TD’s triple-camera system delivers detailed visual and thermal data, enhancing accuracy and operational insight. Additionally, with its IP54-rated weatherproofing, a 50-minute flight time, and a 10km operational radius, the DJI Dock 2 ensures reliable performance even in challenging environments.

It is ideal for remote surveillance, emergency response, perimeter monitoring, intrusion detection, and infrastructure assessments such as pipelines, solar farms, and powerlines.

Key Features:

• Triple-Camera System: Equipped with a 48MP, 1/1.32" CMOS wide camera; 12MP, 56x hybrid zoom tele camera; and a high-resolution thermal sensor.

• High-Res Thermal Sensor: This sensor has high-resolution infrared capabilities, 640 x 512 @ 30fps, UHR Mode: 1280 x 1024 @ 30fps.

• Remote Operations: Enables Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) missions, reducing the need for on-site personnel.

• All-Weather Functionality: IP54-rated Dock 2 and DJI M3TD operate reliably in challenging environments.

• Scalable Operations: 50-minute flight time and a 10km operational radius for extensive coverage.

• High Accuracy: Integrated RTK module for precise positioning (±3cm).

• Superior Flight Safety: 6-directional obstacle sensing for secure missions.

• Longer Battery Lifecycle: Supports up to 400 charging cycles for sustained use.

• Comprehensive Service: heliguy™ offers site planning, installation, official technician support, and Service Level Agreements for DJI Dock 2.

• OSC Support: heliguy™ provides OSC consultation and assistance with BVLOS regulatory submissions.

DJI Mavic 3T Vs M30T Vs H30T Vs M3TD

Each thermal drone has its advantages:

• DJI Mavic 3T: Entry-level thermal platform. Lightweight, portable, integrated, and easy to transport.

• DJI M30T: Integrated solution which has an IP rating.

• DJI Zenmuse H30T: Powerful thermal solution, as part of a five-module array for mission versatility. Use in combination with the M350 or M300 RTK drones.

• DJI Dock 2 with M3TD: All-weather solution for remote and automated missions.

Check out the table below to compare the specs of each option:

Summary

Overall, thermal drones offer a wide range of applications and come in various models to suit different needs, from search and rescue to industrial inspections; thermal drone operations are helping many organisations streamline their efficiency, enhance their data accuracy and improve their situational awareness in the field.

To learn more about integrating thermal drones into your operations and assistance in finding the best thermal drone for your needs, contact our Sales Team.

For guidance on implementing a drone programme and becoming a certified pilot, reach out to our Training Team.