Thanks for studying this text on which drone is healthier: the Autel Evo Lite Plus or the DJI Mavic 3 Professional.
Whereas DJI has been releasing prosumer and advanced-level drones at a blazing pace this previous yr to yr and a half, Autel has taken a slower method to drone releases, with a good bit of time between main releases.
I primarily fly drones for enterprise functions. So my important focus oftentimes is “what drones work greatest for my shopper’s wants.” With this view in thoughts, I’ve used the Autel Evo Lite+ for a bit of over a yr and the Mavic 3 Professional for a couple of months.
On this article, I’ll look at the important thing variations between the Autel Evo Lite Plus and the Mavic 3 Professional, the upgrades within the all-new Mavic 3 Professional, my total expertise with every, and why I contemplate the Mavic 3 Professional to be the higher industrial drone.
In case you are seeking to develop your skilled fleet, this text will show you how to determine which drone is greatest for you and your shoppers.
Temporary Overview
Autel Evo Lite Plus
Because the senior on this comparability article, the Autel Evo Lite Plus was launched in January 2022 and is seen because the direct competitor to the 2021 DJI Air 2S.
Other than competing towards the Air 2S, the Evo Lite Plus is a smaller (i.e. lite) and equally highly effective model of the Autel Evo II skilled drone, dubbed the Evo II Professional. Even shut to 2 years later, the Evo Lite Plus affords a couple of business requirements.
Whereas the Evo Lite Plus is smaller and considerably inexpensive than the Mavic 3 Professional, it has fairly a bit to supply:
- 40-minute flight occasions, excellent for lengthy shoots, initially extraordinary in a drone of this measurement in early 2022
- Three-way impediment avoidance sensing which might support in safer flight maneuvers
- 1-inch digicam sensor for 20 MP high-resolution skilled high quality photographs
- Absence of Geofencing to make sure you can fly the place and when wanted, with correct authorization
Mavic 3 Professional
Launched in Could of 2023, the newer Mavic 3 Professional is an improve to the unique Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Basic, including a tri-camera system that permits for 3 completely different focal lengths.
When searching for the most effective digicam system in a prosumer drone, the Mavic 3 Professional, or particularly the dearer Mavic 3 Professional Cine, is the drone to buy when you’ve got the price range for it, as this high quality comes at a worth.
- Tri-camera system for bringing cinematic imaginative and prescient to life from various views
- A number of 10-bit Coloration Profiles for added colour grading flexibility
- Waypoint Missions included within the DJI Fly app to simply plan repeatable and sophisticated routes
- Apple ProRes Video Encoding, included within the Cine model, for skilled tv and film productions
Fast Verdict
As talked about, in an effort to develop my fleet for industrial work, I’ve used each the Autel Evo Lite Plus and the Mavic 3 Professional on shopper initiatives, in numerous capacities.
Strictly from a feature-set standpoint, the Mavic 3 Professional is the clear alternative for the work I do for shoppers.
My firm takes care of all kinds of inventive wants for our shoppers, and the digicam on the Mavic 3 Professional is ideal for delivering theirs and even my imaginative and prescient.
The Evo Lite Plus does have a wonderful digicam. Nevertheless, the Mavic 3 Professionals tri-camera system takes this up a notch, providing extra versatility within the photographs captured, making it excellent for a wider vary of industries.
Having two extra focal lengths on the Mavic 3 Professional permits for getting tighter pictures on topics, whether or not this be for actual property, roofing, and even high-altitude mobile and electrical-related gear.
Not solely does the Mavic 3 Professional have numerous log-like colour profiles for the three cameras, however these are additionally in 10-bit, which could be important for shopper video work.
The Autel Evo Lite Plus, although, does a formidable job over a variety of business initiatives, particularly with its one-inch digicam sensor and a number of capturing modes.
The Mavic 3 Professional, then again, is a whole, well-rounded industrial workhorse, dealing with all content material calls for with flexibility and the best high quality.
What are the Fundamental Variations?
Contemplating the year-plus launch hole between the Autel Evo Lite Plus and the Mavic 3 Professional, there are fairly a couple of technical upgrades the Mavic 3 Professional advantages from over the Autel Evo Lite Plus.
