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Do you regret buying an Autel and think you should have bought MP2?

Yes I regret purchasing my EVO. I may be in the minority here but I love flying autonomous waypoint missions. The Evo's app (Autel Explorer)for waypoint missions is sorely lacking. I have a Bepop 2 Power, the App (FreeFlight Pro) is way more advanced. I would not buy a DJI product either. I would purchase a Parrot Anafi.
My Evo is for sale!
I too like the Anafi WP mode vs the Explorer method of nonlinear altitude adjustments and no poi. FF6 has multiple options for wp settings.

Still, the EVO kills it in video quality.
 
Love all your comments. I have a Typhoon H pro with intel sense, which was my first drone. However, I feel more confident flying my Evo since other folks have had a flyaways with their Typhoon. At the end of the day like Augustine said, "each has to decide what's most important to them". Enjoy your fly folks!!!!!!
 
Love all your comments. I have a Typhoon H pro with intel sense, which was my first drone. However, I feel more confident flying my Evo since other folks have had a flyaways with their Typhoon. At the end of the day like Augustine said, "each has to decide what's most important to them". Enjoy your fly folks!!!!!!
I find interesting that no matter the mfg, make or model, flyways are almost always the fault of the product. Review after review I see this. Post after post or FB groups with problems like this. Seldom seems to be the operator.
 
I wanted to get a step-up drone from my Spark, so I chose the Evo since:
  • it's easy to use
  • it does waypoints without 3rd-party software
  • the Evo has a FAR BETTER controller
  • it comes with a hardcase, 3 batteries and the drone for under USD $1200
  • I don't have to 'refresh' the software every couple months (like I do with my Spark)
  • the Evo is pretty crash-tolerant (yes I treed the Evo within a week of buying it, but I retrieved it and it works fine)
  • responsive user support
The only real annoyance for me: I use the Evo for orthophotography, and unfortunately software like ArcGIS Pro and DroneDeploy doesn't support the Evo (but they support DJI drones 'all day and twice on Sundays!').

Still: happy with my purchase; but now I need even more batteries...
 
I wanted to get a step-up drone from my Spark, so I chose the Evo since:
  • it's easy to use
  • it does waypoints without 3rd-party software
  • the Evo has a FAR BETTER controller
  • it comes with a hardcase, 3 batteries and the drone for under USD $1200
  • I don't have to 'refresh' the software every couple months (like I do with my Spark)
  • the Evo is pretty crash-tolerant (yes I treed the Evo within a week of buying it, but I retrieved it and it works fine)
  • responsive user support
The only real annoyance for me: I use the Evo for orthophotography, and unfortunately software like ArcGIS Pro and DroneDeploy doesn't support the Evo (but they support DJI drones 'all day and twice on Sundays!').

Still: happy with my purchase; but now I need even more batteries...
Apparently DroneDeploy and others have been given the SDK. This was back in Jan Feb '19 timeframe. Might be a little bit until you see it, or DJI will call them and crush that idea like they have with Anafi and other drones in direct competition. I don't think we will ever see anything because those co's don't want to deal with DJI.
 
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Apparently DroneDeploy and others have been given the SDK. This was back in Jan Feb '19 timeframe. Might be a little bit until you see it, or DJI will call them and crush that idea like they have with Anafi and other drones in direct competition. I don't think we will ever see anything because those co's don't want to deal with DJI.
Thanks for the info MTPro. Great for DJI that they're the 50-ton tank on the drone battlefield, not so great for us... ?
 
Thanks for the info MTPro. Great for DJI that they're the 50-ton tank on the drone battlefield, not so great for us... ?
Here's hoping that Autel does their own, or another third party app design can happen. I just don't see much from third party players given other mfg's are small piece of the pie. What would make Autel better is having their own feature set for 3D mapping, and a better Waypoint feature.
 
From my understanding DroneDeploy is still waiting for Autel to release the SDK. If you read their forums it would seem they have lost interest. Most interest was around 2017 for the XSP that never happened either. Seems DJI is winning the race with DroneDeploy.

