Quick Answer: DJI sells four active Matrice families in 2026 — the Matrice 30 series, the Matrice 4 series (4E/4T), the Matrice 350 RTK, and the new Matrice 400 RTK. The trap in the naming: the Matrice 400, launched June 10, 2025 with 59 minutes of flight time per DJI’s own announcement, is the successor to the Matrice 350 RTK — not to the similarly-numbered Matrice 4 series, which is a completely separate, smaller-class product line with non-interchangeable payloads. Pick by job: the Matrice 4E (about $5,189) for budget survey work, the Matrice 4T (about $7,849) for compact thermal inspection, and the Matrice 350 RTK or 400 RTK for DJI’s full modular Zenmuse payload ecosystem.
If you searched “DJI Matrice” expecting one drone, the lineup is the first surprise: DJI currently sells four distinct families under that name at once, ranging from about $5,000 to $14,000+, and two of them launched close enough together that the names genuinely collide.
The four Matrice families, at a glance
| Family | Best for | Flight time | Payload | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matrice 30 / 30T | Field-proven public safety, compact | 41 min | Integrated (30T: thermal + 200x zoom) | ~$9,000-$14,000 |
| Matrice 4E | Budget survey / mapping | ~49 min | Zenmuse P1 (swappable) | ~$5,189 |
| Matrice 4T | Compact thermal inspection | ~49 min | Fixed FLIR Boson+ thermal | ~$7,849 |
| Matrice 350 RTK | Proven modular payload ecosystem | ~55 min | Zenmuse (swappable, H20/H30 series) | ~$10,000-$14,814 |
| Matrice 400 RTK | New flagship, heaviest payload | 59 min | Up to 4 simultaneous Zenmuse payloads, 6kg | ~$10,450+ |
The naming trap: Matrice 400 does not replace Matrice 4
This is the part that trips up most buyers researching the lineup. “Matrice 400” and “Matrice 4” (the 4E/4T series) sound like the same product line one generation apart — a bigger number should mean a newer version of the smaller one. It doesn’t work that way here.
The Matrice 400 RTK, which DJI launched on June 10, 2025 with up to 59 minutes of flight time and a 6kg payload capacity across up to 4 simultaneous payloads per DJI’s own release, is the direct successor to the Matrice 350 RTK — DJI’s modular, Zenmuse-payload enterprise platform. It uses the newer O4 Enterprise transmission system in place of the 350’s O3 Enterprise, and it mounts the same family of swappable Zenmuse payloads (cameras, LiDAR, thermal modules) that 350 RTK owners already use.
The Matrice 4 series (4E and 4T) is a different, smaller-class airframe that launched around the same window with a confusingly similar name. It uses its own compact gimbal mount that cannot accept Matrice 350/400-class Zenmuse payloads like the H30 series — a Matrice 4E or 4T is not a smaller Matrice 400, and the two product lines don’t share hardware. If your organization already owns Zenmuse payload modules for a 350 RTK fleet, they will not mount on a Matrice 4-series airframe, and buying a “Matrice 4” expecting it to be an entry point into the 350/400 payload ecosystem is the single most common mistake in this lineup.
Matrice 4E vs Matrice 4T — same airframe class, different upgrade paths
Within the Matrice 4 series itself there’s a second, smaller naming nuance worth knowing before you buy. The Matrice 4E (about $5,189) ships with the Zenmuse P1, a swappable 45MP full-frame photogrammetry payload, and supports RTK/PPK geotagging for survey-grade mapping out of the box. The Matrice 4T (about $7,849) instead has a fixed, built-in FLIR Boson+ thermal sensor paired with 48MP wide and telephoto cameras — a purpose-built thermal inspection tool with no swappable payload option.
DJI Matrice 4E
- Best for survey-grade mapping, earthwork volumes, and corridor inspection on a budget.
- The only Matrice 4-series model with a swappable payload — the 4T's sensors are fixed for life.
