DJI Zenmuse H20N

The DJI Zenmuse H20N is a gimbal payload geared to night operations for heavy multicopters, designed for the DJI Matrice 300 RTK. It combines two thermal cameras (tele and wide) with a starlight zoom camera, a wide-angle camera and a laser rangefinder, intended for inspection, search and monitoring in darkness.

Both thermal cameras use an uncooled microbolometer and deliver 640 × 512 pixels at a 12 µm pixel pitch; small pixels allow compact optics. The thermal sensitivity (NETD) is 50 mK: the smaller the value, the finer the temperature differences that stand out from the noise. The spectral range is 8 to 14 µm in the long-wave infrared, and the frame rate is 30 Hz. Images are stored as R-JPEG with 16 bit raw data and are thus radiometric: every pixel carries a temperature value, which permits measurement reports. The zoom camera (1/1.8 inch, 4 MP, 6.8 to 119.9 mm) and the wide-angle camera (1/2.7 inch, 2 MP) help assign thermal images to objects. The unit weighs 878 g and has an IP44 rating.

At 30 Hz, the frame rate lies above the 9 Hz limit above which thermal modules fall under the EU Dual-Use Regulation (2021/821); an export can require a licence. Images of people and property fall under data-protection law, and the operator must be registered. The payload counts towards the take-off mass of the aircraft.

The starlight camera helps in darkness but does not replace thermal resolution for measurements from a greater distance; anyone needing finer detail chooses a higher sensor resolution. IP44 protects against splashing water, not against continuous rain. Wear points are the gimbal motors, the dampers and the zoom mechanics; front windows of the optics are cleaned only with suitable agents so that they do not scratch.