Originally Posted On: https://drdrone.ca/blogs/drone-news-drone-help-blog/dji-zenmuse-h30-series-review

Inside the DJI Zenmuse H30 and H30T

DrDrone’s Verdict

The DJI Zenmuse H30 Series combines the features of the older Zenmuse H20N and H20T which makes it a highly versatile payload for inspections, search and rescue, surveillance and public safety applications. Thanks to the variety of high quality sensors available on the Zenmuse H30 Series, this payload outperforms anything DJI had before it. With high resolution thermal imaging at 1280×1024, you can inspect the asset in greater detail than ever before with essentially double the resolution. With the DJI Matrice 350, the entire system is water and dust resistant, making it capable of flying in poor weather conditions as well.

With the visual camera upgrades in terms of resolution and image sensors, there is a significant improvement in the overall image quality as well as much more zoom capability than the predecessor, the Zenmuse H20T and Zenmuse H20N. Night vision is available on both, the wide and the zoom cameras, in full colour along with an option to illuminate the subject using the NIR Auxiliary light, which means, the operator does not have to sacrifice resolution and image quality for night time viewability. The Zenmuse H30T lets you have both. Lastly, the laser rangefinder now can measure distances up to 3000m which is more than double the range of the Zenmuse H20N/T.

The one feature that is still missing from the Zenmuse H30 series is precision photogrammetry capability. The H30 or the H30T is not suitable for any survey work

Pros:

• High image resolution (48MP and 40MP)
• Long zoom range (up to 400x)
• Higher resolution for thermal imaging (1280 x 1024)
• NIR Aux light
• IP54 Rating

Cons:

• No LiDAR support
• No Photogrammetry support

About the author

A drone is only as good as its payload. No matter how well a drone flies or how many smart features it has, nothing can make up for a weak camera system.  DJI puts a lot of effort into making its drones bigger and better with each new upgrade, and it shows the same commitment to developing state-of-the-art payloads that deliver aerial views with clarity and precision.

The new Zenmuse H30 Series is DJI at its best, working in all of the latest technological advances into one compact, all-weather camera. Compatible with the DJI Matrice 350 RTK, the Zenmuse H30 Series will help you make the most of aerial surveillance. The new Zenmuse H30 brings together a wide-angle camera, zoom camera, NIR auxiliary light, and laser range finder all in one payload. The Zenmue H30T also includes an optional infrared thermal camera, bringing a total of five modules into one payload.

Combined, these features show you imaging that’s even better than meets the eye–the Zenmuse H30 Series can identify precise measurements of distances up to 3000 meters away, ensure clear visibility in any environment, and offer enhanced night vision that parallels what can be seen during the day. The Zenmuse H30T delivers some of the best infrared performance that can be seen with a thermal camera, maintaining visual clarity and measuring temperature with stunning precision.

The DJI Zenmuse H30 Series boasts no shortage of technological advances, but we’ll identify the most impressive and useful features to try and capture exactly what this dynamic series can do for you.

Sensors

Wide-Angle Camera

The first camera on the Zenmuse H30 is a wide-angle camera with a 48MP 1/1.3-inch CMOS Sensor, a 24mm equivalent focal length, and a DFOV of 82.1°. The video resolution is also quite high, with a maximum of 3840×2160 at 30fps. Altogether, this ensures that each picture and video taken has incredible clarity and closely mimics what the eye sees. This can be very useful when studying details during an inspection or habitat monitoring.

Zoom Camera

The zoom camera is where the Zenmuse H30 really shines. While flying overhead, most of the details you need to capture require a closer eye than the drone can provide. For these applications, the zoom camera can do what humans cannot. With up to 34x optical zoom and 400x digital zoom, you can maintain a safe distance while you record the most minuscule of details.

