Will YOU be buying the Autel EVO?

Tommy Molnar · Jan 20, 2018

rkyleh said:
Right now I can see no reason to buy one. My premier does everything I want without hesitation.

I'm with you rkyleh. So far, my XSP has given me no reason to replace it, or even add an Evo to my 'fleet'. My pumpkin already flies way beyond my ability to follow it visually (over a mile) and the camera is almost peerless (currently anyway). It's as easy to fly as it gets, fights the wind "with great vigor" (a President Kennedy used to say), never fails to take off or land, and so far, hasn't flown away or crashed. What's wrong with that?

HiloHawaiian · Jan 20, 2018

Agustine took the words outta my keyboard. Let’s wait and see what the release version looks like. The removable gimbal was a big deal, b/c image quality is a huge deal, since I’ve spent decades in corporate photography/videography. No doubt it’s cheaper to ax the complexities of a removable gimble, but....

I broke a camera on a bad early crash, and saved a bundle not having to replace the XSP entirely. At that time, (4-17), I inquired about the promised 1” sensor camera, (it was coming mid-2017!). The big sensors on my Nikon D810’s are astonishingly good, so I was drooling... My continued investment in the XSP & Autel was largely based on this camera being developed................................

So far, it seems the EVO is using a newer version of the same XSP sensor (true?), with improvements where they can be made (lens, Image processor, gimbal, etc.). So, I’ll wait and see how it shakes-out, and continue flying the XSP’s as long as I can buy batteries!

rkyleh · Jan 20, 2018

I have no need for one right now. But I like the size and the range, if it shoots videos as good as the premier then I am hooked.
I will never base a purchase on anything I buy because of a salesman's promise or someone's idea for a prototype that is just foolish. And I sure won't spend anytime whining bout it when I don't get it because it wasn't there in the first d++n place.

Jagerbomb52 · Jan 20, 2018

Reading a lot about these 1 " sensors in UAV cameras. Since they have to go into these very small cameras on the UAV's they have to be downsized from what is being said. The reason is to keep everything small. Other wise you end up with a camera to heavy for the UAV. This is what happened to the gopro karma. It could not carry the weight of the cameras and end up dropping from the sky. They also say the image from these sensors need to be cropped. I'm guessing because of the lens size on the small camera. So if this is true just how much improvement are we actually going to get with the 1 inch sensor?

HiloHawaiian · Jan 20, 2018

Agustine said:
Reading a lot about these 1 " sensors in UAV cameras. Since they have to go into these very small cameras on the UAV's they have to be downsized from what is being said. The reason is to keep everything small. Other wise you end up with a camera to heavy for the UAV. This is what happened to the gopro karma. It could not carry the weight of the cameras and end up dropping from the sky. They also say the image from these sensors need to be cropped. I'm guessing because of the lens size on the small camera. So if this is true just how much improvement are we actually going to get with the 1 inch sensor?

Great point. Image quality today is generally a marriage of lens, sensor, image processor, and S/W. Compromise any of those areas, and problems arise. Cropping sensor output kinda defeats the purpose of a bigger sensor, doesn’t it?

Dan · Jan 20, 2018

We'll if the previous post on the data sheet is correct, the sensor (1/2.3" Exmore R CMOS Sensor) used in this drone will be interesting to see how it compares to the sensor in the mavic

HiloHawaiian · Jan 20, 2018

Dan said:
We'll if the previous post on the data sheet is correct, the sensor (1/2.3" Exmore R CMOS Sensor) used in this drone will be interesting to see how it compares to the sensor in the mavic

Yup..... Nikon, via in-house coding, has consistently gotten better overall results from Sony sensors than Sony does with their own cameras...

HiloHawaiian · Jan 20, 2018

And, the data throughput from larger sensors is enormous. Nikon found that out on the D800, with 36MP RAW images — every 15 images filled the buffer, and the camera paused... Video was limited to 1080p, but 4K throughput from a big sensor must be huge...

Jagerbomb52 · Jan 20, 2018

On Jan 23rd if DJI drops a UAV weighing less than 250 grams and does everything the EVO and Mavic does they will blow everyone else out of the air. Their little teaser suggest something folding and something very small but powerful. With our Canadian laws being very restrictive for anything over 250 grams something smaller would have my full attention

HiloHawaiian · Jan 20, 2018

Agustine said:
On Jan 23rd if DJI drops a UAV weighing less than 250 grams and does everything the EVO and Mavic does they will blow everyone else out of the air. Their little teaser suggest something folding and something very small but powerful. With our Canadian laws being very restrictive for anything over 250 grams something smaller would have my full attention

How restrictive? Wow, can anyone match their RD budget? OK, besides Apple?

