'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?
ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.
When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.
The best drones: Which flying camera is right for you?
Drones are amazing. I can go buy a flying, stabilized 4K camera that slips into my pocket for a few hundred dollars. This is a technology that was the stuff of dreams a few years ago. But now, thanks to companies such as DJI and Autel, dreams have become reality.
Here are the best drones to help make your dreams come true, chosen based on research and personal experience. I'm a licensed and insured drone operator who has put in many dozens of hours flying these drones for testing, work, and fun.
Features
- Hasselblad main camera: 4/3 CMOS sensor, 24mm format equivalent, f/2.8-f/11, 20 MP. The Hasselblad 4K drone camera supports shooting RAW photos with a dynamic range of up to 12.8 stops.
- Tele cameras: 1/1.3-inch CMOS, 70mm equivalent, 3x Optical Zoom, f/2.8, 48 MP and a 1/2-inch CMOS Tele Camera 166mm equivalent, 7x Optical Zoom, 28x Hybrid Zoom, f/3.4, 12 MP.
- Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing and APAS 5.0: Eight vision sensors work with a vision computing engine to sense obstacles.
- 43-minute max flight time: Mavic 3 Pro gives you more confidence to fly further and spend less time worrying about the battery level of the long-range drone with a camera for adults.
- DJI O3+: Mavic 3 Pro features a transmission distance of up to 15km with stable signals.
- Apple ProRes support: Mavic 3 Pro Cine has three cameras that support Apple ProRes 422 HQ, Apple ProRes 422, and Apple ProRes 422 LT encoding.
This is DJI's flagship consumer/prosumer drone. It's big, it's mean, it's noisy, it has three cameras, and is the perfect drone to get the job done. If the conditions will let you fly a drone, the Mavic 3 Pro will deliver.
The new Mavic 3 Pro features a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor, 3x optical zoom, and is capable of 48MP/12MP photos, 4K/60fps video, and supports the new D-log M. On top of that, the wide-angle camera now also supports the new 10-bit D-Log M color mode, allowing the sensor to capture up to one billion colors. This not only makes the camera better at capturing difficult scenes such as sunrises and sunsets but also makes it easier to process the captured video.
If you're looking for the best drone, look no further.
Read the review: DJI Mavic 3 Pro review
Pros
- Fantastic camera system
- Powerful drone that is stable in high winds
- Great battery life (even if it isn't as good as advertised)
Cons
- Expensive
- A big drone that's not pocketable
- Required the RC Pro controller for the best experience
Features
- Max Flight Time: 38 mins with Intelligent Flight Battery/51 mins with Intelligent Flight Battery Plus (sold separately)
- Max Wind Speed Resistance: 10.7 m/s (Level 5)
- Image Sensor: 1/1.3-inch CMOS, 12-megapixels
- Lens: 82.1° field of view, 24 mm equivalent, f/1.7
- Photo Format: JPEG/DNG (RAW)
- Max Video Resolution: 4K (3840×2160)@24/25/30 fps
- Sensors: Downward-facing
The DJI Mini 3 is a flying, stabilized 4K/12-megapixel camera with a theoretical range of 10km (way beyond what you should ever take it), and a rated flight time of 38 minutes with the included battery.
The standard kit comes with the DJI RC-N1 controller with no screen (you use your smartphone), but there's an option to upgrade to the DJI RC controller that has a built-in display that adds $140 to the price.
There's also a "Fly More Combo" option that adds two additional 38-min Intelligent Flight Batteries, a two-way charging hub, a shoulder bag, spare propellers, and a few other bits.
Read the review: DJI Mini 2 review
Pros
- Small and lightweight
- Competitively priced
- Amazing camera
- Easy to fly
Cons
- Light weight build makes it a poor choice in windy conditions
- No obstacle avoidance sensors
Features
- 1-inch 22-mm wide-angle camera
- Up to 31 minutes flight time
- Max 5.4K at 30fps video
- 20-megapixel photos
- Spec
This is the drone for people who want more than the Mini 2 has to offer, but don't want to buy a Mavic 3. This drone is perfect even for the most demanding high-end consumer.
For the price, the Mavic Air 2S is superb. You get a flying, stabilized 5.4K camera that can stay in the sky for close to 30 minutes, and capture amazing film footage.
