matrice 100

matrice 100

 

DJI MATRICE 100: An Advanced Quadcopter For Developers

 

DJI introduced once again its pioneer drone in the markets with the launch of Matrice 100. This drone is a perfect pick for developers and professionals who are in the process of testing sensors, processors and are in the race of innovating something new and out of the leak.

One of the features why the DJI Matrice 100 made headlines is guidance. This is a feature that makes use of various ultrasonic sensors and stereo that guides the drone automatically about any forthcoming obstacles within 65 feet. This way, this quadcopter is always aware of its surroundings and adjusts its flight path accordingly. Sounds like something we all were dying to have?

Product specifications:

The DJI Matrice 100 is a fully customizable and programmable flight platform that lets you to turn your ideas and dreams into reality.
Equipped with DJI’s easy-to-fly technology and optimized for easy programming through the DJI SDK, the Matrice 100 is ready to carry any sensors, devices that you want to put into the sky.
Expansion bays
Dual battery compartments
Dedicated remote controller

Buy DJI MATRICE 100 on Amazon

You can find out more about the guidance system here:

But this is not it. It has a lot more amazing features packed into it for a slightly higher price. If you’re interested, read the article to learn more details.
Build specifications

It must be said that this quadcopter is one of the most popular products from the house of DJI. The dimensions of the product are 14” x 10” x 10” and it weighs around 11.3 pounds. It is both light and properly balanced.
Packaging

The DJI Matrice 100 comes with a kit in order to provide the user with all the necessary equipment required to fly the drone. It must be said that the kit does add a little extra pounds to the overall shipping weight.

Below are the contents of the box that come with the DJI Matrice 100:

DJI Matrice 100 quadcopter
DJI Remote Controller
DJI Matrice 100 TB47FD/TB48D Battery
DJI Matrice 100 Battery Charger
DJI Guidance System
Brush Blower
Microfiber Cleaning Cloth
Cleaning Kit
DJI Self Tightening Propeller Sets – 4
Transmitter Lanyard
Gimbal mounting plate
GPS Accessories pack
Mounting rails flashboard
Expansion bay
User Manual

As you open the package, this is what is waiting for you on the other side:

Design & durability

Equipped with state of the art sensors, this quadcopter is considered to be one of the best in terms of durability as well as design. The shape of the drone is such that you can easily navigate it through the smallest of places with considerable ease which gives it a definite edge.

The Guidance system which you get here will make sure that the pilot will always be alerted of his surroundings, especially obstacles.

DJI Matrice 100 design

Next comes the all-important landing gear, here, you can be sure of one thing which is no matter where your drone is landing, it is always protected from all kind of shocks and vibrations.

The reason for it, is the fact that you get the pneumatic shock absorbing landing feet for all the four legs, which are proven to absorb all kind of shock. They are designed in such a way that they hop and bounce while landing on a rough surface which helps to lower the stress on the drone.

Thirdly the four antennas on DJI Matrice 100 are placed in such a way that each of them faces separate directions, hence, covering all four directions. The reason for doing this is to make sure you don’t lose the connection between the flight and the controller while the drone is in air. Unlike other drones where the antennas are traditionally facing either backward or forwards, this particular design allows 360-degree connectivity.
Camera

If there is one feature which has earned rave reviews about DJI Matrice 100, then it has to be the camera. It is often touted as a vital addition to the already popular drone.

You can be certain that once you use the camera on this drone it will be pretty hard for you to go back to your old drones as the picture quality is crisp and clear which is sure to mesmerize you beyond expectations.

DJI Matrice 100 camera

The stereoscopic camera which is fitted on the drone has to be one of your favorite attachments as it plays a crucial role in detecting obstacles. Moreover, this camera has built in sensors which help the drone take evasive actions automatically on detecting obstacles which in effect adds an extra layer of protection to the drone.

Let’s take a look at unique features of the camera.

30X Zoom

When it comes to clarity there is no beating DJI Matrice 100. With 30X zoom on the camera, you will be able to see your target from a considerable distance with ease.

Infrared Cameras

The high-performance infra-red cameras that come with the product can be used for a number of different purposes including that of thermal imaging and identification of temperature differences which will help you navigate your drone efficiently.

