Although it didn’t make our list of best drones, the Autel EVO Pro II is nonetheless a powerful, compact UAV that is perfect for many professional tasks such as surveying property lines or inspecting electrical towers. It may not be a leading VR drone, but it’s a great find. With an adjustable aperture and a built-in obstacle avoidance system, you will feel comfortable operating this aircraft from the built-in 3.3-inch OLED screen on the included remote controller.
Why We Like It – Autel EVO II Review
The Autel EVO II Pro is a new drone from Autel Robotics that’s perfect for both professionals and enthusiasts alike. Deployable in under 30 seconds, this foldable UAV sports all the features needed to take your aerial surveillance to the next level.
- 40 Minutes of Flight Time
- Three Flight Modes: Tracking (Viewpoint, Dynamic, Tripod, Parallel), Orbit, & Dual Stability
- The Included Smart Controller (Complete With A 3.3 inch OLED Screen) Eliminates The Need For Signing In On A Mobile Device
- Aggressive Obstacle Avoidance System
- Many Settings Reset Upon Reboot
- Extra Batteries Are Expensive
Performance
The EVO Pro II has both positive and negative aspects of its performance. On the positive side, the battery lasts longer than the 20-30 minutes of the Holy Stone HS700D Drone. The drone sports a range of up to 5.5 miles, and the included 6K camera has a variable aperture of f/2.8 to f/11 with a 5472 x 3076 video resolution (and up to 5472 x 3648 still image resolution). On the negative side, it has an extremely aggressive obstacle avoidance system that will make it nearly impossible to get within 20 feet of an obstacle. For a racing drone with improved performance, click the Arris c250 v2 review.
Design
This UAV only weighs about 6 ounces more than a DJI Mavic Pro II, so it is very lightweight. It has a foldable design and weighing only 2.5 lbs makes transporting the thing a breeze. There are a variety of camera options available (6K, 8K, and Dual Thermal/8K), and although the EVO II Pro does come with 8GB of internal storage, it also has an external SD card slot that supports cards up to 256GB. Unlike the SNAPTAIN S5C drone, the EVO II Pro does not utilize a cellphone for controlling the aircraft.
Value
Unlike the 3DR Solo drone, this EVO II drone is midrange priced at $1,795. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, consider the Potensic T25 Drone instead. The Autel EVO Pro II Does have a 6k camera, but you can get a 4k drone setup starting at $250, and an 8k drone (also by Autel) for $1495, so the camera resolution is by itself isn’t really a great selling point. The reason the 6k costs more? A larger 1″ sensor and adjustable aperture make it more suitable for a wider variety of lighting situations than the setup on the 8k. To shoot 4K videos of up to 60fps, click the Autel Robotics EVO drone review.
Autel EVO II Review Wrap Up
We liked the 6k EVO II Pro. However, the pricing is an issue for us. If you plan on shooting at night or in poor lighting conditions then it is definitely a strong contender in terms of picture quality, but for the average professional (or enthusiast) you will be much better off saving your money and buying a cheaper drone instead.
