Two-minute overview
Autel has spent the previous couple of years making an attempt to persuade drone house owners that good drones are made by corporations aside from DJI.
It had some success with the Evo II, however it took the announcement of a brand new technology of Evo collection drones to actually persuade drone followers that it might take available on the market chief with extremely progressive merchandise.
That preliminary announcement was in August 2021, however it took until early 2022 earlier than the wonderful Autel Evo Lite+ arrived, to be shortly adopted by the Evo Nano+.
Initially, each designs had points, though these on the Lite+ appeared much less regarding than the experiences in regards to the Nano+ and its efficiency in so-called ‘Ludicrous’ (or sport) mode.
Since then, Autel has been making an attempt to repair these issues and add options that didn’t make it into the unique launch, whereas additionally making an attempt to maintain current clients comfortable.
The Evo Nano+ is a sub-249g drone that’s bodily much like the DJI Mini 2, utilizing the identical folding arm ergonomics to make it extremely moveable and fast to deploy.
However the place the DJI Mini two was extra of a stripped-down design, the Nano+ has many options that DJI Air 2S house owners get pleasure from. These embrace impediment avoidance sensors, a large 1/1.28-inch sensor for capturing 4K video in low gentle circumstances and as much as 48MP nonetheless pictures, plus an enhanced communication system for long-distance flying.
The digicam on the Nano+ is the lure right here, because it makes use of a a lot bigger sensor than was on the DJI Mini 2, but additionally has an f/1.9 aperture that permits many extra photons to hit that sensor. The obtainable ISO vary is 100 to 6400 ISO, and the maximums shutter pace is 8,000ths of a second.
The outcomes might be beautiful for a mini drone, and with the potential exception of the DJI Mini 3 Professional, this drone is able to higher picture and video high quality than another sub-249g drone.
The utmost video decision is 4K at 30fps, and the bit price is 100Mbps. Photographs as much as 8192 x 6144 decision might be captured, though the sensor is technically solely 12MP and the 48MP mode includes some interpolation.
Battery life is a good 28 minutes, and people shopping for the Premium Bundle could have three of these to multiply the whole flying time to 84 minutes.
It makes use of the identical controller because the Evo Lite+ providing a theoretical 10km video transmission vary over Autel Skylink know-how.
For many who discover flying close to timber and buildings demanding, the Nano+ has three-way impediment avoidance permitting it to detect buildings which might be in entrance, behind and beneath it whereas flying in Easy or Normal mode. The detection know-how is image-based and due to this fact gained’t work at night time and is disabled when the drone is flying at most pace utilizing ‘Ludicrous’ mode.
In widespread with different designs within the Evo collection, the Nano+ is available in signature Autel Orange, Arctic White, Deep Area Grey, and can also be obtainable in Purple.
The small, light-grey elephant on this room is the newly launched DJI Mini 3 Professional, one other mini drone design with many related enhancements because the Autel Evo Nano+, however at a lower cost.
Autel Evo Nano+ worth and launch date
- Introduced on August 28, 2021
- Normal equipment prices £719 / $949/ €977
- Premium Bundle prices £859 / $1,049 / €1199
When you think about that the DJI Mini 2 might be purchased for £419 within the UK and $449 within the USA for the usual bundle, the price of the Evo Nano+, even within the Normal equipment kind, is a shock to the system.
As drone flyers may anticipate, the Evo Nano+ can also be obtainable in a premium bundle that features many extras, together with extra batteries. The usual equipment consists of the drone, controller, one battery, propellers, and charger with all cables, costing £719, $949 or €977 relying in your area.
A further £140 ($100) snags you the premium bundle that features two extra batteries, a tender carry bag, three prop replacements and a multi-battery charger. What’s lacking, included on the Evo Lite+, are any ND filters.
Autel affords the cheaper Nano mannequin, however this lacks the large video sensor that the Nano+ packs.
As a subsequent step from the DJI Mini 2, the Autel Evo Nano+ appears to be like like an costly improve, even when it does have a major variety of enhancements over that design.
Extra of a priority for Autel is that it is undercut by the brand new DJI Mini 3 Professional just a little, and you will get that drone even cheaper if you have already got a DJI Mini 2 and use the controller from that {hardware} to regulate the brand new drone.
Design and controller
- 1/1.28-inch sensor with a f/1.9 lens
- Collision detection
- Similar controller as Lite+
On preliminary inspection, the Evo Nano+ doesn’t diverge massively from the trail that the DJI Mavic Professional first trod again in 2016, with its folding arm idea.
Bodily, it is a very related measurement to the DJI Mini 2, although Autel has made some fascinating design decisions, presumably to scale back weight.
