EyesOn vs FlightHub 2
DJI FlightHub 2 is DJI's enterprise fleet platform — mission planning, asset tracking, and a competent RTMP streaming layer. EyesOn is the streaming layer that doesn't require you to live inside DJI's cloud. Most DJI shops end up running both.
FlightHub 2 is great at running DJI fleets. It is fine — not great — at being the live-video platform that you'd actually want during an incident.
FlightHub 2 is DJI's enterprise answer to fleet management. Mission planning, TruePano sweeps, waypoint flights, asset library, and live RTMP streaming through DJI Cloud. As a planning and post-flight platform for DJI hardware, it is the best tool in the DJI ecosystem.
As a live-video platform, it carries the trade-offs of being a fleet-management tool first: the RTMP path goes through DJI Cloud, the viewer experience is account-locked (DJI account + FlightHub 2 seat + invitation), and latency is RTMP-into-HLS — around 2 seconds glass-to-glass. DJI's RTMP path has documented limitations.
EyesOn complements rather than replaces. The RTMP stream from DJI Pilot 2 (or the DJI Cellular Module 4G) goes to your EyesOn server, not DJI Cloud. WebRTC under 1 second, no DJI account required. FlightHub 2 keeps doing the fleet planning; EyesOn handles the live video and recording.
The line-by-line.
FlightHub 2 wins on DJI-ecosystem depth — that's its job. EyesOn wins where DJI lock-in becomes friction. Where DJI doesn't publish a number, we say so.
| Feature | EyesOnSelf-hosted / Managed | FlightHub 2DJI Enterprise · SaaS |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Software licenseUp-front cost vs subscription | MIT, free to self-host. $0 license. | Proprietary SaaS. Free tier + paid Pro / Pro+ tiers. |
| Free tier limits | No free tier — $39/mo entry | Yes — limited devices, single project, basic features |
| Paid pricing transparency | Published — $39 / $89 / $209 / $499 monthly | Pro / Pro+ pricing not publicly listed; quoted by DJI sales |
| Per-aircraft fee | None — unlimited aircraft | Device count tied to tier |
| Setup / onboarding | $149–$799 one-time (self-hosted to managed) | Self-serve onboarding; no setup fee published |
| Streaming Architecture | ||
| Primary protocol | WebRTC (sub-second), RTMP-in, HLS for replays | RTMP-in, HLS playback through DJI Cloud |
| Glass-to-glass latency | < 1 second on 4G LTE (measured) | ~2 seconds typical (RTMP→HLS path) |
| Multi-stream grid | 4-up grid native, unlimited Enterprise | Multi-feed dashboard in command view |
| Time-limited guest links | Token-signed, 5min–24hr expiry | Account-required; no anon shareable link |
| Browser-only viewing (no app, no account) | Yes — link, click, watch | DJI account + invitation required |
| Drone Compatibility | ||
| DJI enterprise (M30T, M3T, M4TD, M350) | Native via Pilot 2 RTMP + Companion App | Native — built for these |
| DJI consumer / Mavic 3 Pro / Mini 5 Pro | RTMP via DJI Fly when supported, or Larix | Enterprise-only — consumer Mavic not supported |
| Autel EVO Max 4T | RTMP-in works | Not supported (DJI-only platform) |
| Parrot Anafi USA | RTMP-in works | Not supported |
| Skydio X10 / X10D | Via Skydio Cloud RTMP-out | Not supported |
| Custom / Pixhawk / ArduPilot | Anything that publishes RTMP | Out of scope |
| Hosting & Data Residency | ||
| Self-hosted on your hardware | Yes — Docker on Linux | DJI Cloud only |
| On-premise option | Yes | Enterprise PR/SaaS only — limited regions |
| Air-gapped deployment | Possible — contact us for build | Cloud-required for the streaming path |
| Data residency control | Wherever your server lives | DJI Cloud regions; account region locks data |
| Offline / disconnected ops | LAN-only mode works without internet | Cloud-required for streaming |
| Compliance & Audit | ||
| Audit log of viewer access | Per-token, per-IP, per-event | Account-level activity logs |
| Evidence-chain export | Hash-chained MP4 + JSON manifest | MP4 export from cloud library |
| Configurable retention | You set it (it's your disk) | Tier-dependent storage cap |
| FOIA / public records ready | Files on your disk | Vendor-mediated; account region matters |
| CJIS-compatible deployment | On agency hardware — yes | DJI Cloud not CJIS-attested |
| Integration & Workflow | ||
| DJI mission planning | Not in scope — use FlightHub 2 alongside | Best-in-class for DJI hardware |
| TruePano / waypoint missions | Not in scope | Yes — proprietary DJI feature |
| Asset / device library | Not in scope | Yes |
| Public REST API | Open, MIT-licensed | DJI Cloud API — partner enrollment |
| Webhooks | Stream-up, stream-down, viewer-join | Limited; via DJI Cloud API partner tier |
| Pairs with FlightHub 2 | Common production pattern — ingest the FH2 stream | N/A — itself |
| Support & Lock-in | ||
| Open source | MIT licensed | Closed-source DJI product |
| Hardware-tied | Drone-agnostic | DJI enterprise hardware required |
| Account portability | Your server, your account model | DJI account hierarchy; switching tiers re-orgs data |
| Data export on cancel | You already have it | Bulk MP4 export available |
| Forkable / extensible | Yes | No |
| Vendor support tier | Self-serve docs · Managed-tier 4hr response | DJI Enterprise support, regional partner channel |
| Roadmap visibility | Public CHANGELOG, GitHub issues | DJI roadmap is internal |
| Geofence / regulatory tooling | Not in scope | Yes — DJI GEO unlock + LAANC integration |
Where each platform wins.
