Multi-Talented DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral

In today’s guide we’re kicking off our agriculture line up with the Mavic 3 Multispectral (M3M). The M3M is the successor to DJI P4 Multispectral (P4M), which was released back in 2019 and utilises the older Phantom 4 platform. DJI finally gave multispectral the upgraded it needed by putting a multispectral camera on the newest Mavic 3 platform, and that’s what we’re going to go through today. 

 

 

DJI made huge improvements on the multispectral sensor with 4 individual sensors comprising of:

1. Near-infrared (NIR)
2. Red edge (RE)
3. Red (R)
4. Green (G)

DJI didn’t include the blue sensor on the M3M like they did with the P4M, however they have upgraded each sensor from a paltry 2.08MP, to more than double, at 5MP on the M3M. The RGB (visual) sensor also takes a big upgrade over the predecessor, boasting 20MP on a 4/3 CMOS, with 4k recording, much better than the 2.08MP from before. 

 

 

Being on the new Mavic 3 platform, you also get a huge extension on the flight endurance with up to 43 minutes on a single battery. This certainly help you cover far more area and allows you to go further afield before pausing operations to swap batteries. DJI also says that a single flight can map 200 Ha. You also get access to the Mavic 3 omnidirectional obstacle sense and terrain following. So even though your field could be on a slope (or a hill) the drone will still keep the same distance above ground level (AGL), rising up and down in altitude depending on the terrain below it.

There is one similarity between each model and that’s the integrated spectral sunlight sensor on top of the drone. This captures the solar irradiance no matter what time of day, or day in the season for that matter. During data processing this allows you to obtain the most accurate NVDI results from the drone possible by allowing for light compensation.

 

 

What’s NVDI? Well better take a look at the acronym cheatsheet we put together here.

Both models also sport an RTK module which allows for centimetre accuracy and positioning. Ensuring that each location the drone flies over is indeed exactly where it should be in terms of latitude and longitude. No need to put down ground control points (GCPs) around the field either. 

So where does all this functionality lead us? Well you can have a look at our guide specifically for agriculture and all the applications it can be used for. But in a nutshell the DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral allows you as a farmer or drone operator to enable precision agriculture, by having aerial information not seen with the human eye, the drone and sensor allows you to see areas of low fertilisation, or irrigation. This data can also be used for environmental monitoring and inspection, helping conservationists, governments or businesses monitor environmental, vegetation, and habitat health.

 

 

UASys is at the forefront of using drones in agricultural applications, so if you’d like more information on how you can improve agricultural prospects for yourself, or your clients, speak with us today. We’re happy to put packages together for DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral and the processing software Pix4D fields as a package.