What is a Tethered System and why it transforms the economics of long-duration missions

A Tethered System is a ground power station that supplies current to the drone through a micro-cable tether wound on a motorised reel. The drone hovers above the operational point, continuously powered, while the ground station automatically manages cable release and recovery based on flight altitude. The result: autonomy is no longer limited by the drone's battery but by ground power availability. In practice, sessions of 30-50 minutes become continuous missions of 12 hours — sufficient to cover a surveillance shift, the entire duration of a major event, or the complete evolution of an emergency.

How the tethered system works: station, cable, drone

The tethered system architecture consists of three elements working synergistically:

Ground station (Power Station)

Rugged box containing the AC/DC power supply, the management electronics and the motorised reel. It connects to fixed mains power (220V), to a generator (gasoline, diesel or hybrid) or to a portable power station. It supplies the current required by the drone with voltage and amperage adapted to the model. Cable management is automatic: the motor winds or unwinds in real time to maintain proper tension, with no operator intervention.

Micro-tether cable

The micro-tether cable is the heart of the system: thin (a few millimetres in diameter), light (negligible weight on drone autonomy) but capable of carrying the power required for continuous flight. It combines high-efficiency aluminium or copper power conductors and sometimes integrated optical fibre for broadband data transmission independent of the radio control. Lengths cover 45 m, 55 m, 110 m, 160 m and 240 m based on drone and required operational altitude.

DJI drone in tethered configuration

The drone is connected to the micro-cable via a dedicated power converter that replaces or supplements the standard battery. For the Matrice 400 there is a specific "Tethered Version" with TB100C tethered battery + standard TB100 backup, ensuring continuity even during any supply interruptions. All models maintain full control via DJI Pilot, complete access to payloads (thermal cameras, zoom, speaker, spotlight) and FlightHub 2 integration for remote management.

Seven configurations for every DJI Enterprise drone

The DroneBase Tethered range covers the entire DJI Enterprise offering with dedicated configurations per drone:

Tethered DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise — 45 m

The most compact system in the range, ideal for rapid urban operations, short job site inspections, local events and emergency missions. 12 hours of autonomy, 150W integrated LED floodlight for night surveillance, portable ground station. From €8,099 VAT included.

Tethered DJI Matrice 4 — 55 m

Designed for the new Matrice 4 platform (M4E and M4T): 55 m operational altitude with 12 hours of uninterrupted flight. Reference configuration for prolonged surveillance and thermography missions. From €7,990 VAT included.

Tethered DJI Matrice 30 — 55 m

Tethered system for the Matrice 30 series with 55 m cable and integrated 450W LED floodlight for powerful night illumination. Ideal for SAR patrols, accident scene management and industrial site surveillance. From €8,490 VAT included.

Tethered DJI Matrice 350 RTK — 110 m

High-end configuration with 110-metre cable, IP54 certification for operation in rain and wind. The most widespread choice for Law Enforcement, perimeter surveillance of sensitive sites and management of major events. From €13,261.40 VAT included.

Tethered DJI Matrice 400 — 160 m

The professional configuration for the DJI Matrice 400 flagship: 160-metre cable with the option to integrate a 120,000 lumen LED floodlight for illuminating wide areas from above. Ideal for prolonged video surveillance, emergencies and night illumination of complex scenes. €11,969 VAT included.

Tethered DJI FlyCart 30 — 240 m

The top-of-range system for the DJI cargo drone: 240-metre cable with continuous power supply over 24 hours, IP54 certification, option to integrate a 2000W LED floodlight and operate as a temporary radio bridge for emergency communications. Reference configuration for major events, critical infrastructure and Civil Protection. From €44,900 VAT included.

Matrice LED Floodlight 6,000 lumen / 50W — accessory for M350 and M400

6,000 lumen LED floodlight with 0-100% dimmer and remote control, effective range up to 150 metres. Compatible with DJI Matrice 350 and Matrice 400, ideal for night missions, SAR operations support and accident scene illumination. Pairs with the tethered system for continuous night operations without autonomy limits. €746.10 VAT included.

Operational advantages of tethered vs battery-powered flight

The transition from battery-powered to tethered flight radically changes operational planning:

Operational continuity for hours, not minutes

On long job sites or surveillance missions the constraint is no longer "how long can the drone fly" but "how long can the operator last". 12 hours of uninterrupted flight covers a security shift, an evening event, the complete evolution of an emergency, with no scheduled landings or battery swaps.

Zero battery swap breaks, zero human error

On long job sites with batteries, frequent TB100 swaps introduce human error risk (wrong connection, overheating, accidental discharge) and interrupt monitoring continuity. With the tethered system the drone stays in flight for the entire mission duration.

Savings on battery cycles

TB100 batteries are characterised by limited charge cycles and significant unit cost (€300-500). A 12-hour battery-powered job site consumes ~6-8 battery cycles; over a year of intensive operations the savings on battery replacement cover a significant portion of the initial tethered system investment.

Greater flight stability and less wind sensitivity

The drone in tethered mode is more responsive and stable thanks to continuous power supply at full power, and the cable offers a mechanical anchoring point that reduces fly-away risk in case of GPS anomalies or strong wind. Result: operational in more weather conditions than battery-powered flight.