Autel EVO Nano+ Key Specs
Sensor: 1/1.28 inch (0.8 inch) CMOS
Video/max frame-rate: 4K/30p, 2.7K/30p, 1080/60p
Max bit-rate: 100Mbps
Stabilization: 3-axis gimbal
Transmission: Autel SkyLink
Max flight time: 28 minutes
Weight: 249g
Dimensions (folded): 142 x 94 x 55mm
Dimensions (unfolded): 260 x 325 x 55mm
The place the Lite+ appeared strong and capable of deal with the odd knock, the Nano+ is decidedly much less sturdy, and the physique has extra flex than is good in a couple of places.
A lot of the inherent rigidity of this design comes from the battery, and with out this put in the Nano+ ought to be dealt with rigorously.
In contrast to the DJI Mini 2, the Nano+ has no rear battery cowl door, and the ability button is conveniently built-in into the battery.
The batteries are rated at 2,250mAh (17.32Wh), weigh 83g and due to this fact symbolize roughly a 3rd of the whole mass of the Nano+. These present a quoted 28 minutes of flight time, which normally interprets right into a sensible 25 minutes of precise operation.
That’s rather less flying time than the DJI Mini 2 or Mini 3 Professional, however sufficient to get some use out of the drone earlier than contemplating returning to the take-off level.
Whereas we haven’t any official affirmation of this hunch, it appears to be like just like the designers of the Nano collection took a lot inspiration from the DJI Mini 2 specification and included at the very least three options right here which might be considerably higher than that top-rated product.
The primary of these is the 1/1.28-inch CMOS sensor coupled with a powerful PDAF (or phase-detection) and CDAF (contrast-detection) twin autofocus lens with an f/1.9 aperture. This sensor makes use of RYYB know-how to additional enhance the distinction vary, permitting for distinctive leads to low-light circumstances.
Whereas the sensor is an enchancment over the one within the Mini 2, it may well nonetheless solely seize video with a most decision of 4K at 30fps. General, at that decision, the video high quality exceeds the DJI Air 2S in some conditions, although that drone can shoot in 5.3K.
The second enhancement is three-way impediment avoidance, with sensors pointing forwards, rearwards and beneath. No facet sensors, however at the very least these ought to cease you from reversing right into a tree or home.
The ultimate enchancment over the DJI Mini 2 is the Autel Skylink connection know-how. Based mostly purely on specs, it seems to be on par with DJI’s Ocusync 3.0 and a major enchancment over the Ocusync 2.0 used on the Mini 2.
The Nano+ makes use of the identical controller that got here with the Evo Lite+, which is simple to make use of, responsive and has a incredible vary of as much as 10km (within the USA, much less in Europe).
In fact, it is essential to notice that flight restrictions in most areas don’t normally will let you fly that distant. However for these ready to observe the foundations, the prospect of changing into disconnected from the drone inside visible vary may be very low, even in places the place there may be numerous interference from different wi-fi know-how.
Our solely reservations in regards to the controller are that there is no such thing as a place on them to retailer the thumbsticks, and for no matter purpose, when linked to a telephone, the controller insists on charging that machine, decreasing the battery life considerably.
Consequently, the controller struggles to final lengthy sufficient for 3 full batteries of flight, and the concept of the controller shedding energy whereas the drone is airborne isn’t one we’d embrace.
Options and flight
- HDR and Log modes
- Nice transmission vary
- Monitoring nonetheless to return
Our expertise with the Nano+ was considerably combined. To be blunt, to carry you this overview, we totally demolished one in all Autel’s Evo Nano+ drones.
It was an unlucky accident the place the drone climbed vertically to 17.8m earlier than it misplaced all energy and subsequently crashed onto some concrete paving, smashing it into tiny items.
We’re sadly no wiser as to why that occurred now, because the telemetry contained no clues – and earlier than its premature demise, the identical drone had made a number of for much longer flights with none points.
Fortunately, Autel changed that very damaged drone with one which had all its motors connected, and we obtained to expertise what the Nano+ really has to supply.
When it takes flight, the Nano+ is kind of just like the Mini 2 in really feel, and anybody with expertise with that drone ought to really feel instantly assured with this one. It’s extremely controllable, and collision detection offers a level of confidence when shifting round homes and timber at a low stage.
Our solely problem with collision detection is that daylight hitting the sensors immediately could cause the detection system to see one thing that in actuality doesn’t exist. This can lead to a proximity warning whereas the drone is cruising at 300ft or extra, which is mildly off-putting and might spoil a superbly good shot.
It doesn’t take a lot to disable the function, however some work on avoiding these false readings may assist make it extra useful and fewer annoying.
A problem with this drone in its preliminary launch was its incapacity to realize the assault angle wanted for optimum pace. Autel has launched a number of firmware updates with progressive enhancements to flight efficiency.
With the most recent replace, the Nano+ can hit the quoted 15m/s prime pace utilizing ‘Ludicrous’ mode, one thing that those that fly in gusty circumstances would require to return towards the wind.
