The 10 Best Drones You Can Buy
The 10 Best Drones You Can Buy
Why use a drone? Besides capturing awesome video, drones are a blast to fly around for fun. If either of those sound appealing, we’ve tested and researched our way to these top picks. (New pilots should learn the FAA regulations before taking flight.)
1) DJI Mavic Air 2
DJI
amazon.com
This drone has a great camera, long battery life (as drones go), and is so compact that you’ll actually bring it to the places you want to shoot. The Mavic Air 2 takes photos at 48 megapixels and shoots 4K video, which is plenty of resolution for even serious YouTubers. That camera is so powerful that you don’t really need to consider buying one of DJI’s bulkier Phantom drones.
Among the reasons DJI has absolutely dominated the drone market are its smart flight features. You can set the Mavic Air 2 to hold its position even in strong wind, autonomously follow a target, or respond to gestures from the person being filmed. It also has sensors that help it avoid obstacles, preventing crashes that were an inevitable part of drone ownership even a few years ago. This pick also beats other drones for battery life, with over 34 minutes of flight time per charge.
2) SNAPTAIN S5C WiFi FPV Drone
SNAPTAIN
amazon.com
This drone from SNAPTAIN has all the things we're looking for when drone shopping: an Altitude-Hold function for stable hovers, 360° flips and rolls, smart voice control, and (best of all) a high-tech design.
3) Holy Stone RC Drone
Holy Stone
There may be a handful of clear favorites when it comes to higher-end drones, but things get quite a bit more confusing if you’re just looking for a cheap drone to try your hand with before investing in something more serious. While there’s still no mistaking it for a pro-level piece of equipment, the Holy Stone remote control drone benefits from a 1080p HD camera, live video, voice controls, and altitude hold.
4) DJI Mavic Mini 2
DJI
Looking for a high-quality, all-inclusive set? This pick from DJI features everything we love about our overall pick (a great camera that shoots 4K video, long battery life, obstacle sensors, and stability control for the best flying experience) and ups with some added accessories.
5) RUKO F11Pro Drones with Camera
Ruko
amazon.com
Tuned similarly to the high-test race drones used in the Drone Racing League, the 101 kit comes with everything a novice racer needs to start learning how to fly fast. The goggles are low-latency, and the RUKO drone can go fast enough to last as you level up your skills.
6) Ryze Tello
DJI
While there’s still no mistaking it for a pro-level piece of equipment, the Ryze Tello benefits from a partnership with DJI that gives it some decent capabilities for the price, and those willing to invest the time can get even more out of it thanks to its support of the Scratch programming language.
7) DJI Spark
DJI
amazon.com
The Spark sacrifices the Mavic 2’s photo and video quality to gain convenience. The Spark only takes 1080p resolution videos at 30 frames per second, but it can be flown without a controller and set to automatic flight modes like circling or quickly zooming out from a subject. It can also be controlled with gestures (for example, hold up your hand and walk forward to tell it to back up), and obstacle avoidance. If you want a drone primarily to take awesome photos of yourself while hiking, this is the one to get.
8) Holy Stone HS720 GPS Drone
Parrot
This drone lacks some key features like obstacle avoidance that you’ll find on others, but it’s worth a look if you’re primarily concerned with getting the best photos and video possible from a small, affordable drone. At 4k, it packs a high-resolution camera, a 5GHz FPV transmission, which makes for seamless transitions, and a 26-minute battery life.
9) Potensic T25 GPS Drone
Potensic
Flying a drone takes practice. The control orientation takes lots of flight hours to get used to, and will likely involve a few crashes. Start with a small, cheap drone before spending four figures, and you’ll be much better prepared. We like the Potensic T25 because it’s quick, small enough to fly indoors, and comes with a handy follow me mode for beginner users. The controller's thumb sticks are much more satisfying to use than a smartphone screen controller, and it will give you a feel for the control systems on bigger, more expensive drones. The Dreamer can also be fitted with a camera and paired to a headset, so you can fly from FPV—meaning you see what the drone sees.
10) DJI FPV Combo Drone
DJI
amazon.com
The DJI first-person viewer drone puts you in the sky, wherever it goes. Choose from three modes of control, from expert-level fully manual to fully-engaged pre-programmed drone flight controls. There's a practice mode, great for beginners who need to get the feel of drone flight and VR before taking it out in the real world. Stabilization technology makes sure your view is smooth, no matter how the drone is flying. This one comes with an extra headset so you can take a friend for a ride as well.
Whether you want professional video equipment or a sub-$100 toy, there's a drone out there for you.