Tethered Systems for DJI drones
The drone stays airborne for as long as the mission needs, not for as long as the battery lasts.
A tethered system powers the drone from the ground through a micro-cable: flight sessions of 30–50 minutes become up to 12 hours of uninterrupted flight, and more than 24 hours on the FlyCart 30 configuration. Cables from 45 to 240 metres, IP54 protection on the high-end models, dedicated configurations for the DJI Enterprise range.
uninterrupted flight
240 m cable
lengths
models
Matrice 400 config.
for DJI drones
Figures refer to the configurations in the DroneBase catalogue. Actual endurance depends on the availability of ground power and on operating conditions.
On long missions the problem is not the drone. It is the battery.
A surveillance shift lasts eight hours. A concert lasts five. An emergency lasts as long as the emergency decides. The drone, however, lasts thirty or forty minutes.
From there on the mission becomes a sequence of interruptions: landing, battery swap, take-off, repositioning. Every cycle is a gap in the monitoring, an opportunity for error and a piece of battery life consumed.
A tethered system removes the constraint at its root: power reaches the drone from the ground through a micro-cable, and the aircraft stays on station for the entire operational shift.
Three problems that only appear on long missions
On a twenty-minute flight none of these aspects is noticeable. On a twelve-hour watch they decide the outcome of the mission.
Monitoring is interrupted
Every battery swap is an interval in which nobody is watching. In perimeter surveillance, crowd management or at an incident scene that interval is precisely the one that matters: the event happens while the drone is on the ground.
Exposure to error increases
Dozens of landings and take-offs in one shift multiply the chances of a mistake: a wrong connection, a hot battery, a hurried restart under operational pressure. The safest procedure is the one that is never repeated.
Battery cycles are consumed
A full operating day on batteries burns through several cycles on packs with a significant unit cost. On intensive activity repeated throughout the year, the cost of replacements becomes a budget line comparable to the investment in a tethered system.
What a tethered system is and how it works
Definition
A tethered system (or tethered drone) is a continuous power supply system that connects the drone to a ground station through a micro-cable. The station converts mains or generator power and transmits it to the drone in flight, which no longer depends on its on-board battery. The result is a stationary aerial watch that can last an entire operational shift, with payloads, control and DJI platform unchanged.
Three elements, no operator intervention
The tether adds no work for the operator: once started, cable management is automatic and the pilot keeps working in DJI Pilot as in a normal flight, with full access to the payloads.
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Ground station Rugged box with AC/DC power supply, management electronics and motorised cable reel. It connects to the 220 V mains, to a generator or to a portable power station.
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Micro-cable tether A few millimetres in diameter, negligible weight for the drone, high-efficiency conductors and, in the versions that provide it, integrated optical fibre for data transmission.
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Drone in tethered configuration Dedicated power converter in place of or alongside the standard battery. Control, payloads and FlightHub 2 integration remain unchanged.
What changes compared with battery flight
The same drone, the same payloads, the same team. What changes is how the mission is planned and sustained.
| Aspect | Battery flight | Tethered flight |
|---|---|---|
| Session duration | Tens of minutes per battery pack | Up to 12 continuous hours (over 24 h on FlyCart 30) |
| Monitoring continuity | Interrupted at every battery swap | Coverage with no scheduled interruptions |
| Real limit of the mission | Capacity and number of batteries available | Availability of ground power |
| Battery cycle consumption | High on long operating days | Reduced: power from mains or generator |
| Drone position | Free, with active pilot management | Anchored above the operating point |
| Night lighting | Limited by the floodlight's extra consumption | Floodlights from 150 W up to 120,000 lumens, powered from the ground |
| Typical missions | Survey, mapping, spot inspection | Surveillance, events, emergencies, night watch |
Not sure whether your scenario needs a tether or battery flight is enough? We assess it together in a 20-minute call.
Where tethered drones are used
Law enforcement, fire services, civil protection, event and critical-infrastructure operators, private security and search and rescue teams.
Surveillance of sensitive sites
Continuous aerial coverage of airports, depots, refineries and energy infrastructure, with thermal camera and optical zoom.
Large events and public gatherings
Concerts, festivals, sporting events and rallies: coverage of the whole area for the entire duration, with optional speaker and spotlight.
Emergencies and incident scenes
Aerial view for the entire duration of the event: fires, floods, collapses, road accidents, with lighting and thermography.
Search and rescue
Prolonged watch over the search area with thermal camera and floodlight, with no battery rotations interrupting the scan.
Long-duration patrols
Night surveillance of woodland, coastline and perimeters: the drone stays on station for the whole shift.
Temporary radio relay
With the FlyCart 30 configuration, restoring emergency communications when fixed infrastructure is out of service.
