Take to the skies and capture every moment in pristine detail with the best drones with cameras. Our regularly updated guide features all the best drones we’ve tested and reviewed, including budget-friendly options as well as the high-end stuff. Whether you’re looking for your first drone or your fifth, we’re here to help.
You might have assumed that aerial photography would be too complex to even consider, but modern drones have made it easier than ever. Higher resolution sensors, sophisticated automated flight features and optical stabilisation systems in modern drones allow you to capture images and videos in top-notch quality, and it doesn’t require an engineering degree or pilot’s licence to get to grips with. We’d say it is worth familiarising yourself with the rules for drones in your area so as not to get caught out (head to the bottom of this page for some help), but otherwise, picking a drone is largely a matter of weighing up your budget and the features you’re looking for.
DJI is the market leader in the drone space, but there are some solid alternatives, too – we’ve included a mixture in this guide, with links to our full reviews so you can get a sense of each drone’s pros and cons. Below we’ve put together a quick list for easy navigation, and from there we’ve gone into more detail on each drone, including insights and observations from our full reviews. For more adventurous camera options, check out our guide to the best action cameras.
The best drones with cameras: quick list
If you need to get right to the action, here is a quick rundown of our picks of the best drones with cameras on the market right now, along with links to get the best prices:
- Best camera drone for enthusiast photographers: DJI Mavic 3 Classic – buy now
- Best camera drone for advanced photographers: DJI Mavic 3 – buy now
- Best sub-250g drone: DJI Mini 4 Pro – buy now
- Best first drone: DJI Mini 3 – buy now
- Best step-up drone: DJI Air 2S – buy now
- Best non-DJI drone: Autel Evo Lite+ – buy now
- Best budget drone: Ryze Tello – buy now
Read on to learn more about each of these drones, with insights from our full tests and reviews. And if you’re looking for more cameras suited to outdoor adventures, check out our rundown of the best action cameras…
Best camera drone for enthusiast photographers: DJI Mavic 3 Classic – £1,119 / $1,279
Amateur Photographer verdict
Like all DJI’s recent imaging drones, the Mavic 3 Classic is easy to set up and fly, and seeing the images on the controller screen is bound to put a smile on your face.- Great results from the larger-than-average sensor
- Class 1 classification
- Easy to fly
- The price rises if you want the DJI RC controller
- Requires an understanding of the drone regulations
- Extra batteries advisable
At a glance
- 20MP Four Thirds type
- 24mm (equivalent) f/2.8
- 5.1K video at up to 50p
- Max flight time 46 minutes
- 895g
DJI makes three versions of the Mavic 3, the Standard, the Classic and the Cine version. The Mavic 3 Cine is aimed at filmmakers, the standard Mavic 3 features a wide-angle camera, and a telephoto camera, and this new Mavic 3 Classic does away with the telephoto camera to make a more affordable option. This means it’s most likely going to be more than enough of most enthusiast photographers and videographers.
It features one 20MP 1-inch camera with a 24mm equivalent focal length. There’s 8GB of onboard storage, and this can easily be upgraded using the microSD card slot.
Like almost all the drones in our list, the Mavic 3 Classic folds for easier transport. Its powerful motors means that its very stable in flight and can cope with pretty strong winds. It’s very easy to fly manually but comes with DJI’s suite of automated flying modes to keep things simple.
Read our DJI Mavic 3 Classic review
Best camera drone for advanced photographers: DJI Mavic 3 – £1,719 / $2,049
Amateur Photographer verdict
The most expensive entry in our guide the Mavic 3 is listed in the company’s consumer range, but it has plenty to satisfy professional users.- Intuitive flying
- Keeps going for ages
- Solid image quality (with main camera)
- Tele camera only shoots JPEG, not RAW
At a glance
- 20MP Four Thirds type and 12MP 1/2-inch type sensors
- 24mm (equivalent) f/2.8-11 and 162mm telephoto (equivalent) f/4.4
- 5.1K video at up to 50p
- Max flight time 46 minutes
- 895g
As mentioned previously, there are now three versions of the Mavic 3, the Classic (above), the Standard (this one) and a Cine version. The Mavic 3 Cine is aimed at filmmakers and has a 1TB SSD onboard plus the ability to record in Apple ProRes 422 HQ, but the standard Mavic 3 is more than enough of most enthusiast photographers and it’s likely to keep many pro videographers satisfied too.
It features not one, but two cameras, with a 12MP 1/2-inch type camera with an effective focal length of 162mm sitting next to the 20MP 1-inch 24mm (equivalent) main camera. In practise, you’ll want to limit the telephoto camera to checking out routes or distant objects and use the main camera for the serious photography.