Lightbridge Video Transmission Technology

A very important addition to this drone has to be this particular technology. It allows the pilot to view live images that are being transmitted from the drone while it is in the air. The best thing here is that it can be transmitted to any mobile device.
Battery and flight time

The dual batteries this quadcopter comes equipped with further steal the show. Here, the product usually uses smart batteries for functioning which are rechargeable in nature. It is because of this particular feature it can travel longer a distance which enables the pilot to soak in the flying experience that much more.

DJI MATRICE 100 battery

On the other hand, for the controller, you will need 6000 mAh Li-Po 2S batteries to get the best out of it. The overall consumption of power for the battery is 9W which is considered to be standard for a controller for this kind of drone.

It must be said that the dual battery compartment helps the drone with a better flight time. Brace yourself: this drone has a maximum flight time of 40 minutes if it is flown with the lowest payload! You must remember, with the addition of payload, the overall flight time comes down, so it would be prudent to avoid payloads while flying the drone. Also, you can get more familiar with drone batteries and how they work, so that you might choose a higher capacity battery, but without endangering the electronics of the drone. To find out more about these RC power sources, we suggest checking out our article about drone batteries.

Another reason for longer flight time can be attributed to the lightweight structure of the drone. Lastly, apart from the payload, another important factor in deciding the overall flight time of the drone has to be the prevailing weather conditions.

Above is the real flight time test for this quadcopter.
Controller

This quadcopter comes with an N1 flight controller system included. And thus, you no longer need to buy one as is the case with other quadcopters.

DJI MATRICE 100 controller

This highly responsive controller allows the drone to have highly stable flights. Further, this also makes it receive your flying commands when in flight.
Flight performance

If there is one product which is waiting to fly out of the box then it has to be this! Firstly, it is imperative that we talk about the impact of the Guidance system.

Without a doubt, it has made the flying process much easier as you will be aware of the geographical features and all kind of obstacles around your drone while it is in flight. Moreover, the anti-collision sensor on the drone helps you to evade every kind of obstacle even when it is flying at a high speed.

DJI Matrice 100 flight

In addition to this, the Guidance vision positioning system allows the drone to weed out information about every possible terrain. It works effortlessly even at heights of 20 meters which can only be considered as an advantage. The catch here is that it can do all this without the use of any GPS.
Value for money and guarantee

Priced at around $3000, it is definitely not something that you would like to gift your kids on Christmas, but definitely is a lot more beneficial. This is a fully customizable and programmable drone that lets you run your creativity wild.

At this price, it comes equipped with easy-to-fly technology through the DJI SDK. The drone is perfect to carry sensors and devices that you might want to equip it with during the flight.

Matrice 100 value for money

At this price, it comes equipped with almost everything that you can think of – expansion bays, communication ports, dual batteries, remote controller, mobile app support, enhanced GPS, and others.

Though there is no special mention about the warranty of the device on the manufacturer’s website, we’re sure DJI is kind enough to handle your queries and grievances. But then, it is also dependent on the service provider you purchased from.
Unique features

DJI Matrice 100 is just perfect to develop solutions which make the use of lidar and photogrammetry sensors. All thanks to the high-end features the drone comes equipped with.

Here are a few of the exceptional features of this drone:

Responsive flight controller – The drone comes equipped with N1 flight controller that aids the drone in providing stable flight experience. You can even manage to receive live HD views by integrating it with DJI Lightbridge.
Automatic collision avoidance – Well, this is what actually made the drone hit the headlines. It comes with a collision avoidance system. That means, you no more need to fret about its collision with trees, cars, people, and buildings. With the help of top cameras, sensors, and a processing unit, it has the inbuilt ability to avoid crashes and collisions.
Rigid and strong body – It is made up of carbon fiber which imparts the drone strength at the same time making it light. Each of the arms of the drone is made from vibration pillowed material which helps the drone in attaining stable flight.
Enhanced propulsion system – It is geared up by 4 powerful brushless motors. It makes the use of E800 motors thus giving a complete control during the flight. This further imparts the required strength to drone enabling it to carry a flexible payload.

