Drones are becoming more and more popular and a lot of new people are looking at owning one. If you love taking pictures and want a drone, then I’ve got all the information you’ll need right here.
The fact is that most drones have cameras attached to them, to either transmit a live feed to the controller that the pilot is holding or record that same feed to be accessed at a later stage. The cameras come in all different sizes, and the type of camera and quality usually dictates the price of the drone.
Keep reading to learn more about some of the most exciting and innovative camera drones on the market!
10 Drones With The Best Cameras
There are many different types of drones on the market and a lot of different companies that make them. However, just because there are a lot of drones out there does not mean that they are all good for photography!
Camera drones are the drones most people are familiar with and usually come in the form of a quadcopter. These drones have a massive amount of use in many different industries but are also used in search and rescue and by regular enthusiasts like you and me.
Here are some of the best camera drones on the market and what you should know before purchasing one:
| Drone Name: | Camera Quality: | Flight Time: | Price: | Purchase Link: |
| Mavic 2 Zoom | 4K | 31 min | $1,599 | VIEW |
| Mavic Mini | 2.7K | 30 min | $399 | VIEW |
| Parrot Anafi | 4K | 25 min | $699 | VIEW |
| Phantom 4 Pro | 4K | 30 min | $1,599 | VIEW |
| Inspire 2 | 4K | 27 min | $3,299 | VIEW |
| Ryze Tello | 720p | 13 min | $99 | VIEW |
| Autel Evo | 4K | 30 min | $999 | VIEW |
| PowerEye | 4K | 29 min | $1,199 | VIEW |
01. DJI Mavic 2 Zoom
The DJI Mavic 2 Zoom captures colorful and crisp 4K videos. It really sets itself apart from other drones because of its unique optical zoom lens. This Zoom is loaded with tons of features, including obstacle avoidance, and it is the perfect choice for someone who is an enthusiast and wants to take their photography to new heights.
Camera: The Zoom takes amazing, smooth, sharp 4K videos! DJI has also added a 2X optical zoom lens to its new drone.
Flight Time: It has an improved 31 minute maximum flight time which is amazing. Most drones in its price range have a maximum flight time of around 25 minutes so this just shows you how good this drone is!
Price: It comes at a cost price of $1,599 which is honestly a bit pricey but will definitely fulfil all your needs for photography that you expect from a drone and more.
DJI Mavic Mini
The Mavic Mini is one of my personal favorite drones on the market at the moment. If you are looking for a drone that takes amazing videos and photos but is also the most portable drone on the market, then you should not look any further than the Mavic Mini.
DJI created a new category of folding prosumer drone, small and light enough to take nearly anywhere but with a good camera!
Camera: The Mini can only capture 2.7K video which is around half the number of pixels as the rest of the drones on this list. But, it is still one of the cheaper drones on the list as well, and definitely the most convenient when it comes to travel!
This drone also has a 3-axis gimbal to help stabilize the footage which means all footage is super-smooth.
Flight Time: With a maximum flight time of 30 minutes DJI really shocked many in the industry. Being able to release a drone of this size with this flight time is quite a feat.
Price: The Mavic Mini will cost you around $399 which is very cheap for the quality of this drone. Definitely a drone I would recommend if you are frequently travelling as well as if you are new to the drone world.
Parrot Anafi FPV
Parrot did not really have a drone that contended in the high-end aerial video and photography market until they released the Anafi in mid-2018.
Parrot didn’t just amp up its prices when they were working on this drone, instead, they put fewer sensors on the drone and left the avoiding obstacles part of flying up to the pilot. They rather focused on the camera, portability and keeping the price down.
Camera: The Anafi has a 4K camera which is a first of its kind from the Parrot company and it put it on the map of top photography drones.
The drone also comes with a new FPV kit from Parrot which combines this drone with head-up display (‘first-person view’) goggles for a fully immersive flying experience.
Flight Time: The 25 minutes of flight will really come in handy for you to take all the pictures and capture all the video you need.
Price: The Parrot Anafi comes at a $699 cost price.
DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0
The Phantom series of drones has been a revolutionary product in the droning community. The earlier versions were the first drones to feature a gimbal-stabilized camera rather than requiring the user to supply their own. Sadly, earlier versions of the drone have been discontinued.
There were concerns that this drone was going to be discontinued, but DJI has now confirmed that the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 is now back in production. That’s great news for any drone pilot that has truly professional photographic ambitions!
Camera: On the Phantom 4 you can take a great 4K video and has an OcuSync radio system that makes 1080p video possible on the monitors.
Flight Time: The DJI Phantom 4 gives you 30 minutes of flight time to explore and shoot amazing footage.
Price: You can still purchase it for $1,599 which might seem like a lot it is worth it for the quality of this drone.
DJI Inspire 2
The Inspire 1 brought with it a jaw-dropping design that keeps the props comfortably out of most shots while allowing for a big, stable frame. The Inspire 2 keeps that same frame and quality and lots of dual redundancy for safer flights. One of the duplicated parts it has is the battery which allows for increased flight time.
Camera: The Inspire 2 is able to attach a few cameras to it and it is up to you which camera you would like.
- X4S. This camera is comparable to the Phantom camera.
- X5S. This camera is the same as the X4S but the difference is that you can attach a zoom lens to this one which opens more possibilities for better shots. It also has a better image sensor.
- Zenmuse X7. The X7 is extremely expensive but is a far better camera than the other two mentioned.
Flight Time: With a flight time of 27 minutes(depending on the camera you choose) the Inspire 2 is great for professionals in the industry who are looking to capture amazing footage.
Price: The drone comes at an eye-watering $3,299 but if you are part of an industry that requires quality aerial footage then this is the drone for you.
Ryze Tello
The Ryze Tello is quite a controversial drone. This is because it is made with DJI parts and uses DJI tech as well as being sold on the DJI website, however it is not a DJI drone. Nonetheless, the Ryze Tello is “powered by DJI” and is an amazing piece of equipment.
Camera: The Tello has a 720p which might not seem like much, but it is surprisingly good.
Flight Time: It still has a decent flight time of 13 minutes, which doesn’t seem like much on this list. However, other drones in this price range don’t do much time in the air either.
Price: The price of this drone is $99 which is amazingly cheap. The price has been kept down by doing things like
- No GPS.
- You have to charge the battery inside the drone via USB.
- You fly using your phone.
Autel Robotics Evo
The Autel Evo might not be as well known as the other drones on this list but it has definitely made a mark in the droning community. It boasts a good collision sensing system and many professionals prefer working with the EVO thanks to the inclusion of an OLED screen for FPV in the standard remote.
Camera: It has a 4K camera and produces excellent video from its 1/2.3 sensor.
Flight Time: It has a 30 minute flight time which is great to enjoy the drone.
Price: The price of this specific drone is $999 which is not cheap, but still a great price for this drone.
PowerVision PowerEye
The PowerVision PowerEye is a monster drone!
Camera: All the cameras that can be put on the PowerEye have 4K video.
Flight Time: It can stay in the air for a maximum of 29 minutes depending on the kind of accessories you have on the drone.
Price: The price for it is $1,199 which might be pricey, but for the quality and interchangeability of the cameras and the drone itself make it well worth it.