autel evo lite 640t

DJI Mavic 3TA Discontinued: The Best Replacement Is the Matrice 4T

DJI Matrice 4T, the replacement for the discontinued Mavic 3TA

The DJI Mavic 3T Advanced (3TA) has been discontinued and is no longer available. It was a favorite for inspection crews, fire departments and search-and-rescue teams who wanted thermal in a drone small enough to fly one-handed. If that's what you were shopping for, here's what to buy instead.

The short answer

1. DJI Matrice 4T is the replacement: the same compact format with more zoom, a laser rangefinder and longer flights.
2. Autel EVO Lite 640T if you want thermal for less and can live without the extras.

1. The Matrice 4T: the 3TA's replacement

DJI Matrice 4T thermal drone

The Matrice 4T keeps what made the 3TA popular, a foldable thermal drone that sets up in minutes, and improves on it almost everywhere:

  • Thermal: 640×512, with a super-resolution mode up to 1280×1024.
  • Zoom: 112× hybrid zoom, twice the 3TA's 56×, for reading plates, signs and details from a safe distance.
  • Laser rangefinder to 1,800 m, so you can mark a target's exact location. The 3TA didn't have one.
  • NIR auxiliary light and a night scene mode for low-light work.
  • Up to 49 minutes of flight (vs. 45) and up to 25 km transmission range (FCC).

Like the 3TA, the 4T has no IP rating, so it's a fair-weather drone. If your team needs to fly in rain, look at the IP55-rated Matrice 4TD instead; our Matrice 30T replacement guide explains why.

Shop the Matrice 4T or the Matrice 4T Public Safety Bundle.

2. The Autel EVO Lite 640T: thermal on a budget

Autel EVO Lite 640T

If the 4T is more drone than you need, the Autel EVO Lite 640T gets you the same 640×512 thermal resolution and a 48 MP camera for considerably less. It's light (866 g), simple to fly and comes with its own smart controller.

What you give up: zoom is digital only (up to 16×), there's no laser rangefinder, flights top out around 40 minutes, and it's rated for wind up to 10.7 m/s rather than 12. For occasional thermal checks, roof and solar inspections or a first thermal drone for a small department, it's a sensible choice. Shop the EVO Lite 640T.

Side by side

Mavic 3TA (discontinued) Matrice 4T Autel EVO Lite 640T
Thermal 640×512 640×512 (1280×1024 super-res) 640×512
Zoom 56× hybrid 112× hybrid 16× digital
Laser rangefinder — Up to 1,800 m —
Max flight time 45 min 49 min 40 min
Wind rating 12 m/s at takeoff/landing 12 m/s at takeoff/landing 10.7 m/s
Operating temperature 14° to 104°F 14° to 104°F 14° to 104°F
Transmission (FCC) 15 km 25 km 12 km
Best for — The closest replacement, and then some Lowest-cost thermal

Specs from DJI's and Autel's published spec sheets. Flight times are lab figures in no wind; real-world times are shorter.

Already flying a 3TA?

Your drone keeps working. We carry the Mavic 3 Enterprise charging hub kit and can help track down batteries and parts. When it's time to add or replace aircraft, the Matrice 4T is the natural next step.

Shop the Matrice 4T → Get a quote →


Specifications are taken from the manufacturers' published spec sheets at the time of writing and may change.

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DJI Matrice 4TD, the replacement for the discontinued Matrice 30T

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