DJI has unveiled its new flagship cargo drone FlyCart 100 (FC100), a heavy-lift UAV priced at ¥89,999 (approximately $12,000 USD). This release marks a significant leap in low-altitude transport drones, offering unprecedented payload capacity and smart features. The FlyCart 100 is designed to carry up to 80 kg of cargo, making it a game-changer for industries like power line maintenance, emergency rescue, construction, and logistics. Below we break down what makes the DJI FlyCart 100 special, and we also introduce how Airmobi’s own heavy-lift drones – such as the V35, Skyeye 5000 VTOL, and VT510 – can serve similar needs in professional applications.
Heavy Payload and Robust Design
The DJI FlyCart 100 boasts an 80 kg maximum payload with a robust build to handle tough environments. It features a 4-axis, 8-rotor design with 62-inch carbon fiber propellers that provide high thrust while minimizing vibration for stability. Thanks to a coaxial dual-prop setup, the drone can generate up to 82 kg of thrust per axis, enabling heavy loads to be lifted with confidence.
This industrial drone is engineered for reliability. Its airframe is rated IP55 for water and dust resistance, so it can handle light rain and harsh dusty conditions. The FC100 is also built to operate in extreme temperatures from -20°C to 40°C (-4°F to 104°F) and at high altitudes up to 6,000 m. With wind resistance up to 12 m/s, it can fly steadily even in gusty mountain areas or coastal zones, ensuring missions aren’t limited by weather. Such durability means the FlyCart 100 is ready for all-terrain, all-weather operations, whether on high plateaus, over open water, or through urban canyons.
Flexible Power Options and Range
To accommodate different mission profiles, the FlyCart 100 supports single-battery and dual-battery modes. In single-battery mode, it can lift the full 80 kg payload for up to 6 km of flight – ideal for short-range deliveries of very heavy items. In dual-battery mode (using two batteries simultaneously), it carries up to 65 kg but extends its range to 12 km, doubling the distance for slightly lighter loads. With no payload, the drone can fly as far as 26 km on a charge, showcasing excellent endurance for survey or patrol tasks.
Each smart battery packs 41,000 mAh (41 Ah) of capacity and supports fast charging – up to 90% charge in just 9 minutes with the high-power charging station. The batteries are hot-swappable and even equipped with self-heating, meaning the drone can operate continuously in cold environments by swapping batteries without power-down, and it can keep functioning in sub-zero temperatures by warming its power packs. This robust power system ensures minimal downtime during critical operations like search-and-rescue or urgent deliveries.
Dual Payload Systems for Versatile Lifting
One innovative aspect of DJI’s new drone is its dual payload attachment systems, catering to different transport needs:
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Flagship Hoist System: A motorized winch with a 30-meter retractable cable and an electric hook. This system allows the FlyCart 100 to hover and lower cargo to the ground safely. It includes real-time weight sensing (so the drone knows the payload weight automatically) and an automatic sway-reduction algorithm to steady swinging loads. The powered hook can open and release payload autonomously, which is especially useful for precision deliveries in hard-to-reach places. For example, in emergency rescue missions, the drone can air-drop relief supplies at night with integrated loudspeaker alerts and flashing lights to safely warn anyone below when a package is being released.
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Dual-Battery Fixed Mount: A simplified mount that comes with a 10-meter fixed rope for carrying cargo when using two batteries. This setup is lighter and maximizes flight time. It’s ideal for situations where you can land or manually unload the cargo at the destination (for instance, routine logistics runs or engineering material transport between sites). The fixed rope system still supports real-time weight monitoring, and it offers a more flexible, budget-friendly option for users who might not need the full automatic winch features.
DJI FC100
The new DJI RC Plus 2 remote controller accompanies the FC100 and is built for professionals. It features a large 7-inch, 1400-nit high-brightness screen, so even under intense sunlight the pilot has a clear view of the drone’s camera feeds and telemetry.
The FlyCart 100 is designed to carry up to 80 kg of cargo
By offering two payload systems, DJI ensures the FC100 can tackle a range of jobs – from automatically winching equipment across a ravine to simply hauling a load from point A to B with maximum efficiency. Both systems benefit from the drone’s increased max takeoff weight of ~150 kg, which is about 60% higher than DJI’s previous model (the FlyCart 30), signaling a big step up in carrying capability.
