13 Best Drones For Photography

Drone shots are commonplace in movies, series, and even photography today. They’re an excellent alternative to shooting videos with cameras as they offer a multitude of unique perspectives and angles that simply aren’t possible with any other camera. The top options we looked at boasted features like automated safety and high-resolution sensors. Thus, they allowed us to get airborne easily, giving us access to aerial angles that we’ve only seen in helicopter shots! That’s why we’ve been on the lookout for the best drones for photography, scouting for and reviewing a long list of options suiting a range of different requirements and budgets. Are you an aspiring aerial videographer or photographer? These wonderful drone recommendations from us are your ticket to the sky!

PowerVision PowerEgg X Wizard

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We start our list of the best drones for photography with a product from PowerVision. This unorthodox-shaped drone just blew our minds with its hoard of rich features and versatility. Created by PowerVision, the PowerEgg X Wizard is a powerful UAV with a 4K camera embedded in its body. The 4K UHD (Ultra High Definition) camera even has AI for enhanced image production. What’s more, the 12MP camera captured videos and images in a 4:3 ratio, and we could easily store them on a micro-SD too. Moreover, we loved the plethora of AI-powered features, including the multi-angle face recognition and subject lock-on to tracking a moving object without a hitch. We were also able to shoot very smoothly, thanks to the three-axis gimbal camera stabilizer.

Another reason why we were so excited to get our hands on this drone, besides its easy handling, was its ability to shoot in most weather. The waterproof housing included in the purchase was more than enough to protect the main body from rain and water splashing. We could even take off and land the drone on water using its water-landing floats. Another perk of this drone is that we can operate it in three ways: as a flying drone, as a handheld camera, and as a personal camera, with an included mini tripod. Savvy, eh?

Are you looking for a better tripod? Check out our best travel tripods.

What We Love

This drone is perfect for all-weather filming. Whether it’s rain or dust, nothing will stop you from flying this drone.

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Parrot PF728000 ANAFI Drone

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We were looking for a simple drone that would do the job for the newbies amongst us, quite contrary to the previous UAV. That’s why we loved the Parrot PF728000 Anafi Drone, which is designed to take pictures and videos like a pro. This drone boasts a posse of clever features like ‘follow me,’ ‘return home,’ and real-time 360-degree “little planet.”Together, these were more than enough to shoot 4K HDR videos which we could brag about to our friends! 

What’s more, every video we took was shake-free, thanks to the camera’s three-axis gimbal. If that wasn’t enough, this drone is super light and compact and even comes with a carry case. This little dragonfly camera used USB-A/C connections (for fast charging) for a 25-minute air ride. Pro tip: Make sure you set your Return-to-Home route before flying this drone to prevent it from getting lost in case of accidental disconnectivity.

What We Love

This drone is small but packs a punch. It has plenty of user-friendly features suitable for travelers and aerial photography hobbyists.

Holy Stone HS360S GPS Drone

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Best budget. Holy Stone has become the brand of choice when it comes to entry-level drones for drone lovers and beginners. The Holy Stone HS360S GPS Drone is no exception. There are a ton of things we love about this drone, such as the design. It takes design cues from the folding drones preceding it. It allowed us to pack down the drone very easily for easy storage and transport. As recreational fliers, we had to take the free online training course called the ‘Trust Test’ before flying for the first time.

Moreover, the app used to control the drone is free to download and very simple and easy to use and command. However, what we loved the most was the controller, which is lightweight and comes with a bottom clip to hold our phones. Finally, to the brand’s credit, we could fly the HS360 fine after a collision and a 20-foot drop to the soft ground below. 

For more information, see the official product page of this drone.

“We were looking for a good entry-level drone which would get the job done and also provide some thrills. And the Holy Stone HS360S drone did just that – and then some!”

WOW Travel

What We Love

Flying this UAV is like having a personal aerial photography crew on a helicopter.

DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0

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It’s impossible to talk about camera drones without mentioning DJI, the leading brand in the industry. They’ve designed some of the best drones for photography in the market besides the one we’re going to talk about. Behold the DJI Phantom 4 V2.0, which is simply the best camera drone we’ve ever seen. We especially loved the buttery-smooth 4K motion captures, stabilization, and crystal-clear pictures. While the camera can more than do its job, we had the option to change the lens with other ones too.

We were able to control the drone from both a remote controller and our smartphone. In fact, we were even able to fly this drone easily with aids from its automation features such as TapFly, ActiveTrack, collision sensors, and auto-landing. The battery on this monster let it fly for 30 minutes, egged on by the fast charging feature. 

Check out the detailed review of this drone on Medium.

What We Love

It’s simply the best drone that money can get.

Autel Robotics EVO II Pro 6K Drone Camera

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Autel Robotics entered the drone market slightly later than the other brands, but that didn’t stop them from designing some excellent products. The Autel Robotics EVO II Pro 6K Drone Camera is no exception. While we found it to be a bit large for such a small drone, we loved that it was highly visible, thanks to the bright orange finish. It helped us spot the drone against green fields and blue skies. 

What’s more, thanks to the obstacle sensors from the airframe, along with standard speed, it prevented the drone from crashing into something. So, we were able to focus on our camera work while working lower to the ground, where trees and other obstructions weren’t an issue. While it does boast a 40-minute flight rating, we got in closer to 32 minutes, which is still better than most others on this list. What we liked was the 22mph top speed and the 8GB in-drone storage.

What We Love

The sporty color and 4K recording at 70 km/h pump the adrenaline! Best paired with an FVP goggle.

Ryze Tech Tello

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Our next pick is the tiny bug of a flying powerhouse, the Ryze Tech Tello Mini Drone. This UAV was released with beginners as its main target audience, and it’s easy to see why. This drone was perfect for our trial flights before we planned to get our hands on the much more expensive ones with advanced features and handling. 

This camera drone is indeed small with its 3.9-inch long and 3.6-inch wide dimensions. For this UAV, flying in tight places was like a walk in the park. Even though it’s dubbed as a ‘toy,’ we were able to capture moments fairly easily with the EZ Shots feature. It’s also equipped with a 5MP camera and can fly for up to 13 minutes, which is great for a mid-level drone. Another awesome thing about this drone is that it supports Scratch (a coding app) to program it. So, we could teach ourselves some basic coding while having fun flying the drone as well. Finally, the remote controlling system is completely supported by DJI, which is a renowned brand.

What We Love

The Ryze Tech Tello is compact and easy to use, with fairly good picture recording.

DJI Mavic Zoom 2

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As mentioned before, DJI is the company that has set the bar in the drone industry – and how. So, it should come as no surprise that they produce some of the best drones for photography. The DJI Mavic Zoom 2 is a compact drone that’s just half the height of the DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0. What’s more, this drone is an upgraded version of DJI Mavic, with its specifications at par with the DJI Mavic Pro. 

There are a lot of things we love about this drone. For one, the camera mounted on this unit is a 1/2.3-inch 12MP that supports 4x zoom with a dolly zoom feature. What’s more, it flew flawlessly even in harsh winds and could capture movies in crisp details without shaking, thanks to its protected 3-axis gimbal. This drone could fly quite fast: up to 70 km/h with a maximum air time of 30 minutes on a single charge, which is very impressive. While a remote controller was included in the purchase, we could also use our smartphones by downloading the DJI Go App. Finally, this UAV is well-equipped with functional features like object tracking, obstacle sensors, and time-lapse mode that made flying a pleasure. 

Here’s a hands-on detailed YouTube video review of this drone.

What We Love

This drone is nimble, fast, and powerful.