Whereas we’d favor to take the DJI Air 2S or Autel Evo Lite+ into the strongest winds, the Nano+ isn’t poor at dealing with these circumstances, in contrast to the unique DJI Mini.
Fly the Evo Lite+ as much as a kilometer away, and the transmission system relays good high quality video again to the telephone or pill, enabling a transparent view for these flying the drone.
As soon as past that vary, the standard drops to 720p, although in line-of-sight checks, we managed to go a lot additional out and retain each clear pictures and exact management of the drone.
If the Nano+ disconnects, it may well return to the launch level unaided if that was your selection within the Fly utility. When executing a return-to-home, the impediment avoidance is energetic, inflicting it to cease, however it gained’t fly round something that it finds in its path.
It appears unlikely that Autel will add automated navigation of that sort to the Nano+, although the Autel Fly utility has already undergone a number of main modifications since we used it with the Evo Lite+.
Many of those are to do with the digicam that we’ll talk about later, however the utility has been getting a collection of updates that each repair identified points and add new performance.
The promised function that’s nonetheless lacking is energetic subject-tracking, enabling the drone to lock onto an individual, animal or car and preserve it framed by the digicam even when it strikes.
Our expertise is that even when this function lastly arrives, we’d be cautious about utilizing it. This drone has no sideways sensors, and collision-detection can miss skinny twigs, wires and fast-moving wildlife.
What it does have are the standard automated pictures the place you decide a topic, and the drone flies round that time or zooms away in a traditional drone type.
There may be nothing revolutionary about any of those automated pictures, however the digicam and its seize choices present one thing that, earlier than the Nano+ launched, wasn’t obtainable on a drone weighing lower than 250g.
Video and picture high quality
- 1/1.28 inch (0.8-inch) CMOS sensor
- Wonderful low-light outcomes
- HDR and A-Log seize
When mini drones first appeared, flyers discovered to just accept some compromises as to what they might do, together with the standard of the video and nonetheless pictures they might produce.
The Autel Evo Nano+ takes these ideas and shreds them, offering picture high quality that we’d have related to a a lot heavier and dearer drone final yr (earlier than the arrival of the DJI Mini 3 Professional).
The place this 1/1.28 inch CMOS sensor is outstanding is within the quantity of dynamic vary it affords, making it extremely appropriate for capturing in low-light circumstances with out introducing extreme quantities of grain.
Nonetheless, the push to get this product to market has undermined it considerably within the modes it may well function in and the settings obtainable for the cinematographer to take advantage of.
Whereas we’d have liked to have seen 4K at 60fps, the standard of the 40K at 30fps on this drone is sweet and higher than we’ve seen from many prosumer designs.
A slight disappointment is that the utmost frame-rate in 2.7K is barely 30fps and 1080p is 60fps, making 1080p the one mode that permits for any diploma of slow-motion capturing.
Different points that we’ve observed embrace the oversharpening of the picture utilizing the default settings and the HDR mode.
It’s potential to shoot in a 10-bit A-Log mode, after which apply the quantity of sharpening and grading required in post-production, extending the workflow.
The one downside with A-Log is that the Fly utility doesn’t present a way to color the display screen to help in flying, making utilizing this mode much more of a problem.
Since we reviewed the Lite+, the best way that the Autel Fly utility reveals digicam management has radically modified, principally for the higher. Beforehand totally different controls had been used for video and nonetheless pictures, however now these are introduced collectively below a ‘shoot’ menu with widespread settings.
Nonetheless, there are nonetheless simply two management ranges, with ‘Auto’ and ‘Guide’ modes. Confusingly, HDR and A-Log video modes are additionally solely obtainable with Auto publicity mode, not with guide settings.
Why you may’t seize in Log, for instance, however have management over the frame-rate, or aperture, is a thriller, and we hope that it’s one thing Autel modifications quickly.
Because of gusty circumstances, getting a steady hyperlapse proved a problem in our checks, however it’s potential to stabilize it in post-production fairly simply. What’s required is the choice to make use of 2.7K with auto stabilization.
Our night time shoot was more easy and confirmed how a lot gentle this sensor can seize. One mistake we made was that we left the digicam in ‘auto’ publicity. When enjoying again the footage there’s a clear distinction between that in ISO 3200 and ISO 6400, with the latter having way more grain. We might advocate locking the ISO to 3200, because the outcomes are markedly higher.
There are additionally some barely curious restrictions on nonetheless pictures, particularly that it may well solely shoot single pictures within the highest 48MP decision. The truth that you may’t use this mode for panoramas is odd, and it solely captures in JPEG at this decision. These restrictions make it much less helpful, although it is perhaps helpful for creating maps.
In each video and nonetheless seize some work nonetheless must be completed by Autel to get essentially the most out of this sensor and lens mixture. However a few of the recordings and pictures we’ve taken with it present sturdy proof that the additional growth effort will nearly definitely be value it.
Ought to I purchase the Autel Evo Lite+?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
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