Best Drone Cameras 2022 – Buyer’s Guide

Drones are super cool, and no one can doubt this statement for a while. The intriguing possibilities they offer to expand the horizons of adventure and beauty is quite overwhelming.

Today we are going to reveal the best drone cameras you can buy in 2019.

Yes, even for people who do not have enough valid reasons to invest in drones would want to buy. Right? …

While the drones are super cool they also happen to be quite expensive. Most of them are for enthusiasts or people who are into experimenting with videography mainly. Almost all the good, high-end drones come equipped with amazing cameras.

However, this guide will equip you with both high and low end best purchasing options. So that everyone can savor the beauty and exciting features of this beautiful creation of mankind.

Best Drone Cameras 2019

Before starting there are some things that you should know about. The drone market is divided into 2 main domains. There are the high level, enthusiast grade drones like the DJI Phantom 4, and the DJI T600 Inspire 1, and then there are cheaper options.

Before we begin, take a note that these drones are also commonly known as Quadcopters due to their appearance and rotors on all 4 ends.

1. DJI Mavic Pro – Best Portable Drone (Casey Neistat’s Favourite)

The first drone camera on our list is the famous DJI Mavic Pro.

Now in case you don’t know, Casey Neistat himself endorsed this drone on several occasions. He went on saying that this is quite possibly the best drone he has had a chance to use, and that’s something.

Before we begin, you should know that Dà-Jiāng Innovations Science and Technology Co. (commonly known as DJI) is a Chinese company that specializes in creating some of the best drones we have seen in the market. They are really famous for their Phantom lineup, something we will be seeing on our list today. In addition to that, they have some other lineups like Inspire series. Needless to say, the company has made sure that it has the complete range of drones suitable for all sorts of consumers.

The DJI Mavic Pro is super compact. It sounds crazy but the drone can actually be folded to the size of a small bottle of water. So you can take it pretty much anywhere you want. Other than that, Mavic Pro comes with something very special that is known as OcuSync transmission system. The transmission system gives the drone a transmission range of up to 4.3 miles (7km). While the controller can fly the drone at an impressive speed of 40mph (64km/h).

It also has something known as vision positioning technology that works in parallel with GPS and GLONASS. This makes sure that the drone positioning remains precise whether you are indoor or outdoor.

Thanks to the advanced sensors and tech, you can easily control the DJI Mavic with your phone with the help of WiFi. This feature really comes in handy especially when you’re feeling lazy indoors and want to play with your drone.

2. DJI Phantom 4 – Best Professional Drone in this List

We are taking a step down and going to talk about some of the legends now.

First and foremost, the only reason it is not in our Top position because of it’s huge, and of a bulky design which makes it less portable as compared to Mavic or Karma. Other than that, this is the most polished and professional Camera Drone out there.

For those who don’t know, the DJI Phantom 4 is perhaps the most popular drone that is currently available to buy in the market. In case you are wondering how good this is, Casey Neistat has been using this drone, and as a matter of fact, he has a total of 7 Phantom 4s with him.

With that said, that should be the one reason to buy this drone. However, for those who are looking for more than just a personal preference, don’t worry, we have got you covered. We managed to get our hands on the DJI Phantom 4, and our testing process revealed that this is, in fact, one of the best drones that are available in the market. In case you are wondering what made it so good, check out our complete review below.

So, there you have it. Is the DJI Phantom 4 a good option for those who are looking to spend top of the line money?

Yes, as a matter of fact, it is one of the best drones we have used in a long, long time. It lives up to the amazing legacy that has been created by DJI, and that’s something to say. In case you are wondering if we have any complaints with the drone? Well, there is one downside to the DJI Phantom, but that’s totally subjective. Still, for those who would insist to know, the negative point is mentioned below.

3. Halo Drone Pro – Professional yet Inexpensive

One of the best drones on our list, the Halo Drone Pro somehow manages to mix all the best features in the drone market into a single, very stylish, portable design.

Halo Board, the company behind the Halo Drone Pro, has been in the high-end electronics market for years. Previously having released the best electric skateboards and hoverboards available to date, this is their first foray into the drone market—and they’ve come out swinging with a portable, 4K capable, fully feature-decked drone.

