ok so im basically brand new to drones, like i havent bought one yet and ive been researching for probably two months now. i keep going back and forth. my budget is somewhere around $500-600 and the Autel EVO Nano+ keeps showing up in recommendations but the regular Nano is cheaper and im not 100% sure what im actually giving up.

from what i can tell the main difference is the sensor size and maybe some obstacle avoidance stuff? but i genuinely cant tell if those things matter for a beginner who mostly wants to fly at parks and maybe take some photos of hiking trips and stuff. i dont plan to do professional video work or anything like that, just personal use and learning.

also is there anything i should know about buying Autel in general vs DJI - like is support good, are replacement parts easy to find, that kind of thing. i feel like all the youtube videos are just pushing whatever drone they got sponsored to review and its hard to find real opinions

honestly for what you're describing the regular Nano would probably do you just fine. the Plus has a bigger sensor (1/1.28" vs 1/2") which matters more in low light and if you care a lot about image quality in tricky conditions. for sunny day hikes and park flying the difference is real but maybe not worth the price gap if youre still learning.

support from Autel is decent, not as seamless as DJI's whole ecosystem but ive never had a nightmare experience with them. parts are a bit harder to find locally but their website has most stuff and shipping is reasonable. the app is the one area where i'd say DJI still has an edge just in terms of how polished it feels, but Autel has been improving steadily.

one thing to consider - if you think theres any chance you get hooked on this hobby (and you probably will) the Plus might save you from upgrading sooner. classic beginner trap buying the cheaper version and then wanting more 6 months later haha

the obstacle avoidance on the Nano+ is pretty limited anyway so dont let that be a deciding factor, its more of a safety net than something to rely on. i actualy got the Nano+ as my first drone and the learning curve wasnt bad at all. the main thing i wish i knew going in is to practice in wide open spaces before you start flying anywhere near trees or people