DJI Matrice 4TD Drones Tested Over Moree

Police in regional Australia are about to test a capability that feels like a preview of where public safety aviation is heading.

In Moree, NSW Police are deploying DJI Matrice 4TD aircraft as part of a six month trial that allows officers in Sydney to remotely pilot drones operating more than 600 kilometers away, as ABC.NET.AU reports.

The drones will launch from a rooftop station in Moree while being controlled from the PolAir base at Bankstown Airport, streaming live video to officers on the ground.

Officials insist the program is about emergency response, not surveillance. Critics are watching closely.

Why the DJI Matrice 4TD Matters

The DJI Matrice 4TD is not a hobby drone. It is an enterprise grade platform designed for public safety, infrastructure inspection, and industrial operations.

The aircraft features a multi sensor payload that typically combines a wide angle camera, a zoom camera, and a thermal imaging sensor. That means officers can identify suspects from a distance while also detecting heat signatures at night or in low visibility conditions. For break and enter incidents, search operations, or suspect tracking, that combination is powerful.

The Matrice 4TD also supports real time data transmission over long distances, encrypted communication links, and integration with remote command systems. In practical terms, that allows a pilot in Sydney to see what the drone sees in Moree with minimal latency.

Flight time can approach 40 minutes depending on conditions, giving police far longer persistence than most smaller quadcopters. Advanced obstacle sensing and positioning systems allow stable operation in complex environments, including urban areas.

This is not just a camera in the sky. It is a flying sensor suite.

That is exactly why the privacy debate is intensifying.

Police Say It Is About Crime Response

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon says the drones will be used in the same way as helicopters or fixed wing aircraft, launched during operational matters such as break and enters or other active incidents.

“This is not about surveillance,” Lanyon said. “It is about responding to crime and making sure we take prompt action.”

NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley described the remote piloting capability as a game changer and suggested that if successful, it could be rolled out more broadly across regional NSW.

Police state that flights will not be recorded unless tied to a specific criminal incident and that the drones will not be casually flying around looking into backyards.

But here is the reality.

A DJI Matrice 4TD equipped with high resolution zoom optics and thermal imaging does not just observe. It sees details. It detects heat. It extends the visual reach of officers far beyond street level.

Intent may be limited to crime response. Capability extends much further.

Why Moree and What Comes Next

Commissioner Lanyon said Moree was selected due to crime challenges in the region and its distance from Sydney, making it ideal to test remote aviation operations.

Under Operation Soteria, police have targeted repeat youth offenders in northern and western NSW. Data from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research shows the New England North West region recorded a youth offending rate of 547.3 per 10,000 in 2024 and 2025, down from 713.7 the previous year.

Local leaders, including Mayor Susannah Pearse, say residents are frustrated by crime and welcome stronger enforcement tools.

Still, legal voices are raising red flags. Nadine Miles from the NSW ACT Aboriginal Legal Service warned of risks of covert surveillance and erosion of trust. Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay called for clarity on how the trial aligns with surveillance safeguards under NSW law.

Police say they have worked with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to ensure aviation compliance. But aviation compliance does not automatically settle privacy concerns.

The DJI Matrice 4TD is a capable and proven platform in public safety operations worldwide. It delivers speed, flexibility, and operational reach that helicopters cannot match at the same cost.

The question now is not whether the technology works.

It is how tightly it will be governed once it does.

DroneXL’s Take

The choice of the DJI Matrice 4TD tells you everything about where this is heading. NSW Police did not pick a lightweight consumer drone. They selected a high end enterprise platform with zoom, thermal, and long endurance capabilities.

Operationally, it makes sense. Faster response times. Lower costs than manned aircraft. Persistent aerial visibility in remote communities.

Politically and socially, it is far more complicated.

If this trial delivers measurable crime reduction without mission creep, expect regional drone policing to expand rapidly across Australia. If oversight mechanisms are weak or transparency falters, this could become a flashpoint for privacy debates nationwide.

The Matrice 4TD is a tool.

How it is used will define whether this becomes a public safety success story or a case study in how quickly airborne technology reshapes the boundaries of everyday life.

Photo credit: NSW Police