Key Features Of DJI FlightHub 2 Drone Management Software
In-depth guide to DJI FlightHub 2, including key features, how it improves real-time team-wide communication, why it is good for public safety and inspections.
DJI FlightHub 2 is an all-in-one cloud-based drone operations management platform;
Suite of tools - including innovative mapping features, live annotations and cross-device compatibility - to improve the visibility and usability of drone data: Crucial for situational awareness and real-time team-wide communication;
Use FlightHub 2 for route planning, mission management and data storage;
Ideal for public safety, search and rescue and inspection operations;
Compatible with DJI M30 Series, M300 RTK and H20 payloads, Mavic 3 Enterprise Series, as well as DJI Dock;
Free public Beta has been extended until June 30, 2023.
Drones are a powerful data collection tool, capable of delivering crucial real-time information. But traditionally, there have been difficulties proliferating this intel to command centres and ground teams, resulting in information silos.
It begs the question: What good is drone data if no one can see it, let alone act on it?
This is where DJI's FlightHub 2 comes in.
This intelligent software package aims to address this issue, offering synchronisation features to enable streamlined coordination between ground teams, drones, payloads, pilots and all the intelligence that they gather.
Packed with collaborative tools to help plan missions, stream and store data, manage fleets, and improve situational awareness and real-time team liaison, FlightHub 2 is an all-in-one cloud-based drone operations management platform to support public safety and inspection drone operations.
Access a free public Beta of DJI FlightHub 2 to test out this software platform. The free public Beta has been extended until June 30, 2023. The service will be available for purchase starting from May 31, 2023.
This guide to FlightHub 2 explores its key features, how it transforms missions and team-wide communication, and how it compares to the original FlightHub.
FlightHub 2 Vs FlightHub
DJI says that FlightHub 2 is a brand new drone task management platform and is not an iterative version of DJI FlightHub.
And there are differences.
The original FlightHub application allowed drone programme managers to manage fleets, track mission progress, and organise the data captured.
FlightHub 2 has these features. But its suite of new tools enhance real-time task management, collaboration, and situational awareness in the field - all synchronised through the cloud.
FlightHub 2 has also been engineered to be compatible with DJI's latest enterprise drones - the M30, the M300 RTK with H20 Series payloads, and the Mavic 3 Enterprise Series - as well as the DJI Dock. More on this later.
FlightHub 2: Key Features
FlightHub 2 aims to centralise drone data for wide-scale collaboration, making drones as useful as possible.
It achieves this through a package of new and intelligent features, including some slick mapping tools that provide immediate situational awareness.
Cross-device Compatibility
FlightHub 2 is entirely cloud-based. This extends its accessibility.
Now, mission data is not only accessible to the pilot's remote controller, but also to everyone on the team who has a device with a web browser, including the remote controller, laptops, tablets and mobile devices.
With everyone involved in the mission can log in and access the same intelligence gathered by the drones - whether that's incident commanders, ground teams or an inspection crew.
2.5D Base Map
This feature takes the satellite map of your area and then overlays elevation data. This provides a more three-dimensional sense of the immediate environment.
This helps pilots and ground teams even before the drone is in flight, enabling you to take elevation into consideration as you plan your initial flight steps and flight routes.
One Tap Panorama Sync
This feature provides 360° overviews of the mission site.
The sync means that the panorama is automatically uploaded and shared to all teammates who are signed into the mission.
This provides a helpful first impression of an unfamiliar environment or inspection area, and the panoramas and the coordinates from where they were captured can be displayed on and opened from the 2.5D Base Map.
Cloud Mapping
Cloud Mapping is an exciting feature which creates spatially and temporally accurate orthomosaics.
This is how it works:
Highlight your target area up to 1.5 square kilometers for each flight;
Set parameters, like altitude, and then the drone does the rest - automatically flying over the area taking pictures;
As the pictures come in, FlightHub 2 processes them into an orthomosaic map;
This is overlaid on your 2.5D base map.
This kind of high-resolution spatial information is crucial for missions when you are setting foot in an unfamiliar environment.
Cloud mapping works at night too with thermal.
Live Annotations
FlightHub 2 is much more than just cloud processing and mapping. Live Annotations is a major feature that has been added to support air-to-ground coordination.
Live Annotations are points, lines and polygons that you can draw on the map.
In a search and rescue mission, for instance, polygons can help in the distribution of search areas between pilots and ground teams. Once you see something that might be your missing person, you can drop a pinpoint so the ground teams know which direction they should go.
Then draw lines to plot out routes and guide them along the safest path.
Live Annotations are all shown on the FlightHub 2 information interface so all team members can see them. They can be overlaid onto shared 2.5D Base Maps and Cloud Maps.
Advanced Media And Mission Management
FlightHub 2 is designed for any operation which uses drones and needs to keep their operations organised.
Route Planning and Mission Management
Create all kinds of flight missions directly from your computer using the 2.5D Base Map. Preview expected results for each mission point, ensuring flight route safety and data quality. Synchronise missions with pilots for efficient and convenient execution.
On top of embedding information in real-time onto 2.5D cloud maps, all of your photos and videos can be automatically uploaded to the cloud for later analysis.
FlightHub 2 has powerful mission planning functions, so flight routes or tasks can be created, saved, and shared to other pilots. It also has everything you need to effectively store and manage your aerial data.
FlightHub 2 And DJI Dock
FlightHub 2 is compatible with the DJI Dock.
The whole concept of the drone in a box solution is to move towards autonomous flights and remote operations.
And DJI FlightHub 2 can be used as a tool to facilitate this.
When deployed in conjunction with the DJI Dock, use FlightHub 2 to monitor the status of your M30, plan and schedule missions, and coordinate everything required for round-the-clock, automated operations.
FlightHub 2 will also automatically trigger alerts in the event of heavy rain, strong winds or any other situation that could affect the flight mission or integrity of the equipment.
It can also be used to check the status of your DJI Dock remotely and perform on-demand debugging, removing the need for constant maintenance visits.
Which Drones Are Compatible With DJI FlightHub 2?
As mentioned previously, DJI FlightHub 2 supports the DJI M30 Series, the M300 RTK with H20 payload series (H20, H20T, H20N), and the Mavic 3 Enterprise Series.
In the future, FlightHub 2 will support new DJI Enterprise platforms.
There is no limit to the number of devices connected, and the operating status of each device can be viewed in real time.
Where are the DJI FlightHub 2 cloud servers located?
Data security and integrity is key.
For the record, DJI says that Flighthub 2 servers are located in Virginia, USA, with additional servers in other locations to be added subsequently according to user demand.
For latency-sensitive services such as live video streaming, global server optimisation is implemented to significantly reduce network latency.
FlightHub 2: Summary
FlightHub 2 is a powerful software package which enables drone teams to master their mission environment, overcome communication barriers, plan precise flight routes, and unifies the management of fleet, personnel, and media.
Designed to support public safety and inspection operations in real-time, FlightHub 2 is an empowering application that improves situational awareness for all team members and enables better data sharing communication, giving mission commanders everything they need to make smarter decisions and deploy resources more effectively.
Built with enterprise operations in mind, FlightHub 2 will have major payoffs for drone programmes, in both the short and the long term.
To discuss FlightHub 2 and to integrate into your drone enterprise, contact heliguy™.
written by
James Willoughby
James joined heliguy™ in 2018 following a 13-year stint in print and online journalism, having worked on regional and weekly newspaper titles. He is responsible for spearheading heliguy™'s content strategy and social media delivery. James collaborates with DJI Enterprise's European marketing team to coordinate and produce case studies and helps organise events and webinars.