# DJI Matrice 5T: 1280 thermal, 176x zoom, and is it any use for filmmakers?

> DJI's Matrice 5T brings 1280×1024 thermal, a 252 mm tele and IP55. Full specs, how it compares to the 4T and the Mavic 4 Pro, and why video stops at 4K/30.

- URL: https://www.4filmmakers.co/news/dji-matrice-5t/
- Publisher: 4FILMMAKERS (https://www.4filmmakers.co/)
- Topic: Cameras & drones (https://www.4filmmakers.co/topics/cameras/)
- Published: 2026-11-06
- Updated: 2026-11-06
- Keywords: DJI Matrice 5T, Matrice 5T specs, Matrice 5T vs Matrice 4T, Matrice 5T price, Matrice 5T video, thermal drone 1280, Matrice 5T vs Mavic 4 Pro

DJI launched the Matrice 5T on 5 November 2026. It's a folding enterprise drone with a 1280×1024 thermal camera, three 50 MP visible cameras up to a 252 mm equivalent tele (176x hybrid zoom), a 3 km laser rangefinder, IP55 and up to 59 minutes in the air. DJI hasn't published a price, and video from the visible cameras tops out at 4K/30 at 40 Mbps, so it's a search, inspection and safety tool, not a cinema drone.

We cover it anyway because the thermal and night footage from these drones ends up in documentaries, news packages and rescue stories, and because a few of you will get asked to fly one. Specs below come from DJI's official spec page, checked on 6 November 2026.

## In short

- Launched 5 November 2026, sold through DJI Enterprise dealers. No official price yet.
- Thermal goes from 640×512 on the Matrice 4T to 1280×1024, with a 2560×2048 UHR mode.
- Wide camera: 1/0.98-inch sensor at f/1.8. DJI claims colour video down to 0.01 lux.
- 2239 g, IP55, LiDAR and mmWave radar built in, 20 km range under CE rules.
- Video: H.265 only, 4K/30, 40 Mbps. DJI's spec page lists no log profile.
- UK dealer Heliguy lists it as C2/C6 and expects first stock the week of 23 November.

## What are the Matrice 5T specs?

Everything here is from DJI's spec sheet. Flight times are DJI's no-wind, no-payload figures.

Table: DJI Matrice 5T specs at a glance

| Spec | Matrice 5T |
|---|---|
| Takeoff weight | 2239 g (2639 g max) |
| Folded size | 335 × 155 × 203 mm |
| Flight / hover time | 59 min / 54 min |
| Top speed | 23 m/s |
| Weather | IP55, −20 °C to 50 °C, 12 m/s wind at takeoff and landing |
| Wide camera | 1/0.98-inch, 50 MP, 23.5 mm equiv., f/1.8 |
| Medium tele | 1/1.28-inch, 50 MP, 70 mm equiv., f/2.88 |
| Tele | 1/1.5-inch, 50 MP, 252 mm equiv., f/2.8, 176x hybrid zoom |
| Thermal | 1280×1024 VOx, 53 mm equiv., f/0.85, ≤50 mK, 30 Hz |
| Laser rangefinder | 3000 m |
| Video | 4K or 1080p at 30 fps, H.265, 40 Mbps |
| Transmission | O4 Enterprise Enhanced, 20 km (CE), 40 km (Canada) |
| Battery | 10073 mAh, 215.2 Wh, 768 g, sold separately in the UK |
| Controller | DJI RC Plus 3 Enterprise, 7.44-inch, 2000 nits |

![The DJI Matrice 5T hovering at dusk over a mountain field, with a rescue vehicle and two people below under a stormy sky](https://www.4filmmakers.co/news/dji-matrice-5t/images/night.webp)
*Night search is the job DJI built it for. Image: DJI.*

## What changed from the Matrice 4T?

The 5T is almost twice as heavy as the 4T. In exchange you get four times the thermal pixels, a longer tele and weather sealing the 4T never had.

Table: Matrice 5T against Matrice 4T

|  | Matrice 5T | Matrice 4T |
|---|---|---|
| Takeoff weight | 2239 g | 1219 g |
| Flight time | 59 min | 49 min |
| Visible cameras | 3 × 50 MP | 3 × 48 MP |
| Thermal | 1280×1024 | 640×512 |
| Hybrid zoom | 176x | 112x |
| IP rating | IP55 | None |
| Range (CE) | 20 km | 12 km |
| Obstacle sensing | LiDAR and mmWave radar built in | Optional module |

The extra kilos matter in the EU. The 4T was light enough to fly as a C2 in the open category, and Heliguy lists the 5T as C2/C6 too, but the C6 part only matters for specific-category work with a geocage and DJI's flight termination module. Check the label on your unit before you plan a job.