FlightHub 2 has no equal inside the DJI ecosystem. EyesOn pulls ahead the moment you step outside it — or the moment latency, lock-in, or evidence custody becomes a hard constraint.
Where FlightHub 2 wins
- Best-in-class DJI device management Firmware versions, battery health, payload calibration, geofence updates — FlightHub 2 wires straight into DJI's manufacturer SDK in a way nobody else can replicate. If you fly a 30-aircraft DJI fleet, FH2 is the one tool that can actually manage them.
- Mission planning + TruePano / waypoint Proprietary DJI mission types — TruePano sweeps, automated waypoint missions, AI-assisted inspection routes — only render through FlightHub 2 (or DJI Pilot 2 directly). EyesOn doesn't try to compete on this surface.
- Free tier exists Single-project, limited-device free tier is a real on-ramp for solo operators or evaluation. EyesOn starts at $39/mo — the cost of a small VPS plus a software license. For a single hobbyist, FH2 free is hard to beat.
- Tight DJI Pilot 2 integration Push a stream from the RC, watch it appear in FlightHub 2 with no configuration. The same stream pushed to EyesOn works, but you set up the server URL and key once.
Where EyesOn wins
- Sub-second WebRTC vs RTMP→HLS FlightHub 2's streaming path is RTMP-into-HLS through DJI Cloud — typically around 2 seconds glass-to-glass. EyesOn pushes the same RTMP stream over WebRTC under 1 second. Architecture-level explainer.
- Drone-agnostic — any RTMP source works Autel, Parrot, Skydio, custom Pixhawk builds, even an OBS-encoded HDMI feed from a manned-aircraft camera. FlightHub 2 is DJI-only, by design. If your fleet is mixed (and most public-safety fleets eventually are), EyesOn is the only single platform that ingests all of it.
- Anonymous time-limited guest links Send the chief a link, he watches in his browser, the link expires in 4 hours. No DJI account, no FH2 seat, no invitation flow. For news media briefings, mutual-aid partners, county officials, this is the difference between "did anyone see it?" and "everyone saw it."
- Your data, your disk, your evidence custody Recordings on hardware you control, audit log on hardware you control. For agencies that have done the data-residency math on DJI Cloud and arrived at "no thank you," self-hosting is the only path. Self-hosted vs managed breakdown.
Choose the one that fits your fleet.
Most departments don't pick one — they run FlightHub 2 for fleet management and EyesOn for the live-video layer. The matrix below frames the cleaner-cut decisions.
Choose FlightHub 2 if
- Your priority is DJI mission planning + device management. TruePano, waypoint, firmware orchestration — there is no comparable tool in or out of the DJI ecosystem.
- You're 100% DJI hardware and never plan to leave. Mavic 3 Enterprise, M30T, M3T, M4TD only — no Autel, no Parrot, no homebuilt platforms in your future.
- The free tier covers your needs. Single project, low device count, light streaming usage — FH2 free is a real product.
- Cloud-first is policy. DJI Cloud's residency story is acceptable, no on-prem requirement.
- You want one DJI account-aware UI for everything. One login, one billing relationship, one support chain.
Choose EyesOn if
- Your fleet is or will be mixed. Autel, Parrot, Skydio, custom — you need a streaming layer that doesn't care what brand built the airframe.
- Your priority is sub-second tactical latency. RTMP→HLS at ~2s isn't fast enough for the decision you're making.
- Your viewers don't have DJI accounts. News media, county commissioners, mutual-aid partners, attorneys — anonymous browser links matter.
- You need on-prem or air-gapped streaming. Department network, evidence-room workstation, or a remote command post without internet.
- You want to keep FlightHub 2. Run both — FH2 for fleet, EyesOn for the live-video layer underneath. Common, well-supported pattern.
