The 10 best drones on the market
These days, it seems that every time I fly my drones a passerby wants my opinion on the best drone they should be getting. You would think that would be a simple question to answer but the drone industry has exploded in the last few years to the point where I can’t give a simple answer. My answer in almost all cases is; “It depends on what you’re doing”. I hate that answer. It does nothing to help the person who’s looking for simple guidance. I finally sat down and looked at the newest drones and put them into logical groupings that people might find useful.
The first thing I did was breakdown the best drones on the market into three categories.
Beginner/entry level
Intermediate/multi-purpose
Commercial/enterprise
It’s important to keep in mind that none of these drones are considered “toys”. This list is for the enthusiasts who are looking to fly something more advanced.
Beginner/entry level
1. DJI Mini 3
Specifications:
Camera: 1/1.3 inch 12MP sensor
Weight: 248g
Battery: 2453mAh / 38 minutes flight time
Video Resolution: 4K
Frame Rates: 4K up to 60fps / 2.7K up to 60fps / FHD up to 120fps
Cost: $469.00
If I had to pick one drone for someone starting out it would be the Mini 3. It boasts good flight time, great overall picture and video quality, and an excellent price point. The propeller arms fold up into a nice neat package that allows you to bring it almost anywhere. The Mini 3 can also remain stable in 24mph winds, which is pretty impressive for it’s size. Another feature beginners will like is the inclusion of DJI’s Quickshots. These are automated flight modes that can be set via the controller. An example would be picking a subject and the Mini 3 would orbit the subject automatically.
The only real problem I have is that to achieve that low price point they had to give up something big, collision avoidance. Collision avoidance is a huge plus to a new pilot. However, if you can work around it, this is the drone to get.
2. AUTEL EVO NANO+
Specifications:
Camera: 1/1.28 inch 50MP sensor
Weight: 249g
Battery: 2250mAh / 28 minutes flight time
Video Resolution: 4K
Frame Rates: 4K up to 30fps
Cost: $679.00
If I had to describe the Evo Nano+ in one word it would be “solid”. It’s a good micro drone with a capable, if not extraordinary camera system. The DJI Mini 3 edges it out in almost every category but the difference between them is very small overall. The two biggest differences are that the Mini 3 has a larger battery for additional flight time, but the Evo Nano+ includes collision avoidance. Like the Mini 3, the Evo Nano+ has it’s own version of automated flight modes. One of them is dynamic tracking which allows the drone to auto-follow a subject almost anywhere. Combine that with the obstacle avoidance and the Evo Nano+ will keep the object on camera even up to speeds of 33.5mph!
3. DJI Avata
Specifications:
Camera: 1/1.7 inch 48MP sensor
Weight: 410g
Battery: 2420mAh / 18 minutes flight time
Video Resolution: 4K
Frame Rates: 4K@30/50/60fps
Cost: $1,348.00
FPV (First Person View) drones have become the fastest growing segment of the industry. I started seeing them on college campus racing leagues, now I’m seeing them used in commercial applications. Traditionally these drones were custom built in someone’s garage, now several mainstream manufacturers have submitted offerings that are quite capable. If I had to pick one for anybody new to start with, hands down it would be the DJI Avata.
The Avata has a robust design that’s almost made to bump into things. Propeller guards keep the blades from being damaged and in the event something does knock it out of the air, it has a “turtle mode” that flips the drone upright and puts it right back into flight mode. The whole idea of an FPV drone is to get those crazy dynamic shots other drones just can’t get. It does this by being small and nimble. The downside is the 18 minute flight time. You’ll want extra batteries for this little guy. Another negative is the sound. For such a small device, it’s surprising how loud it is.
Intermediate/multi-purpose
4. DJI Mavic 3
Specifications:
Camera: 4/3 inch 20MP sensor / Tele 1/2 inch 12MP
Weight: 895g
Battery: 5000mAh / 46 minutes flight time
Video Resolution: 5.1K, Tele 4K
Frame Rates: 5.1K@24/25/30/48/50/60/120fps / Tele 4K@25/30/50fps
Cost: $1,749.00
The Mavic series may not be the flagship of DJI’s lineup but it’s definitely the workhorse. This is the most popular mid-tier drone in the world. It comes with almost all the features. Foldable arms, yes. Collision avoidance, yes (6 sensors all directions). Outstanding image quality, yes. Great battery life, yes.
This drone is firmly aimed at the advanced enthusiast/professional market. One of the best features is Quick Transfer. It allows for the fast transfer of files from the drone to a cell phone for fast uploads to social media and clients. About the only thing bad I can say is that while it does everything well, it just can’t stand up to the more specialized drones further down the list.
5. DJI Air 2S
Specifications:
Camera: 1 inch 20MP sensor
Weight: 595g
Battery: 3750mAh / 31 minutes flight time
Video Resolution: 5.4K
Frame Rates: 5.4K@24/25/30fps
Cost: $999.00
If the Mavic 3 has a little brother it would be the Air 2s. Their features are almost the same (a few more avoidance sensors on the Mavic 3). From a piloting standpoint I honestly can’t tell the difference. I dug into the numbers and the Mavic 3 can ascend slightly faster (8m/s vs. 6m/s). In real terms, its a tie. The Air 2S does come with a slightly smaller battery so flight time is limited to ~30 minutes. The Air 2S also has a slightly lower range at 7.4 miles vs the Mavic’s 9.3 miles. But none of that is relevant in the US because the FAA mandates we keep line of sight on the aircraft at all times. Nobody can see this at 3 miles much less 7 miles! In terms of photo/video quality the edge again goes to the Mavic but you’d be hard pressed to see it.
The bottom line is that if you want to spend a little less but get 95% of the features and functions of a Mavic, you can’t go wrong with the Air 2S.
