The popularity of camera drones is growing at a rapid pace. Enthusiasts, visual artists, business owners — they’re flying it. The best camera drones are more than simple toys because they are being used by both amateur and professional photographers because they are able to reach areas and shoot from angles that regular cameras cannot.
Perhaps, the reason why you are reading this drone review is that you also want to fly and take aerial shots with one of your own. So if you’re looking to buy one, choose from the best drones that will surely give you value for your money.
Here are some of the top-rated drones which are getting a lot of buzz in the tech world lately:
1. DJI Phantom 4
DJI Phantom’s newly designed lenses offer a wider field of view with its ultra-HD 4K video and crisp 12 MP photos. This new model also has a smarter flight system with front-mounted sensors, allowing it to avoid obstacles on its own. It also offers a fully-automated GPS functionality to make drone control easier. This quadcopter has an industry leading Gimbal stabilization technology that makes video coverage smooth, steady and stable. Best of all, the fun sports feature of this model enables you to speed for 45 mph.
2. Yuneec Q500 4K
This high-end, ready-to-fly drone is a quieter version of DJI Phantom 4 because of its unique stability. The Yuneec Q500 4K is a powerful system that enables you to shoot pro-level aerial 12 MP photos and 1080p videos with its amazing 4K ultra-HD camera with slow motion mode. It comes with steady grip, a handy pistol-grip controller compatible with your smartphone as a viewfinder. One of the convenient features of this drone is its “return home” functionality that makes it easier to fly regardless of your experience. Also, because this is an older model, you can be a drone pro without having to get broke.
3. DJI Mavic Pro
The DJI Mavic Pro is every traveler’s ideal camera drone. Its small size makes it super portable and its sleek design is very sophisticated. Although smaller than its counterparts, camera quality is not sacrificed as it supports 4K video at 30 FPS and lets you take stunning 12 MP images. This drone exceeds expectations with its features like sensor redundancy, obstacle avoidance and vision positioning paired with GPS and GLONASS which is perfect for both indoor and outdoor flights
4. Yuneec Typhoon H
Equipped with six rotors, the Typhoon H provides better redundancy and obstacle avoidance than most drones out there. It is built with a camera that can pan to a full 360-degrees, and lets you take high-quality HD 4K video at 30 FPS and clearer 12.4 MP photos. This hexacopter is factory-assembled for easy and safe flights. Plus, the Typhoon H comes with its own Android-based ST16 controller with a large 7-inch integrated display and HD 720p first-person-view downlink for amazing video reception. Cool, right?
5. DJI Inspire 1
This tech beast will take you to a whole new level of aerial photography. The DJI Inspire 1 is bigger and more flexible as it offers different camera systems, which can be easily removed for upgrades. You can shoot 12 MP photos and 4K videos at 30 FPS, and rotate its camera to a full 360-degrees. The fun part with this ultra-high-end drone is you can choose to fly it solo or have another person fly it with you, as it offers a dual-operator mode that lets one person play pilot and another play cameraman. How awesome is that?
6. Parrot Anafi
This is a light and foldable drone that features a 4K camera that can be turned anywhere. Its body is made with carbon-fiber and it is one of the best built frames on the market. This drone is very easy to operate because of its automatic take-off, landing, GPS-based return-to-home, and a well-built folding controller. Its camera is 4K at 100Mbps with HDR. It is also very portable, allowing you to shoot just about anywhere.
7. PowerVision PowerEye
This is a monster camera drone that takes interchangeable cameras. It is a great example of the benefits to consumers of being in a market dominated by one brand. It’s because it makes new contenders look for ways to impress. This drone carries a Micro-4/3rds camera, making it a rival of the Inspire 2 with a Zenmuse X5S. It has a 4K camera and comes with two batteries. It also features manually folding down arms so you can bring it anywhere with ease.
8. DJI Mavic 2 Zoom
This drone is portable and powerful. It is a fold and carry drone that has a decent-quality lens. One of the most stunning features you can get from this drone is its Hyperlapse, which is an aerial time laps that includes motion and is processed in moments onboard. Its airframe can also fold up so small, but it has powerful motors and speed control systems with quiet propellers. It also has a high maximum speed and very responsive controls.
9. DJI Spark
This is an HD video shooting selfie-drone that you can control using your hand gestures. In terms of value for money, this is one of the best camera drones you can get. However, this drone does not fold, unlike other models that are easy to carry. But it can offer 1080p full HD video and it can track subjects effectively as well. The best feature of this drone is the gesture recognition. This means that you will be able to launch this drone from the palm of your hand and capture shots with simple gestures.
10. DJI Inspire 2
This is the camera drone you need when optics are your priority. This drone has a jaw-dropping design that offers a big and stable frame. Its X4S camera can be compared to the Phantom. You can also use the X5S camera where you can attach a zoom lens from a Micro 4/3rds camera. That is better because of its big image sensor. It also has sophisticated object tracking, multi-user operation, and other pro features that you can enjoy.
These are just some of the most popular drones with cameras out there. So, if you really think you need one, you can check out some more drone reviews to help you choose the best from the best.