M210 W/ Z30 Alternatives?

Mattdbal · Aug 22, 2019

Hey everyone,

I work for a utility in the Telecom group and have been using a P4 for minor inspections and surveys. We have been looking to upgrade for a while and I am tasked with finding the right package.

My main uses involve inspection of towers and Line of Site Surveying. Because I have kind of "pioneered" the use of drones at our company, other groups look to ours as the "Experts" (Hahhaha). Needless to say, I don't know what other uses might be needed, but it is possible I could be sent to inspect power lines or asses storm damage. What other drones/systems are out there besides the M210 that somewhat fit into my below requirements?

30x Zoom or better
IP ratings would be a plus
Easy to setup/transport
>= 25 minute flight time
EMI mitigation a plus..
Compatible with (at least some) aftermarket software; think pix4D - not really a deal breaker if not..
Flyable (preferably) by one person
Thermal options available but not a deal breaker
Assume price doesn't matter..

I have looked at a couple of companies like Aerialtronics and ActionDrone, but couldn't find too much information on the ActionDrone and not sure on reliability of the Aerialtronics.

Thank you for any suggestions or places to look.

Outta Control · Aug 22, 2019

Sky Eye-30XZ 1080P 30X Zoom Camera For Drone

Lightweight 30X drone zoom camera | Self-adjusting gimbal speed | On-board cooling fan | Always High quality!

www.yangdaonline.com

LUIS MARTINEZ · Aug 22, 2019

take a good look at the M600P/Z30.

PatR · Aug 26, 2019

Only because of ease of set up DJI remains the most popular, especially at the Inspire level.

As set up is more involved at Matrice level you might want to look at some of the systems using Pixhawk and PX4 flight controllers. Aerial Alchemy, Intel Falcon 8, Alta, are three that come to mind. With a little work even a Yuneec 920 does the job when fitted with a Sony a7.

The real issue you will encounter is the market has become accustomed to DJI hardware. Not because it’s better but because it has been extensively promoted.

LUIS MARTINEZ · Aug 26, 2019

PatR said:
Only because of ease of set up DJI remains the most popular, especially at the Inspire level.

As set up is more involved at Matrice level you might want to look at some of the systems using Pixhawk and PX4 flight controllers. Aerial Alchemy, Intel Falcon 8, Alta, are three that come to mind. With a little work even a Yuneec 920 does the job when fitted with a Sony a7.

The real issue you will encounter is the market has become accustomed to DJI hardware. Not because it’s better but because it has been extensively promoted.

Promotion alone does not achieve sales; reliability, cost, and ease of use does.

PatR · Aug 26, 2019

Indeed, but I believe ease of use is the high point for most. Having to set up a monitor on a stand is well outside the comfort zone for many.

The I-2 became the darling of power line inspections mostly because it could be unpacked, put in the air, and repacked quickly. The delivered product, although pretty good with an X7, was/is well below the quality obtainable with systems less easy to set up.

For the record, I did find operating the I2 to be a nice experience, but it still had invasive features I can do without. I never did find reason to be tolerant of time lost waiting for the camera to focus.