One of the great things about drone technology is that it is always advancing. But that doesn’t mean you have to wait to buy the next version of a craft to see improvements. By keeping your craft up to date with firmware updates, you can be sure you are taking advantage of the latest developments- whether its improved functionality, new capabilities, or addressing any known issues.
This article will take a look at the latest firmware update for the DJI M300 RTK– version 2.11.
Firmware v2.11 improves safety, expands imaging capabilities, and gives users more control of the Matrice 300 and its camera payloads.
The improved safety features of this update improve the ability for the Matrice 300 to perform an emergency landing in the unlikely event that one of the motors or propellers fail. The computing power necessary for this large craft to safely land with only three motors is impressive and something that you hope to never have to see in action, but great to have the peace of mind knowing its there.
Firmware v2.11 expands much of the Matrice 300’s imaging capabilities while using the Zenmuse H20T gimbal. While the H20T has featured side-by-side thermal and visual spectrum since its release, visual imaging was always limited to the wide angle field of view in that mode. Now, the optical camera is capable of zooming in on subjects even while the thermal image is displayed. This exciting feature allows users to spot an object of interest in the thermal image and then zoom in with the RGB camera for a closer look at that object. Professionals working in Search and Rescue, Industrial Inspection, and Public Safety will find this feature especially useful.
Another protective safety feature safeguards the thermal sensor on the H20T. By turning on the Sun Burn Protection feature, the H20T will automatically close the thermal camera’s iris when it detects that it has been pointed at the sun. This ensures that the very powerful thermal sensor does not burn out if accidentally exposed to the intense light from the sun. This ability can save the sensor of the H20T from costly damage.
Another exciting upgrade impacts the already robust Smart Track function. A known issue of the previous version of Smart Track was the possibility to lose a tracked object if another, similar object passes by. This is most common when tracking a car and a similar sized car comes near the one you are trying to track; causing the potential to lose the track. DJI has improved the tracking capabilities and this firmware update greatly reduces the chance of losing a tracked object.
The DJI Matrice 300 is a highly advanced flight system that uses multiple sensors, GPS, and internal processing to make flights as safe and easy as possible. But some pilots prefer to limit how much flying is handled by the onboard computer. This is especially useful when flying through areas that might have high electrical interference like radio tower arrays and power lines. To minimize the potential effects of electrical interference or other suboptimal flight conditions, you can now switch to the ATTI Flight Mode. This flight mode disables the GPS and similar onboard sensors, giving pilots complete control of their craft. Due to the lack of flight automation and obstacle protection in this mode, this is a function that is best suited for more experienced pilots.
Firmware v2.11 is an exciting update that makes an already advanced UAV even more powerful and robust. It is available via the DJI Pilot app on the M300 smart controller, or via DJI Assistant 2 on a computer.
Watch the latest episode of our original series Release Notes to learn more about this firmware update.