 
After a week with the M2P and smart controller, and a few minor flights under my belt, I still don't "regret" having purchased my Evo. That orange beauty is still rock solid. The M2P sticks are much more finnicky to input though. Active track 2.0 is a lovely feature that I wish Autel would replicate. The M2P is not as user friendly from a camera setting standpoint IMO. There are far more settings/options to tinker with and maybe get wrong in manual mode....at least for non photographers like myself. LOL! So far I have experienced less than Evo like precision landing with the M2P and it has even come home and landed facing the opposite direction from which it was launched a few times....I haven't figured that one out yet. Flight characteristic's are similar in that it's solid as a rock in flight. I feel the Evo resists the wind a bit better, and the M2P seems a bit faster in it's regular flight mode. I do like the Evo batteries better, and at least on the smart controller, I have yet to be able to set my batteries up to discharge at a rate I choose. I do however prefer the way the M2P batteries mount compared to the Evo...much easier to remove from the bird. Obviously the low light camera capabilities of the M2P are much better than that of my Evo. I have been restricted flying at my house by the Geofencing, but I have overridden it within a minute every time. As far as I know, my home area is limited to 100' max altitude, but is NOT technically a complete NFZ....Well Dji says it's restricted. SMH. That's all I have for now. I need to log some more flight time and learn this pro's and con's of this thing. ?
 
Here's hoping that Autel does their own, or another third party app design can happen. I just don't see much from third party players given other mfg's are small piece of the pie. What would make Autel better is having their own feature set for 3D mapping, and a better Waypoint feature.
In a competitive market, the main player just by the nature of market share alone gains several advantages... bad or good, fact of business in any venue.

In the Consumer and Prosumer market that is DJI, in Enterprise market DJI was a minimal player and now a weak middle player seeking stronger share. Like them or not, business wise they do a great job climbing and acquiring businesses to improve their position... adding a few shipping lines, FLIR, Hasselblad, 2 Chiness IC chip manufactures (that Autel and others depend on), etc. into their Entity is business wise & strength.

Regarding software or accessory companies; When a development shop such as DroneDeploy or any of the multiple others: UgCS, AutoPilot, Map Pilot, DroneHarmony, etc. consider a new avenue with limited funds in budgets they want maximum ROI.

They look at market share of sUAV and weather gaining or loosing market share... particularly if they design unique app for platform similar to DJI apps.

Although DJI does have market authority, I think the inclusion or development for Autel products is more currently market share based and the development resources they want to place on platform. They're in it for success & profit, if they determined a profit is obtainable they'd provide a solution to include the platform regardless of their strong support for DJI.

Actually, DJI doesn't kill several competitors... they do some and like Autel, severely slowed the EVO release by controlling the IC chips. One that strikes this tactic of not directly attacking is the small Hex platform provided by Yuneec. This is a platform DJI could have easily added to drive Yuneec down. They (DJI) make multiple Hex & Octal large expensive platforms for years. Rumor is they are preparing a small Hex for the near future as Yuneec has gained a little ground with the H520 in Enterprise environment.

If Autel becomes more aggressive and introduces more product or associated products for platforms... increase sales and nibble at market share would have a better chance obtaining 3rd party support.
 
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In a competitive market, the main player just by the nature of market share alone gains several advantages... bad or good, fact of business in any venue.

In the Consumer and Prosumer market that is DJI, in Enterprise market DJI was a minimal player and now a weak middle player seeking stronger share. Like them or not, business wise they do a great job climbing and acquiring businesses to improve their position... adding a few shipping lines, FLIR, Hasselblad, 2 Chiness IC chip manufactures (that Autel and others depend on), etc. into their Entity is business wise & strength.

Regarding software or accessory companies; When a development shop such as DroneDeploy or any of the multiple others: UgCS, AutoPilot, Map Pilot, DroneHarmony, etc. consider a new avenue with limited funds in budgets they want maximum ROI.

They look at market share of sUAV and weather gaining or loosing market share... particularly if they design unique app for platform similar to DJI apps.

Although DJI does have market authority, I think the inclusion or development for Autel products is more currently market share based and the development resources they want to place on platform. They're in it for success & profit, if they determined a profit is obtainable they'd provide a solution to include the platform regardless of their strong support for DJI.

Actually, DJI doesn't kill several competitors... they do some and like Autel, severely slowed the EVO release by controlling the IC chips. One that strikes this tactic of not directly attacking is the small Hex platform provided by Yuneec. This is a platform DJI could have easily added to drive Yuneec down. They (DJI) make multiple Hex & Octal large expensive platforms for years. Rumor is they are preparing a small Hex for the near future as Yuneec has gained a little ground with the H520 in Enterprise environment.

