Man… your post history has me worried.
Yeah, the Matrice series is legit for certain jobs—but do you actually need what it does? From what I’ve seen, it seems like you’re just chasing the most expensive drone you can find and browsing sketchy sites. Definitely don’t drop $11k on one from some random place online, especially if you’re not even sure what you’re gonna use it for.
If this is just for fun, absolutely not worth it.
@Hollis
Hold on—so where would you buy it? The one I saw looks like a real company and they say they offer refunds. Every other site has it listed at like $20k.
If you’ve got a real job that needs it, sure. I fly the Matrice 350s with the H20T, H30T, and H20N for work, and they’re beasts. Super reliable.
That said, if I had to pay for it myself instead of it being covered by work funds? No way I’d swing it. Not practical.
And yeah, I’ve seen those TB65 batteries going for like $1600 now… crazy. They used to be under $700 not that long ago.
@Zoren
Right? And you need two just to fly it at all. The cost adds up real quick.
If you’re asking this forum whether a Matrice is right for you, then honestly… you already have your answer.
Go for it.
Depends what you’re trying to use it for?
Shan said:
Depends what you’re trying to use it for?
Just want to fly it around for fun, maybe use it at night too.
Shan said:
Depends what you’re trying to use it for?
Just want to fly it around for fun, maybe use it at night too.
Then nah, this drone’s made for serious stuff like search and rescue. Look into the Mavic 3T instead—way more reasonable for what you’re talking about.
@Shan
I actually already have that one—got it when it first came out. Love it. I even helped find a lost dog at the park with it. Just getting the itch for something new.
Shan said:
Depends what you’re trying to use it for?
Just want to fly it around for fun, maybe use it at night too.
Okay, slow down a sec.
If you’re really just getting into drones and have a big budget, try starting with something from the Mini series. They’re not just for beginners anymore—the Mini 4 Pro takes stunning photos and slides under a lot of legal red tape in other countries since it’s sub-250g. Easy to fly, super quiet, and won’t freak out your neighbors.
If you’re not planning to travel much and want something bigger, check out the Air or Mavic lines way before you jump into Matrice territory.
Now if you’re into fast flying and action-style footage, look into the Avata 2 or something in the cinewhoop category. Super immersive flying with goggles and everything—it’s a totally different experience.
If you’re mostly interested in flying at night and want thermal, look at handheld thermal monoculars first. They’re pricey but really useful. If you’re dead set on a drone with thermal, the Mavic 3T gives you a ton of functionality without going all-in on industrial-grade features you’ll never use. Matrice is overkill unless you’re doing infrastructure inspections, search and rescue, or farming analytics.
And heads-up: if you’re in the US and flying at night, you’ll need a strobe light visible from 3 miles away, and anything over 250g has to be registered. I’d also suggest taking the TRUST test at least, or even getting a Part 107 license if you’re thinking about doing anything beyond just hobby flying. It’ll teach you a lot and open up more ways to actually use your drone.