Night Scene Mode And The NIR Auxiliary Light

Filming in low-light conditions is made easier with Night Scene mode, which is available in both the zoom and wide-angle cameras. Unlike most night vision cameras, the Zenmuse H30’s Night Scene mode actually allows for full-color night vision, a game-changer in nighttime surveillance. The zoom camera also supports IR light, which enhances infrared vision and NIR illumination. The camera removes the IR filter to switch from a live feed to a grayscale image, which raises the contrast between light and dark and makes it easier to find objects in the dark.

The NIR auxiliary light is one of the powerhouses behind the Zenmuse H30’s powerful night vision system. With a wavelength of 850 nm, a FOV of 4.6±0.6° (Round), and an illumination range of approximately 8m diameter circle at 100m distance, this feature radically improves nighttime missions. If you’re performing covert night surveillance or trying to find someone lost in a dense, dark environment, the NIR auxiliary light can make all the difference.

Laser Range Finder

This feature works together with the zoom camera to measure faraway details with precision. It can accurately identify the position of objects between 3m and 3000m away, which is over two and a half times greater than the last model. It also has a measurement accuracy of ≤ 500 m: ±(0.2 m+measurement distance×0.15%)> 500 m: ±1.0 m, leaving little room for error.

In addition to the linear distance from the camera, the laser range finder can identify the altitude and even GPS coordinates of any subject. This kind of accuracy isn’t necessary for every application, but for inspections, pipeline monitoring, and search-and-rescue missions, it can offer the kind of detail that would be impossible otherwise.

Infrared Thermal Camera

The Zenmuse H30T is a separate version of the Zenmuse H30, but it is the most impressive payload of the Zenmuse Series by far. The DJI Zenmuse H30T is a powerful thermal camera that delivers almost twice the resolution of its predecessor. The specs include a photo resolution of 1280×1024, a video resolution of 1280×1024 at 30fps, and up to 32x digital zoom. This means that, unlike most previous thermal camera models, the Zenmuse H30T doesn’t sacrifice clarity of details for its infrared capabilities.

The Zenmuse H30T has a very wide temperature measurement range, going all the way from -20°C to 1600°C (-4°F to 2912°F). Thanks to its infrared density filter, these levels are triple what they were with the previous model. This ultra-precise temperature measurement means that the Zenmuse H30T can help firefighters quickly detect hotspots and assess temperature fluctuations.

One cool feature of the Zenmuse H30T is that it automatically activates its Ultra-High Resolution function when zooming in at high levels. It also works together with the zoom camera to perform the Link Zoom functionality, which lets you synchronize the scaling of both the light and thermal images on a split screen. This way, you can compare details between the two images to find what you’re looking for much faster.

The Zenmuse H30T includes three different infrared gain modes, each of which is designed for a specific need. High gain mode optimizes temperature measurement precision while low gain mode expands the temperature measurement range. High-res mode is the real highlight, as it is specific enough to detect small temperature variations in objects, people, or wildlife. This mode is really helpful when using the payload to find missing persons, respond to emergencies, or for any sort of surveillance.

Encryption and Security

In an age where digital safety is as important as physical safety, the DJI Zenmuse H30 Series is built with security in mind. The Security Code function allows you to encrypt media and transmissions with one-click log clearance, making sure your data doesn’t end up in the wrong hands for even a second. It also enables microSD card encryption to protect files while AES-256 encryption technology keeps data secure as it goes back and forth between the aircraft and the remote controller. You can also sync cloud information using the DJI FlightHub 2 app, which allows you to access live views and coordinate operations with collaborators on the ground.

Like most of DJI’s payloads, the Zenmuse H30 Series is not made delicate. Designed with an IP54 dust and water resistance rating, you don’t have to worry about the payload getting damaged by the elements. It also has an operating temperature of -20° to 50° C (-4° to 122° F), making it usable in pretty much any temperature at any time. Together, these protections allow you to focus on flying and filming without worrying about damaging your equipment.

