As of October 2023, DJI has just launched the DJI Zenmuse L2 - the replacement model to DJI's Zenmuse L1! Exciting times for professional who need topographic surveys, digital terrain mapping, canopy penetration, powerline inspection, and point-cloud generation. In 2020, the Zenmuse L1 was groundbreaking tech so in this article will breakdown what the Zenmuse L2 has improved on compared to the Zenmuse L1.
Notable Upgrades The Zenmuse L2 DJI has over the Zenmuse L1
Our favorite improvements the Zenmuse L2 has over the L1 are:
- 5 Returns Instead of 3 - The improved LIDARs maximum returns policy of 5 instead of 3 along with a more concentrated beam (smaller laser spots) provides operators a with much more accurate and dense point cloud.
- No IMU warm up - This is a huge time saver on the job as in some cases, it could take the Zenmuse L1 10 minutes to boot up. With the Zenmuse L2, there is no longer a warm up process which allows operators to get flying much quicker.
- Improved RGB sensor - The Zenmuse L2 sensor is larger and allows for approximately a 0.7 second shooting interval compared to the Zenmuse L1's 2-second interval. This enables a higher sampling rate and allows operators to fly at faster speeds to collect data making you about 5 times more efficient.
- Point Cloud Model Playback - The Zenmuse L2 combined with the DJI pilot app allows for a better experience in the field as it now allows for point cloud model playbacks allowing operators to monitor data collection and improve their efficiency.
Other Things to Note about the Zenmuse L2
The Zenmuse L2 is compatible with DJI's M300 and M350, but not with the Matrice 30T. Note to M300 operators thinking about purchasing - The RC Plus is the required controller. The original controller that comes with your M300 won’t let you use the Zenmuse L2, per DJI.
Conclusion
The Zenmuse L2 is the most affordable lidar system for the M300/350 with the best price to performance ratio on the market. If you are interested in purchasing the Zenmuse L2, feel free to explore our options and if you any questions, comments, or concerns, give us a call - we'd be happy to get you benched in!