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My initial complaints of the Evo.

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399AGL

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I've just sold my Mavic pro and gotten an Evo. I really want to like it, but I find myself getting annoyed by so many things. Some minor but others are big problems.

Does anyone else mirror my sentiments below?

- Have to update firmware for every battery rather than just the drone.
- Batteries are hard to install and remove.
- Buttons on the underside of controller are accidentally pressed -- also can't assign functions to them.
- Can't really put down controller without worrying about bending wire connected to phone and controller.
- Stream doesn't cache on phone.
- Photos cached to phone are really low quality thumbnails.
- Controller charges phone and drains controller. Can't turn off charging of my phone.
- Can't change EXP of pitch or roll -- only yaw.
- When I move the gimbal (and yaw) then let go, the motion is abruptly stopped rather than smoothly coming to a stop.
- Waypoints corners are sharp rather than rounded and smooth.
- If there are height changes between Waypoints, the Evo doesn't gradually change elevation while traveling to the next point. It changes height at the waypoint while hovering, which breaks the horizonal flow of the video.
- When creating Waypoints using the actual drone and flying to each waypoint, the aircraft heading isn't saved no matter what setting I use. I have to manually go in and set the degrees of each waypoint.
- Spelling error "remoter controller" after updating firmware
- Rear cover over the paring button is impossible to open without a butter knife.
 
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Welcome to the forums!

As both a DJI and Autel pilot I can tell you that every drone has it's flaws. Some prefer one over the other. There is no 1 perfect drone that will achieve everything for you, or that is how I feel.

My Evo is my to go drone when I want to fly for fun. It is a fun bird to fly. If you learn how to use the options to your benefit, you can achieve things that you simply couldn't with other drones.

Here is an example about what I mean:


I don't know what your real intent is for purchasing a drone, but if you record videos, once you learn to play with 4K60, it's hard to use anything else. I for one love to take my drone and record my buddies playing soccer. Anything else slower than 60fps just doesn't cut it.

Anyways, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. In here there are many members who will help you understand and enjoy your new Evo.

Just make sure to use the search function, in case someone else has already asked your question and has an answer.
 
I've just sold my Mavic pro and gotten an Evo. I really want to like it, but I find myself getting annoyed by so many things. Some minor but others are big problems.

Does anyone else mirror my sentiments below?

- Have to update firmware for every battery rather than just the drone.
- Batteries are hard to install and remove.
- Buttons on the underside of controller are accidentally pressed -- also can't assign functions to them.
- Can't really put down controller without worrying about bending wire connected to phone and controller.
- Stream doesn't cache on phone.
- Photos cached to phone are really low quality thumbnails.
- Controller charges phone and drains controller. Can't turn off charging of my phone.
- Can't change EXP of pitch or roll -- only yaw.
- When I move the gimbal (and yaw) then let go, the motion is abruptly stopped rather than smoothly coming to a stop.
- Waypoints corners are sharp rather than rounded and smooth.
- If there are height changes between Waypoints, the Evo doesn't gradually change elevation while traveling to the next point. It changes height at the waypoint while hovering, which breaks the horizonal flow of the video.
- When creating Waypoints using the actual drone and flying to each waypoint, the aircraft heading isn't saved no matter what setting I use. I have to manually go in and set the degrees of each waypoint.
- Spelling error "remoter controller" after updating firmware
- Rear cover over the paring button is impossible to open without a butter knife.
Here's my take on the EVO, as I own a Parrot also and have many flights on that bird.

I have not found that I have to update for every battery.
Yes, batteries are harder to install and especially uninstall but that is the way it is.
I initially constantly pressed the underside buttons, have trained myself not to.

As far as the rest, it is a matter of learning to work around said issues.

I will say that flying my Anafi is actually more fun and relaxing but the EVO camera quality nails it. There is a learning curve to the EVO but once you start to master it, then my opinion it's probably one of the best consumer drones out there. All drones have their quirks, just ask DJI owners-LOL.
 
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I've just sold my Mavic pro and gotten an Evo. I really want to like it, but I find myself getting annoyed by so many things. Some minor but others are big problems.

Does anyone else mirror my sentiments below?

