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Exploring Alternatives to DJI Enterprise Drones

Kristaps Brass
Product Owner @ SPH Engineering
UgCS: Flight Planning & Control
July 15, 2024

As the drone industry in the USA faces new regulatory changes, it becomes essential to explore alternatives to DJI drones. In this comparison, we focus on the base specifications of modern drones manufactured by leading American companies. These advanced drones offer critical specifications that are extremely important for drone pilots, including extended minutes of flight time, battery capacity, payload, and wind resistance. By evaluating these key metrics, we aim to provide a clear understanding of the capabilities and performance of these top-tier American-made enterprise drones. Join us as we explore the standout attributes in the drone market and help you identify the best DJI alternatives for your needs.

This information was collected from open sources and manufacturer sites. If you notice any mistakes, please send your suggestions to [email protected]. Additionally, if you want to add more drones or request comparisons by other parameters, feel free to reach out, and we will update the information as soon as we can.

Height x Width x Length (unfolded), in Wind resistance, ft/s Dry takeoff weight, lbs Maximum takeoff weight, lbs Max altitude AMSL, mi Maximum travel time (no payload), min Radio Distance (free of interference), mi Average price in the US (June 2024)
DJI M350 RTK
16.93 x 26.38 x 31.89 39.37 14.26 20.28 3.11 55 12.43 $11'729 - $12'559
Inspired Flight IF1200A
30.2 x 65.1 x 60.6 39.37 35.94 55.12 2.42 43 12.00 $29'000 - $35'000
Harris Aerial H6 (non-hybrid)
24.29 x 25.20 x 25.20 36.09 21.61 55.12 2.27 48 12.43 -
Wispr Ranger Pro
27.95 x 27.5 x 27.5 73.33 16.98 22.93 - 38 3.00 $14'075
Freefly Alta X
15.35 x 89.37 x 89.37 32.81 43.28 76.94 2.84 50 2.00 $28'150 - $32'225
Freefly Astro
14.17 x 55.39 x 55.39 26.25 11.39 15.32 1.24 38 1.24 $26'000 - $38'254
Watts Innovations PRISM
19.69 x 43.31 x 43.31 32.81 15.61 36.99 1.86 34 3.11 -
Aurelia X4
13.39 x 33.07 x 33.07 29.33 8.18 11.49 1.49 25 1.49 $3'599 - $5'302
Aurelia X6
17.72 x 42.32 x 42.32 29.33 14.83 25.85 1.86 30 1.49 $5'399 - $7'399

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Based on the provided drone specifications, here are the sorted lists of drones:

1. Drones with Highest Tested Wind Resistance

  1. Wispr Ranger Pro - 73.33 ft/s
  2. Inspired Flight IF1200A - 39.37 ft/s
  3. DJI M350 RTK - 39.37 ft/s
  4. Harris Aerial H6 (non-hybrid) - 36.09 ft/s
  5. Freefly Alta X - 32.81 ft/s
  6. Watts Innovations PRISM - 32.81 ft/s
  7. Aurelia X4 - 29.33 ft/s
  8. Aurelia X6 - 29.33 ft/s
  9. Freefly Astro - 26.25 ft/s

2. Drones with Maximum Difference Between Dry and Maximum Takeoff Weight

  1. Freefly Alta X - 33.66 lbs
  2. Harris Aerial H6 (non-hybrid) - 33.51 lbs
  3. Watts Innovations PRISM - 21.38 lbs
  4. Inspired Flight IF1200A - 19.18 lbs
  5. Aurelia X6 - 11.02 lbs
  6. DJI M350 RTK - 6.02 lbs
  7. Wispr Ranger Pro - 5.95 lbs
  8. Freefly Astro - 3.93 lbs
  9. Aurelia X4 - 3.31 lbs

3. Drones with Maximum Travel Time

  1. DJI M350 RTK - 55 min
  2. Freefly Alta X - 50 min
  3. Harris Aerial H6 (non-hybrid) - 48 min
  4. Inspired Flight IF1200A - 43 min
  5. Wispr Ranger Pro - 38 min
  6. Freefly Astro - 38 min
  7. Watts Innovations PRISM - 34 min
  8. Aurelia X6 - 30 min
  9. Aurelia X4 - 25 min

Conclusions
Choosing the right drone depends on the survey goals, flight conditions, and budget. For hardware sensors, most of our customers prefer the Inspired Flight IF1200A, Harris Aerial H6, and Wispr Ranger Pro. For leading drone LiDAR systems, you can use the majority of the described drones, ensuring flexibility in your operations. All these drones are NDAA-compliant and supported by our software. If you have any questions, we are happy to discuss them and provide guidance on how to plan your missions using UgCS flight planning to speed up your drone operations, improve data quality, and enhance efficiency. We hope this information is useful. Your customers value your skills, not just your drone. Selecting the right equipment and software enhances your capabilities, allowing you to deliver exceptional results.

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