Drones with thermal cameras are incredibly useful in many scenarios, offering thermal imaging of different environments. We’ve shortlisted and reviewed the best thermal drones on the market.
Thermal imaging is highly advantageous for people in many professions. It’s a powerful way of inspecting particular areas and pinpointing temperature changes. The simple definition of thermal imaging is that it lets you see how hot certain things are.
An object can be viewed under a thermal camera and it will be a particular color – this tends to range from blue to red. The closer to the red end of the spectrum, the hotter the object is. This is because the camera displays the thermal energy it gives off.
This type of technology is commonly used by property inspectors and many other professionals. As it happens, plenty of drones come equipped with thermal imaging technology. This lets you fly up in the sky and survey a large area through the thermal camera. As you can imagine, this will be very helpful for a lot of people.
Drones With Thermal Cameras Reviewed In This Guide
Best Drone with Thermal Camera List
#1 Parrot Anafi Thermal Drone
The Anafi Thermal is a professional-grade drone by Parrot, offering lots of very impressive specifications. Most notably, it offers Fusion 4K + Thermal video. This means you see crystal clear thermal imaging when flying your drone, as well as the option to combine your regular video with thermal imaging.
What is the benefit of this? It means you have absolutely no doubt where the thermal energy is coming from, seeing as you can see the rest of the image in its normal view.
The fun doesn’t stop there, as there’s a colorization feature that lets you pinpoint specific areas of interest. For instance, if you’re looking for a water or boiler leak, you can set the camera to only search for this. As a result, you’ll easily see where the leaks originate from and how far they travel.
Alongside its nightly thermal capabilities, the Anafi Thermal can withstand temperatures up to between -10 and 50 degrees celsius, as well as winds of 50 km/h. It’s only 315 grams, making it one of the more portable options in this class.
#2 DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced
The Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced is considered by many to be the ultimate tactical drone. It boasts a 48MP visual camera, along with a 640 x 512 px thermal camera. The two work together with a 32 x digital zoom to create some highly accurate imagery.
Everything is in the crisp high-resolution video, and the drone is capable of centimeter-level positioning. All of this is available from a distance of up to 10km, meaning you can survey huge areas all in one go.
There is so much tech to unpack in this drone, and the accuracy of the thermal camera is definitely a high point. It has a plus or minus 2 degrees temperature measurement accuracy, which is one of the best-in-class. There’s also an area measurement feature that provides an accurate view of how large the area you’re scanning is!
As you would expect from a DJI model, it comes with expert stability and numerous sensors to avoid objects. You’ll have to pay around $2,000 for the most basic version of this drone, but you certainly get a lot for that price.
#3 DJI Matrice 300 RTK
The DJI Matrice 300 RTK gives you 55 minutes of flight time, which is more than enough to get the job done. It has a whole host of outstanding AI capabilities, including a Smart Inspection feature. This lets you identify and check for many different things all at once, and the drone will pinpoint them for you. It’s highly intelligent technology, which is why this is one of the most sought-after drones around.
With this drone – and the next one on the list – you need to buy a compatible thermal camera to use it for thermal imaging. Thankfully, it is compatible with the Zenmuse XT2 camera, giving robust dual-sensor thermal imaging.
It comes with incredible sensors that let you check temperatures with ease – and you can even use the Matrice 300 RTK to set a specific temperature to look for, sounding an alarm when it is found. It fits seamlessly onto the drone and is the perfect accompaniment for a drone so robust it’s used in many hazardous industries.
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Common Questions About Drones With Thermal Cameras
Which drone has thermal camera?
Three of the best drones with thermal cameras include the Parrot Anafi Thermal Drone, DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise and the DJI Matrice 300 RTK
Do drones have thermal cameras?
Yes, some drones do have this features. These are more advanced drones and the price is reflective of this feature
What can you do with a thermal camera on a drone?
Drones with thermal imaging can be used to complete several task. This includes search and rescue, monitor livestock, monitor mines and agriculture environments
Which DJI drone has thermal imaging?
The DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise and the DJI Matrice 300 RTK have thermal imaging capabilities
Enjoy Your Drone With Thermal Camera
In reality, there aren’t many thermal camera drones on the market right now. The key thing to consider is that you find an option that delivers accurate imagery. When viewing thermal images, you need to ensure that the temperatures are as they seem.
All of the products on this list are proven to succeed in the accuracy area. Also, a good thermal imagery drone will need excellent zoom capabilities to stay out of harm’s way in some situations. Be advised, all of the options we’ve reviewed are above $1,000 in price. This is because they’re typically used by professionals in different industries, not as hobby drones!
Hal Simmons
When I first started flying drones I was always afraid of damaging my drone. I would always be thinking what if. I questioned myself often and as a result it made me question various aspects of flying drones. In the process I learned a lot. This is why I feel I have a lot of information that will be helpful to beginners and intermediate drone enthusiasts. Of course I still have a lot to learn so join me on this journey and I am sure you will enjoy the adventure ahead of us.Get daily lessons that start with how to choose a drone.