Like all the drones in our list, the Mavic 3 folds for easier transport. It’s added bulk over models like the Mini 3 Pro, and its more powerful motors means that its very stable in flight and can cope with pretty strong winds. It’s also very easy to fly manually but comes with DJI’s suite of automated flying modes to keep things simple.
Best sub-250g drone: DJI Mini 4 Pro – $759 / £689 with RC-N2 controller
Amateur Photographer verdict
Easy to fly, has great stabilisation and delivers exceptional quality images and footage from all three cameras.- Regulation-friendly flying
- Excellent 4K video
- 12 or 48MP stills
- Not robust
- Propellers a screw-fixed rather than bayonet fit
- No lens hood so flare can be an issue
At a glance
- Weighs less than 249g
- 12/48MP 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor
- 4K video recording at up to 100p
- 24mm equivalent f/1.7 lens
- 3-axis mechanical stabilisation
- www.dji.com
Weighing less than 249g means that the Mini 4 Pro is regulation-friendly and can be flown in residential, recreational and industrial areas, and even over people (but not crowds) – provided you have Flyer and Operator ID’s from the CAA, and the relevant TRUST certification in the US.
Thanks to its 12/48MP 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor, the Mini 4 Pro captures better quality stills and video than the DJI Mini 3. It’s sensor also has a quad-Bayer design which means that each of its 12-million-pixels are split into four sections that can report separately to deliver 24MP images, or they can combine to give 12MP images.
Just like the Mini 3 Pro, the standard Intelligent Flight Battery that comes with the drone allows up to 34 minutes of flying. Interestingly, DJI has ditched the 2.7K video option that’s available with the Mini 3 Pro but Full HD recording is still possible up to 60fps (200fps in SlowMo mode)
The Mini 4 Pro now features an updated omnidirectional obstacle avoidance system, which is especially useful when flying under tree branches or bridges. Just like its predecessor, it’s also prone to drifting in the breeze, but the stills and video are impressively good for such a small drone.
Read our DJI Mini 4 Pro review
Best first drone: DJI Mini 3 – $469 / £429 with RC-N1 controller
Amateur Photographer verdict
A capable, affordable drone for beginners, the Mini 3 makes for a great first-time buy. It produces excellent image quality in both RAW and JPEG, and boasts some useful automated flying features.- Sub-250g weight
At a glance
- 12/48MP 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor
- 24mm (equivalent) f/1.7 lens
- 4K video at up to 30p
- Max flight time 38 minutes (claimed), 30 minutes (tested)
- <248g
A refresh of DJI’s budget-friendly drone, the Mini 3 ticks plenty of boxes for a first drone. First and foremost, it weighs less than 250g, so there’s no need to worry about licensing or certification (assuming you’re in the US or the UK, anyway). It’s also quite sensibly priced, costing just $469 / £429 when bought with a RC-N1 controller – it can be bought for $379 / £349 without one, but we’re guessing that a lot of people who buy the Mini 3 will need a controller too.
It also uses the same high-end camera system as the pricier Mini 3 Pro, so you get a 48MP 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor sitting behind a 24mm equivalent lens with an f/1.7 maximum aperture. The high resolution gives you a good amount of latitude for cropping into your images, while the large aperture helps with clarity of pictures in low light. Good stuff across the board. It lacks an object-avoidance system, as well as the smart subject-tracking features of the more deluxe models – but ultmately, the cutbacks had to come somewhere, and DJI has done a good job of making this an affordable drone that’s well kitted-out for beginners.
In testing, we found we were able to consistently capture good-looking images, with JPEG files in particular producing a punchy level of colour and contrast. RAW files take a bit of work to look their best, but this is par for the course, and they’re a good option if you want to avoid over-saturation. Video, of course, looks excellent, with 4K 30p footage that’s crisp and clear. DJI’s 3-axis stabilisation works brilliantly too, giving airborne footage a professional-looking smoothness.
Best step-up drone: DJI Air 2S – £590 / $679
Amateur Photographer verdict
A worthwhile upgrade from the Mavic Air 2, this drone is steady and easy to fly.- Excellent sensor quality
- 5.4K video
- Log footage option
- Quite heavy
At a glance
- 20MP 1-inch type sensor
- 22mm (equivalent) f/2.8
- 5.4K video at up to 30p
- Max flight time 31 minutes
- 595g
While its 595g weight means that you don’t get as much freedom to fly the DJI Air 2S as you do with the Mini 3 Pro, it has a 20MP 1-inch type sensor which enables it produce high-quality stills and 5.4K video at up to 30p. There’s also 10-bit D-Log video, bringing greater scope for grading footage.
It’s size and weight means the Air 2S is more stable than any of DJI’s Mini range of drones and, while its wind resistance is rated the same as the Mini 3 Pro’s (10.7m/s or 24mph), it’s much less prone to drifting in a breeze.
