With the AP100, DJI is entering the market for safety hardware for industrial drones for the first time. Until now, this sector has been served primarily by third-party providers, but the manufacturer is now introducing its own parachute system, developed specifically for the Matrice 400.
Rotors come to a stop in 600 milliseconds
According to DJI, the AP100 can stop the rotors and fully deploy the parachute in just 600 milliseconds. This is designed to reduce the drone’s descent speed to less than 5 meters per second before touchdown—a figure that, according to DJI, outperforms third-party solutions.
Such a short response time is particularly important for a heavy commercial platform like the Matrice 400, as an uncontrolled free fall would pose a significant risk to people and property on the ground.
Dedicated Control System and Redundancy for Emergencies
For added safety, the AP100 features its own flight control system and its own IMU, which operate independently of the drone’s main systems. Two capacitors also keep the parachute system operational for about an hour, even if the drone completely loses power. If the parachute deploys, an independent flight termination link cuts off motor power to prevent the parachute lines from becoming entangled in the propellers.
You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.
The system then emits audible and visual signals for about an hour to help ground crews locate the drone more easily. Weighing less than one kilogram, the add-on module is relatively compact and is designed to allow the Matrice 400 to carry its full payload—according to DJI, flight time is reduced by only about six minutes even when fully loaded.
Certification for European Airspace
According to DJI, the combination of the AP100 and the Matrice 400 meets the requirements of EASA C5/C6 and UK CAA UK5/UK6. This enables drone operations over populated areas and beyond visual line of sight within the strictly regulated European airspace.
While DJI has recently focused primarily on lightweight models such as the Lito 1 or the Neo 2 in the consumer sector, the AP100 is clearly aimed at professional and commercial use, where safety certifications play a significantly greater role.
Price and Availability
The AP100 is already available through authorized dealers, though so far only via DJI distributors and not directly through retail outlets. While the Matrice 400 platform already costs the equivalent of around 10,000 euros, DJI is pricing the parachute at the equivalent of about 1,000 euros—a relatively reasonable safeguard against costly emergencies, given the drone’s value. If you’re generally interested in the latest drone models, you’ll find additional buying recommendations in our guide to the best drones.
Images: DJI