6. Parrot Anafi
Specifications:
Camera: 1/2.4 inch 21MP sensor
Weight: 320g
Battery: 2700mAh / 25 minutes flight time
Video Resolution: 4K
Frame Rates: 4K@24/25/30fps
Cost: $370.00
The imaging system for the Anafi is made by Sony and it’s excellent. It has great detail and contrast and comes with a 2.8x lossless zoom. For photographers it shoots in DNG/RAW for editing and its gimbal can shoot 90 degrees upwards so you can capture objects from below.
The Anafi comes with all the automated flight modes you’d expect. My two biggest gripes are 1) It has no obstacle avoidance. I can’t get past the thought of putting the Anafi on follow, then watching it AI itself into a tree branch! 2) There’s something about how it handles in flight. It kind of reminds me of my mom’s old 72 Pontiac Grand Prix. When you push it, you can get great performance but you’ll also be sliding around A LOT. I guess it just feels sloppy to me. This may just be a personal thing but I figured I’d mention it.
Commercial/Enterprise
7. DJI Matrice 350RTK
Specifications:
Camera: Multiple payload
Weight: 9.2kg
Battery: Built in 6500mAh, External dual 4920mAh / 55 minutes flight time
Video Resolution: N/A
Frame Rates: N/A
Cost: $12,460.00 +Payload $$
All hail the king! The M350RTK is the undisputed heavyweight champion. It’s what all other drones want to be when they grow up. You may have noticed that there’s no camera specs listed. This beast can handle multiple cameras of varying types. Oh, and don’t be fooled by the price. That’s for the drone itself. The cameras can run into multiple thousands of dollars (https://store.dji.com/list/education-and-industry?tab=104&category=101%3D101.203&from=store-nav).
Other features include an onboard RTK (Real-time Kinematic) sensor for 1cm accuracy in surveying. An IP55 rating for torrential rain/dust proofing. An onboard nightvision/FPV camera. Hot swappable batteries w/a 55 minute flight time. -4° to 120° operating temperature. And yes, I did just drool a little… stop judging.
The M350RTK does have two small flaws. The first is that it can take a lot longer to setup and get into the air than any of the other drones on this list. The second is the sheer anxiety of flying a drone that costs more than most peoples cars. Simply put, when you need a Ferrari a Honda Civic won’t do.
8. DJI Matrice 30T
Specifications:
Camera: Zoom 1/2 inch 48MP sensor, Wide 1/2 inch 12MP
Weight: 4069g
Battery: 5880mAh / 41 minutes flight time
Video Resolution: 4K
Frame Rates: 4K@30fps
Cost: $14,700.00
The M30T can be described as the love child of the M350RTK and a Mavic 3. Many of it’s features compare favorably to the M350RTK, but it also has the added advantage of folding up like a Mavic. This is a specialized drone made for Public Safety departments. A thermal camera to aid in search and rescue. A 200x zoom for surveillance, which almost replaces an expensive helicopter. You can also connect an additional controller so one person can fly and the other can operate the cameras.
I respect this drone so much that I want this to be the next drone in my fleet. Just don’t tell the wife, she insists I have an addiction.
9. DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise
Specifications:
Camera: 4/3 inch 20MP sensor/ Tele 1/2 inch 12MP
Weight: 915g
Battery: 5000mAh / 45 minutes flight time
Video Resolution: 4K, Tele 4K
Frame Rates: 4K@30fps, Tele 4K@30fps
Cost: $3,810.00
What happens when you put an RTK module, used for accurate surveying, on a Mavic platform? You get the Mavic 3 Enterprise. This is a drone specifically designed for surveying, 2D Photogrammetry, and 3D mapping/modeling. It has the ability to connect to remote base stations to improve accuracy. Flying The Mavic 3E is pretty simple, you program a flight plan into the controller, then watch it execute the flight. You only stop it when a battery change is needed. When you consider it’s small size, ease of use, and flexibility, if you’re looking to get into mapping I’d start here.
Honorable Mention
10. Sony ARS-S1 Airpeak
Specifications:
Camera: 1/4 inch FPV
Weight: ~3.14kg
Battery: 2518mAh / ~30 minutes flight time (w/o payload)
Video Resolution: N/A
Frame Rates: N/A
Cost: $8,999.99
I’ll be straight with you here. Unless you just got a contract with a film company, don’t buy this drone. Even then, there are much better options. It’s design is overly complicated. It’s aerodynamics… well you’re flying a brick on a tripod. It’s value is questionable, at best. And don’t get me started on that small battery. Once you attach a camera, you’d be lucky to get 15 minutes of flight time! About the only good thing I can say about it is that you can attach just about any of Sony’s excellent cameras to the drone so your images will be amazing.
So now you’re wondering “Rich, why would you add this to a list of best drones?” One word, Sony. This is Sony’s first attempt at a prosumer level drone. It’s a prototype. The undisputed leader in the drone industry is DJI. DJI has a market valuation of about $15 billion dollars. Almost every drone on this list is a DJI drone, for a reason. No one can touch them… except Sony. Sony’s valuation is almost $120 billion dollars. If Sony decides to seriously enter this market they can own it very quickly. Keep them on your radar.
Conclusion
Well if you made it this far I applaud you (The wife’s eyes rolled back at the second paragraph). The only real advice I can give is that none of these pretty pictures or walls of stats matter if you don’t sit down and think about what you want to do with your drone. Do you want to use your drone for income? If so, what industry? Do you want to take videos or pictures for social media? Maybe you just want to fly for fun? Once you figure it out then you can hopefully use some of the info here as a starting point.
As always, I’ll try to answer any questions you may have. Enjoy!