- Have to update firmware for every battery rather than just the drone.
This is dumb. Should be an easier way to update battery firmware, but every "smart battery" for drones has to be updated one at a time. DJI too, just their forced OTA updates seem easier.
- Batteries are hard to install and remove.
Compared to the number of people who complain about Spark batteries falling off I'll take this. That said, make sure to NOT push on the button when it's sitting on it's legs. Seems a lot of pressure for the legs, I lift the drone and hold under the metal frame, which also seems to make the button easier to push.
- Buttons on the underside of controller are accidentally pressed -- also can't assign functions to them.
This is dumb. They say they'll be programmable eventually. I cut out some sticky mat material my wife has for some crafts to make a ring around the buttons. Now I don't press them as often. (Still occasionally bring up the library when I first grab it.)
- Can't really put down controller without worrying about bending wire connected to phone and controller.
I don't understand this? To me with the "grips" out it protects the cord? If anything i could see worrying about the antennas? but not the cords?
- Stream doesn't cache on phone.
Good. I hate the stupid pointless low res cache on the phone from my Spark. It's unusable for anything accept wasting space.
- Photos cached to phone are really low quality thumbnails.
See above. I'd rather turn these off. I hate all the folders of crap images.
- Controller charges phone and drains controller. Can't turn off charging of my phone.
Sadly that seems to be true with all of the ones you plug a phone into. If I use the micro USB to usb-c it doesn't seem to do it. IF I use the big USB to usb-c it definitely does.
- Can't change EXP of pitch or roll -- only yaw.
hadn't noticed this. That's annoying.
- When I move the gimbal (and yaw) then let go, the motion is abruptly stopped rather than smoothly coming to a stop.
That's good? When I let go of movement I don't want it to adjust another 3-5 degrees to "gradually" slow down. Seems you just slowly stop adjusting if you want it to look smooth. I tend to try and stop recording and almost never have usable video of gimbal movement. The only exception is if I do a up and away flight video. (Dronie but i hate that word) Then I am slowly angling the gimbal as it flies away.
- Waypoints corners are sharp rather than rounded and smooth.
Yea, there are definitely times to have rounded corners vs sharp angles.. I wish you had the choice here, but that's software.
- If there are height changes between Waypoints, the Evo doesn't gradually change elevation while traveling to the next point. It changes height at the waypoint while hovering, which breaks the horizonal flow of the video.
Also software, and also wish you had the choice. I also wish you had the choice for how to handle it easier in DJI and Litchi.
- When creating Waypoints using the actual drone and flying to each waypoint, the aircraft heading isn't saved no matter what setting I use. I have to manually go in and set the degrees of each waypoint.
Never tried this. Seems like I can see it both ways, but once again, a choice of which to do would be nice. save waypoints of a flight, and let me "steer" the camera. (Great for following a parade, cars, boats, etc) Or just "save an entire flight filming with the direction changes etc" (Great for construction progress, change in seasons, etc)
- Spelling error "remoter controller" after updating firmware
haha, typos are fun. Good catch. I missed that one.
- Rear cover over the paring button is impossible to open without a butter knife.
never noticed, cause mine just worked. but at least it's covered so you don't accidentally push it. :)
 
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I appreciate the detailed reply. What you said about saving an entire flight (regarding Waypoints) made me really want that! That would be incredible!

I hear you, regarding the cached files taking up space and making folders. I tend to like to review what I've shot to make sure I actually got the shot and I don't need to re-do it. As of now with the Evo, if I'm not looking at the screen all the time, I can't be sure that I nailed the shot.

Maybe I'm too precious with thinking I'll damage a wire, but you're right about the antennas. I have to angle my phone down to move the center of gravity and protect the antennas.

Anyway, I appreciate the communication and feedback.
 
Here's my take on the EVO, as I own a Parrot also and have many flights on that bird.

I have not found that I have to update for every battery.
Yes, batteries are harder to install and especially uninstall but that is the way it is.
I initially constantly pressed the underside buttons, have trained myself not to.

As far as the rest, it is a matter of learning to work around said issues.

I will say that flying my Anafi is actually more fun and relaxing but the EVO camera quality nails it. There is a learning curve to the EVO but once you start to master it, then my opinion it's probably one of the best consumer drones out there. All drones have their quirks, just ask DJI owners-LOL.

Yeah... I guess I know each drone had its quirks. Call me disillusioned, but I realize this is how I felt after being exasperated by Windows and moving to Mac, only to find just as many different issues.

That's interesting that you didn't have to update the firmware for every battery you have. I had prior knowledge of this, so I was expecting it and kept my internet connection on. Did you update to the current one that had boat mode? I presume since it's a big one, all batteries need to be updated.

Thanks for the reply.
 
I appreciate the detailed reply. What you said about saving an entire flight (regarding Waypoints) made me really want that! That would be incredible!

I hear you, regarding the cached files taking up space and making folders. I tend to like to review what I've shot to make sure I actually got the shot and I don't need to re-do it. As of now with the Evo, if I'm not looking at the screen all the time, I can't be sure that I nailed the shot.

Maybe I'm too precious with thinking I'll damage a wire, but you're right about the antennas. I have to angle my phone down to move the center of gravity and protect the antennas.

Anyway, I appreciate the communication and feedback.
Have you tried accesing the in app gallery. It downloads the photos straight from the drone OTA.
 
