The Autel EVO 2 stands out in the rapidly evolving drone market with its impressive capabilities. This aircraft isn’t just another entry into the consumer drone space; it represents a significant leap forward in terms of camera quality and flight technology. With features such as a Sony 20MP camera capable of capturing up to 6K video, the EVO 2 sets a new standard for image quality among its peers. It is designed to cater to professionals and enthusiasts alike, offering various shooting modes including hyperlapse, HDR, and night mode, making it versatile across many applications.
Beyond its camera prowess, the EVO II distinguishes itself with an extensive suite of sensors that deliver omnidirectional obstacle avoidance, ensuring safe flights in complex environments. The aircraft boasts up to 40 minutes of flight time, a benchmark that gives users extended periods to capture the footage they need without frequent landings to change batteries. Its ability to identify up to 64 objects at once shows a sophisticated level of artificial intelligence not commonly found in civilian drones.
Balancing power and portability, the EVO II is also notable for its folding design, making it convenient to transport to various locations. Whether it is for capturing vivid landscapes or for conducting detailed inspections, the EVO II has proven its capability to perform in various conditions with reliability and high performance. This drone embodies the intersection of advanced photography and flight technology, offering a glimpse into the future of aerial imaging.
Design and Build
The Autel Robotics EVO 2 has been meticulously crafted to cater to the demands of high-performance drones, with a focus on strong construction and thoughtful design that enhances both usability and durability.
Aircraft Specifications
The EVO 2 sports a robust airframe reducing the surface area to minimize wind resistance, resulting in superior stability during flight. With a takeoff weight of 1.127 kilograms, it is both sturdy and relatively lightweight for its class. The drone’s specifications have been fine-tuned to deliver an optimal balance of performance and power efficiency.
Portability and Durability
Autel has designed the EVO 2 as a folding drone, which significantly enhances its portability. The folding mechanism is intuitive and ensures the drone can be compactly stored for travel. As for durability, the EVO 2‘s construction is rugged, designed to withstand the rigors of regular use in various environments, which speaks to its reliability and longevity.
Controller Design
The controller of the EVO 2 is equally well-designed, with an ergonomic build that ensures comfort and ease of control for extended periods. It features a built-in display, eliminating the need for a mobile device for flight information. The remote control boasts precision-engineered sticks for smooth maneuvering and precise piloting. This attention to the controller highlights its role as a critical interface between the pilot and the drone.
Camera and Imaging
The Autel EVO 2 is equipped with a powerful camera that brings professional-grade imaging and videography capabilities to users. With a high-resolution image sensor and a versatile camera system, it offers a range of features from capturing detailed stills to recording cinematic video footage in various resolution settings.
Image Sensor and Resolution
The EVO II series features a 1/2″ CMOS sensor for its standard model capable of capturing 48MP still photos, while the EVO II Pro boasts a 1-inch sensor with a 20MP count. These sensors allow for high-resolution photography, capturing intricate details with precision. Users can choose between JPEG and RAW format, facilitating robust post-production editing.
Camera Specifications
Equipped with an adjustable aperture ranging from f/2.8 to f/11, the EVO II Pro allows for precise control over depth of field and exposure. The camera’s ISO range enhances its performance in various lighting conditions, and users can expect crisp images with minimal noise reduction and vibrant color reproduction. The camera provides control over settings to optimize contrast and shadow details, delivering high dynamic range in photos.
Video Capabilities
Video enthusiasts can capitalize on the EVO II series offering 8K video resolution in the standard variant, while the EVO II Pro is capable of capturing 6K video, scaling down to 4K HDR for enhanced color and detail. The series supports a 10-bit A-Log color profile, granting exceptional post-production flexibility. With frame rates adjustable depending on the resolution, users can shoot at H.264 and achieve HDR video capture, which is perfect for scenes with high contrast.
Advanced Imaging Features
Autel EVO 2 drones come with an array of advanced imaging features, such as HDR for photos to improve the dynamic range in complex lighting. For video, the drones offer Hyper-Light, a feature designed specifically to enhance image quality in low-light conditions by reducing noise. In addition to standard camera modes, the EVO II Pro provides multiple intelligent shooting modes, enabling users to focus on framing the perfect shot while the drone takes care of the complex camera settings.
