Exciting Rental Fleet Updates as at April 2025
- DFH is now offering a simple credit card hold option for the value of the items you rent as the security deposit (EFT upfront no longer required).
- Your rental becomes free of charge if you decide to purchase the same item brand new within 14 days of the rental period.
- Rental fleet significantly enlarged as at March 2025, adding several units including Matrice 4 E, Matrice 4 T, H30T, M350 RTK, RTK3, flood lighting systems, tethered power solutions, M3M etc.
- We maintain a large and well managed Aus wide fleet of drones for dry hire. One of the models you are looking for may not be far from your location – call 13000 029 829 and ask for Rachel to get a quick heads up on the nearest location and best hire price for the item you need.
Contact Rachel our hire fleet manager:
1300 029 829
0490233192
The M4E now features the Smart 3D route function which solves the issue by running an automated flight route which helps to capture multiple images from different angles. This greatly improves the accuracy and completeness of the models reconstructed in Terra.
If you have been using M3E for your mapping or surveying tasks, you should be familiar with the Area route flight mission planning. It is a great tool to construct 2D and 3D models. However, you may sometimes figure there’s: missing gaps, collapsed structures, or low quality images.
In this article, we will cover how to do it with your M4E!
We also got a YouTube video guide! Check here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvyClhbOYeQ.
Short summary
It is done by running two coordinated flights, the main idea is:
First flight running the standard Area Route option
In your RC, choose the area route option and select the area of interest. A flight route will be automatically generated. Deploy the drone and it will capture top-down (orthophoto) images over the selected area.
The data captured can be used to generate a rough point cloud model, they are stored and all done with just the RC.
Generate Smart 3D Flight path (Oblique Mission)
Back to the menu, select the Smart 3D flight mission, you should be able to access the data file obtained from First Flight.
After opening that file, the rough model will be automatically generated inside the RC screen. You can then select the target and adjust the area.
Based on the rough model and area selected, it can automatically help to plan a second flight path with multiple oblique angles.
Second flight with the new 3D flight path
Run the mission plan generated from step 2. The data collected from this run is the files to be imported into Terra for 3D model reconstructions.
Detailed walk-through
First flight - 2D ortho capture (Area route mission)
To begin with, start a normal Area route mission (like how you did with the M3E!), select your area of interest then proceed.
VERY IMPORTANT: For the settings, remember to select Oblique Collection → Enable Smart Oblique and Local Mapping. This allows the RC to process and construct a rough 3D model after the first mapping.
When ready, Fly the mission!
Generating the Rough 3D model
After the first flight, wait for the rough model to be processed. When done, go back to the home page and select Route again!
This time, we want to click into the Smart 3D capture mission.
Then, select the file related to the flight we did just now, it will show up in the side menu.
A rough map is constructed for you, what you need to do is select the target you want to map. In this case, we are trying to map the building, so I select the area around the house.
Flight route planning for the second mission (Smart 3D capturing)
After confirming the area to plot, wait for a few seconds, the flight path (green lines) are automatically generated for you. Adjust the parameters as required.
Fly the second mission
Hurray! What’s left is just to run this mission, then it’s done.
The flight path is projected for your reference!
Upload all the files to Terra
Final steps is to take the SD card out of your drone, then pass it to Terra.
For more details, feel free to visit our youtube video, we guide you through all the steps!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvyClhbOYeQ
First flight - 2D ortho capture (Area route mission)
Generating the Rough 3D model
Flight route planning for the second mission (Smart 3D capturing)
Fly the second mission
Upload all the files to Terra
35-min video: T50 Full Spraying Demo
2-min video: Customer scouting stock yards, feral pigs and even mustering.
T30 demo, T40 demo, and T50 demo
8-min video: summary of the T50s flight modes available on controller screen
2-min video: see the high flow rate and penetration a DJI T50 can deliver
Video the T50 holding its droplets in a controlled vortex bubble over a rice plantation
Go to all our YouTube videos (demos, how-to videos, Shorts)
Get fast local quotes for contractor spraying or mapping work here
View dry-hire drone rental fleet and prices
DFH Batch Master chemical mixing stations
DFH aluminium enclosures for spray drones (2-min video)
CASA article: Drones taking agriculture sky high
AAUS: the leading association for uncrewed systems (drones, ROVs, robots) in Aus.
DJI Agriculture main site
Blackberry control action groups: Weeds Australia, VIC , NSW
Cotton Australia main site
© 2025 Drones For Hire. All rights reserved.
This article may not be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the author or publisher, except in the case of brief quotations used for review or scholarly purposes.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional or legal advice. While efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the content, readers should consult with qualified experts or local authorities before making decisions related to agricultural drone use, regulations, or investments.
