Case Studies
Published on 8 Jan 2025
James Willoughby
Transform 3D modelling with DJI Matrice 4E
Case study showing how the DJI Matrice 4E drone transforms 3D model creation.
This dataset shows the impressive modelling capabilities of the DJI Matrice 4E and demonstrates the drone’s new features to streamline 3D model acquisition of complex structures.
heliguy™’s geospatial specialists flew the drone to map Thorpe Salvin Old Hall - a 16th century gatehouse and mansion in Rotherham.
The drone is engineered for faster precision surveying and effortless 3D capture - and the team benefited from the platform’s suite of upgraded features to build the lifelike digitisation of the Grade II* property.
These included:
Smart 3D Capture Mode: Simplifies 3D model capture by generating precise mapping routes based on a rough model.
5-directional Oblique Capture: The gimbal intelligently rotates and shoots at multiple angles - enhancing the efficiency by 40% compared to 3-directional smart oblique capture of the DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise.
Dedicated Surveying Payload: 4/3 CMOS 20MP sensor with mechanical shutter, supporting a rapid 0.5-second interval shooting for high-speed surveying from multiple angles.
In-camera Distortion Correction: High-precision in-camera distortion correction with residual distortion less than 2 pixels. When used with DJI Terra, the reconstruction accuracy is improved.
These features enabled the team to complete the survey in an hour and create a robust 3D model - as shown by some of these close-up images.
Richard Dunlop, heliguy™ Geospatial Lead who helped map the site, said: “The DJI Matrice 4E is an impressive surveying drone and the operation at Thorpe Salvin Hall showed its capabilities for creating highly-detailed 3D assets, reconstructions, and digital twins.
“When used in this capacity, it is ideal for organisations based within the conservation and heritage sectors, architectural design companies, fire departments, digital archivists, and construction professionals.”
Smart 3D Capture
One of stand-out features of the DJI Matrice 3E is the new Smart 3D Capture Mode.
This function simplifies 3D model creation, streamlining the process of detailed modelling tasks and facilitating easier measurements of irregular-shaped buildings.
Based on a rough model of the survey site, the remote controller can be used to generate precise mapping routes close to a structure’s surface, helping to enhance the detail of a model.
Smart 3D Capture proved its worth at Thorpe Salvin Hall. And the workflow is outlined below:
Step One - Rough Model Generation:
The DJI Matrice 4E was initially flown onsite to create a basic model. The mission photo files were then chosen in Pilot 2 to create a rough point cloud model.
We flew an oblique flight - which took a couple of minutes - to capture various angles of the building.
Step Two - Flight Route Planning:
After defining the survey area, the 3D flight plan was automatically generated on the controller. Parameters such as flight speed and shooting distance were set. The Refine Model function was also used.
The flight plan was viewed on the new DJI RC Plus 2 Enterprise controller, which is IP54-rated and has up to 7 hours of battery life (3.8 hours of built-in battery life and 3.2 hours of external battery life).
The large ultra-bright screen - with its 7.02-inch LCD touchscreen and a max brightness of 1400 nits - enhanced visualisation of the flight plan, and the subsequent flight.
Step Three - Flight Route Execution:
The planned route was uploaded to the M4E for execution.
This mission included 5-directional oblique data capture - whereby the gimbal rotates and shoots at multiple angles, achieving the effect of multiple photos and angles in one flight: Improving efficiency and creating detailed models.
It’s also worth saying that this functionality supports setting route breakpoints to skip dangerous routes.
Step Four - Survey Quality Report:
After the flight, we viewed the survey quality report, which helped evaluate the quality of the data capture. It included data about: The area captured; overlap rate; mechanical shutter distortion correction quality; photo count; and RTK positioning data.
Once we were happy, the data was processed in DJI Terra and the model was produced.
Richard said: “Smart 3D capture is a powerful new tool to simplify and automate the process of generating robust 3D digitisation, rather than having to rely on manual data capture.
“This feature allows pilots to complete detailed measurements and model irregular-shaped buildings.
“The ability to generate precise mapping routes close to a surface, coupled with the drone’s powerful obstacle avoidance features, enables operators to complete diverse and complex close-range modelling, facilitating mm-level GSD for digital twin creation and precision inspections.”
DJI Matrice 4E: Large-area surveys
While the Thorpe Salvin Hall dataset showed the drone’s worth for 3D model generation, the DJI M4E can also be beneficial for mapping large sites.
Its dedicated survey sensor is complemented by its 21m/s flight speed and 49 minutes of flight time to make it an efficient solution.
On top of this, the Matrice 4E supports 3-directional ortho capture: Perfect for large-scale topographic and architectural surveys - as shown by the table below.
Capture Mode | Estimated Duration | Number of Photos | Efficiency Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
Three-directional Ortho Enabled | 47 minutes | 3,815 | 44% faster flight time |
Three-directional Ortho Disabled | 1 hour 24 minutes | 2,268 | Fewer photos, but longer flight time |
The use of Three-directional Ortho Capture with the Matrice 4 Enterprise demonstrates a 44% reduction in flight time, enabling faster data acquisition while ensuring sufficient coverage and side overlap. This leads to a highly-efficient data-capture experience.
Tests have shown that a single flight can complete mapping operations for an area of 2.8 square kilometres.
The enhanced operational efficiency makes this mode particularly valuable for large-scale surveying missions, especially in regions with minimal elevation differences.
The Matrice 4E - which comes with a built-in RTK module - is compatible with the new high-precision D-RTK 3 Multifunctional Station, which can be used as a base station, rover, or for relays.
DJI Matrice 4E: Precision Inspection
The DJI M4E is designed for precision surveying, but it can also be deployed as a robust visual inspection tool.
As well as its wide-angle camera, the drone features a 7x tele camera with 112x hybrid zoom and 3x medium tele camera for improved continuous zoom.
It is also equipped with a laser rangefinder with a 1800m measurement range, offering real-time measurement information.
DJI Matrice 4E: Other key features
The DJI Matrice 4E is equipped with a suite of smart features, enhancing data capture and flight safety.
This includes:
AI: The DJI M4E benefits from built-in AI, supporting real-time AI detection of people, vehicles, and boats.
Low-light Performance: Improved obstacle avoidance in low-light environments and Night Scene mode.
Faster and Safer: Rapid take-off within 15 seconds; anti-GNSS-interference; improved GNSS & vision fusion positioning.
Upgraded Accessories: Includes speaker and spotlight.
To add the DJI Matrice 4E to your workflows, contact heliguy™.
