Thursday, January 26, 2023
HomeAdventureBest Drones for Travel (+ Must-Have Accessories, Cases & More!)

Best Drones for Travel (+ Must-Have Accessories, Cases & More!)


Dream of capturing your travels from above rather than the front? With a travel drone, you can shoot your adventures from high and wide, taking in your entire surroundings instead of just one single snapshot or perspective. In this article, I’m going to fill you in on the best drones for travel, plus give you tips on how to choose one.

Traveling with a drone is great way to capture an experience, a trip, or a lifetime of adventures. But there’s a lot that goes into buying (and owning) one.

To help you out, here’s a complete guide to everything you need to know about the best drones for travel in 2023. Each drone was handpicked, as were the tips and tricks spread throughout the article.

Editor’s Picks for Best Drones for Travel (2023)

DJI Mini 3 Pro

Specs: 4K/60fps, 4K/30fps HDR, 34 minutes flight time

Pros: Compact and lightweight (249 grams!), doesn’t need drone registration in most places

Budget-friendly Travel Drone

Holy Stone HS720 GPS Drone

Specs: 4k, 3840 x 2160 high resolution images and videos

Pros: Inexpensive, GPS controlled

Cons: Minimal flight time

Best Drones for Travel: Comparison Table

Best Drones for Travel (2023)

As you keep reading, I will share some tips on how to choose the right travel drone for you but for now, here’s our list of the best drones for travel. Although DJI is known for dominating the drone field these days, but I’ve tried to include options beyond the usual. Check ’em out below.

DJI Mavic 3 Pro

Specs: 4K/30FPS | FHD 1080p | 46 minutes flight time

Pros: Hasselblad camera | Long flight time | Size of a water bottle when folded

Cons: Expensive

The best drone on the market right now is the DJI Mavic 3 Pro. This drone is an updated version of the original Mavic Pro that came out in 2016 and has some serious upgrades that make it one of the best compact travel drones today.

The drone comes complete with a renowned Hasselblad camera with a full 1″ sensor so you know you’ll be getting some seriously clear shots. The aperture is even adjustable so you’re able to capture your surroundings no matter the light conditions!

The Mavic 3 Pro offers users 46 minutes of flight time with this bad boy, making it one of the longest lasting drones out there right now. It has unreal sensors on all sides of the drone to keep it away from obstacles which comes in handy when tracking a target like a car, boat or moving people. Plus, it can fly up to 72 kilometers per hour in good conditions.

This drone is a high performer with an easy-to-use remote, fast speed, and high quality footage. It’s pretty much ready to fly right out of the box and when you’re not using it, you can fold it up to be roughly the size of a water bottle, making it perfect for travel!

DJI Mavic Air

Specs: 4K/30FPS | 12MP images | 21 minutes flight time | 1/2.3″ sensor

Pros: Size of a smartphone when folded | Easy to fly | Collision avoidance on front, bottom and rear

Cons: Shorter battery life | Smaller sensor

The DJI Mavic Air is another fierce drone in the Mavic family at a fraction of the price of the Mavic 2 Pro. It has intelligent flight modes that make getting great shots a breeze and it’s intuitive to learn, even if you’re a first timer.

This drone packs quite a lot into such a small package. The DJI Mavic Air folds up to fit in the palm of your hand (and I have small hands!), which is epic when it comes to packing and traveling around with it. Having a drone that’s the size of a smartphone is a serious game changer for travel footage. Not to mention it’s about half the size of other DJI drones when folded up!

The Mavic Air has some notable features, similar to other DJI drones like ActiveTrack, QuickShots, SmartCapture and powerful sensors, but unfortunately what it makes up for in size calls for small downgrades in quality and battery life.

This tiny drone only has about 21 minutes of flight time, which is pretty decent but not great if you’ll be traveling in remote places and unable to charge your battery frequently.

There’s still a 4k camera on this baby but it’s not a Hasselblad. No worries though, it still shoots some insanely awesome pictures and videos.

All of that said, it may be worth it to spring for this little drone as it does pretty much everything the others do in half the size — and for a much lower price tag as well!

Holy Stone HS720 Foldable GPS Drone

Specs: 4k, 3840 x 2160 high resolution images and videos

Pros: Inexpensive, GPS controlled

Cons: minimal flight time.

As far as budget drones go, the Holy Stone HS720 Foldable GPS drone is a top-notch option. It may not have all the bells and whistles of the other drones mentioned, but it’s inexpensive, lightweight, and gets the job done.

With 3840 x 2160 images, the quality from this drone is quite good! while maintaining a full 25 minutes of flight time. The drone is pretty compact and can be easily packed. With two battery packs, this gives you almost 50 minutes of flight time.

Oh, did I mention it weighs only 460 grams? Pretty great for a starter drone, in my humble opinion.

