8 best drones with camera
From compact to complex, professional and beginner, we’ve put these birds to the flight test
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Your support makes all the difference.Drones are becoming flying super smart robots. We’ve seen tremendous improvement in their technology since these quadcopters have swept through the consumer market.
Through improved quality of video, longer battery life and better controllability, some of the best promise a unique flying experience.
Plus, many are taking the first-person view (FPV) to the next level with the use of FPV goggles that strap to your head for enhanced flight immersion. You'll truly feel like a real pilot.
Depending on their features, size and camera quality, prices vary from double digits and a couple of hundred bucks up into the thousands.
You can however find drones for even below $50 as well, so you don’t necessarily need to break the bank to shoot some cool aerial footage.
We took a few out on a test fly to see if higher price in fact means higher quality.
DJI Mavic Pro Platinum: $1,099, DJI
Despite its compact size, (1.62 lobs) DJI has fit everything you need in its new Mavic Pro Platinum. Folded up it’s just about the size of a brick, so it’s super portable. It also has an impressive up to 30-minute battery life and a range that reaches over 4 miles while maintaining high-quality footage — thanks to DJI’s new OcuSync transmission system. The camera has a narrower field of view, so it’s not a wide fisheye like many similar cameras used with quadcopters.
Plus, although many drones can be quite loud and you can hear them coming from afar, DJI has decreased its noise by as much as 60 per cent, and you can definitely tell the difference compared to the previous Mavic Pro edition. The way it’s put together feels solid and durable, and it did survive a few small falls without showing any signs of damage.
The controllability is on point, easy-to-handle, and its versatile flight modes provide you with a great range of options from following you and recognizing hand gestures to keeping you in spotlight and even functioning as if it was on a tripod — great for indoor shots.
DJI Spark: $549, DJI
While most drones you’d launch from the ground a few feet away from you to avoid injury from the propellers, the Spark could take off from your hand. It’s one of the smallest and most compact drones you can get without having to give up on quality features.
It comes fully packed with technology, including GPS, obstacle detection, stabilization and the coolest thing: its ability to recognize hand gestures as flying commands. Ever wanted to feel like you have the power to move objects with just waving? Here’s your chance.
Although it may be tiny, around 0.6 pounds, you can still get around 15 minutes of air time and speed at up to 30 mph.
As for the camera, we have no complaints. It shoots 1080p, high-quality footage with great stability thanks to the mechanical gimbal and you can also choose from five different shooting modes.
Yuneec Breeze: $194.99, Yuneec
Say goodbye to your selfie stick because taking a video or photo of yourself just got more convenient. The Breeze has several automated options through which it literally either follows you, goes around you or hovers at one spot as if it was on a tripod.
You’ll get great quality 4K footage, and although it doesn’t have a gimbal, the footage tends to be quite steady. Make sure to carry an extra battery with you because its battery life only runs for about 11 minutes though.
The Breeze also has instant social media connection, so you can easily share videos or photos on your Facebook or Instagram without even leaving the app. It manoeuvres easily, so even beginners can get a fun flying experience out of it.
F200 C Specter: $199.99, Force 1
This one is also a favorable bird for beginners. Having orange propellers in front and black in the back makes it easy to stay oriented, especially if you’re new to quadcopters. The controller is a rather simple one, only showing basic data such as distance, height, battery life and satellite data.
The camera records in HD 1080, but the controller doesn’t have a screen, neither does it connect to your phone, so you can’t watch the footage live. The battery life, however, is impressive, close to 30 minutes, and it comes with an extra battery, which is always great to have.
DJI Phantom 4 Pro: $1,499, DJI
Whether you’re a beginner or a pro “droner”, the Phantom 4 Pro has everything you’d ask for. They’ve upgraded quite a bit on many levels from the Phantom 4. The camera has aperture and a mechanical shutter, plus a new hardware with a 1-inch image sensor (four times the size of what’s used in the original Phantom 4).
For beginners, flying it is as safe as it gets. With a five-direction of obstacle sensing system, the drone is fully aware of its surroundings (sides, front, back, below), even if you can’t see it. It’s also the first DJI drone to use infrared 3D scanning, so it’s more accurate than ever. The flight time is also longer, up to 30 minutes.
Two of our favorite flight modes were drawing and active tracking, where you can either draw a route on the screen and the drone will follow while maintaining altitude or tap a moving subject on the screen which it’ll then follow or fly alongside. It does get less accurate though if the subject moves quickly or changes altitude significantly.
Halo Pro: $997, Halo Board
The company known for its hover boards has taken to the sky. However, it seems there is a bit of room for improvement.
Although it’s among the larger drones (17 inches), its compatibility makes it very easy to store on the go, not to mention is has a very sleek look. You’ll get great video footage as it doesn’t only use a detachable 4K camera, but with the 3-axis gimbal the shots will be very stable and steady.
This version comes with a full travel bag, which, as well as all your essentials, includes a follow module plus a watch that can also be used as a controller, offering a much more convenient way of recording if you want to get footage of yourself doing sports. The battery will last about 22 minutes. The setup, syncing and wifi broadcasting will require some patience though, so those seem to be areas they’d want to improve in the future.
Yuneec Typhoon H with Intel release technology: $1,499.99, Yuneec
This one is more of a pro’s toy. A huge upgrade compared to other drones is that its 4K camera is on a three-axis gimbal that rotates at 360 degrees offering an exciting visual experience. It has a very professional, six-rotor design, which gives almost a military aircraft look to it.
Because of its fairly large size (4.3 pounds), you'll need to register it with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and apply a label with your identification number before launching it up in the air. It won’t fly too far from you though. Its range hardly reaches 1 mile before the picture loses quality. Similar to other drones, however, it comes with selfie, follow, smart and home flight modes.
As for the controller, there’s nothing simple about it. Although there’s a built-in 7-inch touch screen, the number of toggle switches and dials in addition to the touch-screen interface might seem intimidating at first if you’re a beginner to the drone world. The Intel release technology configuration allows the quadcopter to detect obstacles by using three different cameras and sensors that refresh at 60fps to build a 3-D model of its surroundings. Your chances of crashing into anything just went to nearly zero.
Parrot Bebop 2 Power (FPV Pack): $599.99, Parrot
Boosting your first-person view, this pack includes FPV goggles that will allow for a more immersive experience. It also comes with two batteries, each allowing for up to a 30-minute flight time. The camera’s wide-angle lens captures a 360-degree panorama, and its 3-axis digital stabilization guarantees a stable footage. Its look is very elegant and sleek whether you choose the matte or glossy finish — reminds us of the F-117 Nighthawk aircraft cutting through the air.
The follow me, visual and GPS tracking features are included in the Parrot Bebop 2 Power pack, so it can watch every move you make.
The Verdict: Drones
The quadcopter market seems to go in one of two directions. It’s either compact, easy-to-carry drones equipped with all the high-tech functions that are great for personal filming and taking your travel experience to the next level. Or larger, more professional-sized ones that are best used for cinematography purposes.
If you’re looking for a drone to make some fun memories while doing sports or travelling with family and friends, then your best bet is the DJI Mavic Pro Platinum. It's convenient and compatible, along with its all-inclusive flight modes and footage quality will not disappoint. However, for a more affordable pick, you’ll see great performance from the Yuneec Breeze as well.
For a rather professional purpose, we’d recommend the DJI Phantom 4 Pro. Its infrared sensing is very unique on its own and the improved camera and battery life are worth the upgrading from the basic Phantom 4.