Drones equipped with infrared cameras are widely used in agriculture, security, military and surveillance, while near-infrared imaging drones are also used for night vision, as they can provide clearer images than thermal imaging in extremely low-light scenarios. Here we will compare the best NIR drones of 2023: Autel MAX 4N VS DJI M300RTK with Zenmuse H20N.
Drone Infrared Imaging Explained
Infrared refers to light waves with a length between 0.7 and 1000 microns, beyond what our human eyes can see. The shortest wavelength in the infrared spectrum is NIR or near infrared. Mid-wavelengths between 3 and 15 microns dissipate heat. These are thermal infrared waves. Thermal radiation is emitted from people, animals and objects. Drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras can detect differences in the heat emitted by objects to create images.
Above: The infrared spectrum can be divided into three ranges: near (short) infrared wavelengths, thermal (middle) infrared wavelengths and far (long) infrared wavelengths.Image credit Nasa
Near-infrared imaging relies on capturing reflected or absorbed light. For a near-infrared imaging drone to be able to visualize all objects at night, it must have some light source, even very low light from stars or ambient lighting.
Night Vision Drone with NIR Camera: Autel MAX 4N VS DJI M300RTK w/ Zenmuse H20N
"N" stands for Night Vision. The Zenmuse H20N Gimbal integrates starlight sensors into its zoom and wide-angle cameras and features a dual-zoom 640x512 thermal camera. Zenmuse H20N is one of the replaceable payloads of DJI M300RTK, which is specially designed for night vision scenarios.
Autel MAX 4N also has a multi-sensor camera gimbal. The camera gimbal of the Autel MAX 4N drone includes a 23MP starlight camera, a 50MP wide-angle camera, a 640x512 thermal imager, and a laser rangefinder. It can be interchanged with the Autel MAX 4T drone camera gimbal. It is a cutting-edge drone among night vision drones.
Camera Specs: Autel MAX 4N VS DJI M300RTK w/Zenmuse H20N
The Zenmuse H20N thermal camera is capable of detecting light sources as low as 0.0001 lux and has built-in starlight sensors in its zoom and wide-angle cameras. Combine this with a thermal imaging camera, a zoom camera, and a laser rangefinder for a versatile hybrid payload match. The two thermal cameras provide 2x and 8x zoom respectively, for a maximum total zoom of 32x. Find hotspots and examine areas in detail. The H20N also supports simultaneous zooming between the starlight thermal imager and the night vision device. Users can colorize the image at the same time. This increases efficiency exponentially and makes it easier to compare details side by side.
The starlight sensor of Autel MAX 4N can also detect a light source of 0.0001 lux. At the same time, the maximum ISO can reach 450000, and it supports 1-8x zoom and linkage zoom. The video output in Super Sensitive Mode can reach 1920×1200@P30, providing unparalleled performance for low-light and nighttime surveillance, search and data collection applications. The camera gimbal also integrates a wide-angle camera, a thermal imager, and a laser rangefinder. The images can be displayed simultaneously on three screens on the Autel Enterprise App, so as to better provide data for decision-making.
Autel MAX 4N |
DJI M300RTK + H20N |
|
Zoom Camera |
/ | Sensor:1/1.8" CMOS; Effective Pixels: 4M |
| Focal Length: 6.8-119.9 mm (equivalent: approximately 32.7-574.5 mm) Aperture: f/1.6-f/11 Focus: 1 m to ∞ (wide); 8 m to ∞ (tele) |
||
Wide Camera |
Sensor: 1/1.28 CMOS, Effective pixels: 50M | Sensor: 1/2.7" CMOS; Effective Pixels: 2M |
| DFOV: 85° Focal length: 4.5 mm (equivalent: 23 mm) Aperture: f/1.9 AF motor: 8-wire SMA, PDAF focus | DFOV: 73.6° Focal Length: 4.5 mm (equivalent: approximately 29 mm) Aperture: f/2.8 Focus: 1 m to ∞ |
|
Tele Infrared Thermal Camera |
/ | Thermal Imager:Uncooled VOx Microbolometer |
| DFOV: 12.5° Focal Length: 44.5 mm (equivalent: approximately 196 mm) Aperture: f/1.2 Focus: 45 m to ∞ |
||
| Video Resolution:640×512@30fps | ||
Wide Infrared Thermal Camera |
/ | Thermal Imager: Uncooled VOx Microbolometer |
| DFOV: 45.5° Focal Length: 12 mm (equivalent: approximately 53 mm) Aperture: f/1.0 Focus: 5 m to ∞ |
||
| Video Resolution:640×512@30fps | ||
Laser Range Finder |
Measuring Range:5m to 1.2km;Measurement Accuracy:± (1 m + D×0.15%) D is the distance to a vertical surface | Measuring Range:3-1,200 m (0.5 x 12 m vertical surface with 20% reflectivity) |
Thermal Camera |
Thermal Imager:Uncooled VOx Microbolometer | / |
| DFOV: 64° Aperture: 13mm Focus: f/1.2 |
||
| Video Resolution:640*512 | ||
Starlight Camera |
Effective Pixels: 2.3M | / |
| Focal Length: 35mm (equivalent 41.4mm) FOV：52° Zoom Range: 1-8x, supports linkage zoom | ||
| ISO Range:Auto: ISO100-ISO450000 Super Sensitive Mode: Auto ISO100-ISO450000 |
Drone Specs: Autel MAX 4N VS DJI M300RTK w/Zenmuse H20N
|
Autel MAX 4N
|
DJI M300RTK
|
|
Max Takeoff Weight |
1161g | 6.3KG |
Operating Frequency |
2.4GHz/5.8GHz 5.2GHz/900Mhz | 2.4000-2.4835 GHz 5.725-5.850 GHz |
Service Ceiling Above Sea Level |
4000m |
5000 m |
Max Flight Time |
42 min | 55 min |
Max Wind Resistance |
12m/s | 12 m/s |
Ingress Protection Rating |
IP43 |
IP45 |
GNSS |
GPS+GLONASS+BeiDou+Galileo | GPS+GLONASS+BeiDou+Galileo |
| Price | $11599 | $18390 |
Both Matrice 300 RTK and Autel MAX 4N are durable and cutting-edge drones. As the latest commercial drone platform, their flight performance, image transmission performance, and camera specifications far exceed those of drones of the same type.
Both Matrice 300 RTK and Autel MAX 4N can provide long-distance flight capabilities and high-performance payloads. Both support battery hot swap technology, 6-way obstacle avoidance, 15km image transmission distance, advanced intelligent flight, and mission planning functions.
It is worth noting that the advanced dual-operator mode of the DJI M300 Series and the A-Mesh networking technology of the Autel MAX Series realize one machine with multiple controls, which presents a new way for the deployment of drones.
At the same time, compared with the Matrice 300 RTK, Autel MAX 4N has the characteristics of fast deployment time and portability. It does not need to replace different camera gimbals to achieve clear positioning under night vision.
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DJI M350 RTK VS DJI M300 RTK VS Autel MAX 4T
Autel EVO MAX 4T VS DJI Matrice 30 Series | Enterprise Drone Competition