Although relatively new, we had a chance to get our hands on one of the Halo Drone Pro’s and run it through its paces. There is some room for improvement, but at its price point, we’re not sure you can find a more fully loaded package with great follow modes, a secondary wrist remote for quick flights, and an interchangeable camera gimbal that’s compatible with GoPro Hero cameras and even the Yi 4K and Yi 4K ! Mind you, the included camera is great enough in its own right that we don’t see anyone swapping unless you have a very specific need for your shot.

So, if you are looking for a fully loaded drone with many extras and features without breaking the bank, then the Halo Drone Pro is for you.

To top it all off, the Halo Drone Pro comes packaged in an awesome backpack case so you can comfortably, and safely, transport your gear around with you! Now, we may be very impressed with Halo Board’s first drone model, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t find some downsides. Mind you, these are all subjective on our accounts, but if you are interested, read below.

4. DJI Inspire 1 – Professional yet Expensive

The next drone on our list is another one from DJI, and this one is called the DJI T600 Inspire 1. This drone actually comes with the option to be controlled with 2 controllers, and there’s also one that only has 1 control with it. It’s all up to you.

Now in case you didn’t know, this drone also comes with a 4K video camera, and it actually is really good for video recording. The camera is perfect for people who are experimenting with videography, and love to record high-quality videos that are brimming with details, colors, and sharpness. Now, as compared to the DJI Phantom 4, this one has a different design, and it’s actually more aggressive than the Phantom 4 as well. This one is among the top of the line drones out in the market. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the advantages that made the DJI T600 Inspire 1 one of our favorite drones.

There DJI T600 Inspire 1 is actually a quite impressive drone we have seen in a long time. It is surely an expensive one, and can get even more expensive if you are willing to get the one with 2 controllers, but other than that, there’s no denying that the drone is simply amazing. Believe it or not, it can actually take on the Phantom 4. If you’re wondering whether or not we encounter some downsides with the T600 Inspire 1, you should know that we have, although they are not deal breakers, they are still there.

5. GoPro Karma – Another Legendary Drone from GoPro

The next drone on our list may come as a surprise to some of you, and the reason is quite simple.

GoPro is basically this really good company that has created active cameras for ages. Their small cameras are powerful enough to record videos at true 4K. Their cameras can be taken anywhere and mounted to pretty much anything.

Needless to say, GoPro has singlehandedly dominated the active camera market. The company has surpassed the competition in camera market by leaps and bounds. For a long time, nothing has managed to come even close to the amazing cameras by GoPro.

It’s important to know that this review is completely based on the earlier opinions of the prototype version. With that said, we don’t doubt the capabilities and prowess of the GoPro Karma at all. In our personal opinion, if there’s any drone to challenge DJI Mavic Pro, it’s the Karma by GoPro.

Just like the DJI Mavic Pro, the GoPro Karma is extremely portable. The wings can be folded into the drone itself, making it easier to carry around. The Karma is extremely easy to operate for both seasoned flyers as well as newcomers. Thanks to the easy to understand control schemes and an intuitive UI. The drone comes with an app named GoPro Passenger. This app lets your friends view your drone fly, and even control the GoPro as they wish to.

Apart from the built-in camera, the GoPro Karma actually supports a number of different GoPro cameras. The options include the Hero 4, Hero 5 Black, and Hero Session. The drone ships with a GoPro Karma grip in order to have the best possible, and smoothest video recordings.

6. DJI Phantom 3 (PROFESSIONAL) – One of the Best Aerial Videography Quadcopter

There is no denying that the DJi’s Phantom series of drones have become sort of a benchmark for the top of the line consumer drones. Although they are made with consumers in mind, they are equally alluring for the most professionals out there.

In case you don’t know, the popular YouTuber/filmmaker Casey Niestat has been using the DJI Phantom 4 as his primary drone for shooting a lot of quality footage ever since the drone first came out. With that said, today, we are not looking at the Phantom 4, instead, we will be looking at its younger brother that is known as the DJI Phantom 3 Professional. Now when you compare this to its older brother, not much has changed in terms of the looks, however, the Phantom 3 Professional has a bit of a flashier design thanks to the golden accents. However, in case you are wondering about the accents ruining the simplicity of the drone, don’t. They actually complement the drone nicely and are certainly a welcomed addition.