Operation in controlled spaces with simplified regime

In many scenarios ENAC recognises tethered drone as a reduced-risk operation compared to free flight, because the drone's position is physically anchored and the overflown area is essentially a circle around the ground station. This simplifies operational authorisations for flights over populated areas, events and job sites.

Real-world application scenarios

Tethered systems are in production at Law Enforcement, Fire Brigades, Civil Protection, stadium and major event managers, private security at sensitive sites, critical infrastructure managers and SAR operators:

Perimeter surveillance of sensitive sites

Airports, industrial depots, refineries, logistics bases, energy infrastructure: the tethered drone provides 24/7 aerial coverage with personnel rotation on the ground. Radiometric thermal camera for detecting night intruders, optical zoom for identification, continuous recording to internal SD card or remote streaming via FlightHub 2.

Major events, concerts, demonstrations

Concerts, festivals, religious gatherings, sports events: the tethered drone covers the entire event area for the entire duration (5-12 hours). Broadcasting of audio messages if equipped with speaker, directional lighting with spotlight, crowd density monitoring for safety, support for rescue team coordination.

Emergencies and accident scene management

Highway accidents, fire scenes, floods, building collapses: the tethered drone provides continuous aerial view for the entire duration of the emergency, even many hours. Thermal camera for detecting victims under rubble or subterranean hotspots, illumination of night scenes with 120,000 lumen LED floodlight, voice communications with trapped persons.

Long-duration Law Enforcement patrols

Night border patrols, surveillance of wooded areas at fire risk, coastal monitoring for immigration and crime prevention, surveillance during high-risk public events. The drone stays in flight for the entire shift duration, with no need for replacement or landings. Available on MEPA for direct purchases by public administrations.

Temporary radio bridges and wide area illumination

The Tethered FlyCart 30 system with 240 m cable and 2000W LED floodlight can serve as a temporary radio bridge for emergency communications (in case of fixed infrastructure failure) and as a mobile beacon tower for illuminating wide areas after natural disasters. The integrated optical fibre in the cable ensures adequate bandwidth even for multiple video streaming.

Prolonged aerial cleaning with drone

The DJI Matrice 400 Tethered system is the foundation of the Advanced Tethered Kit of the DroneBase Drone Cleaning System: the drone stays in flight for the entire facade cleaning job site duration, allowing operators to work for entire operational days with no battery swap interruptions. More details on the Drone Cleaning System category.

Weather resistance and operation in adverse conditions

DroneBase tethered systems are designed to operate in difficult weather conditions:

IP54 certification on M350 and FlyCart 30 models

The IP54 protection ensures operation in light rain, wind and dust without compromising the reliability of the ground station and cable. Control electronics are protected in sealed rugged boxes.

Cable with low impact on drone behaviour

The micro-cable is sized to minimise impact on the drone's aerodynamic behaviour: contained wind resistance, negligible weight on autonomy. Automatic tension management via motorised reel prevents cable oscillations that could destabilise flight.

Extended operational thermal range

Tethered systems extend the operational thermal range compared to battery flight: continuous power keeps the drone's electronics warm even in winter at low temperatures, and the absence of the early battery discharge problem at low temperatures is one of the main advantages on winter and night missions.

Italian Tax Incentives 2026 — Iper Ammortamento and Nuova Sabatini

Tethered systems qualify as eligible 4.0 capital goods if interconnected with the company management system via DJI FlightHub 2 or equivalent. The combinability between Iper Ammortamento and Nuova Sabatini enables tax recovery up to 50-60% of the investment, particularly significant for the top tier (M350, M400, FlyCart 30) where investment amounts are high. The regime applies to security operators, private SAR operators, critical infrastructure managers, Public Administration and Law Enforcement. DroneBase provides all the 4.0 technical documentation for reporting. Also available via Grenke Operating Lease for 24-60 months (zero down payment, 100% deductible) and on MEPA for Public Administrations.

Why purchase a Tethered System from DroneBase

We are the only DJI Gold 5 Dealer in Italy with exclusive specialisation on the enterprise segment. For the Tethered System category:

7 references in ready stock

All configurations are in stock at our Rimini warehouse, from the Tethered Mavic 3 Enterprise at €7,990 to the Tethered FlyCart 30 at €44,900. 24-48h shipping throughout the country via insured express courier.

Guided selection based on mission and drone

Our technical consultant analyses required operational altitude, average mission duration, ground power availability at the job site (fixed mains, generator, power station) and compatibility with the drone you own. Proper cable sizing is the fundamental decision.

Certified operational onboarding at HQ

Complete system setup at our Rimini HQ or at your job site: ground station configuration, mounting of the power converter on the drone, cable release and recovery trials, long-duration flight session. All documented with delivery report and operational personnel training.

EU-STS-01 certification and ENAC support for long-duration flights

Tethered drone operations often have a simplified ENAC regime compared to free flight, but still require a certified pilot and operational documentation. DroneBase is a recognised UAS training centre and supports the preparation of operational scenarios and safety cases for long-duration flights over populated or sensitive areas.

MEPA code for Public Administration

All tethered systems are available on MEPA — the Italian Electronic Marketplace for Public Administration for direct purchases by State Police, Carabinieri, Guardia di Finanza, Fire Brigades, Civil Protection, municipalities and public bodies. Learn how to purchase via MEPA.