Technology · the method before the equipment
Drone inspection technology: the result first, the sensor second.
We do not start from the drone's specifications but from the decision the material is meant to support: a roof refurbishment, a PV service call, a survey plan. Only then do we choose the method - and say honestly where the platform's capabilities end and the work of another sensor or another specialist begins.
The platform
DJI Matrice 4T: a tool for specific data.
The reference platform for our method is the DJI Matrice 4T - an inspection drone with RGB cameras and a radiometric thermal sensor. It is a good tool for visual documentation and thermal inspection. It is not a universal sensor and we do not pretend it is.
This is what we do on this platform
- RGB documentation of roofs and photovoltaic installations: coverings, flashings, fixings and cable runs visible from the air
- close-ups of details from a safe distance - three cameras, including a telephoto lens
- a radiometric PV thermal camera survey: B2B and partner offer, after the method gate is passed and only within the window of conditions - the rules of the method are here
- repeatable frames for comparison between dates
- a mission log and a record of the conditions with every set of material
This is what we do not do - and why
- LiDAR, multispectral imaging, gas detection (OGI) - the platform has no such sensor; we point you to a partner
- land surveys, maps and volumes for settlement - without a validated error and a licensed partner we do not offer them
- "fault detection" - we point out observations for verification by the appropriate expert, we do not make diagnoses
- flights in rain, beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and over bystanders - outside our current scope of operations
If your decision requires data beyond this list, we will say so at the enquiry stage and point you to the right path - instead of promising a sensor this platform does not have.
Sensors and resolutions
Native specifications, with no marketing multipliers.
The resolution that matters is the one written into the source file. Everything above it is processing - it can be easier to read, but it adds no information.
RGB cameras
Three 48 MP cameras: wide, medium tele and a telephoto for details from a distance. An electronic shutter and JPEG capture are enough for inspection documentation; this is not a kit for metric mapping and we do not sell it as one.
Thermal sensor
Natively 640 x 512 px, radiometric. The Super Resolution mode at 1280 x 1024 is image interpolation, and digital zoom does not increase the native resolution. We plan missions around the native pixel size on the building, not around the effect on screen.
Rangefinder and positioning
The laser rangefinder gives a reference value - an indicative distance, not a survey measurement. The RTK module improves the positioning of the imagery and the repeatability of routes; it is not a declaration of accuracy for the finished product.
Data and formats
Source material that can be verified.
The result of an inspection is only as reliable as its source data and the rigour of the work with it. That is why the formats and the flow of files are part of the method, not a detail.
- RGB imagery (JPEG) with mission metadata: time, position, exposure parameters
- thermal: radiometric R-JPEG - a file with temperature data for analysis in thermographic software, not just a coloured image
- the master material read-only; the analysis on a copy, with a log of the software version
- a record of the conditions with every mission: weather, wind, sunlight, limits
Accuracy
Accuracy is the result of validation, not a declaration.
We do not publish an "accuracy guaranteed to X cm", because such a figure without a method is empty. Where a product requires a defined error - for example measurement products - the error has to come from validation on control points for the particular site and the particular product. We deliver such scopes today only as a pilot or with a partner who takes responsibility for the final product.
The manufacturer of the platform states plainly that RTK does not guarantee the precision of the final mapping. We treat that as the boundary of our offer, not as small print.
Conditions and limits
When we do not fly - and why that is part of the method.
We fly within visual line of sight (VLOS), in the open category, up to 120 m above ground. Refusing to fly in bad conditions is not a lack of availability - it is the condition that keeps the material safe and comparable.
- rain: never - the platform has no declared IP protection rating
- strong wind: we move the date; a PV thermal camera survey we carry out in wind up to 4 m/s
- thermal without sun: a thermal inspection requires min. 600 W/m² in the plane of the modules and stable conditions
- night: requires a separate operating procedure and risk assessment - it is not a default offer
- flights over bystanders and BVLOS: specific-category scenarios we do not currently offer
Beyond the platform
When you need a different method.
Some scopes require a different sensor, different licences or a different specialist. Instead of bending the tool, we point you to the right path.
A different sensor
LiDAR, multispectral imaging or gas leak detection are tasks for specialised platforms. We help to pin down the requirement and refer you to a provider with the right equipment.
Measurement products
Maps, models and volumes for settlement require a validated error, and where survey law applies - the right licences. Today: a pilot or a partner who signs the product.
Expert interpretation
Drone material consists of observations. The diagnosis belongs to the roofer, the PV service or the surveyor - which is why we prepare the report so that handing it to an expert is straightforward.
Sources: the platform specifications come from the manufacturer's official documentation and specification (DJI), and the requirements of the thermal method from industry guidance for PV inspections (among others IEA PVPS, IEC TS 62446-3). Equipment matching the class of requirements is a necessary condition, not a sufficient one: quality is decided by the conditions, the procedure and the report.
Check Feasibility
Describe the decision you have to make - we will check whether the method fits.
A reply within 1 business day. If this platform is not the right tool for your scope, we will say so plainly and point to an alternative.