Construction sites and work at height
Continuous monitoring of site activity, with the same platform used for periodic documentation.
Extended façade cleaning
The basis of the Advanced Tethered Kit of the Drone Cleaning System: full working days with no interruptions for battery swaps.
A configuration for every DJI Enterprise drone
Each system is designed for a specific drone, with a dedicated cable length. The choice is based on the required operating altitude plus a margin, on the average mission duration and on the power source available in the field.
Tethered DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise
The most compact system in the range: quick to transport and set up, for urban operations, short construction jobs and local events.
- Up to 12 hours of continuous flight
- Integrated 150 W LED floodlight
- Portable ground station
Tethered DJI Matrice 4
Reference configuration on the Matrice 4 platform (M4E and M4T) for extended surveillance and thermography.
- Up to 12 hours of continuous flight
- 55 m micro-tether
- Payloads and DJI Pilot control unchanged
Tethered DJI Matrice 30
Designed for patrols, search and rescue and surveillance of industrial sites, with powerful lighting for night work.
- Up to 12 hours of continuous flight
- 450 W LED floodlight
- 55 m micro-tether
Tethered DJI Matrice 350 RTK
Suited to law enforcement and security of sensitive sites: high usable altitude and resistance to weather conditions.
- Up to 12 hours of continuous flight
- IP54 protection
- 110 m micro-tether
Tethered DJI Matrice 400
Professional configuration on the DJI flagship: high altitude and the ability to light very large areas from above.
- Up to 12 hours of continuous flight
- Compatible with 120,000 lumen LED floodlight
- 160 m micro-tether
Tethered DJI FlyCart 100
Heavy-lift solution with a high-power mobile station: rapid deployment and three-phase power for demanding applications.
- Over 6 hours of continuous flight
- 30 kW station · 20 kW IP54 airborne module
- Deployment in under 10 minutes · 380 V three-phase
Tethered DJI FlyCart 30
The reference system for large events, critical infrastructure and civil protection: it can also serve as a mobile lighting tower and temporary radio relay.
- Continuous power for over 24 hours
- IP54 protection · LED floodlight up to 2000 W
- 240 m micro-tether
Matrice LED 50 W floodlight
Pairs with the tether to make night operations continuous on Matrice 350 and Matrice 400: useful range up to 150 metres.
- 0–100% dimmer with remote control
- Compatible with M350 and M400
- Night missions and SAR support
Some references have several variants selectable on the product page. The final configuration is confirmed during sizing.
All tethered systems support very high intensity floodlights
This is the advantage battery flight cannot offer: a floodlight of several hundred watts consumes too much to stay on for long. Powered from the ground, however, it can light the scene for the entire shift. On the Matrice 400 configuration the system integrates a 1200 W, 120,000 lumen LED floodlight, with lighting coverage up to 500 metres and remote directional control.
The light comes from above and moves with the drone: no mast to erect, no cable to run along the ground, no shadow zone behind obstacles. In a few minutes the intervention area goes from darkness to working conditions comparable to daylight.
The floodlight is controlled from the ground station with its integrated display: intensity, direction and mode are adjusted in real time during the mission, without interrupting the flight and without interfering with the gimbal and on-board sensors.
- 1200 W / 120,000 lumen LED floodlight on the Matrice 400 configuration
- Lighting coverage up to 500 metres away
- In-flight adjustment of intensity and direction from the ground station
- Integrated floodlights of 150 W, 450 W and up to 2000 W on the other configurations
- No interference with Zenmuse H30/H30T, L2, P1 and other payloads
- 6,000 lumen accessory floodlight with dimmer for Matrice 350 and 400
1200 W / 120,000 lumen LED floodlight of the Tethered DJI Matrice 400 configuration
Complete Tethered Matrice 400 system 160 m micro-cable, continuous power for up to 12 hours and dedicated adapter kit.
Ground control station Integrated display for flight parameters, power management and remote floodlight control. IP65 industrial design.
Data refer to the Tethered DJI Matrice 400 product sheet. Floodlight power and luminous flux vary according to the configuration.
Want to see the floodlight on in flight and an extended session live? We arrange a demo at our premises in Rimini (Italy) or at your site.
A confined and predictable operating area
With the drone physically anchored to the station, the overflown area is effectively a circle around the station point. In several scenarios this can lead to a lower-risk classification than free flight, with a more straightforward authorisation path for operations over populated areas, events and construction sites.
A pilot certified under EU Regulation 2019/947 and operational documentation appropriate to the scenario remain necessary. The applicable framework depends on altitude, the area below and the presence of uninvolved persons, and must be assessed case by case.
