Whether you’re chasing cinematic landscapes or just want to snap the ultimate selfie from above, finding the best drone comes down to knowing what kind of flying experience you’re after. From compact options you can slip into a backpack to advanced models that shoot silky-smooth 4K footage, today’s drones come packed with features that cater to everyone — from total beginners to seasoned pilots.
If you’re new to the skies, a beginner drone with built-in safety features and multiple flight modes is a great place to start. If you prefer portability, a mini drone might be the perfect travel companion, especially one with a decent flight time and a responsive remote controller. For creators, the best camera drones often include a stabilized 4K camera and are just as comfortable pairing with an Android device as they are with iOS. And if you’re working with a tighter budget, there are plenty of budget drone options that don’t skimp on core features like quadcopter stability or intelligent flight paths.
We’ve tested drones across a wide range of categories to help you find the right fit — whether you’re capturing epic sunsets, learning the ropes or just having fun in the backyard.
The best drones for 2025
Type: Mini camera drone | Flight time: Up to 34 minutes | Camera resolution: 48 MP | Video resolution: 4K at up to 100 fps | Weight: Under 249 grams
Read our full DJI Mini 4 Pro review
DJI’s Mini 4 Pro can do it all at a very reasonable price. It has an excellent onboard camera with a 1/1.3-inch sensor, 24mm f/1.7 lens, support for 4K 100 fps video with D-LogM, HLG and HDR capture and up to 48MP still photography. Endurance is around 45 minutes with the Intelligent Flight Plus battery and it can fly up to 12.4 miles away in unobstructed terrain, all while transmitting a 1080p 60 fps signal to your controller.
It has multiple subject tracking modes so it’s ideal for vlogging, and obstacle detection sensors on all sides help keep it out of danger. On top of that, it weighs less than 249 grams so it’s exempt from licensing requirements in most regions. Best of all, and I can’t say this enough, it’s priced reasonably and even the basic kit comes with an RC-N2 smartphone controller.
- Maneuverable
- Improved obstacle avoidance
- New ActiveTrack 360 feature is great
- Solid image quality
- Still far from crashproof
- A bit expensive
- Not the best for night scenes
Autel Robotics
Type: Camera drone | Flight time: Up to 40 minutes | Camera resolution: 20 MP | Video resolution: 6K at 30 fps | Weight: 835 grams
If you prefer to not buy DJI drones due to the (very reasonable) risk that they may soon disappear from the US market, I’d recommend Autel. That company is based in China as well but some of its drones are made in the US and it isn’t on any sanctions lists. Autel’s Robotics Evo Lite+ has similar autonomous and obstacle detection features to the DJI Air 3S, while adding higher resolution 6K video and a 1-inch sensor, though it lacks a secondary camera. Battery life is a very solid 40 minutes and it has a maximum range of 7.5 miles with no obstacles.
- Good autonomous and obstacle detection features
- Supports 6K video
- Solid battery life
Steve Dent for Engadget
Type: Mini selfie drone | Flight time: Up to 18 minutes | Camera resolution: 12 MP | Video resolution: 4K at 30 fps | Weight: 135 grams
Read our full DJI Neo review
Last year, I called DJI’s $200 Neo the camera product of the year, period. It’s a remarkably lightweight drone that can be piloted without a license and is people-safe thanks to its shrouded propellers. It’s great for beginners as you can simply place it in your hand and press a button, then it’ll fly off and capture cool programmed shots like “dronies.”
Just because it’s approachable doesn’t mean it’s basic, though. You can pilot the Neo manually using DJI’s controllers, FPV goggles and even a smartphone. It can hit speeds up to 20 mph while being highly maneuverable. And with the built-in AI features, it can track you while you walk or bike, making it a vlogger’s best friend. Finally, it can capture all your footage at 4K 30p, with surprisingly good quality. The main issue is the banshee-like noise it emits, but overall, it’s a highly useful product at a great price point.