The only thing this drone is missing is side sensors. That said, with careful flying, that doesn't have to be a problem at all.
Read the review: DJI Air 2S review
Pros
- Front and read obstacle avoidance sensors
- Exceptional camera quality
- Decent flight time
Cons
- No side obstacle avoidance sensors
- Quite a large drone, definitely not something that will fit into a pocket
- Not cheap
Features
- 1/1.3-inch 24-mm wide angle camera
- 4K 60fps max video recording
- 12/48-megapixel images
- 34-minutes rated flight time
- Sub-249g weight category
The long-awaited Mini 3 Pro has landed. This is an upgraded version of the Mini 2, with a redesigned chassis, upgraded camera, bigger battery, and the addition of obstacle avoidance sensors.
The sub-250g category is important in some territories because it falls into an area where there are fewer regulation headaches. This is a big deal in places like Europe, less so in places like the US.
That said, the Mini 3 Pro is a very capable drone that you can slip into a pocket and take with you on your adventures. That's not something you could do with a Mavic 3!
Read the review: DJI Mini 3 Pro review
Pros
- Small and lightweight
- Excellent 4K camera
- Really easy to fly
Cons
- Expensive compared to the Mini 3
- No side obstacle avoidance sensors
- Optional DJI RC smart controller adds to the price
What is the best drone?
The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is ZDNet's top choice for its ultra-high definition recording, excellent frame rate, and long-lasting battery. The dual camera array is great for both aerial photography pros and newcomers alike, though the steep flight learning curve may be difficult for some beginners.
Drone | Price | Obstacle avoidance | Camera resolution |
DJI Mavic 3 Pro | $2,199 | All round sensors | 5.1K |
DJI Mini 3 Pro | $721 | Front, rear, and downward | 4K |
DJI Mini 3 | $559 | None | 4K |
DJI Mavic Air 2S | $999 | Front, rear, and downward | 5.4K video |
Which is the right drone for you?
Whether you're into aerial photography as a hobby or professional photographer or videographer looking to add something new to your list of services, drones are a great way to expand your skills. To help decide which drone best suits you and your lifestyle, use-case, or what have you, consider the following:
Choose this drone… | If you want… |
DJI Mavic 3 Pro | The best prosumer/consumer drone available. |
DJI Mini 3 Pro | A high-end drone that's super portable, or the best sub-250g drone available. |
DJI Mini 3 | A budget drone that doesn't compromise on camera quality. |
DJI Mavic Air 2S | A highly-capable drone that's more affordable than the Mavic 3. |
How did we choose these drones?
I'm a licensed and insured drone operator, and rather than spending a bit of time reviewing these drones, I've put in many dozens of hours flying these drones, both for testing, flying for fun, and for carrying out commercial work.
I've put these drones through their paces in many countries around the globe, flying them in cold weather, windy weather, and into the mouths of active volcanoes. I know what they are capable of, and I know that these drones will deliver quality photos and video under even the toughest conditions.
As well as testing the camera and flight characteristics, I've spent a lot of time testing the obstacle avoidance sensors. While I don't think that any drone operator should rely on these for day-to-day use, they're a handy safety feature in case things go wrong.
These drones have been tested to the extreme. This is why I've chosen them and am recommending them.
Are drones easy to fly?
Yes! Modern drones are really easy to fly.
That doesn't mean that there isn't a learning curve, and I highly recommend spending time learning to fly -- pick a large wide open area like a park or beach so you can get used to what your drone is capable of delivering.
Are the sensors on drones foolproof?
No.
While they're good and can do things like avoiding people and trees and stuff like that, they can be fooled by things like branches, power lines, and telephone wires.
Obstacle avoidance sensors are a safety feature, not something that you should rely on all the time.
Can you fly drones in the rain?
No!
Drones are not rated as waterproof, and rain -- and even fog -- can damage the delicate electronics in the drone. While you'll see videos on YouTube of people flying in rain and snow, I don't recommend it.
Are there alternative drones worth considering?
While DJI is the biggest name in consumer drones, there are other players. Another brand worth keeping an eye on is Autel. I've tested a few of these drones from Autel, and while I've not put as many hours into them as I have with their DJI counterparts, there's one model worth considering. Moreover, here are few other drones worthy of a closer look.