Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. The Phantom 3 4K captures stable ultra high-definition video from the air and includes all of the safety features you expect from a DJI drone. The DJI Phantom 3 Standard delivers the safety, reliability, and video quality you expect dji mini 2 fly more combo from a Phantom at a price that appeals to entry-level pilots. The DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone adds additional obstacle sensors and a vastly improved camera to the already stellar Phantom 4. The DJI Mavic 3 puts a Hasselblad camera in a small, folding drone. It captures stunning video and stills, but it’s missing a few promised features at launch.
Do not use social apps and sites like SkyPixel or Facebook to share drone content. This pad folds out easily, is waterproof, and has built-in weights so it stays put.
DJI manufactures commercial unmanned aerial vehicles for aerial photography and videography. It also designs and manufactures camera gimbals, action cameras, camera stabilizers, flight platforms, propulsion systems and flight control systems. The Mavic 3’s 20-megapixel, 5.1K camera is branded by Hasselblad (a Swedish company known for medium-format cameras), which DJI acquired in 2017. Considering that this camera is as small as a fun-size candy bar, it can’t capture the same quality as Hasselblad’s larger cameras can.
But the Mini 2 offers more for pro snappers, too, thanks to the inclusion of raw photo shooting, while 4K video means the arrival of a boosted 100mbps bit-rate. Sure, the Mini 2 isn’t otherwise a huge step up from the Mavic Mini, but it’s undoubtedly the best compact drone you can buy. If you need 4K video quality, then we’d budget to spend at least $400 / £400.
After test-flying 19 models, we think the DJI Mavic Air 2 is the best drone because it combines a high-end camera with the latest autonomous technology for less than $1,000. Pilots of all skill levels will find that DJI’s drones are exceptionally reliable and easy to fly. While two of the under-$100 models I’ve tested were fun to fly, the photos and video they produced were hot garbage.
If you’d like to avoid using your phone or tablet altogether, you can fly without one (though you’ll lose the helpful livestream) or buy the DJI RC Pro controller, which has a built-in screen. After hours of research, we still have privacy and security concerns about . We also have no doubt that it makes the best drones available to hobbyists. As a result, we still recommend its drones, but we will continue to monitor the company’s practices. We also like this landing pad’s metal weighted edge, which prevents the pad from flying away in windy weather.
If you’re just getting into drone photography for personal use and sharing on social media, the DJI Mini 2 is a less expensive model that still includes a 4K camera. Its battery life, at 31 minutes, comes close to matching that of more expensive models (though the Mini 2 has a lower-quality camera and sensor, so it can’t quite match the quality of their images and video). This model folds up to about the size of a person’s hand and weighs just 249 grams; that’s a bit over half a pound and light enough to not require registration for personal use. The Mini 2 still comes with the important features you need from a video drone, such as image and flight stabilization and an included controller, as well as smart-flight modes .
Photography drones have features to allow you to take high-quality photos and video from aerial locations. You can even find racing drones that move quickly and are intended for everyday fun. While the cameras are the main focus of the drones we review, we also test their flying performance to see how easy they are to operate. We check their stabilization in the air, their responsiveness and their top speed. Perhaps most importantly, we also assess their obstacle avoidance – which is particularly crucial if you want a drone that automatically tracks and follows a subject. Of course, the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0’s size means it isn’t as convenient as the foldable Mavic 2 Pro, which also has a 20Mp 1-inch sensor.