SEARCH & RESPONSE · SELECTION GUIDE
Compare Matrice 4T and standalone Matrice 4TD packages through team roles, observation handover, processing needs and a practical acceptance exercise.
Evidence reviewed 3 November 2026 · Ireland
Choose the guide for your task
The practical answer
Choose the package around the team and its assigned information task. PS-01/02 provide the Matrice 4T or standalone Matrice 4TD search configuration; PS-05/06 add Power 2000. PS-03/04 add the specified Terra Flagship licence and expanded training scope for a planned mapping workflow. Validate the complete handover in an exercise.
Start with the information task
A search team may need a possible sighting reported to its search manager. A fire-service team may need a dated visual record for review. An equipment lead may need to establish whether the team can prepare, operate and hand over information consistently. These are distinct purchasing questions.
Write down who requests the task, who receives the information and how the observation will be checked. Name the output before choosing the aircraft. A clear brief might ask for source imagery and a reviewed observation log from a controlled exercise. It should also explain what the recipient needs to decide and what will happen if the imagery leaves a question unresolved.
Keep that brief available during the equipment and training discussion.
Compare the two field-search routes
PS-01 supplies Matrice 4T; PS-02 supplies standalone Matrice 4TD. Both include five total flight batteries, matched charging equipment, AL1 SpotLight, AS1 Speaker and two WB37 controller batteries with the listed hub. Neither includes an image-processing licence.
Compare how each complete configuration fits your organisation’s intended tasks and handling arrangements. Include transport, setup, camera review and the recipient’s working process in the demonstration. The standalone Matrice 4TD package is operated through its supplied controller; it does not include a Dock. Review the written equipment list alongside the trial, so accessory and charging requirements are clear.
Choose processing when there is a defined output
PS-03 and its Power 2000 version, PS-04, use standalone Matrice 4TD and include a twelve-month Terra Flagship licence. They also provide the expanded training and dataset-review scope stated below.
Bring a sample required deliverable to the discussion. Confirm the capture mode, files, software version, processing steps and review before agreeing the workflow. A processing entitlement should support a specified output; it is separate from an incident-command system or a live sharing service. The fireground records guide explains how to keep the captured evidence and its later interpretation distinct.
Plan the complete field session
PS-05 adds DJI Power 2000 to the Matrice 4T search configuration. PS-06 provides the corresponding Matrice 4TD option. The flight-battery total remains five in each package.
Use a realistic exercise to assess packing, charging access, controller readiness and the handover between people. Identify the equipment actually being powered and use the supplied compatible charging arrangement. Build the session around the organisation’s operating plan rather than assuming a portable power station establishes continuous coverage. Record practical interruptions and how the team handles them; that information is useful when deciding whether the Power version suits your deployment pattern.
Include accessories in the operating assessment
DJI lists AL1 and AS1 compatibility for both relevant aircraft families. [1] Train with the actual supplied combination and current instructions. For Matrice 4T, DJI warns that switching AL1 on disables obstacle avoidance. [2] On the Matrice 4D Series, fitting AL1 or AS1 disables upward obstacle avoidance; switching AL1 on disables obstacle avoidance. Review the current aircraft-specific accessory instructions during handover. [5]
Agree when lighting or a spoken message serves the assigned task, who authorises it and how the team will assess the response. Include safe accessory handling in the equipment handover. This makes the light and speaker a considered part of the team’s procedure rather than treating their presence as evidence of a successful outcome.
Make observations useful to the receiving team
Irish Civil Defence describes drone resources within coordinated support for Garda and Coast Guard searches. [3] For your own organisation, agree the tasking, reporting and escalation arrangements before equipment is deployed. Purchase and introductory equipment training do not confer that operational role.
Prepare a concise record containing observation time, location context, source imagery and verification status. The recipient should be able to distinguish a possible observation from a confirmed finding. See thermal observation handover for a fuller brief. Current Irish operation planning starts with IAA guidance and the organisation’s applicable requirements.
Test the package as a team
NIST provides repeatable methods for evaluating drone systems and pilot proficiency. [4] Use a structured acceptance exercise appropriate to your organisation, with an agreed task, representative conditions and a recipient who reviews the output. A product demonstration is more informative when the team knows what success will look like.
PS-01/02/05/06 include four hours of application training for up to three people and six months of introductory email support. PS-03/04 provide eight hours for up to four people, twelve months of email support and three dataset-quality reviews, subject to agreement. Match that equipment introduction with your organisation’s wider competence programme. The team readiness guide helps frame the exercise.
Questions before choosing a response package
Is processing software included with the search packages? PS-01/02/05/06 exclude it. PS-03/04 include the specified annual Terra Flagship licence. Does Matrice 4TD mean a Dock is supplied? These are standalone packages with a controller.
What should we demonstrate first? A defined observation or recording task, including its handover and review. What should we send with an enquiry? Team roles, existing equipment, required output and an exercise brief. Discuss the package and training scope with those requirements in view.
See the software workflow
The software image is a manufacturer workflow reference. Check the written licence edition and the supported aircraft, file type and project method before choosing a processing route.
Compare the confirmed package configurations
| Package | Aircraft route | Flight batteries · total | Included processing licence | Field power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS-01 | Matrice 4T | 5 | Not included | Not included |
| PS-02 | Matrice 4TD | 5 | Not included | Not included |
| PS-03 | Matrice 4TD | 5 | DJI Terra Flagship — 12-month licence | Not included |
| PS-04 | Matrice 4TD | 5 | DJI Terra Flagship — 12-month licence | DJI Power 2000 |
| PS-05 | Matrice 4T | 5 | Not included | DJI Power 2000 |
| PS-06 | Matrice 4TD | 5 | Not included | DJI Power 2000 |
Explore the equipment packages on Irish Drone
Package illustrations show the listed configurations. Battery quantities are whole-package totals.
Official manuals and setup guidance
Continue with the guide for your work
Documentation and evidence
Sources for the cited guidance
- DJI accessory compatibilityRead source ↗
Reviewed 3 November 2026.
- Matrice 4 accessory precautionsRead source ↗
Reviewed 3 November 2026.
- Irish coordinated search supportRead source ↗
Reviewed 3 November 2026.
- Drone evaluation methodsRead source ↗
Reviewed 3 November 2026.
- DJI AL1 and AS1 — current user manualRead source ↗
Reviewed 3 November 2026.
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