Autel EVO Max 4T vs. DJI Mavic 3T vs. DJI M30T: Which Enterprise Drone Suits You?

Unveiled at CES earlier this year, the Autel Robotics EVO Max 4T is a welcome update to the Autel Enterprise lineup and a competitive option against the offerings of industry giant, DJI. Autel included a number of improvements over previous EVOs while introducing several features unique to the Max series.

But is it enough to choose it over the DJI M30T or DJI Mavic 3T? We discuss that here!

Autel EVO Max 4T vs. DJI Mavic 3T vs. DJI M30T

How does the EVO Max 4T stack up against the Mavic 3T and M30T? Here’s a quick comparison across 5 key characteristics:

Autel EVO Max 4TDJI Mavic 3TDJI M30TPayload- Wide Camera (FOV: 85°)
- Zoom Camera (10x optical zoom, 160x hybrid zoom) 
- 640p Thermal Camera 
- Laser Rangefinder (5m - 1.2km)- Wide Camera (FOV: 84°)
- Zoom Camera (8x optical zoom, 56x hybrid zoom) 
- 640p Thermal Camera- Wide Camera (FOV: 84°)
- Zoom Camera (16x optical zoom, 200x hybrid zoom) 
- 640p Thermal Camera 
- Laser Rangefinder (3m -2km)Range12.4 mi. / 20 km9.3 mi. / 15 km9.3 mi. / 15 kmFlight Time42 min.45 min.41 min.IP-RatingIP43N/AIP55Base Price$8,999$5,498$9,637

Controllers

The controller is a crucial part of how a drone functions and so it requires some consideration. Here are the kinds of controllers that come with each aircraft.

Autel Smart Controller V3 (EVO Max 4T)DJI RC Pro Enterprise (Mavic 3T)DJI RC Plus
(M30T)Screen7.9 in. 2k, 60fps 2000 nits of brightness5.5 in. 1080p, 60 fps 1000 nits of brightness7 in. 1080p 1200 nits of brightnessInterface OptionsHDMI, USB C, USB A, micro SDMini-HDMI, USB-C, micro SDHDMI, USB-C (power and data), USB-A (data), micro SDBattery Life4.5 hours @ 50% brightness, 2.5 hours @ 100% brightness3 hours3.3 hours (6 hours with external battery)Storage128 GB of internal storage32 GB of internal storage64 GB of internal storageIP-ratingIP43N/AIP54

Accessories

All three drones are compatible with specific accessories, customizable for different missions. Below is a list of available payloads for each platform.

EVO Max

1. Autel RTK Module
2. Autel drop kit (release date TBD)
3. Autel loudspeaker/spotlight (release date TBD)

Mavic 3T

1. DJI Loudspeaker
2. DJI RTK Module
3. CZI GL10 spotlight
4. CZI MP10 two-way communication system

M30T

1. CZI LP12 speaker/spotlight
2. Soarability Sniffer4D Mini 2 gas-detection system

While this is not a comprehensive list, it should give you some idea of what’s available for each drone. Public safety users appreciate the versatility of certain payloads, so it’s an important aspect to factor into your decision.

Other Considerations

While the three drones mentioned have similar capabilities, they also have unique features and specific limitations worth considering.

EVO Max 4T

One of the most unique features of the EVO Max 4T is its hot-swappable battery. Unlike the M30T, which uses two individual batteries to do the swap, Autel uses a small internal battery to keep the aircraft running while the pilot changes out the battery. This design has some additional benefits beyond a quick turnaround time. Based on a per-flight cost analysis, Autel found that a single-battery system meant lower operating costs compared to a dual-battery design.

Autel included a tool called “AI Recognition,” which may reduce the cognitive workload for pilots. When enabled, it automatically highlights people and vehicles that appear on the drone’s RGB and thermal cameras. This function is helpful in identifying the source of a heat signature during a SAR mission, for example.

Another major selling point of the EVO Max 4T is a feature Autel calls “A-Mesh.” A-Mesh is a proprietary mesh-networking system that allows a pilot to fly up to 5 aircraft at once via a single controller. This capability promises to completely revolutionize drone operations by reducing the number of UAS pilots needed to provide overwatch during incidents like structure fires.

Finally, it’s important to consider the overall ecosystem. Recently, Autel announced a series of hardware and software products to support enterprise-level operations. However, since many of them haven't been released, it’s hard to say anything substantial about them. At the time of writing, the EVO Max 4T is not supported by third-party software like DroneSense or ATAK.

Mavic 3T

While the Mavic 3T doesn’t have any stand-out features per se, it does offer solid performance for the price. Plus, its compact size and compatibility with Flight Hub 2 and DroneSense make it a great drone to carry in a patrol unit.

M30T

As the most robust solution on the list, the M30T offers many features suited for public safety. One of these is a dedicated FPV camera which helps a pilot understand the drone's orientation without using the main camera gimbal. Pilots can keep the feed focused on the POI while using the FPV camera to navigate nearby structures or power lines.

With built-in RTK modules, the M30T is ready to pair with a base station right out of the box. In other words, users don’t need to buy an additional RTK module as they would with other aircraft.

Like the EVO Max 4T, the M30T has hot-swappable batteries. However, it achieves this by switching out two TB30 batteries, one at a time. Hot-swapping batteries prevent a drone from restarting with every battery change, saving precious minutes during high-risk incidents.

The M30T is also compatible with Flight Hub 2 and DroneSense.

The Verdict

All three drones are very capable public safety aircraft. They all have great imaging for their weight class. All have necessary features like obstacle avoidance, strong control links, and good flight times. So how do you pick one?

From a cost standpoint, the Mavic 3T is a clear winner. For just under $5,500, a UAS team gets great flight performance, a high-quality sensor, and compatibility with useful software.

The M30T is the most robust solution — an IP55 rating means you can fly in most kinds of inclement weather. It has the best optical zoom and the largest payload capacity of the three. Compatibility with the RC Plus is a huge bonus too, considering that it’s one of the most popular Enterprise controllers. However, all of these features and more make the M30T the most expensive option at $9,637.

That leaves the Max EVO 4T right in the middle. It has the same payload option (wide, zoom, thermal, laser rangefinder) as the M30T, in a form factor that’s closer to a Mavic. Most importantly, it’s available for $8,999.

If the decision is between the EVO and the M30T, then consider the ecosystem you’re buying into. Are accessories important? Will your team be using a fleet management or live-streaming software? If so, the answer may be the M30T. 

Keep in mind that since the EVO Max 4T is a newer platform, access to third-party software and payloads, such as DroneSense, could be coming down the road.

However, if the ecosystem doesn't matter and the budget does, then the EVO Max 4T is the way to go. It offers the best value of the three. Plus, purchasing extra batteries for this aircraft will be cheaper than having to buy several pairs of TB30 batteries for the M30T. 

In short, there is no one right answer, just three great options that meet different requirements.

Conclusion

Deciding between three very capable aircraft can be difficult. That’s why FLYMOTION is here to help. Making a good decision starts with evaluating needs and our team takes great care to understand each client. You can expect to receive a specialized consultation session regarding requirements, budget, and timeline to help you choose the best platform. Ready to get started? Contact us through the form below!