Dji is a major drone manufacturer and recently they have branched into commercial drones. They are building 1000 custom drones based on the Matrice 100, which is a high end commercial quadcopter.  These drones are being manufactured in collaboration with software from Skycatch and are being produced for Komatsu, a Japanese construction company.

Skycatch Explorer1 is the name of the drone and it will use machine vision software for its activities. These drones will create maps in detail up to 5 centimeters and will also be used for stockpiling and inventory. Komatsu plans to use the data from the drones to manage its fleet of robotic construction equipment still being produced.  Construction site surveys can usually take hours when done without a drone, but with Explorer1, this will be done faster and more effectively. The drones will be used to survey sites every day for faster and more effective results than what would have been achieved by humans.

No longer will ground control points (GCP) be needed as 3D data will be instantly generated and an entire construction site can be visually mapped in no time. The smart technology offered by DJI/Skycatch means that Komatsu’s construction sites will operate at an optimal level and at a lower cost.  Already a giant in the construction industry, this new development could see the company farther ahead of its competitors. Using Explorer1 in Komatsu’s construction sites is going to be a game changer that’ll boost the company’s bottom line, stated Chikashi Shike an executive officer at Komatsu.

He explained that the drones will also come with technology that can process images while the drones are still in flight mode. This is especially valuable at construction sites located in a remote area where there is no access to the internet. The drones will be an asset to construction workers.  The Skycatch technology has already been used in many sites around the world. Disney theme parks and Facebook’s data centers are excellent examples of some of the sites that use this technology.

Even though DJI and Skycatch have been producing drone technologies for years, this collaboration is one that both companies are excited about.  The Explorer1 will show DJI’s ability to provide powerful and reliable drones and also display how Skycatch’s integration can deliver the best solution for aerial surveillance and general mapping activities.  Skycatch has been working on Explorer1 for over a year now and with the DJI collaboration, it is expected that the pace will increase and Komatsu will take delivery soon and put these drones into use.