## Can you use the Matrice 5T for filmmaking?

For the shots it was made for, yes. For a commercial or a travel film, no. Put it next to the Mavic 4 Pro, the drone most of us would actually take on a shoot, and the gap shows up in the video column.

Table: Video specs: Matrice 5T against Mavic 4 Pro

|  | Matrice 5T | Mavic 4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Main sensor | 1/0.98-inch | 4/3-inch Hasselblad |
| Max video | 4K/30 | 6K/60, 4K/120 |
| Codecs | H.265 | H.264, H.265, H.264 ALL-I |
| Max bitrate | 40 Mbps | 180 Mbps H.265, 1200 Mbps ALL-I |
| Log / HDR | None listed | 10-bit D-Log, D-Log M, HLG |
| Longest lens | 252 mm equiv. | 168 mm equiv. |
| Thermal | 1280×1024 | None |
| Weight | 2239 g | about 1063 g |

40 Mbps H.265 with no log won't take a heavy grade, and 30 fps leaves no room for slow motion. If you don't know which DJI colour profile to pick on a drone that has them, our [D-Log vs D-Log M vs HLG guide](https://www.4filmmakers.co/news/dji-d-log-vs-d-log-m-vs-hlg/) explains it.

## Who is the Matrice 5T for?

Table: Which drone fits the job

| If you | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Shoot a rescue or wildlife documentary at night | Matrice 5T, rented with its operator | Real thermal and colour footage in near darkness |
| Film inspections, roofs or solar farms for a client | Matrice 5T | Thermal, laser distance and IP55 in the rain |
| Need a long lens to film from far away | Matrice 5T for reach, Mavic 4 Pro for quality | 252 mm against 168 mm, but 40 Mbps against 180 |
| Shoot commercials, travel or weddings | Mavic 4 Pro | 6K, 10-bit log, half the weight, a fraction of the cost |

Table: Matrice 5T pros and cons for video work

| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1280×1024 thermal, sharp enough to cut into a documentary | 4K/30 at 40 Mbps, no log profile listed |
| Bright f/1.8 wide camera for night shots | 2.2 kg, C2 rules and a bigger case to carry |
| Flies in rain (IP55) and in the cold | No official price, sold only through dealers |
| 59 minutes per battery | Battery not included in the UK pre-order |

## How much does it cost, and can you buy it in Europe?

DJI hasn't published a price. DroneXL reports that Heliguy opened UK pre-orders at about $8,655 before VAT, with the battery sold separately, around $1,900 more than Heliguy charges for the 4T. Heliguy expects first stock the week of 23 November 2026. In Europe the 5T is sold through DJI Enterprise dealers, so ask one for a quote. In the US there's no clear path to buy it: DJI's spec sheet lists no FCC figures, and no new DJI model has had an FCC grant since the agency put foreign drones on its Covered List in December 2025. We covered how that keeps hitting DJI's consumer line in our [Osmo Action 7 article](https://www.4filmmakers.co/news/osmo-action-7-rumors/), and if you fly in the EU our [Mini 5 Pro C0 guide](https://www.4filmmakers.co/news/dji-mini-5-pro-c0-eu-accessories/) explains how class labels work.

## Questions people ask

**Q: When was the DJI Matrice 5T released?**
DJI announced it on 5 November 2026 and said it's available from enterprise dealers. UK dealer Heliguy expects first stock the week of 23 November.

**Q: Does the Matrice 5T shoot 4K?**
Yes, but only at 30 fps. DJI lists 3840×2160 at 30 fps in H.265 with a maximum bitrate of 40 Mbps, and no log profile.

**Q: What's the difference between the Matrice 5T and the 5TD?**
The 5T is flown by a pilot with the DJI RC Plus 3 Enterprise. The 5TD shares the sensors and works from a DJI Dock for automated missions.

**Q: Is the Matrice 5T waterproof?**
It's rated IP55, which means protection against dust and water jets, so it can fly in rain. It isn't made to go underwater.

## Sources

- DJI Enterprise, [Matrice 5T specs](https://enterprise.dji.com/matrice-5t/specs), for all Matrice 5T figures (checked 6 November 2026)
- DJI, [Mavic 4 Pro specs](https://www.dji.com/mavic-4-pro/specs), for the comparison table
- Heliguy, [Matrice 5T vs 4T vs 4TD](https://www.heliguy.com/blogs/posts/dji-matrice-5t-vs-matrice-4t-vs-matrice-4td/), for the Matrice 4T figures, and the [product page](https://www.heliguy.com/products/dji-matrice-5t/) for stock date, class labels and battery
- DroneXL, [Matrice 5T launch](https://dronexl.co/2026/11/05/dji-matrice-5t-launch-folding-1k-thermal-no-fcc/), for the dealer price and the FCC situation
- Cover and night photo: DJI Matrice 5T press images, Image: DJI, cover graded by 4FILMMAKERS