DJI Introduces FlightHub Software To Help Enterprises Efficiently Manage Their Drone Operations

News2017-11-07

DJI Introduces FlightHub Software To Help Enterprises Efficiently Manage Their Drone Operations
Industry’s First Fully-Integrated, Web-Based Drone Management Solution Delivers Tools To Help Businesses Manage Live Operations, Flight Data, Fleets And Pilot Teams

November 7, 2017 – DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, unveiled FlightHub, a new software solution that helps enterprises and drone service providers efficiently manage their drone operations from a single platform. A web-based service, FlightHub enables the secure management of real-time drone operations, flight data, drone fleets and pilot teams to meet the needs of the expanding global commercial drone industry.

“As commercial use of drone technology increases each day, businesses need a solution that lets them scale their operations quickly and efficiently manage their growing fleets and teams across multiple locations,” said Jan Gasparic, DJI’s Head of Enterprise Partnerships. “FlightHub is the first solution of its kind that empowers businesses to manage their drone operations in one place, securely, within seconds and from remote locations.”

View Your Teams’ Remote Drone Operations in One Place, in Real Time

FlightHub provides enterprises a clear, centralized view of their company’s drone operations to enable onsite pilots to more effectively collaborate with offsite teams. The Map View and Real-Time View features display telemetry, camera and sensor data for faster, more informed decision making.

  • Map View provides offsite teams with live, map-based telemetry data of all drone operations for easier coordination of simultaneous flights and multiple drone teams. In addition, information from DJI’s Geospatial Environment Online (GEO) geofencing system is also displayed to ensure all users have access to up-to-date guidance on areas where flight may be limited due to safety concerns or regulations.
  • Real-Time View provides offsite teams with live video feeds from up to four onsite drones, enabling unique workflows for teams that need onsite pilots to relay information to offsite engineers, and for critical flight operations where real-time data enables quick decision making.

Access Flight Data Securely, From Anywhere

FlightHub’s web-based data management tools include features that sync and store drone flight data in a secure, searchable database for enterprises to ensure regulatory compliance, pilot accountability, and improved team management, regardless of the scale of the project or size of the fleet.

  • Flight Logs and Statistics are uploaded and archived, creating a searchable database of past flights that relieves drone pilots from manually recording flight information. Administrators have the ability to store historical telemetry data for easier regulatory compliance and operations management, and more effective internal communication regarding drone programs.  
  • Secure Web Access and Cloud Storage provides access to FlightHub from any web browser through a US-based Amazon Web Services server. FlightHub data management operations have been pre-assessed in accordance with SOC2 AICPA standards. Future versions of FlightHub will have the option to integrate with private clouds for organizations that demand the highest level of data security. 
  • Media Library transfers flight information including photos and videos directly from the DJI Pilot app into FlightHub, saving time and eliminating the need to manually transfer data from the DJI Pilot app or drone using an SD card (coming soon).

Manage Fleets and Teams with Ease

FlightHub improves internal resource management by providing an overview of teams and fleets, with the ability to set hierarchies for efficient team coordination, effective equipment procurement, and ongoing equipment maintenance.

  • Fleet Management allows easier tracking of equipment usage. Flights are tracked by individual drone through its device name, enabling more effective procurement and preventative maintenance.
  • Team Management allows users to establish and manage teams through a hierarchy system of Administrators, Captains, and Pilots. The ability to segment teams by client, location, and mission type improves resource and team management.

“When we first started the drone program at BNSF, we had to develop a lot of processes from scratch, including the tasks of manually logging flights and conducting checks to ensure each team out on the field was following maintenance instructions at all times,” said Nick Dryer, UAS Field Ops Manager at BNSF, one of the largest freight railroad network operators in North America. “FlightHub has made our program significantly easier to manage by providing a full view of real-time operations and internal communications in one platform. This solution has given us the opportunity to further expand the use of this new technology in an old industry.”

FlightHub is accessible through web browsers and data is securely transmitted from the DJI Pilot mobile app for Android running on a user’s mobile device or DJI CrystalSky monitor. FlightHub is compatible with the DJI’s Matrice 200 series enterprise drones as well as the DJI Mavic Pro, DJI Phantom 4 series and DJI Inspire 2 drones.

Price and Availability

FlightHub will be available by subscription to enterprise customers worldwide through the DJI online store, with pre-orders starting November 7. Monthly subscriptions will be offered in three tiers:  

  • Basic: Bind up to 5 drones with all features (excluding real-time view). Priced at $99 USD per month or $999 annually. 
  • Advanced: Bind up to 10 drones with all features of the Basic plan plus real-time view. Priced at $299 USD per month or $2,999 annually.
  • Enterprise: Bind more than 10 drones with all features of the Advanced plan plus the ability to integrate data into a private cloud in the future. Please contact a DJI Enterprise dealer directly to purchase the Enterprise plan.

DJI invites users to participate in FlightHub’s open beta period from November 14 to December 14. Interested customers will be provided with a free Basic account for the duration of the beta period. Customers who pre-ordered FlightHub will be able to activate the service after the open beta period has ended. For more information on FlightHub or to register your interest in participating in the open beta, please visit www.dji.com/flighthub

FlightHub was unveiled today at DJI’s AirWorks Conference, an annual event that brings DJI users together to inspire, connect and energize attendees about the beneficial drone applications available to enterprises today as well as the future of the global commercial drone industry. It draws attendees from a diverse set of backgrounds who are using drones every day within the agriculture, construction, energy, infrastructure and public safety industries for three days of presentations, hands-on workshops, training sessions and networking opportunities. The conference began today in Denver, Colorado.

Today DJI also announced advancements to support innovation and promote the rapid growth of the commercial drone industry. To see all press releases from AirWorks and download images, please visit www.dji.com/news.