Drone Compare Freefly Astro Max vs Autel Alpha
Which to choose
Pick the Autel Alpha for longer flight distance (30 km vs 20 km), higher wind resistance (12 m/s vs 10 m/s) and higher top speed (25 m/s vs 15 m/s).
Flight Time vs Price
Effective Megapixels vs Price i
Key Differences
- Price (US)$22,995 vs $19,289
- Weight3,523 g vs 6,480 g
- Max Flight Time39 min vs 40 min
- Max Flight Distance20 km vs 30 km
- Max Speed15 m/s vs 25 m/s
- Wind Resistance10 m/s vs 12 m/s
- Megapixels (LR1 (Sony ILX-LR1))61 MP vs 48 MP
- Megapixels (Zoom Camera)N/A vs 8 MP
- Sensor Size (LR1 (Sony ILX-LR1))Full Frame vs 1/2"
User Reviews
| Specification | Autel Alpha | Freefly Astro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Manufacturer | Autel | Freefly |
| Rating | — | 5 |
| Known Issues | — | — |
| Release Date | Jan 10, 2024 | Feb 20, 2025 |
| Availability | Available | Available |
| EU Drone Class | C3 | None |
| US Procurement | FASC Prohibited | Blue Select |
| Platform Type | Multirotor | Multirotor |
| Pricing | ||
| Price (EU) | €17,746 | €21,155 |
| Price (US) | $19,289 | $22,995 |
| Links | ||
| Product Page | https://www.autelrobotics.com/productdetail/autel-alpha/ | https://freeflysystems.com/astro |
| Shop Page | https://shop.autelrobotics.com/products/evo-alpha | https://store.freeflysystems.com/products/astro-max |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 6,480 g | 3,523 g |
| Max Takeoff Weight | 8,400 g | 8,700 g |
| Folded Dimensions | 455 × 263 × 248 mm | 508 × 508 × 178 mm |
| IP Rating | IP55 | IP43 |
| Operating Temperature | -20°C to 50°C | -20°C to 50°C |
| Flight | ||
| Max Flight Time | 40 min | 39 min |
| Max Speed | 25 m/s | 15 m/s |
| Max Speed (EU) | — | — |
| Max Ascent Speed | 15 m/s | 4 m/s |
| Max Descent Speed | 10 m/s | 3 m/s |
| Max Flight Distance | 30 km | 20 km |
| Max Altitude | 4,500 m | 4,572 m |
| Wind Resistance | 12 m/s | 10 m/s |
| Payload | ||
| Camera | ||
| Camera 1 | Wide Angle Camera | LR1 (Sony ILX-LR1) |
| Sensor Size | 1/2" | Full Frame |
| Pixel Binning | Quad Bayer | — |
| Megapixels | 48 MP | 61 MP |
| Focal Length | 24mm | 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 75mm |
| Aperture | f/2.8 | f/3.5, f/2.8, f/1.8 |
| Zoom | — | — |
| Mechanical Shutter | — | ✓ Yes |
| ISO Range | 100-3200 (Auto) | 100-32000 (Normal), 50-102400 (Extended) |
| Shutter Speed | 1/8000-0.5s (Photo), 1/8000-1/30s (Video) | 1/4000-30s (Mechanical), 1/8000-30s (Electronic) |
| Stabilization Type | Mechanical Gimbal | Mechanical Gimbal |
| Max Photo Resolution | 8000x6000 | 9504x6336 |
| Image Formats | JPEG | JPEG, RAW (Proprietary), HEIF |
| AEB | — | — |
| AEB EV Bias | — | — |
| Panorama Modes | — | — |
| Panorama Formats | — | — |
| Video Resolutions | 4000x3000@25fps | 4K/60fps, 1080p/120fps |
| Video Codec | — | H.265 (HEVC), H.264 (AVC) |
| Video Formats | MP4 | MP4 |
| Color Profiles | — | Normal, HLG, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Camera 2 | Zoom Camera | — |
| Camera 3 | Thermal Camera 1 | — |
| Camera 4 | Thermal Camera 2 | — |
| Gimbal | ||
| Gimbal | ||
| Gimbal 1 | DG-L35T | LR1 Gimbal |
| Stabilization Axes | 3-Axis | 3-Axis |
| Tilt Range | -90° to 30° | -90° to 30° |
| Pan Range | — | — |
| Roll Range | — | — |
| Navigation | ||
| GNSS | GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo |
| Hover Accuracy | Vert: ±0.1m (Vision), ±0.3m (GNSS); Horiz: ±0.15m (Vision), ±0.3m (GNSS) | — |
| RTK | Yes | Add-on |
| RTK Horizontal Accuracy | — | 1 cm + 1 ppm (RMS) |
| RTK Vertical Accuracy | — | 1 cm + 1 ppm (RMS) |
| Recovery Mode | — | — |
| Obstacle Sensors | Forward, Backward, Lateral, Upward, Downward | — |
| Obstacle Avoidance | Active (Avoidance) | None |
| Sensing Technology | Vision (Binocular), Radar | — |
| Sensing Technology (Add-on) | — | — |
| Transmission | ||
| Transmission Protocol | SkyLink 3.0 | Herelink 1.1 |
| Max Range (CE) | 8 km | 12 km |
| Max Range (FCC) | 15 km | 20 km |
| Live View Quality | 1080p/30fps | 1080p/60fps, 720p/30fps |
| Cellular | — | ✓ Yes |
| App | ||
| Flight App | Autel Enterprise | Auterion Suite |
| Supported OS | Android | Android |
| Resume from Waypoint | — | — |
| Mission Types | Waypoint, Area | Waypoint |
| Features | ||
| Internal Storage | — | — |
| Max MicroSD | 256 GB | — |
| ActiveTrack | — | ✗ No |
| Hyperlapse | — | — |
| Night Scene | ✓ Yes | — |
| NIR Light | — | — |
| Laser Rangefinder | ✓ Yes | — |
| Laser Rangefinder Range | 2,000 m | — |
| Remote ID | Built-in | Built-in |
| ADS-B Receiver | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Data Encryption | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Expansion Port | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| SDK Support | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Mapping | ||
| Waypoints | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Terrain Follow | — | ✓ Yes |
| Raw GNSS Logging | — | ✓ Yes |
| Cargo | ||
| Delivery Mode | — | — |
| Max Range (Loaded) | — | — |
| Max Flight Time (Loaded) | — | — |
| Accessories | ||
| Battery | ||
| Propeller | ||
| Remote Controller | ||
| Charger | ||