A representative comparison at 5 DJI aircraft.
FlightHub 2's paid tiers are not publicly listed. The numbers below are mid-band based on customer-reported quotes. Treat them as planning estimates, not gospel — confirm with DJI sales before procurement.
| Line item | EyesOn (Pro self-hosted) | FlightHub 2 (Pro tier) |
|---|---|---|
| Software / subscription · 36 mo | $89/mo × 36 = $3,204 | ~$1,500/yr Pro tier × 3 = ~$4,500 |
| Setup / onboarding | $299 one-time | $0 (self-serve) |
| Hosting (VPS, $20/mo · 36 mo) | $720 | included (DJI Cloud) |
| Storage / retention upcharge | $0 | tier-dependent; assume $0 mid-tier |
| Mission-planning tooling | need a separate tool (FlightHub 2 free or paid) | included |
| Sub-second viewer experience | included | not available — RTMP→HLS only |
| Drone-agnostic ingest | included | not available — DJI only |
| 3-year total | ~$4,223 (streaming layer only) | ~$4,500 (fleet + streaming, DJI only) |
Note: cost is roughly comparable. The decision is rarely about cost — it's about capability shape. FlightHub 2 owns DJI fleet management; EyesOn owns sub-second streaming and drone-agnostic ingest. Most production setups run both. Detailed DJI streaming setup guide.
Frequently asked.
Can EyesOn replace FlightHub 2 for a department running DJI enterprise aircraft?
EyesOn replaces the live-streaming half of FlightHub 2, not the fleet-management half. FlightHub 2 is DJI's mission planner, asset tracker, and post-flight library; it happens to also stream live RTMP. EyesOn is a streaming-and-evidence platform that happens to integrate with FlightHub 2 via the EyesOn Companion App.
Most DJI-enterprise shops keep FlightHub 2 for planning and DJI's TruePano / waypoint mission tooling, then run EyesOn underneath for sub-second viewer streams and audit-grade recordings — the FlightHub 2 RTMP stream becomes the EyesOn ingest. Two tools, one production setup.
What does migration from FlightHub 2 streaming to EyesOn look like?
EyesOn ingests RTMP. FlightHub 2 emits RTMP. The "migration" is changing your RTMP destination from a FlightHub 2 stream URL to your EyesOn server. Five minutes per aircraft on the DJI RC Pro / RC Plus, less with the EyesOn Companion App.
FlightHub 2 keeps doing fleet management; EyesOn handles the live video and recording. No contract to break — DJI's monetization is the seat licenses, which you keep. Setup walkthrough.
Where does the video data live with EyesOn vs FlightHub 2?
FlightHub 2 stores video in DJI's cloud — DJI Cloud API and DJI Aerospace's Singapore / China / EU residency depending on your account region. For US public-safety agencies, the residency questions around DJI's cloud have been a recurring procurement headache, regardless of how the politics resolves.
EyesOn stores video on hardware you control: your VPS, your on-prem server, or a Synology in your IT closet. Recordings, audit logs, encryption keys, access tokens — all on your disk. Self-hosted means evidence custody is straightforward; DJI Cloud means evidence custody is a vendor-mediated process.
FlightHub 2 has mission planning and DJI device management — can EyesOn do those?
No, and not on the roadmap. FlightHub 2's mission planning, TruePano / waypoint mode, AI-assisted inspections, and direct DJI device firmware management are deeply tied to DJI's SDK and proprietary device protocols. EyesOn does not try to compete on those — it ingests the RTMP stream FlightHub 2 produces and adds a real streaming layer on top.
If you fly DJI enterprise, FlightHub 2 + EyesOn is the common production setup. The DroneOps Command sibling product (open-source fleet management) is the answer if you want to leave the DJI ecosystem entirely.
What aircraft does EyesOn work with that FlightHub 2 doesn't?
Anything that publishes RTMP. Autel EVO Max 4T, Parrot Anafi USA, Skydio X10 / X10D (via Skydio Cloud RTMP-out), Freefly Astro, custom Pixhawk / ArduPilot builds with an RTMP-capable companion computer. Plus every DJI enterprise aircraft (M30T, M3T, M4TD, M350, Mavic 3 Enterprise) via DJI Pilot 2 or the DJI Cellular Module 4G.
FlightHub 2 only manages and streams DJI hardware. EyesOn is drone-agnostic — your viewer, command center, and recording layer doesn't care what painted the pixels. Mixed-fleet agencies (the majority of public-safety drone programs over time) need this property.
Run EyesOn alongside FlightHub 2.
Most DJI-enterprise shops do exactly this. Send your fleet count, your DJI tier, and your top latency / data-residency concerns. You'll get a deployment plan and a 30-day parallel-run schedule within one business day.