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Dragonfish Pro
Autel Robotics
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Dragonfish Pro
Autel RoboticsThe Autel Robotics Dragonfish Pro is a tilt-rotor VTOL fixed-wing UAV launched in 2022, weighing 14.5 kg with a 17 kg MTOW and 2.5 kg payload capacity. It offers up to 180 minutes of flight time with payload, a 30 km HD transmission range, 108 km/h max speed, and supports modular gimbals including the L50T (50x optical zoom) and thermal imaging payloads. The system is positioned for enterprise/public-safety missions (surveillance, search-and-rescue, maritime operations) and can be deployed by two people in under three minutes without runway infrastructure. Pricing varies significantly across sources, ranging from ~$25,000–$100,000+ depending on configuration and sensor package. Note: several extracted facts relate to unrelated robotic fish research systems and an underwater drone (Gladius Mini S), which are irrelevant to the Dragonfish Pro UAV and have been excluded from reconciliation.
Availability
Specification
- weight (drone only)
- 14.5 kg
- max takeoff weight
- 17 kg
- max payload
- 2.5 kg
- max flight time (with payload)
- 179–180 minutes
- max speed
- 108 km/h
- transmission range
- 30 km HD
- payload/gimbal options
- Modular gimbals including L50T (50x optical zoom, 2 km observation), dual-sensor (visible + 640×512 thermal), IR detection up to 2000 m, 4K 20x optical zoom
Price
No public price — contact the supplier for a quote.
Good · Bad · Ugly
Evidence-graded claims from the Autel Robotics deep report
Autel Robotics holds approximately 7% of the US UAV market and grew following US government restrictions on DJI.
Wikipedia (an independent secondary source) cites the ~7% US market share figure as of 2021 and links growth to DJI restrictions [14]; however, the figure is now several years old and no more recent independent market data is available in the dossier.
from Autel Robotics deep report →Autel Robotics was listed on the US Department of Defense Chinese military enterprise list on January 6, 2025.
Both Wikipedia [14] and Autel's own public statement [12] confirm the DoD listing as a factual event; Autel's denial of military ties is self-serving and does not alter the independently documented designation.
from Autel Robotics deep report →The EVO Max 4T and Autel Alpha are actively sold commercial products with confirmed retail pricing, representing Autel's fully commercial enterprise tier.
Autel Alpha is listed at $19,289 on both the official Autel shop and third-party retailer DroneNerds [5][9]; EVO Max 4N is listed at $8,899–$12,599 across Dronefly and DroneNerds [7][9] — independent retail listings confirm active commercial availability, though real-world deployment scale and customer outcomes remain unverified.
from Autel Robotics deep report →
The Autel Alpha achieves personnel recognition at ranges up to 8 km.
The 8 km personnel recognition figure appears only on Autel's official product page and a commerce listing (DroneNerds) [3][9] — both are vendor-aligned sources; no independent field test or third-party evaluation confirms this operational range.
from Autel Robotics deep report →The Autel Alpha is IP55-rated, operates from -4°F to 122°F, and carries a laser rangefinder accurate to ±1m within 400m — positioning it as a ruggedized enterprise platform.
Hardware specs are corroborated by both the official product page and a third-party retailer listing (DroneNerds) [3][9], lending moderate confidence, but no independent environmental or accuracy testing has verified these specifications in the field.
from Autel Robotics deep report →
Autel drones are a viable, production-ready alternative to DJI for professional UAV mapping and photogrammetry workflows.
Multiple independent Reddit communities focused on UAV mapping explicitly report photogrammetry surface quality issues, inconsistent support, and a clear preference for DJI over Autel for reliability in professional workflows [16][20][17] — Autel is described as a fallback, not an equal.
from Autel Robotics deep report →Several Autel product lines (EVO I, EVO III, EVO Nest 2, Apex, EVO Nano, EVO Lite) have been discontinued, raising concerns about long-term parts availability and support continuity.
Autel's own newsroom confirms the end-of-life status of these lines [11], and independent community users separately report difficulty obtaining spare parts and inconsistent support [15][18][19] — together these corroborate the concern, contradicting any implicit vendor claim of robust long-term support.
from Autel Robotics deep report →
About the company
Editorial directory of real robot products from leading global manufacturers. Each entry links to the manufacturer's official page.