JMI Magic Foldable RC Quadcopter

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The JMI Magic Foldable RC Quadcopter is yet another excellent drone for budding photographers. There are a ton of things we loved about this drone, starting with the crazy cool 360-degree flip, which allowed us to roll the drone in any direction. What’s more, the G-sensor synced with our smartphone’s movements, taking our flying experience to the next level. Thanks to the features, we were even able to draw a route on our app, which the drone followed and added fun to the whole experience. If that wasn’t enough, the drone could even hover and boasted four-sided obstacle avoidance for a more thrilling flight. But what made us really confident was the emergency landing app icon, which allowed us to swiftly bring the drone down to the ground in case of any emergency.

What We Love

This is a compact and foldable camera drone that’s user-friendly.

Ruko F11 Pro Drone

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Best value for money. We were looking for decent camera drones under 300 USD that didn’t sacrifice image quality when we chanced upon the Ruko F11 Pro Drone. This drone’s design is akin to that of a spaceship: it’s efficient, compact, and rugged. Not only that, but the look also aligns with its capability. All we needed to do was push a button to land or to take off, and the drone would lock its position according to the GPS. This helped the beginners among us to figure out how to handle the drone. Plus, we didn’t have to worry about losing it, too, as it’s programmed with features including ‘headless flight’ where the drone was always orientated towards the pilot wherever we went. It could even hover around us while we were in action.

The camera is quite decent, with 4K image taking and 2K video recording. Hence, they were more than enough to take 30 minutes of video recording for our travel vlog. We were also able to upload the video straight from the controller’s interface, cutting the hassle of uploading the video to our PC first. When the 30 minutes weren’t enough, we could even use the second battery included in the purchase!

What We Love

A great starter drone with a great camera and easy control.

DJI Mavic Air 2

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Most features. DJI truly upped its game with the latest Air upgrade, the DJI Mavic Air 2. This foldable drone is a beast of a machine with a 1/2-inch CMOS image sensor paired with a 48MP camera. It might sound excessive, but wouldn’t it be fun to print your images in big sizes? We know we would, especially when it’s 4K HDR images. The 4K feature also extends to its 4K HDR recording at 60 fps. Capture beautiful slow-motion videos like a pro. 

What we were really impressed by is that this drone could fly as fast as 75 km/h for 34 minutes of airtime while steadily maintaining the connection up to 10 km from us with its OcuSync 2.0. Another upgrade on this drone is the size of the controller: it’s twice as big as that of DJI Mavic Air or DJI Mavic Pro. We really appreciated this upgrade as it sat firmly in our palms. This drone is virtually flawless and perfect for any level of experience.

What We Love

It’s one of the best drones for photography from DJI.

DJI Inspire 2

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The DJI Inspire 2 is a beautiful, state-of-the-art drone that many photographers hold dear to their hearts. It’s built specifically for those who know what they are doing. For one, the chassis of this UAV is strengthened by magnesium aluminum composite to protect the delicate parts inside the body, while its 4 carbon fiber arms are lightweight solid. So, even in strong winds, this drone stood its ground, thanks to its strong brushless motors and propellers.

We also liked that the mounted camera was interchangeable between all DJI lenses, like DJI Zenmuse X5S and X4S. Moreover, this drone is also embedded with a ton of automation features. These include the Spotlight Pro (up to 80 km/h), Smart Return Home, Waypoint, and, most importantly, its cutting-edge obstacle avoidance system, which is what it’s known for. The 27-minute flight gave us picture-perfect quality videos of 4K level in H.264/H.265 format.

What We Love

This drone takes aerial photography to the next level.

Holy Stone HS720

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As we said earlier, Holy Stone has been getting a lot of traction in the drone industry, as is evident by rave reviews. They’re known for producing some of the best drones for photography at a reasonable price, and the Holy Stone HS720 drone is no exception. This early-entry drone sports a 4K UHD stabilized camera that produces 3840 x 2160 high-resolution videos and pictures. What’s more, it flew on four brushless motors with noiseless propellers.

