5 Best RC Drones with Camera
If you want to buy a drone for aerial videography and photography but don’t know where to start or what the top rated drones are, then you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we bring you the 5 best drones to buy based on their features, value, ease of use and quality.
1. DJI Phantom 3 Advanced Quadcopter Drone
DJI Phantom 3 Advanced carries a fully stabilized 3-axis 1080p full HD video camera for smooth, high-definition videos and stunning photos.
DJI’s updated Lightbridge technology allows 720p HD digital streaming of live video directly from the drone – you will be able to see exactly what the drone sees, Live. That means, you can see the video in real time as you fly.
It comes pre-equipped with standard DJI Drone features such as GPS navigation with auto takeoffs and landings, a built-in safety database of no fly zones, high power flight battery, and a very intuitive / user-friendly mobile app for your iOS or Android device.
If you like flying indoors, it includes an optical and ultrasonic sensors called “Vision Positioning” that let you fly with precise control without a GPS signal.
Customers seem to really love this drone. Over 206 people have given it a rating of 4.5 stars out 5 on Amazon. Read their reviews here.
2. Yuneec Q500 4K Typhoon Quadcopter Drone
Instead of an app, Yuneec Q500 4K uses an android-based remote controller that has a built-in touchscreen for flight monitoring.
Yuneec is designed specifically for aerial photography and videography with its the CGO3-GB, a 3-axis gimbal-stabilized camera (4K video recording, 1080p video recording at up to 120 fps, and 16-megapixels photos).
The camera is easily removable and replaceable in case of an accidental damage.
It offers useful navigation features such as Waypoints and Follow Me.
The step on this Trash Can is not as wide as the first one.
It’s a little bit bigger in size but the aesthetically pleasing metallic design makes it look really cool.
Yuneec seems to be getting popular during the holidays. As of this writing, there were only 10 units left on Amazon. Check it out here.
$999 on Amazon3. DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter Drone
Although a bit more expensive than the Advanced version, DJI Phantom 3 Professional is your drone if you are looking to shoot 4K video.
The gold bands add a nice touch to the design.
It also offers a much faster battery charger (it charges almost twich as faster than the Advanced).
If you have a pretty busy shooting schedule and don’t mind spending a little more, DJI Phantom 3 Professional is the way to go.
Over 300 customers have give it a 4.2 ratings out of 5. Read the reviews here.
4. XIRO Xplorer Aerial UAV Drone Quadcopter
XIRO Xplorer shoots full HD video at 1080p/30fps and 720p/30fps, and, you also have the option for slow motion recordings.
It comes pre-loaded with advance functions like “Follow me”, “Circle Around Me” or “Return to Base” that make your flights more interesting and fun.
When the battery is critically low or the drone loses connection with the controller, “Return to Base” function is automatically activated.
It has three operational settings – beginners, amateurs and professional users – each with a varying degree of difficulty and sophistication.
You get a vibration alert on the remote controller for certain special events such as low baterry.
It has received a rating of 3.8 stars on Amazon. Read some reviews here.
5. Hubsan X4 Quadcopter Drone
The Best Drone for Beginners
If you are not quite ready to spend $500+ on a drone, or are simply planning on learning how fly a drone, I suggest you get Hubsan X4 Quadcopter.
For the price of around $130, it is a great value, especially for what it has to offer.
It’s a palm-sized quadcopter that can launch directly off your hand.
The built-in video camera supplies real-time video feed directly to 4.3 inch LCD screen on your transmitter.
You can record the video on a SD card and use it however you want. The FPV (First Person View) video range is up to 100 meters (that’s quite a bit for a drone this size).
Lightweight airframe, nice durability with 6-axis flight controls and adjustable gyro sensitivity lets you have a very stable flight. You can fly it indoors or outdoors.
30 minutes of charge gives you about 7 minutes of flight.
It’s currently one of the best-sellers among smaller portable drones. Over 600 customers have given it a rating of 3.7 stars on Amazon. Read their reviews here.
References
- DJI – https://www.dji.com/
- Yuneec Q500 – https://www.yuneec.com/products/aerialuav/q500_4k
- XIRO Drone – https://www.xirodrone.com/
- Hubson Quadcopters – https://www.hubsan.com/product/index413.html
- Know Before You Fly
- FAA – Do’s and Don’ts of Model Aircraft Operations
Patrick Cooper
Patrick has over a decade’s experience writing about consumer electronics on the web. An avid traveller, he is the father of two adopted pitbulls and a greyhound. Cheif editor at WhatRocksAndWhatSucks.com, right now Patrick lives in Austin, TX. Reach him at patrick@wraws.com.