DJI launches Matrice 5T folding enterprise drone with 1280 x 1024 thermal camera
DJI launched the Matrice 5T, a folding enterprise drone for public safety, infrastructure inspection and surveying, on November 5, 2026. Whether it can be sold in the United States has not been confirmed, according to DRONELIFE.
Thermal imaging and cameras
The aircraft carries a thermal camera with native 1280 x 1024 resolution, four times the pixel count of the 640 x 512 sensors common in drones of this size, according to DRONELIFE and DroneXL. An ultra-high-resolution mode raises thermal output to 2560 x 2048.
A wide-angle camera uses a 1/0.98-inch sensor with an f/1.8 aperture. DJI says AI enhancement supports full-color imaging in light as low as 0.01 lux. A telephoto camera offers 11x optical zoom and 176x hybrid zoom, with monochrome night vision. DroneXL reported that a laser rangefinder works up to 3,000 meters.
Obstacle detection and flight
The drone combines LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar and omnidirectional vision sensors. DJI says the LiDAR can detect thin obstacles such as power lines at up to 32 meters at night, and radar supports detection in fog, rain and dust.
DJI puts flight time at up to 59 minutes. The airframe is rated IP55 for dust and water resistance and operates from -20°C to 50°C. DroneXL reported the aircraft weighs about 2.2 kg and that the flight time is roughly 10 minutes more than the Matrice 4 series. DJI also lists a transmission range of up to 40 km under specified conditions.
AI and software
Onboard AI models can recognize more than 20 target types from thermal and visible imagery, including vehicles and vessels. Through DJI FlightHub 2, operators can search for targets with text or image prompts and build automated patrol routes. The onboard computer accepts third-party AI models, and developers can write plugins for DJI Pilot 2.
The aircraft can take off from moving vessels and land on marked ship decks, and its LiDAR can track power lines so it can fly alongside them. According to DJI, the controller handles 200 photos in eight minutes when generating point clouds or 2.5D models.
US availability unclear
DJI said the Matrice 5T is available through authorized enterprise dealers. DRONELIFE noted that the launch comes after the US Federal Communications Commission put foreign-produced drones and parts on its Covered List in December 2025. Such listing generally stops affected products from getting the new FCC authorizations needed to market and sell them in the US, barring an exemption.
DRONELIFE said the Matrice 5T is absent from the FCC's published list of exemptions and that its authorization status is unconfirmed.
DroneXL reported that DJI's specification sheet lists transmission figures for Canada, the European Union, China and Japan but not the FCC. It also said UK dealer Heliguy opened pre-orders at about $8,655 before VAT. DJI itself published no price, according to DroneXL.