If Autel becomes more aggressive and introduces more product or associated products for platforms... increase sales and nibble at market share would have a better chance obtaining 3rd party support.
Makes sense. Again, I don't expect to see much development from third party app providers being inclusive to Autel at the moment. Autel created some flight modes for use, they just need to tweak them so users do not have to rely on Litchi or other third party apps. Anafi has outstanding flight modes. Ala carte is fine if they have value. Not all users facilitate waypoints or orbits etc. If Autel made them, charged $29 for it, and it had waypoints with dynamic path/altitude/camera angles adjustments in flight from point to point, multiple POI, I'd buy it yesterday. They have the flight modes already, they just do not work well enough. Stopping each point for alt adjust, then proceeding might be good for a real time use with a client viewing your screen which I have done, but a more fluid path from point to point, with the camera tilt, smooth adjustment in flight say from alt of 50' to 100' at the next waypoint is crucial for video. Sure, you can modify in post if you want all that extra work. It also eats more battery the way it stops, adjusts alt, hovers, and then proceeds.

To me, Autel is going to have to redesign these flight modes. My guess is they are moving on to the next bird that will have some of those functions, better tracking capability, longer flight time, and a bigger sensor. It was made to compete with MP1 and in that it does an excellent job. Even compares well to the M2P video, but is outmatched for photo options. Still, an Evo FMC is under $1100 or cheaper on sales, and a M2P fmc is $1900.

Autel success is going to come from how well they support the products. So far, not bad, but not the greatest either. The flight mode fixes have been requested for 10 mos or better, especially waypoints. Gimbal tilt is workable, but many still saying it starts up off center, and they have to adjust the tilt every flight. Well, yeah but all of these units have gimbal tilt to a degree, especially in flight. Some settle in and sometimes they don't, especially after a hard turn. Might take a few seconds to level back out. Some expect that to be instantaneous, but to me I get the physical and electronic aspect of that nature.

I guess my point is if Autel can do it better, their rankings in the minds of the drone users will go higher. For now, they have a large hurdle.
 
Most diffidently Autel can do much better. The Anafi was released one week after the EVO. Parrot has been putting out updates like 9-0 and they are what people want for autonomous flights that Autel is lacking. People want a better Way point option for the EVO, they want a flat horizon, they want the SDK to get released so others can run with it. Parrot has in this short time done all that. If Autel wants to run with the big boys they better pull up their pants and get busy. I want them to succeed but it looks like they are still stuck at the starting gate. Everyone is still waiting for that dam multi-charger and they cannot even get that right. Someone needs to go in and clean house to get the ball rolling.
 
People are talking like this is the first round of what they are doing. Sorry to say but It's deja vu and it doesn't look like it's going to change unfortunately. The potential was there and is there again but it doesn't look like they are going to take that crucial step....... Again.
 
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And then you and I and a few others get flagged as people who don't like Autel LOL for telling the way its always been with Autel. I really do hope they get their act together but this has been going on for way to long. Drink the Autel pink lemonade everyone. You might have to wait a few years to get your EVO's anywhere close to the others.
 
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And then you and I and a few others get flagged as people who don't like Autel LOL for telling the way its always been with Autel. I really do hope they get their act together but this has been going on for way to long. Drink the Autel pink lemonade everyone. You might have to wait a few years to get your EVO's anywhere close to the others.
FWIW, and the low price paid for a flying 4K60 camera lighter and more compact than a P4P, I'm good with it. I sure think they can improve many things, but the reality is they probably won't. Not many mfg's do constant improvements on tech that have a shelf life of maybe 18-24 mos.

MP went as far as it did, and still has gimbal drift, slow settling after turns. Batteries on my MP's and P4P never saw the rated promised cycles, but the fine print never suggests as such. My Anafi battery failed as well. Hundred bucks, and about 61 flights. I get batteries are expendables.

Evo had early changes to the Explorer app, but I don't see them doing much more to it. As is, the WP mode and Orbit mode are workable. I've used them in many of the co jobs. I bought my own Evo after flying for the co. We have 3. We had several M2P's and got rid of 2 of them. Many many issues with M2P the co guys didn't like. At roughly $1920 for them each w fmc, they just didn't see them worth the expense when there was so much corrections required in post. Go4 apps were still problematic. We also have P4P's so our DJI end was covered. M2P did nothing to beat the P4's. Back they went. Anafi and Evo were bought instead. Then 2 additional of each were purchased for less cost than the M2P's.