Advanced Sensors and Safety Features
Safety and reliability are paramount for heavy-lift drones, and the FlyCart 100 doesn’t skimp here. It is equipped with a multi-tiered sensor suite and emergency systems to protect both the drone and the payload:
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High-Precision LiDAR: A laser sensor that can capture up to 300,000 point cloud data points per second. This gives the drone a detailed 3D view of its surroundings, enabling it to detect even small obstacles (like wires or tree branches) both day and night. In complex terrain such as forests or cluttered industrial sites, the LiDAR helps the FC100 avoid collisions by sensing obstacles that might be missed by cameras alone.
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Millimeter-Wave Radars: Multiple radars provide 360-degree awareness, especially useful in low visibility conditions like fog, smoke, or heavy rain. They ensure the drone can sense large obstacles or terrain features in all directions, adding a redundant layer of safety beyond the LiDAR and visual cameras.
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Fisheye Camera Vision System: A set of five wide-angle (fisheye) cameras give the pilot views to the front, rear, left, right, and below the drone. This not only aids manual navigation but also feeds the drone’s onboard AI for obstacle recognition. The system can automatically warn of or even autonomously brake for obstacles, providing intelligent obstacle avoidance when the drone is flying near structures or uneven terrain.
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Enhanced Night Operations: To tackle night missions, the FlyCart 100 includes a powerful forward-facing spotlight and downward floodlights. These illuminate the flight path and the drop zone during night deliveries. Additionally, the drone has audible and visual alert signals (like a siren or beeper and strobe lights) that can trigger when it’s descending with a load or deploying the winch – a critical safety feature to alert nearby personnel during night-time or low-visibility drops.
Perhaps the most critical safety feature is the integrated ballistic parachute system. In the rare event of a serious malfunction or power failure, the drone will automatically cut power to its rotors and deploy a parachute. This high-performance parachute has its own independent battery and undergoes an automatic self-check on startup to ensure readiness. It can reliably deploy if the drone is above 100 meters altitude (even at full 150 kg takeoff weight), slowing the descent to under 6 m/s. This greatly reduces the impact energy, protecting people on the ground as well as the drone and cargo. The parachute system, combined with DJI’s intelligent flight controller redundancies and self-stabilization algorithms, provides a last line of defense that makes operating such a large drone much safer.
Long-Range Control and Software Integration
Controlling a heavy-lift drone over long distances is made easier with DJI’s upgraded O4 transmission system on the FlyCart 100. This offers up to 20 km of control range with a stable live video feed, so operators can remotely monitor flights far beyond visual line of sight. For even greater coverage or in areas with obstacles like mountains, DJI provides optional connectivity add-ons: a 4G cellular module that can seamlessly switch to mobile networks if the direct radio link weakens, and a D-RTK 2 base station that can act as a relay to maintain a solid connection in GPS-denied or radio-blocked environments. These ensure that even in challenging scenarios – for example, flying behind a rocky hill or in a dense urban area – the drone can stay linked to its pilot or control center.
The new DJI RC Plus 2 remote controller accompanies the FC100 and is built for professionals. It features a large 7-inch, 1400-nit high-brightness screen, so even under intense sunlight the pilot has a clear view of the drone’s camera feeds and telemetry. The controller is IP54-rated for dust and rain protection, and it works in temperatures from -20°C to 50°C, meaning it won’t shut down in extreme heat or cold. An important capability for complex operations is dual-operator mode: two controllers can coordinate on one drone, allowing one pilot to handle the aircraft’s flight while another controls the payload or camera. This improves precision and safety for tricky missions like threading a load into a tight space or while flying near power lines.