We had the DJI Phantom 3 Professional in our hands for quite some time, and while we were a bit skeptical, we found out some really good things, as well as some minor issues about the drone. First, let’s take a look at all the good things about this drone. Below you will have all the amazing features that make DJI Phantom 3 Professional such an amazing camera drone to buy.

7. Yuneec Q500 4K – Smooth and Stable Flight but missing Waypoint Navigation

We are taking a step away from DJI, and looking at some other options. The next offering we have at our hands is the Yuneeq Q500 4K, also known as Yuneec Q500 4K Typhoon.

With that said, one can assume that this was made as a direct competition to other drones on our list, especially the ones from DJI, and it actually can be considered a worthy competitor.

The drone comes in a stylish carrying case that is oddly large. For those who aren’t too fond of the white, sober looks of the DJI Phantom series drones, you should be glad to know that this one comes donned in black, something Batman would have loved. Still, not a lot of love has been lost as this is one of the prettiest drones we have had the chance to use. Sadly, we can’t really let the looks decide just how good the drone is. That’s why we decided to put the Yuneec Q500 4K Typhoon through the paces in order to see just how good it really is.

Just like before, we will be focusing on the good things before we take a look at the things that are not so appealing. So, without further wasting any more time, let’s take a look at the good things about the Yuneec Q500 4K Typhoon.

The drone comes in a stylish carrying case that is oddly large. For those who aren’t too fond of the white, sober looks of the DJI Phantom series drones, you should be glad to know that this one comes donned in black, something Batman would have loved. Still, not a lot of love has been lost as this is one of the prettiest drones we have had the chance to use.

Sadly, we can’t really let the looks decide just how good the drone is. That’s why we decided to put the Yuneec Q500 4K Typhoon through the paces in order to see just how good it really is. Just like before, we will be focusing on the good things before we take a look at the things that are not so appealing. So, without further wasting any more time, let’s take a look at the good things about the Yuneec Q500 4K Typhoon.

8. 3D Robotics Solo – The Best drone for the Money

You may be wondering why have we drifted apart from the famous companies like GoPro and DJI and now are focusing more on the underdogs. Well that’s because they aren’t getting a lot of attention, and we are about to change that.

The next Drone/Quadcopter on our list is 3D Robotics Solo, and while the name happens to be quite uninteresting, the drone certainly isn’t. In case you are wondering, just like the Yuneec Q500 4K Typhoon, this drone is also heavily focused on the price to performance ratio, which means that the buyers will be getting the fair worth of every dollar they will be spending on it.

That was something about the camera features and the pricing of this drone. Let’s now take a look at the performance. We will now share how the 3D Robotics Solo managed to hold out in our testing process.

The drone offers one of the best industrial designs we have seen and comes with complete Gimbal support. This means that it gets the superior stabilization as well as support that most of our beloved drones are known for. The 3D Robotics Solo has a “Return to Home” safety feature which allows the drone to return to the position it took off from, thanks to the GPS system.

Although the drone ships with a remote control with a powerful 1 GHz processor inside, you can control the drone using a mobile app that is available on both iOS and Android. The ability to attach any camera is a definitely amazing option. The drone is extremely easy to learn and master which makes both hardcore, and newcomers feel right at home.

9. Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 – A Toy RC Drone, Yet Awesome!

The next drone on our list is something entirely different from the rest. It’s not as big as your Go To drones that you can buy in the market. As a matter of fact, it is perhaps one of the smallest drones we have seen with the rotors attached.

That’s not all. Where other drones follow a very aggressively placed design language, the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 actually has a way different design language. Instead of going all out, the design is quite held back and resembles a flying saucer. Whether or not that adds or removes anything from the overall aerodynamics, we are not too sure about that. With that said, for those who are wondering about how much the drone costs, you’d be glad to know that it is quite low priced. That is completely understandable considering how this drone isn’t really built for professional photographers or filmmakers. Still, that doesn’t mean this drone isn’t good enough.