I take pleasure in utilizing each the Evo Lite Plus and the Mavic 3 Professional. Nevertheless, with the upgraded specs and total flexibility, the Mavic 3 Professional is my alternative for my industrial enterprise wants.
When taking numerous forms of photographs and movies for my shoppers, the Mavic 3 Professional persistently does a wonderful job.
The number of media taken with the Mavic 3 Professional lined numerous industries, equivalent to Actual Property, Metropolis commissioned initiatives, Building, and Lake Administration.
The Mavic 3 Professional excels over the Evo Lite Plus in fairly a couple of areas, primarily camera-related, in addition to an extra space or two:
- Tri-Digital camera System: The Mavic 3 Professional not solely has a 24 mm equal lens (over the Evo Lite Plus’ 29 mm) however provides a 70 mm medium-tele lens and 166 mm tele lens for extra dimensions of creativity when filming video and capturing nonetheless photographs.
- Digital camera high quality: That is the place the Mavic 3 Professional actually units itself other than the Evo Lite Plus (and most drone cameras). The primary 24 mm digicam is a 4/3 20 MP Hasselblad digicam with glorious colour science. For professionals, having a bigger important digicam than the Evo Lite Plus permits for extra dynamic vary and adaptability. Moreover, not like the Evo Lite Plus, the three cameras can file 10-bit footage, which is vital concerning flexibility when colour grading. Additionally, if choosing the dearer Cine model of the Mavic 3 Professional, Apple ProRes video encoding is on the market for all three cameras.
- Omnidirectional impediment avoidance: Whereas that is virtually commonplace with DJI’s latest strains of drones, it’s lacking from the Evo Lite Plus and affords added 360-degree safety when performing tough maneuvers in obstacle-ridden environments. The brand new impediment avoidance system can also be instrumental for superior subject-tracking features.
- Weight: This won’t be as vital for some as it’s for others. Nevertheless, the Mavic 3 Professional, being heavier than the Evo Lite Plus by near 120 g, means it’s barely extra steady within the air. This makes it much more splendid when filming in windier circumstances.
Autel Evo Lite Plus
The Evo Lite Plus is a part of a sequence of smaller however succesful Autel drones modeled after the bigger Evo II and Evo II Plus.
Whereas having Lite within the title may point out to some that the Evo Lite Plus is a lesser drone, that is removed from the reality. The Evo Lite Plus has most of the advantages of the Evo II Plus, solely in a smaller package deal.
Autel pioneered longer battery life in client and prosumer drones with the discharge of the Evo II and II Professional, which boasted 40-minute flight occasions again in 2020.
That longer battery life made its method to the smaller Evo Lite Plus, and I need to say I used to be initially impressed with the battery life when instantly evaluating it to my then workhorse, the Air 2S.
Additionally making its method into the smaller Evo Lite Plus is a 20 MP one-inch digicam sensor. This was really an enchancment over the bigger Evo II (non-Professional model), as that digicam was half the dimensions, utilizing a 1/2-inch sensor.
With this bigger digicam sensor got here the power to shoot glorious low-light footage. Living proof: one in every of their modes is dubbed “Evening shot.”
Moreover, following the custom of the Autel drones earlier than it, the Autel Evo Lite Plus is just not Geofenced. Though Autel has oftentimes spoken of maybe including geofencing to the bigger Evo II line, they did specify that the Lite and Lite Plus wouldn’t be receiving any sort of geofencing limitations.
Key options of the Evo Lite Plus:
- 20 MP 1-inch digicam sensor
- Adjustable aperture from f/2.8 – f/11
- 6k 30 fps; 4k 60fps Log and regular colour profiles
- 3-way impediment avoidance system
- 40-minute battery life
Autel Robotics Evo Lite+ Premium Bundle
1” CMOS Sensor with 6K HDR Digital camera, No Geo-Fencing, 3-Axis Gimbal, 3-Manner Impediment Avoidance, 40Min Flight Time, 7.4 Miles Transmission, Lite Plus Extra Combo.
We earn a fee if you happen to make a purchase order, at no extra value to you.
10/25/2023 06:56 pm GMT
Mavic 3 Professional
The Mavic 3 Professional is the following iteration within the Mavic 3 line.
