Volarious gives tethered DJI drone new vehicle following mode

Volarious, a Singapore-based tech company specializing in tethered drone systems, has updated its software to give its flagship product, V-Line Pro, a nifty new functionality. A DJI drone that is attached to V-Line Pro for unlimited flight time can now move autonomously in tandem with the vehicle carrying the tethered system.

Volarious introduced the V-Line Pro late last year as a solution designed especially for the popular DJI M30 drone series. According to the company, this system, which enables the M30 to fly indefinitely using a ground power station, is being used by 20 public safety agencies at present.

In the meantime, the new software upgrade is aimed at improving the product’s functionality for users requiring unlimited yet mobile aerial surveillance, such as Border Patrol officers. As Volarious founder Weiliang Zhang explains:

The new software feature is the result of months of research and development, designed to provide complete and unlimited situational awareness for border patrol vehicles. The new vehicle following mode allows the drone that is attached to the tethered system to move autonomously in tandem with the vehicle movement, more to it is the ability of the drone to pan without the need of stopping the vehicle; this creates a seamless unlimited aerial surveillance for officers.

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Here are some other benefits that the new feature brings to surveillance officers using a tethered DJI M30 drone:

Extended visual range: Up to 100 meters of tethered cable and 16x optical zoom provided by the DJI M30T drone allow Border Patrol officers to have a clear aerial view of about two kilometers around their vehicle. Officers can see past treelines and fences for improved situational awareness. Moreover, the drone’s thermal camera enables night surveillance as well.

No battery swaps: The V-Line Pro tethered system provides a constant source of power to the drone. Essentially, it means there’s no downtime during operation because you don’t need to stop for a battery change.

Single pilot operation: While the V-Line Pro tethered system makes drone flying easy and reliable, with the new Volarious Vehicle Mode, it only takes the touch of a button for the DJI M30 to take off, land, and even follow the vehicle wherever it goes fully autonomously.

Volarious says it will display the product at the XPONENTIAL 2023 conference, which is scheduled to take place from May 8-11 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. You can see it in action here as well:

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