Thermal imaging
- Thread starter Bellaflys2016
- Start date
I see what you are saying. But I guess it depends on what you are using it for. If I’m just using it for roof inspections I think the beebop is fine. But if I’m going to get a contract to inspect power lines and cell phone towers and make a boatload doing it then I’m getting the Matrice210 with Z30 and Flir setup.
Don't think of it as the amount you have to pay now. Think of it for the long run. Will your investment get paid? Is it worth it? If you can't afford the Matrice now, get the bebop as initial investment, then do the upgrade when you get the cash flowing.
You can try this mount designed for the P4/P3 and install a flir camera, reducing the price from $5,000 and won't modify your drone.
DJI Phantom 4 (PRO/ADV) Survey 3/2/1 Tilting Single Camera Mount
I don't know much about flir cameras, but this one should work.
FLIR Duo R Radiometric Dual-Sensor Thermal Camera for Drones | FLIR Systems
DJI Phantom 4 (PRO/ADV) Survey 3/2/1 Tilting Single Camera Mount
I don't know much about flir cameras, but this one should work.
FLIR Duo R Radiometric Dual-Sensor Thermal Camera for Drones | FLIR Systems
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I have a v1.0 that was grounded, since I bought my v2.0. I will tinker with that one.
Neither is going to get you what you want. Any P4 mounted IR options are crap at best on maybe a one-axis tilt. Some are fixed with no stabilization (and a little aluminum bracket that i could make with tin snips to hold it all). I have no IR experience with the Bebop, but the regular flight experience I do have was lackluster at best.
To properly dive into IR without a frankensteined phantom (that doesnt even take pics or video anymore) takes a Matrice. With the Flir camera, or XT2 youre looking at $15000-20000 in setup
I was really interested in a good, reliable IR setup, but for the money and whats out there, Ive gotta wait. Its all so crazy expensive
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That it is. Very. I do want a Matrice 210 RTK with a z30 and a Flir. The flir I was looking at is $12,000 by itself. The whole thing adds up to over $30,000. [emoji23]. I’d be scared to death to fly the **** thing. Lol.
Don't be scared... the Matrice 210 is truly worth the ride (if DJI can figure out the battery fw issue... but that's another story) ...
Anyway, I hope this post is not too long.
...we recently experienced an underground steam leak on campus and our energy provider wanted to compare their annual aerial (by plane) thermal Infrared images with a sUAS. (Why? ...ROI, Proof of Concept?) (Why me? - I just love to fly).
So, since I was willing to take the Red Pill and was ready to see how deep the Rabbit Hole went, they provided the Matrice 210, Zenmuse XTR (640x512), and Zenmuse X5s payload.
IMHO the Matrice 210 paid for itself during it's first flight!
Here is what we were able to do with it.
1. Thermal Infrared of the campus - by plane ~$10K to $25K per year:
2. Google Earth image - best guess of where the leak occurred
3. Quick YouTube video from steam leak investigation with the Matrice 210
4. Area of Interest (AOI) 1: Ground temperature (19 degrees F) /Excavation (190 degrees F)
5. AOI 2 - Area under the car was 62.7 degrees F (car was parked overnight/engine cold - 33 degrees F) pipe is ~6ft underground at this location
6. AOI 3 and AOI 4 - surface temperatures are close to "normal". Indicates pipe break is north of this point.
7. Here are the Matrice 210 images that we sent back to our energy provider (overlaid their Google Earth image)
View attachment Parking Area steam leak.jpg
...I have my FAA Part 107 Certificate and my Level 1 Infrared Thermography Certification
Anyway, I hope this post is not too long.
...we recently experienced an underground steam leak on campus and our energy provider wanted to compare their annual aerial (by plane) thermal Infrared images with a sUAS. (Why? ...ROI, Proof of Concept?) (Why me? - I just love to fly).
So, since I was willing to take the Red Pill and was ready to see how deep the Rabbit Hole went, they provided the Matrice 210, Zenmuse XTR (640x512), and Zenmuse X5s payload.
IMHO the Matrice 210 paid for itself during it's first flight!
Here is what we were able to do with it.
1. Thermal Infrared of the campus - by plane ~$10K to $25K per year:
2. Google Earth image - best guess of where the leak occurred
3. Quick YouTube video from steam leak investigation with the Matrice 210
4. Area of Interest (AOI) 1: Ground temperature (19 degrees F) /Excavation (190 degrees F)
5. AOI 2 - Area under the car was 62.7 degrees F (car was parked overnight/engine cold - 33 degrees F) pipe is ~6ft underground at this location
6. AOI 3 and AOI 4 - surface temperatures are close to "normal". Indicates pipe break is north of this point.
7. Here are the Matrice 210 images that we sent back to our energy provider (overlaid their Google Earth image)
View attachment Parking Area steam leak.jpg
...I have my FAA Part 107 Certificate and my Level 1 Infrared Thermography Certification
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Full disclosure... I currently now have all three birds... DJI's P4P and Matrice 210. I also have the Parrot Bebop Thermal, which I no longer fly.
I had been flying the P4P for a year before purchasing the Bebop Thermal for educational research. The Parrot thermal drone is basically a flying "Flir One Pro". And, since I use the same camera on a Android phone for handheld IR inspections, I thought I would check it out.
In this sUAS, Parrot has connected the Flir One camera to a Bebop 2. Good concept, poorly executed.
Without going into any detail - I do not fly the Parrot but I do use it in the classroom to teach IR and Remote Sensing concepts.
I had been flying the P4P for a year before purchasing the Bebop Thermal for educational research. The Parrot thermal drone is basically a flying "Flir One Pro". And, since I use the same camera on a Android phone for handheld IR inspections, I thought I would check it out.
In this sUAS, Parrot has connected the Flir One camera to a Bebop 2. Good concept, poorly executed.
Without going into any detail - I do not fly the Parrot but I do use it in the classroom to teach IR and Remote Sensing concepts.
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Curious about which FLIR you are wanting? I’m also planning for down the road.
I love that picture! It’s hard to visualize the size difference between the various drones. I had been thinking the M210 for a while but learned the RTK on that bird is really just a navigational aid and can’t be used for Mapping. I’ll buy the P4-RTK now and down the road buy an M210 when I start using IR.
You are right.
For mapping on campus I am very happy with the Phantom 4 Pro (V1). Since I do not do survey work, I use a Trimble Geo 7x to collect sub meter accurate Ground Control Points. Good enough for GIS mapping.
But, I like Heliguy's explanation about the RTK on the Matrice RTK
I wonder if the P4 - RTK has the same pros and cons. If yes, I'm happy sticking with my P4P (V1) and Trimble GCPs.
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I guess it will all depend on bang for the buck. They have them from $5,000 up to $12,000. I’ve always wanted the best tool for the job. So if I can afford it I’m going all in. I always buy the best tool when I shop at Home Depot. I hate the cheap stuff.
DJI just introduced a Phantom that has RTK.
"...DJI has rethought its drone technology from the ground-up, revolutionizing its systems to achieve a new standard for drone accuracy – offering Phantom 4 RTK customers centimeter-accurate data while requiring fewer ground control points. "
Fewer... not eliminating the need for GCPs...
If they built an OEM Phantom, with Thermal, or something smaller than the Matrice, I would be in my Happy Place.
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