Parrot did an exceptional job with the Anafi and the app. Evo simply kills with that video performance. Looks great every time, even if you have to correct a few spots in post or crop a prop. For those we just frame the shot more to an area outside of where the L screen prop would be. Given the much wider FOV of the EVO, prop shot is not a problem. We can crop in and get the prop out of view and have a similar fov perspective of the M2.

I really see Autel going for the next model. These things are like musicians and photographers now.. people buy all sorts of them and all sorts of accessories. Sell, trade, move on to the latest and greatest. What is GAS or gear acquisition syndrome for musicians is now Drone Acquisition Syndrome for those into the drone world. Most guys I fly with have 5 or more of each type, and most are not brand loyal. Every new guy at the local RC field here will start with a simple drone, and end up with 3 or 4 in under a year. Evo is super popular with them. Camera #1 reason. They don't care the battery doesn't last 30 min, and they don't care about the flight modes. It's a non issue. They want stellar pic and video to show on their 4K TV screens and brag about their vacations or kids sporting events.

I don't think most purchasers of the Evo are as concerned about the professional use or flight modes. It's not classed as such. Perhaps the next version will be. Perhaps Parrot enters a higher side market. Anafi has certainly done well. Most I know with Mavic Air sold them and bought Anafi. Air was simply too loud and annoying. Some bought Evo when it dropped to $999 FMC. That's just a killer drone for under a grand, that competes well enough in video quality with pro level drones.
 
I don't see the Evo and the MP2 as equivalents for price, but they are close when it comes to feature sets. I think the Air is closer to a competitor on price. Retail the Evo is more expensive, but with this sale or that sale you can get an EVO "fly more" package for about the same as the Air.

The Evo is better. Full stop. There are a few things where the Air might edge ahead on, but adding up the totals it isn't even close. I know it's a stupid thing to get hung up on, but the promise of waypoints and then the removal of that feature makes the Air a second tier drone. I know that you can use a 3rd party app to get this feature, but you shouldn't have to.

DJI lies about the ability of their products. They say that certain features can't be implemented because the hardware isn't robust enough. If that was true 3rd parties wouldn't be able to do those functions. This is true for their OSMO line as well as multiple of their drones. The OSMO+ was basically released then abandoned.
 
I don't see the Evo and the MP2 as equivalents for price, but they are close when it comes to feature sets. I think the Air is closer to a competitor on price. Retail the Evo is more expensive, but with this sale or that sale you can get an EVO "fly more" package for about the same as the Air.

The Evo is better. Full stop. There are a few things where the Air might edge ahead on, but adding up the totals it isn't even close. I know it's a stupid thing to get hung up on, but the promise of waypoints and then the removal of that feature makes the Air a second tier drone. I know that you can use a 3rd party app to get this feature, but you shouldn't have to.

DJI lies about the ability of their products. They say that certain features can't be implemented because the hardware isn't robust enough. If that was true 3rd parties wouldn't be able to do those functions. This is true for their OSMO line as well as multiple of their drones. The OSMO+ was basically released then abandoned.
Agree, EVO & MP2 aren't in the same bracket. The EVO resides in the middle between M1-MA and MP2.
For what it is, and it's SW limitations and lack of 3rd party support... it's a great little craft to get around NFZ when needed. If Litchi, AutoPilot or others would support, it'd probably be a lot better... similar to the MA gaining several features, including Waypoints via 3rd Party.

At the same time, I personally enjoy 3rd party tools for my large & small platforms. Over the development path, several features introduced by 3rd Party (Litchi, Autopilot, FPV, mapping tools, terrain modeling, etc) have later been adopted by DJI tools. Most of the time their DJI equivalents are less than the offerings by 3rd Party in the manor how the features are implemented or used. Another advantage to 3rd party, several use their own core kernel inplace of using DJI SDK which releases many restrictions within DJI software.

Overall, the 3rd party tools improve DJI toolsets, which is a gain for those that only use DJI tools.

On the OSMO, as of today they released a new Osmo Action to directly compete with GoPro.
 

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