We liked that this UAV can fly up to 26 minutes in one charge. Plus, it has basic features every drone has, such as GPS positioning, object and face tracking, and return to home. If you have FPV goggles with you, you can even pair them up with this drone for an immersive flight. The total weight of this UAC is only 16.1 oz, and we could even put the drone with its entire accessories into a nifty bag provided with every purchase.

What We Love

This is a high-quality drone that won’t hurt your pocket.

DJI Mavic Mini

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Best overall. The last, or rather the first, and one of the best drones in photography on our list is the DJI Mavic Mini which strikes a balance between function and value. It’s also the lightest among its peers, resulting in longer flight time. Despite the small size (almost as light as our smartphone), this drone could take 2.7K videos and images like it’s nothing, using its 12MP camera that’s mounted on a 3-axis gimbal.

The small size allowed us to dodge most flight regulations. It’s quite beneficial, especially when we took it places. Most DJI features, like “Follow me” and flight tutorials, are already embedded in this drone. All we needed to do was download the DJI FlyApp and pair it with our drone. So, we could take this drone practically anywhere we went, tucked away into our bags.

What We Love

This is an ideal starter drone from a renowned brand.

Our Verdict!

While all drones above are amazing, check out this specialized list to help you choose:

• Best value for money:
• Best budget: Holy Stone HS360S GPS Drone
• Best value for money: Ruko F11 Pro Drone
• Most features: DJI Mavic Air 2

How To Choose the Best Drones for Photography?

There are two main factors when it comes to choosing camera drones: the drone and the camera itself. That’s because the best drones with good camera quality are more than just good cameras. That should extend to their user-friendliness and budget as well. Here are some of the key features we considered before buying such drones:

Image Quality

First of all, we got to thinking about why we needed a drone camera in the first place, and you should too. Are you a professional who takes lots of aerial shots? Or are you just a hobbyist who likes to try new things? If you’re one of the latter, then image quality should not be your issue. In fact, we would recommend you go for drones for beginners instead. However, professionals should consider this factor, as a low-quality camera will not do any justice. This we found out when we were taking a photo from hundreds of feet above the ground.

Steadiness

No matter how sophisticated our high-resolution camera was, it didn’t work to mount on a drone without a shake-free feature. Imagine how hard it would be to take still images with a camera, let alone on a drone. Without this feature, your images will end up blurry. A good camera drone has to be able to shoot steady videos and capture crisp pictures.

Automation Features

Find a drone that has automation features like Follow Me and Return to Home, at the very least. With these features, drones are more user-friendly. Avoid drones that need a steep learning curve unless you are an avid hobbyist or professional. Those are made with more complicated controls that will make the experience less enjoyable. Because believe us, it will take a lot of effort and time to master the art of droning without crashing it. You might end up buying some of these best drones for photography in bulk!

Weight

Since you will most likely want to use your drone camera to take photos of your travels, consider the weight, not just the drone itself, but all the accessories that come with it. Some drones are designed to be super steady with heavier weight as a trade-off. This may not be a wise option if you’re traveling light, especially if you don’t plan on bringing an extra luggage set with you.

More importantly, if the drone weighs more than 8.8 oz (250 g, which is most consumer drones), pilots will need to register for an FAA identification number for a nominal cost of 5 USD. With this, you can own and fly as many drones as you want for a time period of three years. Just put the newly assigned identification number on the exterior of your drone visibly. 

Flying for fun vs. money

One thing drone enthusiasts need to remember is that as of 31st December 2020, all camera drone pilots will be required to sit a short multiple-choice online examination and buy an Operator ID from the FAA.

So, if you’re flying for fun and for sharing pictures and videos with your friends, then setting up, registering, and testing can all happen in less than an hour. However, if you’re a photographer and plan on making money off of your drone, then you’ll need to take a more stringent exam and receive the Part 107 certification. Once you’re certified, you’ll be able to capture photos and video from the drone for commercial purposes.