Autel Robotic EVO Drone to Challenge DJI Mavic Pro with 4K/60p

CES 2018 wasn’t just about autonomous prototype cars, AR/VR, new 4K cameras such as the Panasonic GH5s, and new smart phones, there were some new drones as well. At a major trade show such as CES it’s easy to get lost in the noise of new product announcements, but the announcement of the new EVO drone from quadcopter makers Autel Robotics stood out.

There’s a ton of consumer drones out there, but not many that offer compact portability, advanced features such as obstacle avoidance, a decent flight time and 4K/60p recording. Well, Autel Robotics did just announce the EVO, which seems to tick all these boxes.

The EVO is a compact, foldable drone, which shares a striking resemblance to the DJI Mavic Pro, however, unlike the Mavic Pro, the EVO is equipped with a 4K/60p stabilized camera. In addition, the EVO boasts advanced obstacle avoidance features such as rear, bottom and front sensors, multiple intelligent flight modes, and a remote controller with a 3.3-inch built-in OLED screen with live 720p HD dual band transmission and a 7km/4.3 miles range.

Autel EVO 4k drone

The EVO is also said to feature a great flight time for its size – at 30 minutes and a decent battery recharge time of 1.3 hrs.

the Autel Explorer app is compatible with both iOS and Android and it enables operators to access autonomous flight modes such as Orbit, GPS Follow, Dynamic Track, Viewpoint, and Waypoint mission planning.

Autel Robotics EVO Features

  • 4K UHD at 60fps
  • 3-axis gimbal stabilized camera
  • Front & Downward (Computer Vision)
  • Rear (IR Sensor) Obstacle Avoidance Systems
  • 3.3 Inch built-in OLED screen remote controller with 720p live video
  • 30-minute flight time
  • Speeds up to 20 meters per second
  • 4300 mAh Li-Po Battery, 1.3 hour recharge time
  • 7km (4.2 mi) Range
  • Autel Explorer app allowing for intelligent flight features
  • Price: TBD (expected to be around $1,000)
  • Release: 2018

Obstacle avoidance

3D Mapping

Dynamic Tracking – this is very impressive!

Pricing has not yet been officially confirmed, but Autel say they are aiming for a price point around $999 at launch. Availability has not been announced yet, Autel Robotics say they will be released closer to launch date sometime in 2018.

The announcement of the EVO ups the ante in the compact drone game, and I think it is inevitable that DJI will have to respond soon with a revised 4K-enabled version of their Mavic Pro, or a maybe even a Mavic Pro 2 with 4K/60p? Stay tuned.

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8 Comments

  1. Lee MJ Daley January 15, 2018
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