DJI launched on Thursday (November 5, 2026) the DJI Matrice 5T, its new compact, folding enterprise drone. The model combines a native 1K thermal camera, LiDAR, mmWave radar and omnidirectional vision, with up to 59 minutes of flight time and an IP55 rating against dust and rain. The company had teased the launch with a 14-second clip posted on X on October 29.
1K thermal and night vision
The infrared thermal camera has a native 1280x1024 resolution — four times the pixels of standard 640x512 sensors — and reaches 2560x2048 with UHR Infrared Image mode. The wide-angle camera uses a 1/0.98-inch sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and ISO sensitivity up to 1,600,000, delivering full-color imagery in conditions as dark as 0.01 lux. The medium telephoto camera has a 50 MP sensor and 3x optical zoom, while the telephoto camera offers 11x optical and 176x hybrid zoom with monochrome night vision — DJI says it can read vehicle license plates up to 400 meters away.
Sensors for flying in the dark
For the first time, DJI has integrated LiDAR, mmWave radar and an omnidirectional vision system in a compact enterprise drone. LiDAR detects thin obstacles such as power lines up to 32 meters away at night; the radar cuts through fog, rain and dust; and the vision system holds position in environments as dark as 0.5 lux. The drone operates from -20 °C to 50 °C and can take off from moving vessels, recognizing the landing-point pattern on the deck.
Onboard AI models detect more than 20 target types by analyzing thermal and visible feeds in parallel, including vehicles and vessels. Connected to DJI FlightHub 2, operators can search for targets using text and image prompts in DJI Pilot 2 and generate patrol routes by outlining an area on a map. Open onboard computing also supports third-party models.
Onboard AI and transmission
The O4 Enterprise transmission system reaches up to 40 km — up from 25 km on the previous generation — with dual built-in DJI Cellular Dongle 2 modules and relay modes to overcome signal blockages. Paired with DJI Terra, the Matrice 5T delivers centimeter-level surveying accuracy without ground control points, and the remote controller processes 200 photos in 8 minutes to generate point clouds or 2.5D models.
The drone ships with the new DJI RC Plus 3 Enterprise controller, with a 7.44-inch, 2,000-nit screen running Android 16. The Matrice 5T is already on sale through authorized DJI Enterprise dealers. DJI published no official price; a UK dealer opened pre-orders at about $8,655 before tax, according to DroneXL.
Price and availability
There is a caveat for the United States: the spec sheet lists transmission data for Canada, the European Union, China and Japan, with no FCC figures — the US agency added foreign-made drones to its Covered List in December 2025, and no new DJI model has received FCC authorization since. US availability therefore remains uncertain. In the announcement, DJI also says US-based users no longer have the option to sync flight logs with DJI servers.
Sources
- DJI Europe — official launch announcement
- DroneLife — DJI Matrice 5T Launches with Advanced Thermal Imaging and AI
- DroneXL — DJI Matrice 5T Puts 1K Thermal in a Folding Drone the US Can't Buy
- Notebookcheck — DJI Matrice 5T compact drone launches with first LiDAR and 1K thermal imaging
Image credit: DJI (official press material, via DJI Europe / Mynewsdesk).
Transparency: this article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence, cross-checked against public posts on X and internet sources. We recommend consulting the original sources listed above to confirm the information.
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