Performance and Capabilities
Autel EVO 2 stands out with its combination of advanced flight capabilities and intelligent flight modes, tailored to deliver both power and precision in aerial operations.
Flight Performance
The Autel EVO 2 excels with a maximum flight time of up to 40 minutes, positioning it amongst the top-tier drones for extended airborne endurance. It boasts a top speed of 45 mph, showcasing robust flight dynamics that facilitate rapid transit and efficient coverage of large areas. Enhanced battery technology contributes to this impressive flight endurance and performance level.
When considering stability in flight, the EVO 2 maintains precise positioning even in challenging conditions, which is a testament to its sophisticated onboard systems that ensure steady and stable aerial footage.
Flight Intelligence and Modes
Autel EVO 2 incorporates advanced flight modes and obstacle avoidance mechanisms. The drone features 360° obstacle avoidance, often referred to as omnidirectional obstacle avoidance, which fortifies its ability to navigate safely in complex environments. The Dynamic Track system is another hallmark, allowing the drone to follow moving subjects with remarkable accuracy.
The drone’s intelligence is further demonstrated through user-friendly flight modes, such as precision flight options, that simplifies complex maneuvers for both seasoned pilots and beginners alike. This level of flight intelligence ensures that the EVO 2 is not just capable but also accessible.
Software and Accessories
The Autel EVO 2 offers an integrated suite of software and a range of accessories designed for versatility, extended functionality, and an enhanced user experience. These include essential software integrations, a comprehensive array of accessory options, and robust connectivity and storage solutions.
Software Integration
Autel Robotics ensures seamless flight and media management with the Autel Explorer App, enabling pilots to control their EVO 2 with ease and precision. The app provides advanced flight modes, autonomous features, and the ability to adjust camera settings and parameters for optimal capture. DJI’s offerings, such as with the Mavic Air 2 and Mavic 2, are recognized benchmarks in the industry, but Autel’s proprietary software solutions offer competitive quality and a user-friendly experience tailored specifically to EVO 2’s hardware capabilities.
Accessory Options
EVO 2’s versatility is enhanced by an array of accessories. Pilots can extend the drone’s capability with a LiveDeck, allowing for live streaming of the drone’s video feed to a display. The zoom functionality improves with dedicated zoom accessories, which complement the EVO 2’s native camera features. Unlike the DJI Mavic 2, Autel offers a color display accessory that enriches the piloting experience with high-resolution feedback straight from the drone’s cameras.
Connectivity and Storage
For connectivity, EVO 2 supports a range of cables, including a USB-C port for fast data transfer and a Lightning cable for Apple devices. The drone’s transmission range is designed to meet the needs of extensive aerial photography and videography without compromising signal integrity. Storage is not an issue, as it comes equipped with a slot for a MicroSD card, providing ample space for high-resolution footage and easy transferability of data. The comprehensive connectivity and storage solutions make the EVO 2 a competitive choice for professionals and enthusiasts alike.
Comparisons and Alternatives
In exploring the landscape of drone technology, it’s essential to compare the Autel EVO II series with its industry counterparts and examine the different models within the series to understand their specific offerings and advantages.
Against Competitors
The EVO II stands as a competitive alternative to DJI’s line, particularly when contrasted with the Mavic Air 2 and the Mavic 2. Autel’s drone boasts robust features such as an 8K video capability, a point of distinction over the 4K resolution of the Mavic Air 2. When pitted against the DJI Mavic 2, the EVO II series impresses with modular camera options and longer battery life, affirming it as a solid choice for both professional and recreational users.
Model Variants
The EVO II series includes several variants to cater to diverse user needs. The EVO II is recognized for its high-resolution 8K video capture. The EVO II Pro, appreciated for its 6K video through a 1-inch sensor, offers professional-grade image quality and camera control. For specialized tasks, the EVO II Dual combines an optical and a thermal camera, which is particularly suitable for commercial applications such as inspection or search and rescue missions. These variants allow users to select a drone that aligns closely with their specific requirements, whether it’s high-resolution imaging or multifunctional utility.
Use Cases and Applications
The Autel EVO 2 is a versatile drone series that caters to a broad spectrum of applications, ranging from professional tasks that utilize its advanced thermal imaging capabilities, to creative enterprises that exploit its high-quality optical sensor for capturing stunning visual content.