Initially launched in 2021, it’s the successor to the Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Basic and is particularly supposed for images and videography professionals seeking to ship the best high quality content material to their shoppers.
The Mavic 3 Professional provides a medium-tele digicam at 70 mm and improves the tele digicam of the Mavic 3, rising the focal size from 162 mm to 166 mm, whereas concurrently bumping up the picture high quality.
Whereas the bodily efficiency of the Mavic 3 Professional is just about similar to the Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Basic (concerning pace and stability), the primary enhancements are discovered within the technically improved and expanded digicam system.
The Mavic 3 Professional continues the custom of getting 360-degree impediment avoidance safety because of the omnidirectional impediment avoidance sensors all through.
For a lot of professionals, that is important, particularly when filming sophisticated sequences in tough locales.
Key options of the Mavic 3 Professional:
- Triple-camera system
- Professional-level Distant Controller possibility
- Hasselblad 24 mm Fundamental digicam with adjustable aperture (f/2.8 – f/11)
- 5.1k 50 fps; 4k 120fps 10-bit D-Log, D-Log M colour profiles
- Apple ProRes (Cine Model)
- DJI Goggles and DJI Movement 2 compatibility
- Omnidirectional impediment avoidance
- Waypoints
Our Decide
DJI Mavic 3 Professional (Fly Extra Combo)
Flagship Triple-Digital camera Drone with 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad Digital camera, 15km Video Transmission, three Batteries, Charging Hub, and extra.
We earn a fee if you happen to make a purchase order, at no extra value to you.
10/26/2023 04:51 pm GMT
Head-to-Head Comparability
Digital camera
Winner: DJI Mavic 3 Professional
Relating to drone images and videography, having extra focal size choices is all the time greatest. This will definitely be agreed upon by skilled photographers utilizing DSLR and Mirrorless cameras.
When filming, and even when taking pictures, having three focal size choices offers you the flexibleness to get actually inventive and inform tales in a way more dynamic method.
As an example, utilizing the 166 mm digicam brings the topic of alternative into focus.
Switching over to the 70 mm digicam in the identical scene will then convey focus to stated topic whereas additionally establishing the atmosphere across the topic.
Lastly, leaping to the 24 mm broad angle provides cohesiveness to the story, placing into perspective the topic in relation to your complete scene.
This is only one method to creatively inform a narrative utilizing the Mavic 3 Professional’s tri-camera system.
To higher current visible content material, and to the delight of videographers worldwide, the Mavic 3 Professional can shoot video in numerous 10-bit colour profiles in 10-bit:
When capturing 10-bit, there’s higher flexibility for colour adjustment and grading when enhancing video in software program equivalent to DaVinci Resolve, Closing Reduce Professional, and Adobe Premier (to call a couple of).
This is because of their being a bit of over a billion colours and variations to work with, versus the 16 million colours current in 8-bit.
Whereas the Mavic 3 Professional doesn’t shoot 6k video just like the Evo Lite Plus, it will probably shoot at a most of 5.1k 50 fps, all in 10-bit colour.
Moreover, the Mavic 3 Professional can shoot 4k 120 fps over the Evo Lite Plus 4k 60 fps. With the addition of FHD 200 fps, the Mavic 3 Professional can obtain clean, ultra-slow-motion pictures.
As talked about briefly earlier, there’s help for Apple ProRes 422 video encoding, which is crucial for these capturing for tv and film productions. Up to now, there is no such thing as a different prosumer or client drone that shoots in Apple ProRes. You’d have to maneuver as much as the totally skilled degree of DJI drones for this.
The Mavic 3 Professional wouldn’t be a pro-level drone if it didn’t have an adjustable aperture. The primary 24 mm Hasselblad digicam has an aperture that may be adjusted between f/2.8 to f/11.
Whereas adjusting the aperture won’t make a noticeable distinction when capturing photos, it will probably make a really massive distinction when capturing video and attempting to remain throughout the 180-degree rule with out the usage of ND filters.
Flight Efficiency
Winner: DJI Mavic 3 Professional
Merely put, the Mavic 3 Professional flies sooner than the Evo Lite Plus.