- UAS pilot certificate compliant with EU Regulation 2019/947, including EU-STS-01
- Support in preparing the operational scenario and safety case
- Staff training with DroneBase Academy, UAS training centre
- Assistance with documentation for the specific category
How to buy, and with which instruments
There are several routes depending on whether you are a company, a public body or an operator with occasional needs.
Tax incentives (Italy)
Tethered systems qualify as capital equipment: DroneBase provides the technical documentation needed to report under the applicable Italian measures. Find out about the incentives.
Operating lease
Monthly instalment over 24–60 months, tax-deductible payments and final purchase option. Calculate the instalment.
Purchase via MEPA (Italy)
Available for direct purchase by public administrations, law enforcement, fire services and civil protection. How to buy.
Short-term rental and service
For single events or emergencies: system with certified pilot and management of the operational documentation, also for full seasons.
The decision that matters is the cable length
It is the choice that determines whether the system will cover the mission or fall twenty metres short. It is sized on the real operating altitude plus a margin, not on the catalogue.
Guided sizing
We analyse operating altitude, average mission duration, power source available in the field and compatibility with the drone you already own.
Catalogue configurations
Seven pre-engineered configurations, from the compact version for Mavic 3 Enterprise to the top-of-the-range system for FlyCart 30, managed from our Rimini headquarters.
Operational onboarding
Set-up at our premises or on site: station configuration, converter installation, cable release and recovery tests, extended flight session.
Training and regulatory support
DroneBase Academy, UAS training centre: staff preparation and support with operational documentation for extended flights.
DJI Super Gold Dealer
Specialised in the enterprise segment, with ISO 9001:2015 certification and direct technical support.
After-sales support
Ongoing technical support, spare parts and maintenance to keep the system operational over time.
The questions that come before the purchase
What cable length do I really need?
Start from the required operating altitude and add a 20–30% margin, because the cable never rises perfectly vertically. The catalogue lengths are 45, 55, 110, 160, 220 and 240 metres, each matched to a specific drone. It is the choice worth making together before ordering.
Does the tether replace the drone or add to it?
It adds to it. The power converter is installed when needed, and the same drone keeps flying on battery for mapping and spot inspections. For the Matrice 400 there is a dedicated tethered version with a backup battery that maintains continuity even if the power supply is interrupted.
Can the flight really continue indefinitely?
In theory the limit is the availability of power on the ground. In practice a periodic landing is still scheduled for a thermal check of the components: the operational reference is about 12 continuous hours, over 24 on the FlyCart 30 configuration.
Does it work in the rain?
The IP54-rated models, Matrice 350 and FlyCart 30, operate in light rain, wind and dust; the electronics are protected in rugged boxes and the micro-cable is insulated. In heavy rain, snow or thunderstorms with lightning, the suspension of operations required by DJI operating instructions still applies.
Is a pilot certificate still required with the drone anchored?
Yes, a UAS pilot certificate compliant with EU Regulation 2019/947 remains necessary. In several scenarios, however, the physical anchoring and the confined area can lead to a lower-risk classification than free flight. The assessment must be made on the specific scenario.
Can I power the station without mains electricity?
Yes: the station connects to the 220 V mains, to a petrol, diesel or hybrid generator or to a portable power station. The FlyCart 100 configuration requires 380 V three-phase power. The power source available in the field is one of the details we collect before recommending a system.
Can I see the system in operation before deciding?
Yes. Our technicians demonstrate system start-up, in-flight cable management and an extended session live, at our premises in Rimini (Italy) or at your site. You can request it from the form at the bottom of the page, stating in the notes that you would like a demo.
How do I receive a quote and what is needed to prepare it?
Three pieces of information are enough: the drone in use or planned, the required operating altitude and the power source available in the field. With these we prepare the suitable configuration, the correct cable length and the purchase or lease options. Request a Quote describing the scenario in the notes.
Why DroneBase
Since 2012, Europe’s reference point for professional UAV technology
DJI Super Gold Dealer, the only one in Europe. Headquarters, warehouse, service centre and demo area in Rimini, Italy: you see the system working before you buy it, and this is where it comes back for maintenance and updates.
- ISO 9001 certified — certified quality in sales, training and service
- Training with certified instructors — DroneBase Academy, pilot certificates and STS scenarios
- Technical and regulatory consulting on complex scenarios, ENAC and EASA
- R&D for complex projects and tailor-made integrations
- Full support, before and after the sale, with a dedicated technical contact
Let's size your tethered system
Tell us the altitude, the mission duration and the drone in use: we reply with the suitable configuration, the correct cable length and the purchase or lease options. Fill in the form: one of our specialists takes charge of your request and gets back to you with the technical and commercial information and, if needed, to arrange a consultation or a demo. No obligation.
