- Why drone programmes should start to test and prove the concept of the DJI M30 Series drone and DJI FlightHub 2 ahead of the release of the DJI Dock drone in a box solution;
- Each DJI Dock will house an M30 where it lands, recharges, takes off, and executes missions programmed in DJI FlightHub 2;
- M30 Series is a powerful drone with multi-sensor capabilities, while FlightHub 2 is a cloud-based drone management platform. Both are available now and can be deployed independently of the Dock;
- Using these solutions before the Dock is released will help organisations get ahead of the curve - integrating them into their workflows early, test the use case and solutions' suitability, and ensure future integration with the DJI Dock is more seamless;
- The DJI Dock is an innovative solution designed to facilitate remote drone deployment. As a DJI Dock partner, heliguy™ will offer end-to-end support to help organisations adopt the drone in a box concept, using our industry experience, in-house technical capabilities and training provision, including OSC consultancy.
With its autonomous deployment capabilities, fast-charging mechanics, weatherproof design and cloud-based management system, the DJI Dock is an innovative solution which will empower remote monitoring and unsupervised drone missions.
While the drone in a box concept is not new, the Dock represents DJI's first foray into this exciting marketplace and promises much for the future of UAS operations with reduced reliance on human interaction - further increasing efficiencies and bolstering ROI.
Following its unveiling in March, DJI announced that the Dock would not be making its way to UK shores immediately, with a planned release of September of this year, at the earliest.
And so commenced a waiting game. But, rather than being a hindrance, this prolonged timeframe provides organisations with a highly-valuable window of opportunity to start preparing for what is to come.
With the longer term picture in mind, it enables decision-makers to begin thinking about integrating a drone in a box to their workflows - which is no small task.
As a DJI Dock partner, heliguy™ will help organisations through this process, offering end-to-end support and consultancy. Using our years of industry experience, in-house technical capabilities, and training ecosystem, including an Operational Safety Case (OSC) consultancy, we'll facilitate each programme's adoption and deployment of this drone in a box solution. The future will also undoubtedly see advances in sensor capabilities, and heliguy™ will offer consultancy, supply and support as the ecosystem evolves.
But in the shorter term - and perhaps more significantly at this stage - it allows teams to prove the concept of the DJI Dock's other fundamental components: The M30 Series drone and the DJI FlightHub 2 mission control platform.
Both are available now to benefit drone programmes, and can be used independently of the Dock.
Crucially, though, they are also key pieces of the DJI drone in a box infrastructure, with each DJI Dock housing an M30 where it lands, recharges, takes off, and executes missions programmed in DJI FlightHub 2. Put simply, you can't utilise the Dock to its full potential without the other two.
After all, the M30 is the only drone currently compatible with the mechanical enclosure...
...while FlightHub 2 unlocks DJI Dock functionality from the cloud, allowing operators to schedule missions, create and edit flight routes, manage data collection, conduct remote maintenance and receive alerts in scenarios where it is unsafe for the drone to deploy from the dock, ie adverse weather.
Therefore, it seems prudent that organisations adopt these two pieces of technology ahead of the curve and begin to integrate them into their workflows before the arrival of the Dock.
Firstly, drone programmes need to be sure that the M30 Series is the drone for them. Sure, it is an impressive aircraft, matching power with performance and portability, but the proof of concept is essential for any enterprise.
After all, what good is a DJI Dock if the only compatible aircraft does not meet an organisation's needs or specific quality assessments? Better to find out at this stage - with a minimal outlay on the drone - rather than waiting until you've splashed out on the whole DJI Dock ecosystem.
The same can be said of FlightHub 2. How does this cloud-based management platform integrate with a drone team's workflows? Does this type of approach - designed to streamline the management of drone programmes - work for each specific organisation?
They're fundamental questions which can be answered and put into practice before the DJI Dock is here.
Secondly, introducing the DJI M30 and FlightHub 2 sooner rather than later will provide a more seamless transition once the DJI Dock is in place.
Let's face it, installing a drone in a box on a job site comes with numerous considerations: Is it in the appropriate location? Is there access to power and the internet (ethernet/LTE)? Is the correct legislation in place (especially in relation to BVLOS operations, or at least in the short-term, VLOS flights under supervision)? Will flights be conducted spontaneously or scheduled?
There's a lot to think about. So being well-versed with the drone and FlightHub 2 provides a welcome head start.
And lastly, both the M30 Series and FlightHub 2 are highly-effective solutions in their own right, designed to help enterprise drone programmes and streamline operations, irrespective of the Dock. Or to put it another way, drone programmes can start to benefit from these solutions now.
The M30 Series has multi-sensor capabilities, comprising visual, zoom and laser rangefinder capabilities, while the M30T benefits from the addition of a thermal sensor.
Find out more about the top 10 functionality features of the M30 Series.
As a side note, the DJI Dock can only be used with an M30 Series Dock Version. Therefore, the current M30 Series drones will not work with the drone in a box, but still provide value for money at this stage and prove the concept of the M30 Series Dock Versions.
Meanwhile, FlightHub 2 can empower organisations immediately, enabling them to obtain real-time situational awareness, streamline team communication, conduct live annotations and conduct route planning and mission management.
Indeed, DJI’s complete ground-to-cloud drone operations management software enables commercial drone team to plan missions, stream data, and collaborate with pilots in real-time. This in turn improves situational awareness, enables better data sharing and communication, and provides mission commanders everything they need to make smarter decisions and deploy resources more effectively.
Key features include 2.5D Base Map, which takes the satellite map of your area and then overlays elevation data to provide a more 3D sense of the environment...
...and Live Annotations which supports remote air-to-ground coordination.
Find out more about the benefits of DJI FlightHub 2 here.
As an additional incentive, FlightHub 2 - also compatible with the DJI M300 RTK (with H20 Series), Mavic 3 Enterprise Series, and future new Enterprise platforms - is available for free, as a BETA version. The free trial has been extended until June 30, 2023.
It's almost as if DJI wants operators to prove the concept of FlightHub 2 before the Dock is released.
And to help drone teams integrate FlightHub 2 into their workflows, heliguy™ is building a dedicated training course, which will be released soon.
heliguy™ also runs the Ofqual-regulated TQUK Level 5 Award for UAS Operations Managers, which is highly relevant to those involved in the governance of UAS programmes and provides candidates with the skills, knowledge and confidence to lead and oversee enterprise drone programmes.
Summary
Drone programmes thrive on preparation. And embracing the DJI Dock ecosystem is no different. In fact, being ahead of the curve is particularly pertinent when it comes to building towards something as game-changing as deployments from a docking station.
So, with the Dock a few months off, it gives drone programmes the perfect opportunity to test the water and begin to prove the concept of the M30 and FlightHub 2.
After all, such is the importance of the DJI M30 Series drone and FlightHub 2 to the Dock's infrastructure, it is a sensible approach to adopt them ahead of the box's release, to ensure they integrate and benefit each organisation's workflows.
Embracing this technology early will provide a solid foundation to springboard into an exciting new era of the drone industry.
Contact heliguy™ to find out more about integrating the DJI M30 Series and DJI FlightHub 2 into your workflows, and to discuss the DJI Dock.
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