It also has DJI’s MasterShots and QuickShots modes to simplify flying complex manoeuvres and FocusTrack lets you select a subject to follow.
In addition, you get up to 31 minutes flying time with each battery and 4-way obstacle sensing to help avoid collisions with trees and the like.
Best non-DJI drone: Autel Evo Lite+ – £1,299 / $1,399 (premium bundle)
Amateur Photographer verdict
A great option for slow motion videos with its 120p recording option, but keep in mind that you will need to register it with the FAA as it weighs more than 250g.- Great camera controls
- 40-minute flights
- Smart avoidance sensors
- Somewhat pricey
At a glance
- 20Mp 1-inch type sensor
- 29mm (equivalent) f/2.8-11
- 5.4K video at up to 30p
- Max flight time 40 minutes
- 820g
With a 20MP 1-inch type sensor, this non-DJI drone goes head-to-head with the Air 2S. The Evo Lite+ can capture 5.4K video at 30p and the aperture is variable from f/2.8 to f/11, which makes controlling the shutter speed a bit easier. A firmware update has also added a Log profile and you get up to 40 minutes flight from a single battery charge, giving this Autel drone extra appeal.
Autel has also equipped the Evo Lite+ with forward, backward and downward-facing sensors to help you avoid obstacles in flight and it handles well in the air whether you’re controlling it with the sticks or using one of its autonomous modes.
Crucially, the Autel Evo Lite+ produces great-quality video and stills with the 4K 60p and 1080p at 120p modes giving the opportunity for slow-motion playback.
Best budget drone: Ryze Tello – £99 / $99
Amateur Photographer verdict
If you are completely new to flying drones and just want to get some practice, the Ryze Tello is a great budget option- Incredibly cheap
- Very light (meaning it isn’t subject to regulations)
- Max 720p video
- Pack an extra battery!
At a glance
- 5MP 1/1.28-inch type sensor
- 23mm equivalent
- 720p video at up to 30p
- Max flight time 13 minutes
- 80g
It may not be the most feature-rich drone but the Ryze Tello uses DJI technology and costs less than £100. That means if you’re not sure if you’re going to like flying a drone, or you want to give the kids a taste of being a pilot, you’re not risking quite as much as with another drone.
Ryze doesn’t include a controller in the basic kit, that’s extra, but you can fly it using the Tello app on your phone.
With a 5MP camera on board and video limited to 720p, the Tello isn’t for serious use, but it weighs just 80g, so you have the freedom to fly it almost anywhere. As usual, you can extend its 13-minute flight time with extra batteries and it’s ideal for getting aerial shots on holiday and having fun at the park or in your back garden.
How to choose the best drones with cameras
As camera drones tend to be quite similar in terms of specifications, picking the right one tends to be a matter of balancing features and price.
Higher priced drones will have better battery life, which means longer flight times. They also often can shoot video at higher resolutions and frame rates, and may also have sophisticated features like omni-directional object avoidance sensors and image stabilisation for getting smooth footage even in choppy, windy conditions.
Another thing to bear in mind though is that all these features don’t just make the drone more expensive: they also make it heavier, which as we’ve seen, can mean you need a licence to fly it.
Brand-wise, DJI is the dominant force in the drone market and each year it brings out increasingly sophisticated models that promise to enable you capture better images more easily than before. It’s not the only player though, so we have included the best non-DJI drone in this guide to allow you to compare. So let’s take a looks at our choice of the best drones with cameras this year.
Why is a drone’s weight important?
For most people, the simplest way to get up and running, without additional expense or worry, is to look for a drone under 250g / 0.55lbs, as there are stricter rules for drones that weigh more than this. This is not very much in terms of weight – a bag of microwave rice generally weighs about 250g. However, drones are typically constructed from extremely lightweight materials, so you can get quite a sophisticated drone that still comes under this limit.
In the US you’ll need certification called TRUST, for recreational flying of drones under 250g. Luckily this is simply an online test that takes around an hour to complete. You can find more information on the FAA website. If your drone weighs over 250g (0.55lb), then you’ll need to register your drone with the FAA, on the FAADroneZone site.
In the UK you’ll want a a sub-250g drone if you don’t have a licence, and you will need to get a Flyer ID and Operator ID from the CAA to fly a drone over 250g.
If you’re located elsewhere, or travelling to a different location, make sure you check local restrictions as they may differ!
Once you have your licence / certification, you’re able to fly a drone in most places, apart from in the flight restriction zones around airports, military bases and prisons etc. You can even fly over people as long as there isn’t a crowd.
Related reading:
- How to edit an engaging FPV drone video
- Capture your best aerial photos and videos with a drone
- DJI Mini 4 Pro: new lightweight drone released
If you’d like more help in choosing a great camera or lens, have a look at our latest reviews, and buying guides.
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