Autel Releases 249gram EVO Nano, 6K Lite Drones

Drone maker Autel Robotics took a big step into DJI territory by releasing two new consumer drones, each with two camera variations; the EVO Lite+ and Lite models, and the EVO Nano+ and Nano micro-drones.

Announced over-night, the EVO Lite and EVO Nano Series of drones exist only on the internet for now. Autel says they’ll be “available Fall 2021” so we’ll just have to wait and see. With production bottlenecks, chip shortages and supply issues it can’t be easy heading into production with a new product.  And you may remember that although the EVO II drone was showcase at CES2020 in January 2020, it wasn’t available for purchase until 4 months later.

Let’s hope the EVO Lite and Nano Series appear on retailer shelves faster than that.

We’ve been reporting on these new Autel drones for weeks, but now that they’re official let’s go over the specs, features and pricing:

EVO Lite Series

Both EVO Lite+ and EVO Lite have been designed with high-demand features that will make you sit up and take notice.

The camera setup in the EVO Lite+ is amazing. Equipped with a 20MP, 1″ CMOS sensor and Autel’s intelligent ‘moonlight algorithm’ the EVO Lite+ can capture crisp, vibrant details at night with low noise even when ISO is cranked up high.

The Lite+ adjustable f/2.8-f/11 aperture gives you full control to better manage exposure and depth of field for better quality output.

The basic EVO Lite, priced at $1,149 uses a smaller 1/1.28″ CMOS sensor and can capture 50MP stills with no pixel binning and captures steller 4K HDR video.

But don’t ignore the standard EVO Lite with it’s fixed f/1.9 aperture.  Other consumers drones like the AIr 2S have a much smaller f/2.8 aperture that can grab as much light as the EVO Lite.

6K30fps

Most surprising in this mid-sized consumer drone is the video quality of the EVO Lite+. Capable of recording video at 6K30fps, EVO Lite+ laps DJI’s Air 2S in video quality.

And built-in smart ‘software filters’ allow you to custom correct haze, colors and exposure to produce cleare images with more layers.

EVO Nano+ & EVO Nano

At $799 the Nano+ drone is equipped with the larger camera sensor of the two Nano models. Using a 1/1.28″ CMOS sensor capable of 50MP still photos with a big f/1.9 fixed aperture makes Nano+ a low-light all-star for aerial photographers.

The basic Nano, priced at $649 uses a 12MP CMOS sensor with a more typical f/2.8 fixed aperture.

Using both Phase Detection and Constrast Detection AutoFocus, both Nano and Nano+ can track fast-moving subjects effortlessly, unlike DJI’s Mini and Mini 2 drone, which are not capable of object tracking.

Both Nano+ and Nano weigh in under 250 grams, meaning no license requirements and limited flight restrictions depending on where you are located. This is a huge market and Autel knows it. Many of the professional drone operators I know also carry a micro-drone like the Mini 2 in their kit. With the added obstacle avoidance, active subject tracking and better camera specs there’s good reason to add the Nano to your kit.

We’re looking forward to getting our hands on these new drones. It’s too early to add them to our Drone Buyers Guide so stay tuned for more updates. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and click yes to notifications to be the first to know when and where to buy the new Autel Lite and Nano drones.

Are you interested in the Autel Lite or Nano? Are you going to upgrade from another model? Let us know in the comments!

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