The 7 Best Drones List
Last Updated May 2018
| Rank |
Drone Model |
Verdict |
Estimated Price |
| #1 |
|
One of the newest drones in the sub-$1000 USD range. SUPER small, records amazingly well for the size (almost as good as the mavic pro). For those who want portability along with the ability to record high quality videos.
(Brand New! All Around Super Portable) |
$799 Click To See The Latest Price |
| #2 |
|
The revision of the DJI Mavic Pro, good portable size, good quality (rivalling the Phantom 4), quiet flight mode (perfect for shooting videos)
(Brand New! Quiet + 30 min Extra Fly Time!) |
$1,378 Click To See The Latest Price |
| #3 |
|
Near-Professional solution offering next level stability and video quality. For those that want to produce high quality videos the DJI Phantom 4 is the drone to get.
(Video Quality & Excellent Price) |
$796 Click To See The Latest Price |
| #4 |
|
Small yet very capable drone ideal for learning how to fly. The competition is tough at under $50 and the Syma X5C provides a lot more than you would expect at this price point.
(Best Budget Drone) |
$32.99 Click To See The Latest Price |
| #5 |
|
If you want to make beautiful videos, then this is the one you take out. Boasting one of the best image qualities out there, this is the amateur cinematographer’s drone for you.
(Best Video Quality) |
$1499.99 Click To See The Latest Price |
| #6 |
|
Super fun mini-drone is a ton of fun, learn how to fly around and play with friends for next to nothing.
(Mini-Toy Drone) |
$49.90 Click To See The Latest Price |
| #7 |
|
The best entry-mid range drone. All the features you could want without the price. The Amazon best seller.
(Amazon Best Seller) |
$279.99 Click To See The Latest Price |
No Time To Read? Drone Reviews in 30 Seconds
If you’re in the market for a new drone, this page will help you make the best choice based on your needs so you can select the best drone for you. Unlike all the other drone review pages you might see, we’re one of the only homemade webpage still around.
That’s because our recommendations are based on real personal experience and not influenced by a company sending us their latest product.
Before I get to the drone reviews, allow me to provide you with a bit of background: I have been toying around with RC cars, boats and planes for over 28 years. It started with little radio controlled cars back in the 90’s and evolved to planes, boats and in the past 6 years, quadcopters (also known as drones).
My goal is to present you with the most honest reviews of today’s top drones so that you can make an educated decision for yourself (or as a gift for a lucky person).
Each drone has been designed from the ground up to serve a specific purpose. For example, If you’re a real estate agent looking to take the absolute best pictures of a propery you want to list, then the DJI Phantom 4 Prowill be your top choice.
If you’re an adventure photographer seeking action shots of your latest adventures, then the DJI Mavic Pro Platinum will be more your style. Want more of toy to learn how to fly indoors? The Syma X5C is the perfect beginner gift at under $50. If you’re into drone racing, then you might want to learn on the Hubsan H107D or the DJI Mavic Pro Platinum with the FPV headset before you start building you own custom drone.
In terms of value? Right now the Holy Stone GPS FPV RDC HS100J is your best bet at under $300.
In summary, the hottest drone on the market is the
Mavic Pro Platinum which is the revision of the DJI Mavic Pro. Such revisions include:
- Larger propeller surface area for greater flight time (efficiency)
- Bent golden propeller tips providing a quieter flight (great for when taking videos)
- High quality Platinum looking finish
- Redesign of Electronic Speed Controllers (ESC) for further battery conservation
It is one of the newest drones on the market. SUPER small, records amazingly well for the size (as good as the mavic pro). For those who want portability along with the ability to record high quality videos, this is the drone for you.
If you just want quick summaries of each drone, then read below as I go through the best all-around drones (and recommended) currently available today.
DJI Mavic Air Review
The
DJI Mavic Air hits our #1 spot for the best all round drone to come to the market. It is also the most sought after, boasting the most travel friendly, even more so than any of its predecessor, including the
DJI Mavic Pro.
One of the newest drones in the sub-$1000 USD range, it’s SUPER small, records amazingly well for its size (almost as good as the Mavic Pro) and can be used for Youtube videos with its true 4K Ultra HD specs for getting cool action shots.
