DJI thermal drones you can still buy in the US
DJI was added to the FCC Covered List on December 22, 2025. That stops new DJI models getting the FCC authorization needed for US sale, but doesn’t affect models authorized before. The Matrice 4T was one of them, which is why it’s sold new today. DJI’s 1280×1024 thermal Matrice 5TD, launched elsewhere, has no FCC authorization and isn’t available in the US. A further FCC proposal targeting foreign drones with thermal imaging is pending; if adopted, it could stop new Matrice 4T sales too.
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DJI’s current thermal drone
Sold new in USUpper tier · $3,000–$8,000Hands-on demo
DJI
Matrice 4T
- thermal
- 640×512
- NETD
- ≤50 mK
- flight
- 49 min
- weather
- n/p
79
n/p = not published by the maker
Spec score from published specs, not a test. How it’s calculated
The most complete compact thermal drone sold new in the US: radiometric 640×512 thermal, three zoom cameras, a laser rangefinder and 49 minutes in the air.
- Frame rate
- 30 Hzsource
- Thermal lens
- 53 mm equivalent, f/1.0, 28× digital zoomsource
- Radiometric
- Yes: −20 to 150 °C (high gain), 0 to 550 °C (low gain); ±2 °C or ±2 %source
- Visual
- Wide 48 MP 1/1.3″ + medium tele 48 MP 1/1.3″ (70 mm) + tele 48 MP 1/1.5″ (168 mm), 112× hybrid zoomsource
- Operating
- −10 to 40 °Csource
Sources for the headline numbers are on the review; every spec side by side: thermal drone spec comparison.
Strong at
- 49-minute rated flight time, second only to the Matrice 4TD here
- Laser rangefinder (1,800 m) and a near-infrared auxiliary light for night work
- Published temperature accuracy (±2 °C or ±2 %), which matters for inspection reports
Watch for
- No published IP rating, so avoid flying it in rain
- DJI is on the FCC Covered List; firmware support continues under waiver, but future availability is the least certain here
- Not NDAA-compliant, which rules it out for many federally funded agencies
DJI’s weather-sealed thermal drone
Sold new in USPro tier · $8,000+Owner-flown
DJI
Matrice 4TD
- thermal
- 640×512
- NETD
- ≤50 mK
- flight
- 54 min
- weather
- IP55
77
n/p = not published by the maker
Spec score from published specs, not a test. How it’s calculated
The Matrice 4T’s thermal and zoom cameras in an IP55 weather-sealed airframe with 54 minutes of flight, the longest here. Built for DJI Dock 3, but it also flies standalone.
- Frame rate
- 30 Hzsource
- Thermal lens
- 53 mm equivalent, 28× digital zoomsource
- Radiometric
- Yes: −40 to 150 °C (high gain), 0 to 500 °C (low gain); ±2 °C or ±2 %source
- Visual
- Wide 48 MP 1/1.3″ + medium tele 48 MP 1/1.3″ (70 mm) + tele 48 MP 1/1.5″ (168 mm), 112× hybrid zoomsource
- Operating
- −20 to 50 °Csource
Sources for the headline numbers are on the review; every spec side by side: thermal drone spec comparison.
Strong at
- IP55 and rated from −20 °C, published by DJI: the weather sealing the Matrice 4T lacks
- 54-minute rated flight time, the longest in this list
- Same radiometric 640×512 thermal camera, laser rangefinder and 112× hybrid zoom as the Matrice 4T
Watch for
- Heavier (2,090 g) and pricier than the Matrice 4T
- Designed around DJI Dock 3; check that a listing includes the RC Plus 2 controller if you’ll fly it by hand
- DJI is on the FCC Covered List and the drone is not NDAA-compliant
The full DJI thermal lineup
Matrice 4T vs Matrice 4TD vs Mavic 3T
Sources: DJI’s Matrice 4 series, Dock 3 and Mavic 3 Enterprise spec pages, linked on each review.
Which DJI thermal drone for which job
- All-round, deer recovery, inspection: Matrice 4T. Lighter and cheaper, and does nearly everything.
- Rain, snow, cold and wildfire work: Matrice 4TD, for IP55 and a −20 °C minimum.
- Automated patrols and remote sites: Matrice 4TD with DJI Dock 3.
- Tight budget, comfortable buying used: a Mavic 3T, checked carefully.
DJI drone with thermal camera vs a DJI with a thermal payload
A DJI drone with a thermal camera built in (Matrice 4T, Mavic 3T) is compact and launches in a minute. A DJI with a thermal payload (a Matrice 350 carrying a Zenmuse H30T) is a much larger aircraft whose camera can be swapped. The payload route gives better zoom and sensors but costs several times more and needs a vehicle to carry. For anyone without a dedicated drone team, the built-in route wins.
DJI thermal camera features worth knowing
- Super Resolution: the Matrice 4T can output 1280×1024 thermal images processed from its 640×512 sensor. Useful for reports; not the same as a native 1280 sensor.
- Palettes: ten, including White Hot, Black Hot, Iron Red, Hot Iron, Arctic and two Rainbows.
- High and low gain: −20 to 150 °C for everyday scenes, 0 to 550 °C for fires and hot industrial equipment.
DJI Thermal Analysis Tool
DJI Thermal Analysis Tool is DJI’s free desktop software for the R-JPEG files its thermal drones save. You can read the temperature at any point, draw areas to get maximum, minimum and average, adjust emissivity and distance after the flight, and export reports. If you do inspection work, it’s the first thing to install. More on that workflow in thermal drones for inspection.
DJI M30T for sale: is it still worth it?
The Matrice 30T is older and bigger than the 4T, and authorized new stock is limited. Its main advantage was weather sealing, which the Matrice 4T lacks. If you find one from an authorized dealer with full warranty, it’s still a capable SAR drone; otherwise, the Matrice 4T or a weather-sealed alternative from our search and rescue picks is the safer buy.
DJI vs the alternatives
For pure capability per dollar, DJI still leads. The reasons to look elsewhere are regulatory: NDAA requirements on federally funded programs, and the risk that future FCC action stops new sales. Autel is on the same Covered List, so it isn’t a hedge. US-made options (Skydio X10, Parrot ANAFI USA) are. See the full thermal drone ranking or Autel’s thermal drones.