DJI squarely owns the prosumer end of the drone market with its insanely popular Phantom and Inspire quadrotors. Presumably, the addition of thermal-imaging capabilities to its higher-end drones is meant to lock down that market, not make it easier to hunt and kill humans. Presumably. DJI has partenered up with thermal-imaging manufacturer FLIR to produce the Zenmuse XT, a thermal-imaging camera that will integrate onto the gimbal on DJI’s existing Inspire 1 and Matrice 100 drones. That means all the advantages that DJI has become famous for—stupid-simple operation, live-streaming first-person video and good performance—will transfer over to a thermal-imaging platform. In turn, that should open new kinds of possibilities for users. Sure, it would be fun to blast around with a thermal-imaging camera as a hobby; but for search-and-rescue, firefighting or construction workers, it could add a genuinely game-changing capability. There’s no word on price, but the existing Zenmuse X5 camera already costs thousands of dollars, and thermal-imaging cameras are not normally synonymous with ‘cheap’. Wait and see how many organs you’ll have to sell off: availability is expected in the first part of 2016. [DJI]
DJI has partnered up with thermal - imaging manufacturer FLIR , to develop the Zenmuse XT drone . DJI will use its Inspire 1 and Matrice 100 drones , equipping them with thermal - imaging cameras , which will be useful for search - and - rescue missions , firefighting and in the construction industry . The partnership will transform aerial imaging for the industry , using DJI 's expertise in camera stabilisation and long range video transmission . Firefighters using aerial thermal imagery technology explain that it helps identify which areas of the building are most affected by a fire , helping them see how the fire has affected the roof of the building and where it has spread to before anyone enters the building . Aerial thermal imagery has also become popular in the agriculture sector for crop management . Farmers are using the technology to help plan irrigation systems , increase fruit yields , and detect diseases .