With all this and much more in the box, this drone is really packed with some cool features that aim to make your flight experience a really enjoyable one.
Similar models or main competitors
DJI Inspire 1

DJI Inspire 1 is the closest model to the DJI Matrice 100, from the house of DJI. This drone is one of the most advanced video drones that we have witnessed in recent time. Inspire 1 is large; it weighs 3 kg. With that much weight, comes an equivalent amount of power.

This drone can pamper its propellers and can attain a whopping speed of 50 miles per hour which is an appreciable speed that a drone could provide. This definitely allows you to have some cool shots following that truck or boat moving at the same speed. But with the great power, comes the great sense of responsibility. You need to be perfectly cautious while dealing with his or you will end up breaking your nearly $3,000 worth piece of equipment.

DJI Inspire 1

Inspire 1 has two sensors located along with an optical camera that would help you to see the ground on an XY plane. Further, you can choose to connect Inspire 1 with a second camera, flight controller, and transmitter, and if you are interested in finding out much more about this model, we suggest checking out our Inspire 1 in-depth review.

The inbuilt camera of this drone possesses the ability to rotate 3320 degrees and can tilt 90 degrees very easily. It gives you approximate 20 minutes flying experience at such a size and weight –which is very impressive.

Like this amazing product? Then you can buy it from Amazon.
Parrot Bebop

This is yet another tough competitor of DJI Matrice 100. To sum up, this beast comes equipped with a built-in GPS and a 14 MP 1080p full HD fisheye camera. The camera is capable of adjusting its angle during flight automatically, thus guaranteeing you out of the world flying, video and photography experiences.

This drone is something very special. This one makes the setting up and taking apart drone as easy as 1-2-3.

Parrot Bebop drone

The Parrot Bebop can be easily accessed through Free Flight 3 APP. Users can communicate to the drone regarding height, frequency, and others through this easy to use the app.

Sharing videos with Parrot Bebop is extremely easy, with its built-in WiFi hotspot. Further, this drone gives you the freedom to handle the drone on two frequencies – 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz MIMO frequencies – a feature that comes handy when you are flying in a densely populated area.

Further, to ensure proper safety and smooth indoor flight experiences, the drone comes equipped with safety propellers which allow you to fly the drone really close to the objects without being worried of the damage. For a much better insight on this model, we suggest taking a look at our Parrot Bebob in-depth review.

If you think that this product could be useful for you, then you can buy it from Amazon.
DJI Phantom 3

The standard version of Phantom 3 is priced at $799, the advanced version at $999 and the professional version at $1259. The major difference between them is the quality of the camera.

Phantom 3 series is backed up by its ability to fly indoors. Further, this quadcopter makes use of built-in sensors to have an idea about stability and height, rather than simply relying on sensors. The Phantom 3 is equipped with live video streaming technology, called as ‘light bridge’. This would allow you to watch the video in real time with almost no delays.

DJI Phantom 3 standard

Phantom 3 provides greater control over gimbal and camera. The transmitter comes equipped with several built-in buttons and has features of auto-return, auto take off, and auto-landing.

Like this amazing product? Then you can buy it on Amazon.
Overview

Let us discuss some pros and cons of this machine.

Pros

Whooping flight time of 40 minutes
Comes equipped with dual compartment batteries in order to provide you smooth flying experience
Easily compatible and customizable with a range of drone accessories
Fully programmable flight experience
It comes with softer landing pads to provide you smooth landing experiences
Strong and light body made up of carbon fiber that grants it the stability during flight

Cons

Priced a way to high
You might need to bear additional costs for purchasing a gimbal and a camera in order to make full use of its extraordinary features

DJI is undoubtedly a market leader and is continuously in the process of bringing highly advanced and automated unmanned flying machines. Matrice 100 just carries their legacy forward. It comes equipped with a way too many advanced features and is definitely the best pick for professionals, research developers, and corporations who are on the lookout of an advanced drone. However, its price is not something everyone could afford it.
DJI MATRICE 100

Design
Features
Battery life
Ease of Use
Quality
Value For Money

 

Summary

DJI Matrice 100 is one of the advanced drones in the markets that we have today. With a flight time of 40 minutes with the lowest payload, it gives you perfect balance through its fully programmable technology that allows it to operate easily. Increasing the torque in this quadcopter is no rocket science too. You just need to adjust the angle on its 4 legs and you are done. Further, softer landing pads to have a smooth landing with reduced impact surely win some extra points.