The 12 Best Drones You Can Buy

DJI's latest drone has a larger image sensor than most other drones, coming in at a full one inch. It also has image capabilities of 5.4K and 30fps and your video will be shot at 4K and 60fps, a clarity found on most high end televisions and computer monitors. It also features Master Shots, an image optimization technology that works no matter the position of your drone. And the Air 2S also boasts all of the settings that make it possible for your drone to follow you or any subject you select.

Thanks to DJI's impressive transmission tech, it can send back video from up to 7.5 miles away, and you'll get a smooth flight dur to its multi-directional sensors that continue to operate even at the drone's max speeds.

This set comes with a battery charger with extra batteries (for more flight time), a set of ND filters, and a shoulder bag.

Ultra lightweight (fewer than 249 grams), the Mini 3 Pro is a foldable, high-powered drone. On board, you'll get 4K/60 fps video, 48MP photos, True Vertical Shooting, a gimbal that rotates 90 degrees, focus tracking, and time lapse mode. It can fly up to 34 minutes and has forward, downward, and backward sensors to avoid obstacles.

Looking for a high-quality mini drone? This pick from DJI features everything we love about our overall pick (a great camera that shoots 4k video, long battery life, GPS, and stability control for the best flying experience) and it weighs about as much as your smartphone. Everything you need for extended fun is included in the Fly More Combo: 3 spare propellers, all the required cables and chargers, a spare pair of control sticks, and a carrying case.

There may be a handful of clear favorites when it comes to higher-end drones, but things get quite a bit more confusing if you’re just looking for an affordable drone to try your hand with before investing in something more serious. While there’s still no mistaking it for a pro-level piece of equipment, the Holy Stone drone can be flown with the included controller or an app on your phone, and it benefits from an HD 2K camera, live video, GPS return functionality, and altitude hold.

Tuned similarly to the high-test race drones used in the Drone Racing League, the 101 kit comes with everything a novice racer needs to start learning how to fly fast. The goggles are low-latency, and the RUKO drone can go fast enough to last as you level up your skills.

With an impressive battery life of 34 minutes, this long-lasting drone can pull off some equally impressive photography: It takes 48MP pictures and 4K HDR videos, and can even livestream directly from the drone's camera in 1080p resolution. Plus, it can sense obstacles in three directions for safer (and smarter) flying.

Flying a drone takes practice. The control orientation takes lots of flight hours to get used to, and will likely involve a few crashes. Start with a small, cheap drone before spending four figures, and you’ll be much better prepared. We like the Potensic T25 because it’s quick, small enough to fly indoors, and comes with a handy follow me mode for beginner users. The controller's thumb sticks are much more satisfying to use than a smartphone screen controller, and it will give you a feel for the control systems on bigger, more expensive drones. The Dreamer can also be fitted with a camera and paired to a headset, so you can fly from FPV—meaning you see what the drone sees.

While there’s still no mistaking it for a pro-level piece of equipment, the DEERC DE22 drone has tons of benefits: It offers top image stability thanks to a 2-Axis Gimbal and EIS technology, an 80° adjustable lens for a wider view, and up to 52 minutes of flight.

This mini drone from DJI weighs about as much as your smartphone, which translates into extended flying time, up to 30 minutes. Its powerful camera takes 12MP aerial photos, 2.7K HD videos. You'll get clear footage even at an altitude of up to 4,000 meters, or in winds up to 38kph.

Get more footage on a single charge with the DJI Mavic 3. This state-of-the-art drone boasts a max flight time of 46 minutes and a range of 15KM, while its omnidirectional obstacle sensing allows you to maneuver the drone around objects with minimized crash risk. The DJI Mavic 3 also boasts an upgraded transmission system and a 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad camera.

This drone lacks some key features like obstacle avoidance that you’ll find on others, but it’s worth a look if you’re primarily concerned with getting the best photos and video possible from a small, affordable drone. At 4k, it packs a high-resolution camera, a 5GHz FPV transmission, which makes for seamless transitions, and a 26-minute battery life.

The DJI first-person viewer drone puts you in the sky, wherever it goes. Choose from three modes of control, from expert-level fully manual to fully-engaged pre-programmed drone flight controls. There's a practice mode, great for beginners who need to get the feel of drone flight and VR before taking it out in the real world. Stabilization technology makes sure your view is smooth, no matter how the drone is flying. This one comes with an extra headset so you can take a friend for a ride as well.