Now that the weather has improved and Autel has been busy releasing updates to the EVO Nano+ sub-250g drone, I’ve had the opportunity to put in some miles and hours on this drone, and I’m ready to share my thoughts on it. drop .
Have you become curious or do you want a reminder of the specs, you can read my first impressions of this drone here.
For a drone of less than 250 grams, the EVO Nano+ is a good drone. It’s small, fairly easy to fly and a little harder to crash than its closest competition – thanks to its front, rear and downward-facing obstacle avoidance sensors.
I’ve tested the sensors and they work, although I consider them more of an emergency than something I would rely on.
But they work and work quite well, although there are still at least three easy ways to send the EVO Nano+ to an immovable object:
- Switch to “ridiculous” mode, which disables the collision sensors
- Forget it doesn’t have side sensors and swipe something to the side
- Flying into something the sensors can’t see (like fine tree branches)
So yes, you can definitely still crash this drone.
The camera on the EVO Nano+ is decent too, at least on paper.
It features a 1/1.28-inch (0.8-inch) CMOS sensor with an f/1.9 lens mounted on a 3-axis stabilization gimbal that takes 12.5-megapixel and 50-megapixel photos and 4K video at up to 30 frames per second.
There isn’t a whole lot of camera control available, though, so the output is more focused on social media and fun than creating professional content.
The drone feels plasticy and the controller is basic, but they do the job.
It is also not the most stable drone when flying. Now I have experience flying much bigger and heavier drones than the EVO Nano+, so maybe this is my impression.
But all small drones are more erratic in flight compared to their bigger and heavier siblings, although I think there is room for improvement with the EVO Nano+ with future firmware updates.
Let’s look at the real problem with the EVO Nano+.
Like it
- good camera
- Has obstacles avoidance sensors
- Sub-250g (for where that matters)
Not fun
- Price
- App needs more control over camera settings
The price.
The EVO Nano+ standard bundle has a suggested retail price of $949, while the premium bundle is $1,099.
Compare this to its closest competitor — the DJI Mini 2 — where you can pick up the standard package for $449, or the “fly more combo” package for $530.
This means that the EVO Nano+ is almost twice as expensive as the Mini 2, which makes it hard to recommend.
It’s a good drone. A great drone. But it’s hard to say it’s worth double the Mini 2, which is also a great drone.
And the Mini 2 comes with a price tag that’s a lot easier to swallow.
Focusing on the two main differences, namely the camera and the obstacle avoidance system, allows me to ask the simplest questions: are these improvements worth the extra money?
On paper, the camera on the EVO Nano+ is superior to the camera on the Mini 2. In reality, those differences are hard to see. Maybe in low light there is a little difference, sometimes, but not many people will fly this drone at night or at sunrise/sunset.
The camera is further hampered by the fact that the controls offered within the fly app are somewhat basic, so the output you get is usually out of your control.
What about the collision sensors?
They work, but they are not magic. Like I said, you can definitely still crash this drone, either by thinking you’re smarter than him and disabling the sensors, or forgetting the limitations of the system.
It’s there as an emergency feature, not something you should rely on.
But they can save your drone.
That’s definitely a plus, especially for those who might be concerned about crashes.
Some will say that I shouldn’t compare the EVO Nano+ to DJI’s Mini 2 and that I should instead wait for the Mini 3. I’d rather compare real products than bring unicorns into the equation, and while I think any Mini 3 that DJI launches may have a higher price tag, in any other way it will likely increase the edge it has over the EVO Nano+.
In short, I quite like the EVO Nano+. It’s a fun drone with some cool features and packs down small. But I keep getting to that price tag. I like it, but I don’t like it so much that I overlook how pricey this drone is. Even if you’re worried about crashes and think the sensors can save you, you can buy two Mini 2 drones for the price of one EVO Nano+.