Professional Usage
Professionals often select the Autel EVO 2 for its dual-capability payloads, which combine potent thermal camera technology with optical sensors. This kind of integration is pivotal for tasks such as thermal mapping, where capturing heat signatures is just as important as obtaining visual snapshots. In sectors like search and rescue, infrastructure inspection, or land surveying, these capabilities allow for the efficient collection of data in both 2D and 3D formats. Specifically, the EVO II Dual model has been highlighted for providing an entry-level solution for thermal imaging needs.
When it comes to the broader applications of mapping and surveying, the EVO 2’s capability to capture high-resolution images allows for the creation of detailed post-production materials. With color depth reaching up to 10-bit and the ability to produce a spectrum of over 1 billion colors, professionals can expect sublime picture quality that enhances the interpretability of the resulting image quality.
Creative and Recreational
For the creative individual, the Autel EVO 2 drone’s visual sensor shines, particularly when capturing high resolution, vibrant footage. Its top-tier models offer unprecedented 8K video quality for consumer drones, allowing for breathtaking scenic captures and detailed close-ups. Whether in the realm of filmmaking, real estate photography, or even just hobbyist aerial shots, the capabilities of the EVO 2 drone’s camera ensure that colors appear true to life and that the image quality is of a professional standard. The drone’s robust post-production options allow artists to finely-tune their work, pushing creative boundaries with confidence and reliability.
Operational Guidance
The Autel EVO 2 offers robust operational capabilities, emphasizing flight safety and ease of maintenance. Operators benefit from advanced technology like omnidirectional obstacle avoidance and a user-friendly interface with the Explorer App.
Flight Safety
The Autel EVO 2 drone is equipped with an advanced omnidirectional obstacle avoidance system. This system utilizes 12 visual sensors to form a thorough perception of the environment, allowing the drone to navigate safely around obstacles. The airframe design also contributes to flight safety, providing stable flight characteristics even in challenging weather conditions.
- Key Features to Enhance Safety:
- Omnidirectional obstacle avoidance
- Stable airframe design
- Real-time mapping via Explorer App
The aircraft’s lens and focus systems are designed to deliver precision imagery while maintaining a safe operational distance from objects, bolstering the EVO 2’s ability to maneuver safely during complex flights.
Maintenance and Care
Proper care of the Autel EVO 2 drone ensures long-term functionality and reliability. One critical component, the battery, requires routine monitoring for health and charge levels. Always store the battery at an appropriate temperature and charge level, as outlined in the user manual.
- Maintenance Tips:
- Regular firmware updates through the Explorer App
- Battery health checks before and after flights
- Cleaning the lens and airframe to remove debris
The remote control is a vital link between the drone and the pilot. Maintain its functionality by keeping the antennas properly aligned and the control device free of dirt and damage. Frequent checks and updates via the Explorer App will keep both the drone and remote control in sync and functioning optimally.
Advanced Features
Autel Robotics’ EVO II series brings several advanced features to the table, enhancing flight modes, tracking precision, and image capturing capabilities for aerial photography and videography.
Special Flight Modes
The EVO II supports Ludicrous Mode, enabling the drone to accelerate more rapidly and fly at high speeds, suitable for capturing fast-moving subjects. In addition to this, Orbit and Timelapse modes add dynamic perspectives and creative options. Orbit mode allows the drone to circle an object, providing a seamless 360-degree view, while Timelapse empowers users to capture compressed time sequences with stability and clarity.
Tracking and Navigation
With Dynamic Track 2.0, the EVO II excels in subject tracking and navigating complex environments. This advanced auto-tracking technology utilizes flight intelligence systems to predict the subject’s path and maneuver around obstacles. Moreover, the drone is equipped with high precision GPS to ensure reliable and accurate positioning, crucial for keeping the drone’s trajectory steady and the footage stable.
Imaging and Post-Production
The EVO II series’ camera system boasts an impressive ISO range and aperture range, providing versatility in various lighting conditions. Users can manipulate motion blur and depth of field through the adjustable aperture range from f/2.8-f/11. Additionally, the camera features 2D and 3D noise reduction technologies, enhancing image clarity. Post-production flexibility is crucial for professionals, and with up to 12-bit A-log, users get a broader color profile to work within editing suites, offering expansive post-production possibilities.