“If you’re an up-and-coming aerial photographer or videographer, drones are your passport to the skies. They offer unique perspectives that were once only achievable using costly equipment like cranes or dollies. That’s why these affordable and portable marvels have become a must-have for many content creators online.
However, navigating through the multitude of drone options—sometimes even within a single brand—can be overwhelming. After test-flying 33 drones, we’ve determined that the DJI Air 3 stands out as the top choice. It combines a high-quality primary camera, a valuable telephoto camera, and cutting-edge autonomous features, all in a relatively lightweight and reasonably priced package.”
DJI Mini 3
The DJI Mini 3 is an excellent entry-level choice for drone photography, especially for personal use. Priced at less than half of our top selection, it boasts a 4K camera, an impressive 38-minute battery life, and a compact design that falls comfortably within the FAA’s 250-gram limit.
While its camera and sensors don’t match the Air 3’s quality, the f/1.7 aperture delivers surprisingly good images in low-light settings. It covers essential video drone features like image and flight stabilization, includes a controller, and offers smart flight modes for effortless cinematic shots. However, it lacks the obstacle-avoidance sensors found in pricier models.
Opting for DJI’s Intelligent Flight Battery Plus can extend the battery life to 51 minutes, but this addition surpasses the weight limit requiring FAA registration.
DJI Air 3
The DJI Air 3 offers a user-friendly flying experience, boasting an extensive 46-minute battery life and dual cameras that allow for a more diverse range of captivating shots compared to its previous model. We highly recommend opting for the Fly More combo as it exclusively includes the DJI RC 2 controller, a significant upgrade from the standard controller that relies on your phone’s screen for live viewing, featuring a built-in screen for enhanced control.
With enhanced obstacle-sensing capabilities covering all directions, including side sensing absent in our earlier recommendation, the Air 3 facilitates smoother usage of the ActiveTrack feature. This feature enables the drone to autonomously track and film a subject while intelligently avoiding obstacles, now adaptable to more scenarios.
Maintaining a stable position even in moderate winds, this drone allows you to concentrate on your cinematography. Its portable design, measuring 8 by 3.5 by 3.25 inches when folded and weighing approximately 1.5 pounds, conveniently fits into most standard-size backpacks, making it highly portable for various shooting locations.
DJI Mavic 3 Pro
The DJI Mavic 3 Pro incorporates many of the standout features found in the Air 3 and, for a slightly higher price, elevates the camera setup to three lenses. This includes a Hasselblad-branded 24mm-equivalent wide-angle lens equipped with a Four Thirds sensor, accompanied by two telephoto lenses: one at a 70mm-equivalent with a 1/1.3-inch sensor and another at a 166mm-equivalent with a 1/2-inch sensor.
Thanks to the significantly larger sensor in its primary camera, the Mavic 3 Pro excels in capturing intricate details across a broader range of lighting conditions compared to our other recommendations. This results in superior images straight from the camera while providing ample data for editing software to further enhance the visual output.
With its trio of cameras, this model excels in capturing vibrant, detailed still images, while its video capabilities, reaching up to 5.1K resolution, display more accurate colors compared to competing models. The drone also offers a 43-minute battery life, not the longest we’ve tested (our top pick slightly surpasses it), but it comes remarkably close in our assessments.
Autel Robotics EVO Lite+
If you have reservations about DJI because of security or human-rights issues or if you’re seeking a drone with a 6K camera, we suggest considering the Autel Robotics Evo Lite+.
This drone offers a flight time of up to 40 minutes and provides autonomous features akin to those found in DJI drones. Additionally, unlike the DJI Fly app, the Autel Sky app can be directly downloaded from the Google Play store.
However, despite these capabilities, we still lean towards DJI drones due to their overall value and superior image quality.
Conclusion
In conclusion, drones have revolutionized the way we capture photos and videos, offering unique aerial perspectives and creative possibilities. With various models available catering to different needs, DJI stands out as a top choice for its remarkable features, flight performance, and image quality. However, alternatives like the Autel Robotics Evo Lite+ provide viable options for those concerned about specific issues or seeking particular camera specifications. Ultimately, selecting the right drone depends on individual preferences, balancing features, quality, and any ethical considerations that matter most to each user.