- Quick and maneuverable
- Inexpensive
- Includes high-end features
- Beginner friendly
- No vertical video
- Sounds like a banshee
- Top speeds require specific controller
Steve Dent for Engadget
Type: Mini camera drone | Flight time: Up to 31 minutes | Camera resolution: 48 MP | Video resolution: 4K at up to 100 fps | Weight: 249 grams
Read our full DJI Flip review
DJI’s $439 Flip has a clever, user-friendly design, with all four propellers folding down and stacking below the body like some kind of Star Wars spacecraft. This helps protect the propellers to limit damage or injury in case of a collision. That people-safe design lets creators take high-quality 4K 60p video indoors (with D-LogM, HLG and HDR), even with dim lighting, thanks to the relatively large 1/1.3-inch sensor. Though the light weight allows you to fly it without a permit, the large surface and slowish speeds means it’s not ideal outdoors in windy conditions. And though the Flip offers sophisticated subject tracking modes, it has limited obstacle detection when that function is enabled. Still, it’s a powerful drone with up to a 10-mile range that offers a lot of functionality for the price.
- Sharp and smooth 4K video
- People-safe design
- Excellent battery life
- No license needed
- Obstacle detection is very limited
- Bulkier than the competition
- Not great in wind
HoverAir
Type: Mini selfie drone | Flight time: Up to 16 minutes | Camera resolution: 48 MP | Video resolution: 8K at 30 fps | Weight: 192.5 grams
Like the Flip, the $699 HoverAir X1 ProMax offers features like a folding, people-safe design, and a 1/1.3-inch sensor. However, unlike DJI’s model, the HoverAir X1 ProMax can dodge obstacles while tracking people, making it superior for that purpose. It’s also a touch faster with a maximum tracking speed of up to 26 mph and offers up to 8K 30 fps video, along with 4K 120 fps slo-mo footage. The main drawback, as mentioned, is the short 1km max range (with the optional beacon controller) and limited 16-minute battery life.
- Folding design
- Good people tracking with obstacle avoidance
- Max tracking speed of 26 mph
- Support for 8K 30 fps video
DJI
Type: Professional camera drone | Flight time: Up to 43 minutes | Camera resolution: 20 MP (main), additional telephoto lenses | Video resolution: Up to 5.1K at 50 fps | Weight: 958 grams
Read our full DJI Mavic 3 Pro hands-on
DJI’s Mavic 3 Pro is the best cinema drone if budget is no object, thanks to the Hasselblad Four Thirds primary camera with full D-Log capture (up to 4K 120 fps) that allows for excellent picture quality in most conditions. It also carries both 3x and 7x telephoto cameras that work well not just for creative content capture, but also things like wildlife spotting and search and rescue. Battery life is excellent at 43 minutes and range is a respectable 9.3 miles. Naturally, it has all of DJI’s ActiveTrack subject tracking features and is covered with obstacle detection sensors on all sides.
- Support for 4K 120 fps video
- Good subject tracking and obstacle detection
- Good battery life
Steve Dent for Engadget
Type: Camera drone | Flight time: Up to 45 minutes | Camera resolution: 50 MP (wide-angle), 48 MP (telephoto) | Video resolution: 4K at up to 120 fps | Weight: Not specified
Read our full DJI Air 3S review
The DJI Air 3S has a unique dual-camera setup that allows you to capture many types of shots. The 50-megapixel, 1-inch sensor wide camera with a 24mm f/1.8 lens supports 4K recording up to 120 fps and 1080p at 240 fps, along with D-LogM to improve dynamic range. The secondary 70mm (3x) zoom camera has a still-decent 1.3-inch sensor, and supports the same video specs and color modes as the primary.
Battery life is ample at 45 minutes and the Air 3S can sense obstacles in all directions. The addition of a forward-facing LiDAR sensor aids detection in low light, making the ActiveTrack subject-tracking feature more versatile. With its high speeds up to 45 mph, the Air 3S can be used in windy conditions and can range as far as 12.5 miles away. It has 45 GB of internal storage as well, on top of a microSD slot. The basic kit is reasonably priced, but I’d recommend paying a bit more to get it in the Fly More kit with extra batteries.