On the software side, DJI introduced the Delivery App and cloud platform to streamline cargo drone missions. The DJI Delivery App (used on the controller) provides a simplified interface tailored for transport tasks – including features like AR overlays for loading and unloading point guidance, multi-angle camera views for situational awareness, and one-tap automated functions for common actions (like dropping a package or returning home). Meanwhile, DJI’s “Siyun” Delivery Cloud platform (a one-stop cloud management system) allows fleet operators to plan missions, manage multiple drones and crews, and track real-time flight status and cargo information remotely. It supports AR route planning, real-time team coordination, and even data analysis for optimizing operations. Additionally, the FlyCart 100 opens up integration for developers: it has a PSDK E-Port (Enterprise Port) Lite with up to 3000W power output available for custom payloads, and supports a new Cloud API 2.0 for direct cloud-to-cloud integration. This means companies can plug the drone into their own logistics or dispatch systems, or attach specialized equipment (like sensors or delivery containers) to expand its functionality.
Transforming Industry: Use Cases for Heavy-Lift Drones
DJI’s FlyCart 100 is poised to reshape how various industries handle transport and field operations. Its combination of heavy payload and intelligent flight opens up scenarios that were previously impractical or impossible with smaller drones or ground vehicles:
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Power Grid Maintenance: In the electric utility sector, crews often need to transport tools and components to the tops of transmission towers on remote mountains or across rivers. The FC100 can carry bulky items like insulators, bolts, or even medium-sized equipment (e.g., a lightning rod assembly) directly to high-altitude work sites. This eliminates the need for risky human climbing or expensive helicopters, dramatically speeding up power line construction and repair projects. The previous generation FlyCart already delivered items like insulation clamps; now with 80kg capacity, larger parts can be airlifted in one trip, optimizing efficiency for powerline installation and maintenance.
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Construction and Engineering: Remote construction sites, such as mountain communication towers, hilltop construction projects, or offshore platforms, often struggle with delivering supplies. The FlyCart 100 can move not just buckets of concrete or sacks of sand, but even small machinery or generators weighing dozens of kilograms. With its extended range in dual-battery mode, a single flight can haul materials or tools across 10+ km of rugged terrain. This capability transforms logistics for construction, replacing labor-intensive manual hauling or costly ground vehicle transport. For example, rather than hiring a team to carry parts through a dense forest for hours, a drone can drop them in minutes.
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Emergency Rescue & Relief: After natural disasters like earthquakes, landslides, or floods, roads are often cut off. Heavy-lift drones become lifesavers by delivering emergency supplies (food, water, medicine) to stranded communities when trucks or helicopters can’t get there. The FlyCart 100’s all-direction obstacle sensing and stable hover with winch allow it to navigate debris-filled areas and lower relief packages precisely to where responders need them. It can also transport medical equipment (like defibrillators, first aid kits) or even assist in evacuating critical tools (e.g., ropes, inflatable boats) into isolated zones. All of this can be done while keeping human rescuers out of harm’s way and saving precious time during the golden hours of disaster response.
The common theme across these examples is that heavy-lift drones like the DJI FC100 expand the boundaries of what drones can do. They fill a niche between smaller hobbyist drones and full-sized crewed helicopters, offering a cost-effective, rapid-response solution for difficult transport challenges. By taking to the lower skies (<150m altitude) with high payloads, they are giving rise to a new “low-altitude logistics” ecosystem that can operate independently of traditional infrastructure.
Airmobi’s Heavy-Lift Drone Solutions
The excitement around DJI’s FlyCart 100 highlights how crucial heavy-lift drones have become. At Airmobi, we have been focused on this arena as well – developing and providing heavy-payload, long-range UAVs that address a variety of industrial needs. If the FlyCart 100 has sparked your interest in what cargo drones can do, you’ll be interested to know that Airmobi offers its own lineup of heavy-lift drones with impressive capabilities:
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Airmobi V35 VTOL UAV (10kg Payload, Long Endurance): The Airmobi V35 VTOL UAV is a vertical takeoff and landing fixed-wing drone known for its balance of payload and endurance. It can carry up to 10 kg of equipment and fly for 90 minutes with that load (and up to nearly 3 hours with lighter payloads). With a 3.5 m wingspan, the V35 merges the flexibility of multirotors (no runway needed) with the efficiency of a fixed-wing aircraft. This platform is ideal for tasks like aerial surveying, mapping, and medium-range delivery where a combination of decent payload and long flight time is required. (For example, the V35 can survey a large agricultural field carrying a multi-sensor camera, or deliver essential spare parts to a remote outpost miles away in one trip.) It’s a proven drone in our fleet, valued for its reliability and versatility.
