Can this thermal gimbal work on your drone? An integration checklist

Get the exact configuration on one page

Use this checklist when a buyer asks whether a thermal gimbal will work with an existing UAV. Start by recording aircraft, controller, payload, firmware, adapter and software versions. Also name who is responsible for each integration task. A statement such as “supports Ethernet” is not a substitute for the required protocol and receiving software.

DJI’s Payload SDK documentation describes development using supported aircraft and adapters such as X-Port, SkyPort or an extension port. That is an integration framework, not evidence that an arbitrary Ethernet camera is compatible with a particular aircraft. Ask for a demonstration of your exact required functions.

Gate: will the complete installation fit?

Obtain the mounting drawing and measure clearance through the intended gimbal motion, including landing gear and the ground. Confirm which hardware is included in the mass figure and check the installed centre of gravity against the airframe limits.

For example, a quoted 250 g payload plus an assumed 45 g bracket and 25 g of cables and interface hardware becomes 320 g installed. These accessory masses are illustrative, not catalog specifications. Use weighed values for the actual installation and include a separate battery or converter if needed.

• Evidence to keep: mounting drawing, installed mass, mounting hardware list and clearance photographs.
• Resolve before proceeding: undocumented fasteners, inadequate clearance or an installed mass outside the aircraft’s approved limits.

Gate: can the supply handle startup as well as steady operation?

Match input-voltage limits, connector pinout, grounding and cable requirements before powering the payload. Then check both steady-state demand and startup demand. A current limit that supports normal operation may still cause a reboot during startup or gimbal movement.

The 48 MP catalog configuration lists steady-state power up to 20 W and a startup peak up to 5 A at 24 V DC. At that voltage, 20 W corresponds to about 0.83 A, while the listed peak corresponds to 120 W. This comparison explains why average power alone is insufficient; it is not a requirement to supply 120 W continuously. Peak duration, permitted voltage drop and converter suitability still need confirmation.

• Evidence to keep: approved pinout, power-converter specification and a recorded startup test at the payload input.
• Resolve before proceeding: unexpected resets, voltage outside the permitted range or a supply whose transient capability is unknown.

Gate: can the operator control the required functions?

Create a command matrix before coding. Test yaw and pitch, channel switching, zoom, capture and any required measurement controls individually. Note command protocol, expected response and state feedback. Receiving video does not demonstrate that these commands work.

Gate: does video reach the real receiver?

Trace camera output, onboard interface, radio link, ground receiver and display. Check stream addressing, codec support, bitrate, decoding and any conversion. The 100 Mbps Ethernet port on a payload does not mean the radio link provides 100 Mbps of usable video bandwidth.

Test the selected stream alongside the other traffic the aircraft actually carries. Measure end-to-end delay using a changing visual reference and record the method. Agree on a task-specific acceptable delay before the test. Also test what the operator sees when the video link is interrupted and restored; do not assume camera video loss and aircraft control loss have the same behaviour.

Gate: can the receiving team use the saved result?

Record a short representative sequence and capture still images. Transfer them using the normal workflow, reopen them on the analyst’s workstation and verify capture times and asset references. If temperature reanalysis is required, include an original radiometric file test.

• Use the radiometric sample-file acceptance procedure

Freeze a tested baseline before accepting delivery

Start with bench validation, then proceed through the installation and flight checks appropriate to the aircraft. Keep one acceptance record per required function with the configuration, method, observed result, evidence file and owner of any unresolved issue. A firmware or adapter change after acceptance needs review against that baseline.

A useful purchase condition is: delivery is accepted after the agreed installation produces the required controls, live imagery and files on our named receiving system. List exclusions and unfinished integration work explicitly so they do not become surprises after the hardware arrives.