While being super portable, this does nothing to effect flying ability and I think this the one to get if you want to take a drone around with you everywhere you go, especially if you are a dedicated traveler.
DJI Mavic Pro Platinum – More Fun With Extended Flying Time
The
DJI Mavic Pro Platinum is the revision version of the DJI Mavic Pro. It has a good portable size and build quality (rivalling the
DJI Phantom 4), with an extended fly time of up to 30 mins on a single battery.
Along with redesigned propellers and electronic speed controllers, the Mavic Pro Platinum is considerable quieter which makes it the perfect drone to bring for when you want to shoot videos. The quieter tone during flight also makes is sound a lot less aggressive, making it great for when noise can be an issue (but check your local laws before flying in crowded spaces)
Honestly this is really smart by them. Many places have banned drones from flying but people still fly them. That’s definitely not something we condone or encourage, however, it appears as if DJI decided they wanted to help out those that wanted to fly ‘stealth’ a little more. This one should help keep you under the radar a little more.
(It may not be a coincidence that our #1 drone, the
DJI Mavic Air is so TINY, that people might not even mind you flying it because it looks like a toy… could it be that DJI are pulling all the stops to bending the rules?)
DJI Phantom 4 – For The Best Image Quality
The DJI Phantom 4 is a Cadillac, a drone that was pretty much top of the line until DJI replaced it with its own Mavic Pro which has since been revised to the quieter and sleeker looking
DJI Mavic Pro PlatinumThe
Phantom 4 will give you the best performance in its price range. It bills itself as being easy to use and accessible to novice dronesters. It is full of automatic features, largely including the Obstacle Sensing System which is touted as making the drone crash proof—though one should keep in mind that it senses things only in front of the quadcopter.
Part of what the autonomous functions are all about is allowing a user to get some pretty risky video—the drone can careen close to trees or other objects to get the shots you want and still not crash. Combine that with the technical specs of the camera, and you have a formidable video drone. The Phantom 4 is loaded with a 4K camera that delivers video at 30 frames per second and 1080 p.
It gives you 28 minutes of flight and vid capture. It also has a compact design, light bodied and extremely robust.
The combination of qualities makes this quad a real winner.
Syma X5C – Versatile, Strong & Perfect For Beginners
The best budget drone is the
Syma X5C. It’s amazing for learning how to fly and having fun, and for under $50 USD how can you go wrong?
This hard-plastic drone can really take a beating, you can practically fly it into a wall and it’s likely to still be operational afterwards. The X5C weighs in at barely a pound and goes 16 x 12 inches, making it small, light and safe to fly (particularly for youngsters). This petite size allows for backyard flight, and it can fly indoors too, making it perfect for beginners wanting to learn the basics of quadcopter operations.
While advanced droners like controls that show real-time video of the craft in flight, new users should like the simplicity of the Syma’s controllers.
The Syma X5C does come with a camera, but the appeal will probably be flight itself.
Phantom 4 Pro – The Best At Image Quality & Range
The
Phantom 4 Pro simply put has the best image quality and range from all the drones on our list. If you want to make beautiful videos, then this is the one to take out.
In fact, this would be #1 on our list if it wasn’t so big and cumbersome compared to modern smaller quadcopters. With portability and weight being such an important factor for drone pilots, the Phantom 4 Pro slips to #5, but don’t let this detract you from its true abilities.
Depending on your requirements, sometimes compromising size for a fully kitted out machine is well worth it. The Phantom 4 Pro always comes with a bundle of accessories that makes it perfect for amateur cinematographer’s drone… something that more modern compact drones simply cannot provide.
Hubsan H107D+ FPV X4 Review
Being the cheapest FPV (video in the controller) on the market, this makes the
Hubsan H107D+ FPV X4 a super fun toy and the perfect drone for flying around and play with friends safely.
Holy Stone GPS FPV RDC HS100 – Best Entry-Mid Range Drone
The
Holy Stone GPS FPV RDC HS100 is the best entry-mid range drone that packs all the features you could want without the price. Such features included:
- Good camera (for its price)
- First Person View (FPV) mode
- Altitude hold
- Adjustable speed
- Additional: barometer, GPS, gyroscope, one-key takeoff/landing, follow-me mode and headless mode.
Currently the Holy Stone is Amazon’s best seller and for under $300 USD it is not hard to see why!