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Skyeye 5000 Octo VTOL UAV (15kg Payload, 8+ Hour Flight): For missions that demand both a heavier payload and ultra-long endurance, Airmobi offers the Skyeye 5000 Octo VTOL UAV. This is a hybrid drone with an octocopter configuration and a fixed-wing body (5 meter wingspan). It’s powered by a combination of electric motors and a fuel engine, giving it the ability to fly over 8 hours while carrying up to 15 kg of cargo or equipment. The Skyeye 5000 Octo’s 8-motor VTOL setup provides redundancy – it can still safely operate even if one motor fails – which is critical for high-value payloads and safety. This drone is well-suited for long-range surveillance, survey missions, and extended patrol or delivery routes. For instance, it can inspect a lengthy pipeline in a single flight or ferry medical supplies across a large rural region without needing to recharge or refuel frequently. Its carbon-fiber construction and advanced autopilot ensure stable performance in demanding conditions, very much aligning with the needs that DJI’s FlyCart is addressing in shorter-range scenarios.
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Volitation VT510 Heavy-Load VTOL UAV (45kg Payload): If your operations require lifting truly heavy cargo over long distances, the Volitation VT510 is Airmobi’s answer. This is a tandem-wing VTOL drone designed for industrial-grade heavy loads. With a maximum payload of 45 kg, the VT510 can carry substantial equipment such as large sensors, construction materials, or multiple packages in one go. It has a dual-wing (tandem) design and robust tail-sitter propulsion, which allow it to maintain stability and efficiency even at its 100 kg takeoff weight. The VT510’s hybrid power system (option for gasoline or heavy-fuel engine alongside electric VTOL rotors) gives it endurance of up to 4–6 hours depending on load – quite remarkable for something lifting that much weight. In practice, this UAV excels in scenarios like large-scale mapping, cross-country cargo delivery, and military or humanitarian supply missions. It essentially brings airplane-like performance to the vertical takeoff realm, meaning you don’t need a runway to deploy a cargo aircraft. With quick assembly modules and a strong carbon fiber frame, the VT510 is built to be deployed in the field rapidly and operate reliably under tough conditions, much like DJI’s heavy lifter but with a focus on covering longer distances.
Each of these Airmobi drones illustrates a different approach to the heavy-lift challenge, and they complement the capabilities of drones like the DJI FlyCart 100. While the FlyCart 100 is a pure multi-rotor optimized for point-to-point transport in a local area, Airmobi’s VTOL fixed-wing platforms like the V35, Skyeye 5000, and VT510 are optimized for range and endurance with considerable payload. Depending on your project requirements – whether it’s hauling 80kg across a construction site or flying 50km to deliver 10kg of supplies – it’s clear that heavy-lift drones are becoming indispensable tools.
The debut of the DJI FlyCart 100 is a landmark moment in the drone industry, underlining how far unmanned aircraft technology has advanced for cargo and industrial applications. An 80-kg capacity drone that can intelligently avoid obstacles, drop loads with precision, and integrate into cloud management systems was unthinkable just a few years ago. This development not only expands what DJI’s ecosystem can do, but it also validates the work of companies like Airmobi that have been innovating in the heavy-lift and long-range UAV space.
As heavy-lift drones continue to revolutionize logistics, infrastructure maintenance, and emergency response, businesses and government agencies alike will find new opportunities to save time, cut costs, and improve safety by deploying these flying workhorses. Whether you’re inspired by DJI’s latest offering or looking for a tailored solution from Airmobi’s range of industrial UAV platforms, there has never been a better time to explore how high-payload drones can elevate your operations.
Interested in implementing drone transport for your organization? Feel free to contact Airmobi for expert advice on choosing the right heavy-lift drone solution for your needs. With the combined advancements seen in products like the DJI FlyCart 100 and our own Airmobi UAV lineup, the era of drone-powered logistics and aerial work is truly taking off – delivering new possibilities across every sector.
