Autel’s Latest 4K Nano Drone Offers Great Value

Drone manufacturer Autel is known for flagship drones such as the EVO Pro and EVO Pro Dual. Autel’s drones have been in close competition with DJI drones. Even in the sub-250 g segment, DJI’s Mini 2 is hard to beat. However, with the latest Autel EVO Nano series, the company is catching up. Autel’s latest 4K nano drone has promising features.

Autel Nano & Nano+ Specifications

Autel has introduced two variants: Nano & Nano+. The plus variant is packed with a larger sensor. Both models have 4K capabilities. The drones are the same in terms of flight performance and only differ in the camera payload.

Drone specifications

Camera Specifications

The Nano+ comes with a much larger sensor. The 0.8 sensor is nearly 87% times larger compared to the DJI Mini 2. Additionally, the camera features an increased ISO range compared to the Nano version. This will significantly improve the camera’s low-light performance.

The drone is limited to a flight time of 28 minutes. Taking into account the weather conditions and real-world usage, this may come down to 25 minutes. Twenty-five minutes is not a great flight time for a nano drone. However, considering the drone’s advanced obstacle avoidance system and a respectable transmission range of 10km (thanks to Autel’s top-of-the-line SkyLink video transmission system), the tradeoff isn’t too bad.

Subject Tracking and Cinematic Shots in a Nano Package

Autel has emphasized the drone’s superior subject tracking abilities. The drone can reportedly track fast-moving subjects with incredible precision through the PDAF + CDAF autofocus system. Coupled with obstacle avoidance (6 sensors), the Autel Nano and Nano+ could prove to be worthy DJI rivals.

The Nano drones also bring in automatic cinematic shots. This is quite similar to DJI’s Master Shots. Users can select from four cinematic shots. With the subject in focus, the drone will autonomously fly and capture a cinematic shot.

Shipping Delays

Autel is no stranger to shipping and production delays. Despite being announced early on, the Nano and even the EVO Lite drones have not yet been listed on the company’s official store. The company stated that shipping is expected to begin in February 2022. That’s over three months of delay. So if you’ve been waiting to get your hands on Autel’s flagship 4K nano drone in 2021, you will have to wait longer.

Nevertheless, Autel has pulled far ahead in the long-range UAV segment. The company had announced a fixed-wing VTOL UAV called the Dragonfish ahead of CES 2021. Read about the ultimate long-range drone here.