Rural Automation

03/09/2026

Detailed 3D site modelling can now be done with a surprisingly compact drone setup.

In the UK, teams are using the DJI Matrice 4E to capture heritage structures and surrounding landscapes to create high-precision 3D models.

Its mechanical shutter and five-directional oblique capture allow data to be collected from multiple angles in a single flight, making it well suited to detailed 3D models, digital twins and larger-scale orthomosaic mapping.

At under 2kg, the Matrice 4E is also a practical option for commercial operators, as it can be flown without a RePL under CASA’s excluded category, subject to the relevant operating conditions.

For surveyors, councils and teams working across construction and asset management, it provides a compact way to capture accurate site data without needing a much larger platform.

Rural Automation stocks the DJI Matrice 4E. Get in touch with the team if you want to discuss whether it suits your mapping or modelling work.

Read more about the UK heritage projects below:
https://enterprise-insights.dji.com/user-stories/dji-matrice-4e-3d-modeling-conservation

Explore how the DJI Matrice 4E revolutionizes 3D modelling and conservation mapping, offering unparalleled precision, efficiency, and versatility.

27/08/2026

Field Master Systems recently put the DJI Agras T100 to work on some seriously steep country near Beveridge.

What stood out was the terrain following. The T100 was able to maintain the required spraying height as the ground changed below it, which meant the property didn’t need to be mapped beforehand.

For operators working across hilly or uneven country, that can save time in setup and make spraying more practical across difficult terrain.

The team was targeting Artichoke Thistle, Variegated Thistle and Paterson’s Curse, and the farmer was already seeing w**ds from an earlier application visibly dying back.

Rural Automation stocks the DJI Agras T100 and can help you work out the right spraying setup for your operation.

Get in touch with the team to learn more.

**dControl

21/08/2026

The DJI Agras T100 is built for larger spray jobs where keeping momentum matters.

🌱 Herbicide spraying
🍂 Fungicide + insecticide
💧 Foliar nutrients
🌾 Broad-acre crop protection

With a 100L tank and dual-battery setup, it’s designed to keep spraying moving with fewer interruptions.

Now in stock at Rural Automation.

09/08/2026

Keeping drones charged in the field is only one reason we use the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus.

It comfortably keeps a DJI Matrice 4T running through a full night of operations, but back at the office, it’s also connected as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), keeping our computers, internet and security systems running if the power goes out.

With dual 500W solar inputs, it’s easy to recharge from solar, and because it’s portable, it can move between the office, the ute and the field whenever it is needed. It’s even a practical alternative to installing a permanent dual battery system in a vehicle.

It's become one of those bits of equipment we end up using far more often than we expected.

If you're interested in the EcoFlow Delta 3 Max Plus Portable Power Station, give us a call

30/07/2026

For a recent Greater Glider survey, the Matrice 400 was paired with the Zenmuse H30T hybrid camera and a gimbal-mounted spotlight. (DJI S1 spotlight which we sell too.)

That setup provides:
• Up to 59 minutes of flight time
• A 20MP zoom camera with 40x optical zoom
• High resolution thermal imaging at 1280 × 1024 resolution
• A laser rangefinder capable of measuring distances up to 1,200 metres
• The ability to switch between thermal and visual cameras during the same flight

In practice, this means the team can detect an animal using thermal imaging, move in for a closer look, confirm the species with the zoom camera and spotlight, and record its exact location. Without disturbing the animal

Together, these capabilities make the Matrice 400 a practical platform for wildlife and environmental surveys.

23/07/2026

Blackberry spraying may not start until spring, but now is the time to plan - especially on steep or difficult ground.

A smaller RTK drone can first map the site, with the imagery stitched together to identify and mark blackberry patches. A targeted flight plan can then be created for an Agras spray drone such as the T70P or T100.

This means treating only the areas that need it, reducing chemical use and avoiding difficult ground access.

**dManagement

21/07/2026

This has to be one of the most interesting uses of drone LiDAR we’ve seen.

In Guatemala, archaeologists are using a DJI Matrice 400 with the Zenmuse L3 LiDAR to map ancient Maya sites hidden beneath dense tropical forest - sometimes in areas that take days to reach on foot.

LiDAR can capture ground data through gaps in thick vegetation, helping researchers reveal structures hidden below the canopy.

Compared with manned aircraft, drones can fly lower and slower, capturing highly detailed data across remote and difficult terrain.

It is a remarkable example of what the Matrice 400 and Zenmuse L3 combination can do - and the same technology is now available for surveying dense bush, forestry and challenging terrain here in Australia.

https://enterprise-insights.dji.com/user-stories/beneath-the-canopy-how-archaeologists-are-rewriting-maya-history-with-dji-drones

In the remote jungles of Guatemala's Mirador Basin, researchers are using DJI drones with LiDAR to map one of the largest ancient civilizations in the Western Hemisphere — revealing what has been hidden for more than a thousand years.

19/07/2026

𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲. That's one situation where a spray drone can make a real difference.

At Drăgaș Domain in Romania, a 𝗗𝗝𝗜 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘀 𝗧𝟱𝟬 was used to spray vineyard rows that remained inaccessible after rain.

The same job that previously took 𝟯-𝟰 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮.𝟱 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀.

Across seven applications, chemical usage was also 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝟯𝟬-𝟰𝟬% while maintaining coverage across the vineyard.

Agricultural drone technology can help growers save time, reduce chemical use and keep work moving when conditions change. Rural Automation supplies and supports 𝗗𝗝𝗜 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 for agricultural and vegetation management applications.

https://ag.dji.com/case-studies/agras-t50-vineyard-romania

Discover how DJI Agras T40 drones helped Turkish farmers boost corn yield by 20%. Learn why drones are the future of precision agriculture in Turkey.

16/07/2026

One of the reasons we recommend 𝗗𝗝𝗜 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 mapping drones for w**d management is that they are the best value for money and most capable.

DJI Enterprise drones such as the 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝟰𝟬𝟬 and 𝗠𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗰 𝟯 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹 capture high-resolution, multispectral imagery that makes w**d infestations stand out clearly from surrounding vegetation.

By flying the same area across multiple surveys, you get accurate, repeatable maps where every square metre can be analysed.

Infestation size can be measured, each patch mapped to its exact location, and changes tracked survey to survey. That gives provides clear evidence of whether treatment is working and where to focus next.

**dManagement

12/07/2026

W**d control around critical infrastructure often isn't just about spraying the w**ds.

The bigger challenge is safely accessing areas like dam walls, embankments and steep slopes in the first place.

Traditionally, that means putting operators on difficult terrain, often with chemical exposure risks and slow, labour-intensive work.

Spray drones like the 𝗗𝗝𝗜 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘀 series flip that equation. The drone does the reaching, treating steep or hard-to-access vegetation from above while operators stay safely on stable ground. Work that once took days can be completed in hours, with precise, repeatable coverage every time.

For asset managers responsible for dams, levees, rail corridors and roadside embankments, that means lower safety risk, less time on site and better results.

For the asset managers we work with, responsible for dams, levees, rail corridors and roadside embankments, that means lower safety risk, less time on site and better results.

**dControl