Drones are great for aerial photography, surveillance, and, of course, flying around your backyard making friends with the neighbor’s cat.
Ask any skilled pilot of all levels, and they’ll tell you that if you need high-resolution images from a distance, DJI’s drones are the best. They combine autonomous technology and are extraordinarily reliable and simple to fly.
And for us to draw conclusions from these excellent drones, we contacted a team of experts who are insured and licensed drone users. They tested the drone’s image quality by making photos and videos and comparing the best. They also flew the drones to see if they could detect and avoid obstacles like trees along the way.
The Best Drones for Aerial Photos and Videos
We take you through the recommendations of our experts so you can pick the best fit for yourself.
Our overall best pick is the DJI Mavic 3A
One beautiful thing about this drone is its ability to capture 5.1K videos. It also has a twin camera that photographs at 20 megapixels (24 mm wide angle and 162 mm telephoto).
Additionally, our team of experts rated its flight time at 46 minutes with omnidirectional obstacle avoidance sensors.
The only downside is that it is expensive and too big to be pocketed.
You can purchase it for $2,849 from Amazon.
DJI Air 2S is the best all-around drone
The DJI Air 2S is relatively priced in the range of $1000 and also best for beginners.
Its 5.4K camera combines reliable obstacle avoidance that can even alert you to approaching aircraft. Besides, it’s also safe to fly in winds up to 23.9 mph and has a long-lasting battery life (maximum 31-min flight time) for several great photos and videos. Check out the Fly More Combo, which includes three rechargeable drone batteries.
That said, the DJI Air drone is one that you can take anywhere.
With its sub-250 g weight, it can fit into your pockets since you can fold it at 7 by 3.8 by 3 inches.
The DJI Mini 2 is our best pick for personal use
This lightweight drone, a less expensive model that doesn’t require government registration, comes with a 4K camera. It’s an excellent option if you’re just starting out in drone photography for personal use.
The only downside is its lower-quality camera and sensor, which prevents it from completely matching the quality of the more expensive models like DJI Mavic 3A.
But, its battery life, at 31 minutes, is comparable to that of more expensive models. This model weighs only 249 grams and folds up to a size roughly comparable to your hand.
The Mini 2 still comes with image and flight stabilization features, an included controller, and smart flight
Alternative to DJI brand: Autel Robotics Evo Lite
Unlike DJI drones, this simple-to-fly drone boasts a 6K camera, 40 minutes of flight time, and no known security issues.
Most of its autonomous features are similar to those of DJI drones.
We suggest the Autel Robotics Evo Lite+ if you are avoiding the DJI brand because of human rights concerns or if you need a 6K camera. And in contrast to the DJI Fly, you can download the Autel Sky App from the Google Play store.
Purchase it at Amazon for only $1099
Our recommendations have always borne fruit for everything your money can buy.
The drones we recommend are excellent and capable of capturing high-resolution still images and video footage. They are also powered by long-lasting batteries, so you can keep flying as long as you want.
Related: The advantages of using drones