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That distinction matters for budgeting past the first purchase: a Matrice 4E buyer can add a different Zenmuse payload later as needs change, while a Matrice 4T buyer is locked into thermal plus visual for the life of the airframe — cheaper per-unit than stacking separate payload modules, but zero flexibility if the mission changes.
Matrice 350 RTK vs Matrice 400 RTK — proven vs. flagship, not old vs. new
DJI is selling both the 350 RTK and 400 RTK side by side in 2026, which is itself worth noting — this isn’t a case of the older model being phased out. The Matrice 400 RTK outperforms the 350 on every spec that matters for heavy payload work: 59 minutes versus 55 minutes of flight time, 6kg versus 2.7kg-per-gimbal payload capacity, and support for up to 4 simultaneous payloads on 4 external ports versus the 350’s more limited mounting. It also costs more — current dealer pricing runs from roughly $10,450 for the 400 RTK against $10,000-$14,814 for the 350 RTK depending on battery bundle.
| Matrice 350 RTK | Matrice 400 RTK | |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | 2023 | June 10, 2025 |
| Flight time | ~55 min | 59 min |
| Max payload | 2.7kg per gimbal | 6kg, up to 4 payloads |
| Transmission | O3 Enterprise | O4 Enterprise |
| Price | ~$10,000-$14,814 | ~$10,450+ |
| 2026 status | Active, sold in parallel | Current flagship |
For an organization already running a 350 RTK fleet with Zenmuse payloads on hand, those payloads carry over to the 400 RTK — the two share the same modular payload family, unlike the Matrice 4 series. That makes the 400 RTK a genuine fleet upgrade path for 350 operators in a way the Matrice 4 series simply isn’t.
Where the Matrice 30 series still fits
The Matrice 30 / 30T remains DJI’s compact, field-proven enterprise platform, and it’s still the right call for teams that prioritize a lighter, cheaper, battle-tested airframe over the newest specs. At 41 minutes of flight time and roughly $9,000-$14,000 depending on configuration, it trades flight time and payload flexibility for a smaller, case-portable form factor the 350/400 RTK don’t match — our best drone for search and rescue and best thermal drone guides cover the Matrice 30T’s full specs against its direct rivals.
Which Matrice should you actually buy?
- Budget survey and mapping: Matrice 4E — swappable Zenmuse P1, RTK built in, cheapest entry into true survey-grade mapping.
- Compact thermal inspection: Matrice 4T — fixed thermal and zoom, no swap flexibility, lower cost than stepping up to a modular platform.
- Full modular payload ecosystem, tighter budget: Matrice 350 RTK — proven, still in active production, cheaper than the 400 in base configuration.
- Full modular payload ecosystem, longest flight time, heaviest payload: Matrice 400 RTK — DJI’s current flagship, and the real upgrade path for existing 350 RTK fleets.
- Lightest, most field-proven option: Matrice 30T — still the pick for teams that value a smaller case-portable airframe over the newest specs.
Whatever you’re shopping for, see our best drone for construction guide for Matrice 4E/4T buying advice in a site-survey context, our drone LiDAR mapping guide for how the Matrice 350 RTK pairs with the Zenmuse L2 payload, and our best drone for firefighters guide for how the Matrice 4T and 30T compare for public-safety thermal work.
The bottom line
DJI’s Matrice naming looks like one product line with a generation number, but it’s really four separate families that happen to share a brand name. The one fact worth remembering: the Matrice 400 succeeds the Matrice 350, not the Matrice 4 series — if you already own Zenmuse payloads for a 350 RTK fleet, the 400 RTK is your upgrade path; if you’re buying into the compact Matrice 4E/4T line, you’re starting a separate, non-interchangeable payload ecosystem from scratch. Match the airframe to the deliverable — survey, thermal, or heavy modular payload work — rather than assuming a higher model number means a straightforward upgrade.