Vlogging, first-person racing, underwater exploration, fishing—the branches on the tree of drones are many and varied. In this article, we'll be talking about enterprise drones, which are those used for commercial and industrial purposes. In general, an enterprise drone is a more robust and powerful version of what you're likely already familiar with. They are also typically designed for very specific tasks that apply to one or more professions. As drone technology advances, these types of drones will impact our lives more and more, so let’s go over exactly what they are, what sets them apart, and the types of jobs they perform.
Power & Performance
One of the main differences between enterprise and consumer drones is that it is more common for the platform (drone) and main payload to be separated and customized on an enterprise model. Consumer drones usually have a singular integrated gimbal and camera, while an enterprise drone can swap between different gimbals and cameras of diverse types, such as 4K/8K video, high-speed, LiDAR, thermal, and multispectral.
Another major difference is power and construction. Enterprise drones are asked to perform in harsh conditions and still provide very precise data. As such, you'll find carbon fiber used a lot in enterprise drone bodies, extremely long propellers with powerful motors, extended flight times well over 30 minutes, and extreme tolerances for freezing cold, blistering heat, and high winds.
Some examples of this category are the Matrice and Mavic 3 line of drones from DJI, EVO from Autel Robotics, and the FREEFLY Astro and Alta X. FREEFLY's Astro and Alta X offer carbon fiber construction with propellers ranging from 21 to 33", enough power to support up to 33 pounds of weight, and quick release gimbals supporting a wide range of payloads. DJI's Matrice 350 RTK can deliver centimeter-level mapping precision while withstanding winds up to 26.8 mph. Autel Robotics' EVO Lite 6K can hold its own in temperatures from -4 to 1022 degrees Fahrenheit, while capturing 4K visible video and -4 to 302-degree Fahrenheit thermal imaging. The point is the enterprise category is complex with expansive configuration options that can meet most any requirement.
What Can't They Do
The enterprise level of drone might be familiar to most people as large aircraft with very expensive cameras that regularly film footage for the latest blockbuster out of Hollywood. However, the category is much more than that, with incredibly unique types of payloads and cameras with capabilities that cover a vast array of industries and professions. Here’s a sampling of what an enterprise drone can be capable of.
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RTK: Modules that can work with or without ground stations to access multiple GNSS constellations, such as GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, and Beidou, for centimeter-level precision flight. This is essential for mapping and used extensively for surveying by civil engineers. It can also be used in construction on jobsites, in mining, and other fields where precise measurements of large areas is required.
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LiDAR: Pulsed lasers create extremely accurate 3D models of an area's topography and structures. Depending on the type of LiDAR, it can penetrate dense forest canopies and underwater. It's useful in a variety of industries, such as infrastructure inspection, surveying, forestry and land management, and more.
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Thermal: Sensors in this camera detect and record the temperature of what it sees. This technology has vast applications, but is critical in emergency search and rescue missions, inspection of infrastructure, law enforcement, and firefighting to name a few.
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Multispectral: This records the spectral data over many wavelengths. If LiDAR shows you what's there, multispectral will tell you what it is. It's an especially important tool in agriculture, giving information on crop health, soil health, insect infestations, and more.
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Non-Camera Payloads: These can vary as much as camera payloads, but popular examples include loudspeakers for conveying information to remote workers or for crowd management by law enforcement. Searchlights for first responders. Throwers, which allow you to carry and drop supplies. Also ideal for search and rescue, but also helpful in transporting medical samples. You can even attach a flamethrower, which is typically used for removing flammable debris from power lines and towers.
As you can see, enterprise drones are very capable machines that have affected your life in ways you couldn't have imagined until now. Professionals around the world from many occupations benefit from their abilities and the exponential improvement in productivity and efficiency they provide. If you use enterprise drones in your daily life, or just want to know more about these amazing aircraft, let us know in the comments below or browse our selection of enterprise drones at B&H.