- Excellent image quality
- LiDAR improves obstacle detection at night
- ActiveTrack 360 produces cinematic tracking shots
- Long battery life
- Now has 42GB internal storage
- Sometimes fails to detect small obstacles
Nathanael Charpentier for Engadget
Type: FPV racing drone | Flight time: Up to 23 minutes | Camera resolution: Not specified | Video resolution: 4K at up to 100 fps | Weight: 410 grams
Read our full DJI Avata 2 review
The Avata 2 is known for being DJI’s main FPV drone, and yes, it can get as fast as 60 mph and its acrobatic abilities allow you to create exciting first-person footage. It’s more than just that, though. The 1/1.3-inch sensor camera can shoot high-quality 4K footage at up to 100 fps in D-LogM and HDR modes, matching the quality you get with the Mini 4 Pro. The protected propellers make it highly resistant to crashes and allow you to use the Avata 2 indoors or around people. It lacks obstacle detection sensors though, instead relying on its tough design and prop guards to survive crashes. Since battery life is only about 20 minutes, it’s best to buy the Avata 2 in the Fly More combo which includes an updated headset, three batteries and the latest RC Motion 3 controller.
- Improved video quality
- Better maneuverability
- Cheaper
- Longer battery life
- Goggles 3 may lack comfort for some
What to look for in a drone
Camera features
For this guide, we’re looking only at drones that are basically flying cameras, so you want the best video and photo features possible. Bigger devices like DJI’s Mavic 3 Pro or Air 3S carry relatively large sensors, offering superior picture quality for nighttime cityscapes or other low-light scenes. Smaller models like the Mini 4 Pro and HoverAir X1 Max use smaller camera sensors, so they aren’t as good in dim light.
Field of view and minimum aperture are also important, with most drones typically having a wide-angle focal length, though a few others like the HoverAir X1 Max carry an ultrawide lens. Some models have multiple cameras including a wide and a zoom. As for aperture, lower numbers are better and allow for shooting in dim light. Most DJI models are solid in this regard, while the HoverAir models don’t perform as well.
Video resolution and slow-mo are also essential camera capabilities. Most drones these days can shoot at 4K with a frame rate of at least 30 fps, though some offer 6K or even 8K at up to 30 fps. Higher-end models can shoot 4K at up to 120 fps, allowing you to slow down the action dramatically to create a cinematic look.
Other noteworthy features include log or HDR video that supports higher dynamic range, particularly in bright and sunny conditions. Finally, the camera’s gimbal and stabilization are important factors to keep your footage looking as smooth as possible. Some drones have gimbals that can rotate the camera 90 degrees to give social media creators the maximum resolution for vertical formats.
Drone features: Speed, range, safety, battery life and obstacle detection
By and large, there are two types of camera drones to consider. The first are standard drones (usually with open propellers but not always) designed to fly outside and take scenic shots. Often there’s nothing to stop the props from striking skin or objects, so they can’t really be used indoors or around people. Some models like the DJI Neo and Flip have prop guards that better protect bystanders and property, as well as the drone itself.
Then there’s first-person-view (FPV) camera drones, which often have propeller guards and are meant to be used both indoors or outside to capture exciting footage. Standard models don’t need to go particularly fast as they’re mainly used to shoot fun videos for social media, but FPV drones need to move at high speeds to create excitement. Because of that speed, they’re also better in breezy conditions as they can fight gusts and return home more quickly. Acrobatic abilities (often promoted by the manufacturer in ads or packaging) are also important for FPV drones, as it allows the user to perform tricks and zip around obstacles.
Battery life is another important factor. The best drones boast a battery endurance of up to 45 minutes, while FPV drones like the Avata 2 can only fly for about half that time as they tend to be heavier and carry smaller batteries to reduce weight. As a general rule, a single battery isn’t enough for any serious shooting so you’d do well to buy your drone in a kit with a few batteries and a charger.
As for range, DJI tends to dominate in this area, with its latest models able to maintain a video signal at a distance up to 20km (12.4 miles). HoverAir’s models are weaker with the top-end X1 Max model limited to just 1km (0.6 miles) when using the optional beacon system. DJI also offers multiple ways to control its drones including headsets, joystick-type controllers, motion detection controllers and smartphones.
The best drones have sensors to detect obstacles in all directions. Others are limited to only avoiding obstructions coming at them from the front and some only rely on the main camera to prevent crashes. Finally, if you want to have your drone follow you around automatically, you’ll need it to be able to track you around when you’re vlogging, riding a bike or skiing, while also avoiding obstacles.