Yeah... I guess I know each drone had its quirks. Call me disillusioned, but I realize this is how I felt after being exasperated by Windows and moving to Mac, only to find just as many different issues.

That's interesting that you didn't have to update the firmware for every battery you have. I had prior knowledge of this, so I was expecting it and kept my internet connection on. Did you update to the current one that had boat mode? I presume since it's a big one, all batteries need to be updated.

Thanks for the reply.
Only the previous firmware needed battery upgrade. 1.4.9 did not. If it asked you to update, is because you skipped a firmware.
 
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Have you tried accesing the in app gallery. It downloads the photos straight from the drone OTA.
I haven't actually. Thanks for pointing it out. I missed that. That solves half of my cache wish.

I I guess if I want to review videos, I'll just screen record.
 
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I haven't actually. Thanks for pointing it out. I missed that. That solves half of my cache wish.

I I guess if I want to review videos, I'll just screen record.
I will be honest. I haven't actually tried to open a video through the gallery. If it's anything like DJI, it should download a 720p video into your mobile device. Will try that next time I fly.
 
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It won't DL the video, but it stores a cache which is "good enough" to make sure you see something. I usually bring it back and pull the mem card then watch via reader. Trying to DL a 4k 60fps giant video file would take more than the flight time prolly haha
 
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It won't DL the video, but it stores a cache which is "good enough" to make sure you see something. I usually bring it back and pull the mem card then watch via reader. Trying to DL a 4k 60fps giant video file would take more than the flight time prolly haha
That's good to know. For some reason I overlooked the gallery. I saw the images in the flight records and figured that's all there was. I appreciate the feedback.
 
Update: So I tried downloading a video with the in app gallery. Here is the message I got. So keep in mind that you will have to record in 1080p if you want to download the video into your mobile device, but if you record in 4K, it will allow you to preview the video directly from the drone.

E6031913-74DC-45F6-BB24-0267055A45B8.png
 
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I have no issues with the battery removal and the back buttons were a pain until I bought button protectors. I've posted in other threads that Misson planner is very basic and rarely much use to me. Sadly, if they haven't improved it by now, I'm not sure that they will. Hopefully a developer will use the SDK (if it even exists) to port the EVO.

I get the impression that autel expected far better sales of the EVO and have dialed back development.
 
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I've just sold my Mavic pro and gotten an Evo. I really want to like it, but I find myself getting annoyed by so many things. Some minor but others are big problems.

Does anyone else mirror my sentiments below?

- Have to update firmware for every battery rather than just the drone.
- Batteries are hard to install and remove.
- Buttons on the underside of controller are accidentally pressed -- also can't assign functions to them.
- Can't really put down controller without worrying about bending wire connected to phone and controller.
- Stream doesn't cache on phone.
- Photos cached to phone are really low quality thumbnails.
- Controller charges phone and drains controller. Can't turn off charging of my phone.
- Can't change EXP of pitch or roll -- only yaw.
- When I move the gimbal (and yaw) then let go, the motion is abruptly stopped rather than smoothly coming to a stop.
- Waypoints corners are sharp rather than rounded and smooth.
- If there are height changes between Waypoints, the Evo doesn't gradually change elevation while traveling to the next point. It changes height at the waypoint while hovering, which breaks the horizonal flow of the video.
- When creating Waypoints using the actual drone and flying to each waypoint, the aircraft heading isn't saved no matter what setting I use. I have to manually go in and set the degrees of each waypoint.
- Spelling error "remoter controller" after updating firmware
- Rear cover over the paring button is impossible to open without a butter knife.
But the best thing about the EVO is no geofencing. Where I live in the northeast the geofencing can be a real pain. I still have my Mavic Air, but traded my Phantom in the Evo.
 
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But the best thing about the EVO is no geofencing. Where I live in the northeast the geofencing can be a real pain. I still have my Mavic Air, but traded my Phantom in the Evo.
Not true. EVO is already fully geofenced by Autel. They just haven't flipped the switch yet in the U.S. to make it mandatory, like they already have in China, choosing to display an unremovable dialog box over your FPV, continuously warning you of being in a geofenced zone. Good luck trying to fly and compose your video or photo with a constant dialog box over the screen! Should the FAA at any time mandate geofencing, Autel will simply flip the switch, and prohibit flight in all the already embedded geofenced zones!
 
Not true. EVO is already fully geofenced by Autel. They just haven't flipped the switch yet in the U.S. to make it mandatory, like they already have in China, choosing to display an unremovable dialog box over your FPV, continuously warning you of being in a geofenced zone. Good luck trying to fly and compose your video or photo with a constant dialog box over the screen! Should the FAA at any time mandate geofencing, Autel will simply flip the switch, and prohibit flight in all the already embedded geofenced zones!

This is the first I‘ve heard about that! Where did you get that information? If you could provide a link I would greatly appreciate it.
 
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