An aircraft that lives in a dock can fly several times a day, so it racks up hours much faster than one that comes out of a case once a week. These are the intervals and care points DJI sets for the Matrice 5TD.

DJI splits maintenance into three levels:

The full procedures are in the maintenance manual on DJI's Dock 4 downloads page. If you'd like us to plan servicing with you, email [email protected] or call 0330 111 7177.

The Matrice 5TD uses anti-ice propellers with curved tips, which keep the noise down. Replace them every 12 months or 500 flight hours. Always change them as a matched set and fit new washers and screws each time. Don't clean them with oil or alcohol-based solvents, and try not to scratch them.

You might notice a little movement where the arms meet the body, and a visible gap. That's normal. The arms have rotational dampers built in. Don't force them or swing them about.

Inspect the parachute at least every six months: check the connectors, the status indicator and the protective cover. Only connect or disconnect it with the aircraft powered off, and push the plugs fully home.

It's single use. If it deploys, the whole parachute system has to be replaced. Even if it never deploys, it has to be retired three years after activation, whatever the self-test says. It needs at least 35 m of height to deploy properly.

You can deploy it manually from DJI FlightHub 2. In the UK, EU and EEA there's also DJI's Flight Termination System page, which uses the aircraft serial number and a verification code. It deploys automatically if the aircraft's sensors detect an abnormal attitude or speed, or, in supported regions, if the aircraft leaves a Geocaging boundary you've set in FlightHub 2. Automatic deployment is held off within 10 m of the dock.

With the parachute fitted, obstacle sensing behind and above the aircraft is reduced, so keep an eye on those directions when planning routes.

Never point the thermal camera at the sun, a laser or anything extremely hot such as lava. It can damage the sensor.

The AS2D speaker goes on the left accessory mount and the AL2D spotlight on the right. Fit them before you power on, seat the plugs fully and tighten the connectors without over-tightening. The first time you fit either one, activate it online and calibrate the compass. Their firmware updates along with the aircraft through FlightHub 2 or DJI Assistant 2 (Enterprise Series).

The spotlight gets hot after long use, so let it cool before you handle it. While it's switched on, the visual obstacle sensors are turned off and the aircraft relies on LiDAR and radar alone.

For battery care and storage, see DJI Dock 4 batteries: how many you need, swapping and power cuts.