Last Friday, DJI received FCC approval for what seems to be a Phantom 4 controller. Today, the Chinese drone manufacturer receives another FCC approval for the Phantom 4 RTK (FCC ID SS3-WM334R1801). RTK stands for Real-Time Kinematic and enables the drone to map out an area, building or stockpile with a very high level of accuracy (up to 5cm or 2 inches). DJI requested a 45-day secrecy cycle, meaning that this commercial drone may come to the US market soon as part of their big push into the commercial drone market.
The Phantom 4 RTK
Today, the DJI receives another FCC approval, this time it is for the Phantom 4 RTK (FCC ID SS3-WM334R1801). RTK stands for Real-Time Kinematic and enables the drone to map out an area, building or stockpile with a very high level of accuracy (up to 5cm or 2 inches) by use of high-precision GNSS (satellite positioning). This unmanned aerial device is clearly aimed at the commercial drone market, in which the Chinese drone manufacturer is making a big push. Roughly two weeks ago, DJI Enterprise announced the Zenmuse XT2 and Skyport adapter, also aimed at the commercial drone market, during an event in Menlo Park, Calif.
We first saw Phantom 4 RTK in December and that news was later confirmed by DJI. In an email they told us:
“DJI unveiled the Phantom 4 RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) at an event in China, though it is still a prototype and we do not yet have a timetable for when it will be available for purchase. It uses the Phantom 4 Pro 20-megapixel camera and is augmented by a high-precision GNSS (satellite positioning) module to provide much more accurate RTK-level data. This is designed for surveying and mapping applications that need centimeter-level accuracy in flight as well as post-processing. As this product comes closer to market, expect us to have more to say about its capabilities and availability.”
Are the two FCC approvals connected?
It seems to make sense that they would be. Both FCC approvals have a short 45-day secrecy cycle, indicating that DJI will bring both products to the US market sometime before the end of May.
DJI has received two FCC approvals (version number GL300K1801 and GL300L1801) for what seem to be controllers for the two different Phantom 4 series, the Phantom 4 RTK and the Phantom 4 Pro v2.0.
In the FCC approval for the GL300K1801, model number PH4C100 was referenced, which also is mentioned in the latest FCC documentation. So, it seems that the GL300K1801 DJI controller and the Phantom 4 RTK (WM334R1801) are meant to work together.
The short-term secrecy cycle (45 days) requested by DJI covers “Internal Photos, User’s Manual, External Photos and Test Set-up Photos” and is to prevent any competitors to receive “unjustified benefits”.
What does RTK stand for and why does it matter?
RTK stands for Real-Time Kinematic and is a very precise and accurate satellite navigation device, which offers its value in highly accurate mapping situations. Normal drones offer precision measurements with up to 5-meter (16.4 feet) accuracy. With RTK the measurements are accurate up to 5 cm (2 inches). The Phantom 4 Pro has a 20-megapixel camera and is augmented by a high-precision GNSS (satellite positioning) module to provide much more accurate RTK-level data. RTK precision measurements are useful for surveying, mapping out constructions sites, measuring stockpiles, etc. See our earlier post on the Phantom 4 RTK for more information.
What do we know about the Phantom 4 RTK?
At this point, there are not a lot of details known about the Phantom 4 RTK. Visually it seems to be a modified Phantom 4. From the test reports we know, it uses both the 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz frequency bands. It offers a 20MP camera and seems to be using the same 15.2 V batteries we know from the regular Phantoms.
In the FCC documentation we find the following information:
“For the purpose of marketing, the frequency of the product sold in U.S. are programmed and locked to work only in 2.4G and 5725 MHz~5850 MHz.”
Pricing and availability
We expect the DJI Phantom 4 RTK to become available in the U.S. sometime before the end of May. Currently, no information is available on pricing.
What do you think about the Phantom 4 RTK and DJI’s push into the commercial drone market? Let us know in the comments below.
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