DJI has introduced the Dock 4, an automated drone-in-a-box solution designed to drastically reduce the time between drone landings and subsequent takeoffs. According to a company press release, the system performs an automated battery swap in 25 seconds, allowing the drone to return to the air in under 45 seconds. This rapid turnaround stands in stark contrast to the approximately 30 minutes required for standard recharging. The Dock 4 is the first battery-swapping dock of its kind from the manufacturer, though similar technologies exist elsewhere in the industry.
Automated Swapping and Power Resilience
The Dock 4 is marketed as a “dock-as-a-first-responder” (DFR) solution, emphasizing constant readiness for emergency response and industrial applications. The station charges two 925-gram battery packs simultaneously. These 260 Wh batteries are rated for 400 charge cycles and take roughly 27 minutes to charge from 15% to 95%. Each pack also functions as a backup power source, providing approximately 4.5 hours of operation in sequence.
Operational resilience is a key feature of the design. If grid power is lost, the dock can continue swapping batteries as long as at least two packs are loaded. However, the backup power does not recharge the battery packs themselves. This configuration allows the drone to handle consecutive emergency calls even in environments with unstable power infrastructure. The hardware weighs 66 kg in its bare configuration and uses the same 400 x 400 mm mounting holes as the previous Dock 3 model.
Matrice 5TD Drone Specifications
The Dock 4 is exclusively compatible with the Matrice 5TD drone and requires the DJI O4 Ground Station. The drone features three 50-megapixel cameras, including a wide lens, a 70 mm equivalent medium telephoto, and a 252 mm equivalent telephoto lens. It also includes a 1280 x 1024 native thermal camera and a 2560 x 2048 UHR infrared mode. Additional sensors include a rotating LiDAR, forward-facing mmWave radar, upward and downward vision sensors, and a laser rangefinder with a 3,000-meter range.
On-board AI can detect 17 object types, such as vehicles, boats, and animals. The system supports color night vision without a spotlight and can search video feeds by text or image via DJI FlightHub 2. The drone carries up to 450 grams of payload across three mounts for accessories like speakers, spotlights, or parachutes. It is rated for temperatures between minus 40 and 50 degrees Celsius. The drone itself holds an IP55 rating, while the dock carries an IP56 rating. Both units are designed to withstand winds up to 12 meters per second.
FCC Clearance and U.S. Market Restrictions
Despite the technical capabilities, the Dock 4 and Matrice 5TD are not authorized for sale in the United States. The product specifications do not list FCC clearance. This restriction stems from a December rule that added foreign-made drones and critical components to the FCC’s Covered List. New models cannot receive authorization unless the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security determines they pose no security risk. DJI has previously sued the commission over these regulations.
A separate FCC proposal published in August suggests pulling previously authorized foreign drones with LiDAR or thermal sensors from the market. This proposal would also affect previously authorized docking stations. As of October 17, no final order has been issued on the docket. If approved, sellers would have 180 days after Federal Register publication to stop importing and marketing the covered equipment.
Current pricing in China lists the kit, which includes the Dock 4, Matrice 5TD, and O4 Ground Station, at 167,999 yuan, or approximately $25,000. The system is currently available for order through DJI partners in China.
Source: Tom’s Hardware
