DJI launches new Dock 4 with 25-second battery swap

DJI has launched the Dock 4 drone dock system, its first dock with an automated 25-second battery swap.

The system includes the new Matrice 5TD drone and is aimed at public safety, emergency response, infrastructure inspection, security patrols and surveying.

Designed for remote deployment, Dock 4 allows the Matrice 5TD to launch as soon as a command is issued and fly at up to 21 metres a second, sending a live video feed to operators with lower latency than the previous generation.

The battery swap is central to the new system. Dock 4 replaces the drone's battery automatically in 25 seconds, reducing the wait between flights compared with a recharge cycle that previously took about 30 minutes.

According to DJI, a single flight can last up to 59 minutes, giving operators more time in the air for tasks such as incident assessment, perimeter checks and inspection work.

New aircraft

The Matrice 5TD carries a mix of imaging and sensing tools, including wide-angle and telephoto cameras, an infrared camera, laser ranging and full-colour night vision. This allows the aircraft to be used in daylight and after dark without changing airframes.

DJI said the telephoto camera can capture details from long range, while the infrared camera is intended to identify heat anomalies such as overheating equipment or damaged insulators. A fusion mode combines visible-light and infrared feeds in a single view.

The aircraft also includes laser ranging with a stated reach of up to 3km. Range data and coordinates can be overlaid on the video feed, which may be useful in inspection, search and rescue, and wildfire monitoring.

Surveying accuracy is listed at up to 10cm at 12MP. For night operations, the drone offers 4K high-frame-rate imaging in full colour and can also use an auxiliary near-infrared light for black-and-white night vision.

Obstacle sensing

DJI has placed particular emphasis on flight safety in complex locations. The Matrice 5TD combines three-directional mmWave radar, a rotating LiDAR unit and a six-directional vision sensing system.

This set-up is intended to detect thin obstacles, including power lines, and support navigation in sites such as substations and dense urban environments. Six low-light fisheye sensors provide sensing in all directions, including at night under city lighting.

When used with the O4 Ground Station, the system can also be deployed in obstructed environments, such as areas surrounded by tall buildings or infrastructure walls. DJI said this can help maintain communications where direct signal paths are harder to sustain.

Weather and payloads

Dock 4 is rated to operate in temperatures from -40C to 50C. It preheats batteries in very cold weather and uses air conditioning in high heat.

The drone can take off, land and operate in winds of up to 12 metres a second. It also includes a return function intended to bring the aircraft back safely if wind conditions worsen during a mission.

Operators can attach payloads weighing up to 450g, including speakers, spotlights and parachutes. The drone also has a built-in warning light for use during security patrols.

AI functions

Onboard artificial intelligence is another feature of the Matrice 5TD. DJI said the drone can detect 17 types of object in real time, including cars, boats and animals.

Those functions tie into DJI FlightHub 2, where operators can search for specific objects by text or image through the platform's Virtual Cockpit. Alerts can be sent by SMS, email or platform notification when anomalies are detected, and predefined actions can then trigger snapshots, recordings, tracking or hovering.

AI detection can also run on live video feeds, giving control room staff another layer of monitoring during active operations.

Security and compliance

DJI said it has continued to subject its products to third-party security audits and certifications. It also highlighted a Flight Termination System module for the Matrice 5TD, describing it as an important element for C6 compliance in regulated airspace.

The module can be triggered manually to stop the drone's propellers during operation, or automatically if the aircraft breaches a geocaging boundary. That function is intended to terminate a flight quickly when required under operational rules.

DJI is also extending service cover around the new products. For Dock 4, DJI Care Enterprise Plus is being introduced for the first time, while the Matrice 5TD is offered with repair cover, one battery replacement a year and flyaway cover under the same programme.

The launch adds to a growing market for automated drone docking systems, as operators seek shorter turnaround times and more persistent aerial coverage in sectors that rely on rapid situational awareness and remote inspection.