On the beneath chart, the ascent and descent speeds with the Evo Lite Plus had been all in Sport mode, whereas the ascent and descent speeds for the Mavic 3 Professional are the identical throughout all flight modes (Cine, Regular, and Sport). The horizontal speeds for each drones are whereas in Sport mode.
Autel Evo Lite Plus | DJI Mavic 3 Professional | |
Ascent | 11.18 mph | 17.89 mph |
Descent | 8.94 mph | 13.42 mph |
Horizontal | 40 mph | 46.97 mph |
Not solely does the Mavic 3 Professional fly sooner than the Evo Lite Plus, however in my view, it handles higher.
The Evo Lite Plus has a slight lumbering really feel to it in comparison with the Mavic 3 Professional. It does get to the place it must go, nevertheless it will get there with a heavy and sluggish management really feel, though it’s a lighter drone than the Mavic 3 Professional.
Altering the EXP settings within the Autel Sky app did little to right this sense.
Alternatively, the Mavic 3 Professional handles rapidly and exactly. May this be because of the sooner motors? Probably. Nevertheless, even when flying slowly, the Mavic 3 Professionals management simply felt extra “tuned in.”
When mixed with adjusting the EXP settings throughout the DJI Fly app, the flight management bought even higher, with the Mavic 3 Professional dealing with and performing like my different business-use DJI drones.
Distant Controller Compatability
Winner: DJI Mavic 3 Professional
The Mavic 3 Professional can also be a transparent winner with regards to the distant controller choices out there for it. The Evo Lite Plus solely makes use of the one, top-heavy X-Field-like controller, whereas the Mavic 3 Professional could be operated utilizing the next three DJI distant controllers:
From knowledgeable standpoint, the DJI RC Professional is probably the most sturdy resolution for controlling the Mavic 3 Professional, because it has a 5.5-inch display screen with 1000 nits of brightness, excellent for vibrant days.
Moreover, third celebration apps could be put in on it, thus enabling it to be a real all-in-one controller resolution, separate from a mobile phone.
Following intently behind the DJI RC Professional is the DJI RC, which is a extra inexpensive possibility. At 700 nits of brightness, the DJI RC can nonetheless be seen in very vibrant circumstances.
Lastly, my go-to alternative when doing jobs with out the DJI RC Professional is the RC-N1 controller. Whereas this takes a bit of longer to get arrange and deploy because of the added system and cables, any sensible system can be utilized with it.
I take advantage of a Tripletek pill connected to the RC-N1 when capturing for our lakefront shoppers, as it’s waterproof, shockproof, and has 1500 nits. Good for fixed solar glare off the water and if I occur to unintentionally drop it within the atmosphere.
Geofencing
Winner: Autel Evo Lite Plus
One among the massive issues Autel drones are identified for is their lack of geofencing. The Evo Lite Plus isn’t any exception.
Though the newer DJI drones operating DJI Fly are pretty straightforward to unlock in authorization zones, there are completely no unlocks wanted with the Evo Lite Plus. Merely purchase LAANC authorization, activate the Evo Lite Plus, and fly.
No geofencing is crucial the place it’s both exhausting to unlock areas by the DJI Fly app or for areas the place unlocking the placement needs to be accomplished from a desktop laptop beforehand. This has sadly confirmed to be problematic for some prior to now utilizing DJI drones.
Conclusion
Having used the Evo Lite Plus for nearly a yr and utilizing the Mavic 3 Professional for months commercially for repeat shoppers, I’ve to say that the Mavic 3 Professional fits my enterprise functions completely.
The Autel Evo Lite Plus is a superb drone for a lot of industrial purposes and industries, with its one-inch digicam sensor and 40 minutes of flight time.
In case you are searching for a geofence-free drone with a professional-grade digicam, able to 40-minute flight occasions, all for half the value of a Mavic 3 Professional, then the Autel Evo Lite Plus will be the drone for you.
The Mavic 3 Professional, then again, gives probably the most flexibility and photograph and video high quality wanted to present probably the most skilled finish outcomes to shoppers, together with these within the movie business.
In case you are like me and must ship the best high quality content material and media to shoppers, the Mavic 3 Professional is the higher alternative, palms down.