The Spec Comparison at a Glance
Spec | Matrice 4T | Matrice 400 |
|---|---|---|
Price | £5,910.00 (integrated thermal and zoom cameras included) | £8,180.00 Drone Only, £10,650.00 Worry-Free Plus Combo (no payload included) |
Thermal camera | Built in: 640 x 512, high gain -20°C to 150°C, low gain 0°C to 550°C | None included; a higher-resolution 1280 x 1024 thermal payload like the Zenmuse H30T (£10,560.00) is bought separately |
Zoom camera | 48MP, up to 16x digital / 112x hybrid zoom | Depends on payload fitted; the H30T reaches up to 400x digital zoom |
Payload capacity | Fixed integrated payload only | 6kg total, third connector alone rated up to 6kg |
Takeoff weight | 1,219g | Up to 15.8kg |
Max flight time | 49 min | 59 min (with H30T payload fitted, no wind) |
RTK accuracy | 1cm + 1ppm horizontal, 1.5cm + 1ppm vertical | 1cm + 1ppm horizontal, 1.5cm + 1ppm vertical, heading better than 2° |
Transmission | O4 Enterprise, 25km FCC / 12km CE | O4 Enterprise Enhanced, 40km FCC / 20km CE |
Obstacle sensing | Omnidirectional binocular vision plus 3D infrared at the bottom; forward/backward to 200m, lateral to 32m, downward to 18.8m | Omnidirectional binocular vision, rotating LiDAR (0.5-100m), upper LiDAR (0.5-25m), six-direction mmWave radar |
IP rating | Not rated (no standard protection level specified) | IP55 |
Integrated Thermal vs a Modular Thermal Payload
The M4T does one job well: a complete thermal and visual aircraft with nothing further to buy, at a fraction of the M400's entry price. The M400 carries no payload as standard, but once fitted with a Zenmuse H30T it steps up to 1280 x 1024 thermal resolution, four times the M4T's pixel count, and up to 400x digital zoom against the M4T's 112x hybrid maximum. That comparison, M4T against M400 plus H30T specifically, is covered in more depth in the Matrice 4T vs Matrice 350 RTK + H30T post; the underlying thermal capability gap is the same whichever modular airframe carries the H30T.
Transmission Range and Obstacle Sensing Favour the M400
40km FCC against the M4T's 25km matters for corridor or perimeter thermal work covering real distance from one launch point, and the M400's added rotating LiDAR, upper LiDAR and six-direction mmWave radar go beyond the M4T's vision-plus-infrared system. That's a genuine advantage flying close to structures at night or in cluttered industrial sites, exactly the conditions thermal work is often done in.
Weight, IP Rating and Deployment
1,219g against up to 15.8kg (before a payload's added) is a difference in kind, not degree. The M4T travels in a single case and deploys by one operator in minutes, suited to search and rescue or emergency response call-outs; the M400 is a larger platform for planned deployments with a vehicle nearby. The M400 also carries an IP55 rating where DJI doesn't specify a standard ingress protection level for the M4T, worth factoring in for routine work in wet or dusty conditions.
Choosing Between the M4T and Matrice 400
Thermal inspection, search and rescue or emergency response work covered by the M4T's integrated camera, at a lower entry cost with nothing further to buy, points toward the M4T. Work needing genuinely higher thermal resolution, extended zoom reach or a platform that can also carry LiDAR or other payloads on other flights points toward the M400, budget for the airframe and a payload like the H30T together allowing for it.
Free Gifts Included
Free Gifts Included
Free Gifts Included
Common Questions
No, neither M400 listing includes a payload. A thermal payload like the Zenmuse H30T is chosen and bought separately.
Yes on resolution, 1280 x 1024 against 640 x 512, four times the pixel count, and it reaches further temperature extremes with the optional filter fitted.
The M400, at 40km FCC against the M4T's 25km FCC, using DJI's O4 Enterprise Enhanced system.
The M400 carries an IP55 rating. DJI doesn't specify a standard ingress protection level for the M4T, worth factoring in for routinely wet or dusty sites.
With the H30T fitted, roughly £18,740.00 to £21,210.00 depending on the M400 bundle, against the M4T's £5,910.00, three to four times the price for the resolution and zoom upgrade.
