DJI’s Zenmuse H30 is for Wildlife Conservationists and First Responders

May 16, 2024

Two advanced camera systems with dual lens setups and viewfinders are placed on a rough, dark ground under a dimly lit sky. Each camera has a rugged, professional design, suitable for high-end photography or videography.

DJI announced the Zenmuse H30 series, a camera system for its Matrice drones that provides the ability to capture high-quality imagery during the day and at night and from farther away, which is ideal for first responders and wildlife conservationists.

The H30 series comprises two options: the H30T and H30. Both are all-weather (IP54 dust and water-resistant), multi-sensor systems, but the H30T has a five-module array while the H30 has four. The H30T has a wide-angle camera, zoom camera, infrared thermal camera, laser range finder, and NIR auxiliary light, while the H30 has a wide-angle camera, a zoom camera, a laser range finder, and the NIR auxiliary light.

Both are compatible with the DJI Matrice 300 RTK and Matrice 350 RTK, and the H30 series is powered by what DJI calls “intelligent algorithms” to allow pilots to see farther and clearer during the day while enhancing night vision in dark environments.

The zoom camera features 34x optical and 400x digital zoom in front of a high-resolution 40-megapixel sensor. DJI says this massive range is ideal for aerial observation, specifically for public safety, emergency rescue, energy inspections, and other critical infrastructure operations. It can observe and capture detail-rich images (like being able to read a license plate) from 650 meters away.

DJI says that its Electronic Dehazing function can enhance clarity in smoggy or high atmospheric humidity conditions, which can prove especially useful in emergency rescue situations. Further, the Zenmuse H30 Series has an image stabilization algorithm that reduces shaking, while the laser range finder also provides positioning information for subjects between three and 3,000 meters away.

A firefighting drone hovers in the air while multiple firefighters combat large flames with water hoses in a dark industrial setting. The night sky, smoke, and reflections on wet ground add to the intensity of the scene.

In low-light conditions, the zoom and wide-angle cameras of the Zenmuse H30 Series seamlessly switch to Night Scene mode, allowing them to go from day to night capture without breaking stride. Beyond that, in night mode, the zoom camera supports IR light for infrared enhancement and NIR illumination

The Full-Color Night Vision and Black-and-White Night Vision provide live view and what DJI calls high-quality recordings, offering an enhanced vision for search-and-rescue missions.

“Additionally, the zoom and wide-angle cameras can use the Smart Capture mode’s intelligent image algorithms to automatically assess the brightness of an environment’s ambient lighting to produce photos with natural transitions between light and dark while capturing rich details,” the company says.

A black quadcopter drone equipped with a camera hovers in front of industrial storage tanks with metallic pipes and railings. The sky is clear and the background features large white cylindrical containers, likely part of an industrial facility.

“For rescue missions, the H30 series also supports pre-recording on the app for up to 30 seconds. This aids first responders in gathering evidence and capturing scenes leading up to the recording.”

The thermal camera on the H30T has a 1,280 by 1,024-pixel resolution with up to 32x digital zoom (that is four times that of the previous generation’s resolution) and can measure temperatures up to 1,600 degrees Celcius (2,912 degrees Fahrenheit), which DJI says specifically can aid firefighters. It has three infrared gain modes to assist search and rescue teams in identifying minor temperature differences between objects, people, and animals. DJI says that this thermal camera improves target recognition, which is of specific use to long-distance wildlife monitoring and conservation efforts.

A drone hovers in the sky near an industrial facility with tall metal structures and large machinery against a clear blue sky. The drone is equipped with a camera and is flying in close proximity to the towers and pipes of the plant.

“The UHR (Ultra-High Resolution) Infrared Image function gets activated automatically at higher zoom levels, ensuring clear infrared images. With Link Zoom, visual light and thermal images can be compared side-by-side for quicker subject location. Users can also concurrently control the zoom on both the infrared thermal camera and zoom camera, keeping their FOVs aligned at all times and facilitating swift subject detection,” DJI adds.

The Zenmuse H30 series is available starting today through DJI’s enterprise partners. Pricing was not revealed.

Image credits: DJI