Note: Flying over residential properties in Germany requires the consent of the owners or tenants (§ 21h LuftVO). People must not be identifiable in the images. This post is general information, not legal advice.
Why winter
Cold outside, warm inside: now you can see everything
The bigger the difference between inside and outside temperature, the clearer the image. That makes winter the best season for thermography.
01 Find heat leaks
Missing insulation, thermal bridges and leaky windows show up as bright spots.
02 Spot wet roofs
Wet insulation holds heat longer and stays visible on flat roofs after sunset.
03 Check solar panels
Defective cells heat up and appear as hot spots, best checked in full sun.
Launched on 5 November 2026
The DJI Matrice 5T: made for cold days
On 5 November, DJI introduced the Matrice 5T, its new mobile thermal drone. For building inspections, one thing counts above all: the thermal camera. It captures four times as many pixels as the Matrice 4T, so you can see small leaks from a safe distance.
The Matrice 5T has class C2. Depending on your mission, class C5 or C6 may be required. We are happy to advise you.
01 More detail
Thermal camera with 1280 × 1024 pixels, up to 2560 × 2048 in UHR mode.
02 The whole building in one map
DJI Terra stitches thermal images into a 2D map and marks anomalies.
03 Ready for winter
Flies from -20 °C, protected against rain and dust (IP55).
04 Longer in the air
Up to 59 minutes of flight time.
€8,607. Pre-order by 31 December 2026 and get the STS complete package worth €999 for free.
Good to know
Five conditions for a clear thermal image
• Big temperature difference: ideally 10 °C or more between inside and outside.
• No sun on the facade: fly before sunrise or after sunset.
• Dry and calm: no rain, no fog, little wind.
• Heating running normally: rooms heated as usual for several hours.
• Permission in place: consent from owners and tenants before take-off.
Learn it in one day
Read thermal images like a pro.
In our thermography course, you learn the basics, plan a mission and fly a real thermography flight with the DJI Matrice 4T. Next dates: 23 November and 14 December 2026 in Bad Schönborn.
Book the thermography course
Are you interested in this topic? Check it out!