Smart Tools For Every Scenario

While the zoom, wide-angle, and thermal cameras pack most of the punch, some of the coolest features of the Zenmuse H30 Series lie in its smart features and modes. The Electronic Dehazing function is a major asset when filming in places with smog or high atmospheric humidity, which is pretty much a guarantee in cities or the mountains. This function allows you to adjust the levels of dehazing to match whichever scenario you’re in. When inspecting powerlines high in the mountains on a foggy day, this feature can be a real life-saver.

The Zenmuse H30 Series includes pre-recording across all of its cameras, which means you can retain footage from 30, 15, or 10 seconds before formally recording. If you’re slow to hit record, this dynamic feature allows you to nab a few more seconds of footage that might include key information to your mission.

Another neat feature is Smart Capture mode, in which both the wide-angle and zoom cameras of the Zenmuse H30 Series automatically adjust the image brightness. Using intelligent image algorithms to analyze ambient light brightness and dynamic range, the camera is able to ensure more natural transitions behind light and shadow, which preserves rich details in the shot. This is true even in complex environments where the lighting is low or too intense. It’s features like these that eliminate the complexity of translating what the eye sees to what gets captured in the camera, and it can make all the difference.

One Payload, Endless Applications

The Zenmuse H30 Series has enough bells and whistles to make it the perfect tool for almost every application. With both the zoom and thermal camera, you can perform visual assessments of electricity infrastructure and quickly identify problem areas to be fixed. Using the Night Scene mode, you can more easily perform surveillance or search and rescue operations both day and night. The DJI Zenmuse H30T is also a valuable asset for firefighters, helping them monitor fires and find safe ways in and out of burning buildings.

The Zenmuse H30 Series is a great tool for monitoring pipelines, refineries, and offshore facilities in the oil and natural gas sector. It’s also a great tool for sustainability, as the zoom camera and its various features can be used for water conservation to detect leaks, manage irrigation systems, and monitor water sources. It can even be used to help with forest management as a tool to detect wildfires, assess tree health, and monitor wildlife habitats.

Zenmuse H30 Series Summed Up: Is It Worth It?

To be sure, the high cost of the Zenmuse H30 Series makes it an investment for any company. Priced At CAD $4,987 / US$3,840 for the Zenmuse H30 and CAD $13,354 / US $10,320 for the Zenmuse H30T at launch, it’s not cheap to make the leap to the latest DJI payload. But the Zenmuse H30 Series really does seem like it’s worth every penny. It isn’t just the same old payload rereleased with one or two new features, every aspect of the Zenmuse H30 Series has been improved significantly, sometimes even double or triple that of its predecessor.

All in all, the DJI Zenmuse H30 Series gets a resounding thumbs up. Its combination of a wide-angle, zoom, and infrared camera means you can capture all kinds of information both seen and unseen by the naked eye. It uses a host of advanced intelligent algorithms to automatically adjust its view and deliver photos adapted to the environment you’re in. Even the night vision alone makes it worth the cost, as the astounding full-color night vision mode is a truly great leap up from traditional night vision.

If the Zenmuse H30 series supported precision photogrammetry, it would truly be the one payload for almost all applications.

If you can, it is absolutely worth springing for the DJI Zenmuse H30T. This thermal camera is by and large the greatest improvement from its predecessor, giving you exponentially better resolution and temperature measurement range. Still, the H30 alone is a powerhouse of a payload, and if you don’t need the thermal capabilities of the H30T, you will still be quite satisfied with what it has to offer.

About the Author

DrDrone is Canada’s leading provider of drone technical services, with over a decade of experience and the distinction of being the first company in the country to offer drone servicing and repairs. As the largest drone vendor in Canada, we are also the primary supplier of Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) to the Canadian government. Our team members possess extensive knowledge of each drone’s technical specifications and have a wealth of hands-on experience. For more than ten years, we have been dismantling and reconstructing drones, ensuring a deep understanding of these systems.