Now before we begin to take an in-depth look at the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0, we would like to address some confusions. Unlike the other drones in our list that are actual, consumer grade, professional drones, the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 is actually a toy drone. While you still get a camera option, it’s not 4K capable, and certainly not made for professional photography. However, you should also keep it in mind that despite the fact that it is more of a toy drone than a full-sized drone, it’s still really, really good. The drone will provide you countless hours of fun provided. Another thing you need to keep in mind is that this drone doesn’t come with physical controls. In order to physically control the drone, you would require a Nvidia Shield. However, you can still fly the drone using the app with your own smartphone.

The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 is a nice middle ground between toy and enthusiast device. It’s not a remote controlled helicopter for hobbyists and it’s not a quadricopter camera mount for professionals, but it’s much more than just a toy helicopter.

– Will Greenwald, PCMag

Moving on from this initial evaluation, let’s take a deeper look and talk about the pros and the cons of the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0.

10. Cheerson Hobby CX-20 Professional – Cheap in Price, Good in Performance

You may have noticed that as the list is coming towards its end, we are also beginning to explore drones that are actually way cheaper than some of the professional drones that we have reviewed in the start.

Bear in mind that we already stated that there will be a sudden shift. In case you missed that point, now you know that we are heading to the cheap drones yet best in their class.

Without wasting any more time, let us introduce the latest product in line that is known as the Cheerson Hobby CX-20 Professional. Now as you can tell by the name, this drone is more inclined towards the hobbyists. However, you should be glad to know that despite the drone is not shipped with a camera, there is a mount ready for a Go Pro. This will essentially equip you to start shooting footage at 4K, and taking brilliantly detailed pictures.

Now before we start digging deeper into the details, you should know that the Cheerson Hobby CX-20 Professional shares a close resemblance to the DJI Phantom series drones. As much as they seem alike you can easily differentiate the two, thanks to the red accents on this one. Although the affordable price tag may lead you to believe that it’s a toy drone but that’s not entirely true. The drone happens to be quite powerful and comes with a lot of advanced features including vision positioning system. Unlike the AR.Drone 2.0, it actually has a dedicated remote controller that you can use for easy control.

With that out of the way, let’s not waste any more time, and take a look at just how good the Cheerson Hobby CX-20 Professional is. We will now start weighing in on the pros as well as the cons.

So, there you have it.

Probably one of the most intimidating roundups considering how the market is literally flooded with drones. Coming from both the elitist, enthusiast class drones as well as the hobbyist drones. There’s no denying that the market is quite saturated with extremely diverse and overwhelming amount of options. You can get drones as low as $100 from sites like Wingsland. It is perhaps the hardest thing to be able to buy a drone that fits all of your requirements.

IThe drones industry is still in its early development stages.Companies are focusing on things like reducing the overall size of the drones to increase portability. As a result, the Go Pro Karma and the DJI Mavic Pro, have come out as some of the most compact enthusiast level drones. The next big thing can be the long battery times. In addition to that, the most common issue right now with pretty much every single drone out in the market is the battery life. Hopefully, we may soon witness an innovative solution for the current, not so impressive, battery times.

There are also some rules that are being enforced on the use of drones. These rules are purely for the purpose of public and national safety and should b respected.

There is absolutely no denying that the future of drones is certainly bright. Hobbyists, as well as aspiring professional, have successfully used the drone technology to shoot some brilliant footage. Attach a GoPro camera to your drone and combine that with the Gimbal system and you have got yourself a killer video making rig.

They have proved to be quite useful for the aspiring photographers as well people who want to shoot some brilliant footage. Thanks to the ability to attach a GoPro camera combined with the Gimbal system and you have got yourself a killer video making rig that can be quite savvy for your personal as well as professional projects.

Finally, testing the diverse range of drones was not a simple task. It took a lot of keen efforts and hard work while testing each with their own setup and learning curves. We have tried our best to assess the situation by making sure we cover every single aspect of a drone and equip you with the right set of knowledge to make a thoughtful and worthy purchase.

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