Jagerbomb52 · Jan 20, 2018

Lets just say if you come to Canada do not bring a UAV to video your trip.

Jagerbomb52 · Jan 20, 2018

This is just the basic but unless you are way out in the country like I am there is not much room to fly.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/media/documents/ca-opssvs/Flying_for_fun_EN-V8.pdf

MaduroMan · Jan 21, 2018

Quadrotor said:
A variety of points of view that most of us probably share to varying degrees already have been expressed. I will only add that regardless of whether someone flies as a hobby, business, or some mix of both; and regardless of the relative importance of that compared to other aspects of their life and available resources; given the technical complexities of modern drones and rapidly improving designs it seems way premature to decide now on the future purchase of a particular model that may become available at some unknown date.

-- Totally Agree --

MaduroMan · Jan 21, 2018

Autel EVO Drone Demonstration CES 2018

HiloHawaiian · Jan 21, 2018

Agustine said:
This is just the basic but unless you are way out in the country like I am there is not much room to fly.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/media/documents/ca-opssvs/Flying_for_fun_EN-V8.pdf

Wow, that’s pretty restrictive. Who enforces it? Soooooooo, if it’s under 250g, you can fly in many more places, fly higher and further? I bet they restrict 250g drones at some point as well, if they get fairly capable.

Smartphone cameras are damn small, and produce good results in controlled circumstances. While I dream of bigger sensors for better gradation, noise reduction, etc., might an iPhone X camera be good enough for most folks? Think of the weight savings!

Jagerbomb52 · Jan 21, 2018

250 gram still will have some restriction as as it should but it would be considered one of those toy grade drones.
I have not been paying attention to the daily upgraded regs that Transport Canada puts out so things might have already changed LOL
I get frustrated everytime I read the rules. Not say we don't need them but they do not need to be so restrictive.
Who is going to enforce them you ask? Why the police have been taxed with that duty. In between fighting real crime. Where I live you are lucky to see a cop once a day.
Rules and regs are changing all over. Canada, the UK and the US. Big changes are happening in the US with giving states and counties the right to make their own drone laws up.
The FAA is giving up the power because they know they cannot do it all.
Canada Gazette – Regulations Amending the Canadian Aviation Regulations (Unmanned Aircraft Systems)

HiloHawaiian · Jan 21, 2018

Agustine said:
250 gram still will have some restriction as as it should but it would be considered one of those toy grade drones.
I have not been paying attention to the daily upgraded regs that Transport Canada puts out so things might have already changed LOL
I get frustrated everytime I read the rules. Not say we don't need them but they do not need to be so restrictive.
Who is going to enforce them you ask? Why the police have been taxed with that duty. In between fighting real crime. Where I live you are lucky to see a cop once a day.
Rules and regs are changing all over. Canada, the UK and the US. Big changes are happening in the US with giving states and counties the right to make their own drone laws up.
The FAA is giving up the power because they know they cannot do it all.
Canada Gazette – Regulations Amending the Canadian Aviation Regulations (Unmanned Aircraft Systems)

Absolutely right...

HiloHawaiian · Jan 21, 2018

Agustine said:
250 gram still will have some restriction as as it should but it would be considered one of those toy grade drones.
I have not been paying attention to the daily upgraded regs that Transport Canada puts out so things might have already changed LOL
I get frustrated everytime I read the rules. Not say we don't need them but they do not need to be so restrictive.
Who is going to enforce them you ask? Why the police have been taxed with that duty. In between fighting real crime. Where I live you are lucky to see a cop once a day.
Rules and regs are changing all over. Canada, the UK and the US. Big changes are happening in the US with giving states and counties the right to make their own drone laws up.
The FAA is giving up the power because they know they cannot do it all.
Canada Gazette – Regulations Amending the Canadian Aviation Regulations (Unmanned Aircraft Systems)

My God. I read as much as I could stand, w/o going face down on the iPad. The FAA reg’s are one page. Canada’s are a bureaucratic dissertation that’s so confusing you’d need a lawyer’s advice to fly. Have you taken the written test?

Jagerbomb52 · Jan 21, 2018

HiloHawaiian said:
My God. I read as much as I could stand, w/o going face down on the iPad. The FAA reg’s are one page. Canada’s are a bureaucratic dissertation that’s so confusing you’d need a lawyer’s advice to fly. Have you taken the written test?

Test??? what test?? No one said I would have to take a test.....my Bestbuy guy just said buy and go fly my friend. No test involved