Parrot Anafi 4k Drone

Specs: 4K video | 21MP images | 25 minutes flight time | 1/2.4″ sensor

Pros: 2.8x zoom | Compact and lightweight | Superb features

Cons: Hard to fly | Minimal sensors

Interested in seeing what else there is besides DJI? Here’s an awesome competitor drone from Parrot that will break things up a bit.

The Parrot Anafi 4k Drone brings fierce competition to the DJI Mavic family as it has many of the same features — and then some. With 4k video and 21 megapixel stills, you won’t be disappointed in the quality Parrot brings to the table in their portable drone.

In the compact and lightweight body (only 320 grams!), you get 25 minutes of flight time and speeds up to 55 kilometers per hour in sport mode. However, what really makes this drone stand out is the ability to zoom in without losing quality. Zoom in up to 2.8x while shooting in 4k to capture sights just a little bit further away. Pretty cool, huh?

Additional features that come with the Parrot Anafi are things like Geofence, which allows you to create a perimeter that your drone cannot leave, Smart RTH which gets the drone to return home if the battery is low or it loses connection, and Find My Drone which enables you to fit it in the sky or on the map if it’s too far out of sight.

DJI Mini 3 Pro

Specs: 4K/60fps, 4K/30fps HDR, 34 minutes flight time

Pros: Compact and lightweight (249 grams!), doesn’t need registration in most places

Cons: Minimal sensors

If you’re looking for a travel drone that is extremely lightweight, the DJI Mini 3 Pro is an incredible option. It weight less than 249 grams which makes it a great option. The Mini 3 Pro doesn’t require registration in most countries and regions which again is a huge bonus for travelers.

The drone is foldable and the compact design also makes it easy on your travels. It has a 1/1.3-inch sensor which ensures great quality!

Best Travel Drones for Selfies

Is it just me, or does having a hovering camera take your photo officially mean we’re living in the future? Selfie travel drones are ideal for capturing your travels in a new way!

DJI Spark

Specs: 1080P/30FPS | 12MP images | 16 minutes flight time | 1/2.3″ sensor

Pros: Inexpensive | Fits in a jacket pocket | Tons of features

Cons: Doesn’t handle wind well | Short flight time | No 4K

Combining a small size with a reasonable price point, the DJI Spark is certainly a fan favorite when it comes to drones for travel.

Folded up, the Spark becomes a tiny package that will fit in your jacket pocket, handbag or carry-on luggage. The convenience of being able to carry it everywhere brings a major appeal to this piece of tech. Coming in at only 300 grams, you’ll never feel weighed down while toting this drone along.

It has tons of cool features like FaceAware that lets you launch the drone using facial recognition or control the camera with hand gestures. Talk about futuristic…

That said, because this drone is so small and lightweight, there are some sacrifices that come along with it. You don’t get 4k with the Spark; instead it shoots 1080p video at 30 frames per second and takes 12 megapixel stills. This is certainly a step down from the DJI Mavic family, but considering it’ll cost you $500 less and half the weight, you have to admit it’s still a pretty good deal.

At top speed in sport mode, the Spark can travel up to 31 miles per hour and has 16 minutes of flying time. Just be sure not to fly it on a windy day because the drone is so lightweight it may just get blown away!

Hover Passport 2

Specs: 4K/30FPS | 13MP images | 8-10 minute flight time | 1.306″ sensor

Pros: Durable, lightweight body | Easy to fly and catch | Stellar features

Cons: Very short battery life | No built-in stabilization | Can’t fly in wind

Looking for an excellent selfie companion to follow you around on your adventures? The Hover Passport 2 is a strong contender that will take unbeatable selfies of you in the beautiful locations you venture to.

The Passport 2 is a pretty advanced piece of technology in a small, lightweight package. Weighing about half a pound, this is the ultimate selfie drone because it will literally follow you around on your journey and snap pictures and record video the entire time.

Enjoy using features like face and body detection while you wander, bike, or run through new places, and control the camera using gestures! How cool is that?

Crafted from carbon fiber, this drone is not only extremely lightweight but super durable as well. You can catch it right in your hand when you’ve finished shooting and then fold it up to the size of of a small book.

It’s ideal for travel because of its ultimate portability, and you don’t even have to register it with the FAA before flying!

There’s so much to love, but there are also some downsides that go along with this selfie drone.

For starters, the battery life only lasts between 8 and 10 minutes which is a serious pain while you’re traveling because you don’t want to have to stop and recharge every few minutes. It also only travels up and down as there’s no gimbal.

And although it’s on a single-axis, there’s no built-in stabilization which could make for some rocky videos. Finally, being so lightweight, you can’t fly this baby in any kind of wind as it’ll be swept right away.

Best Non-Compact Drones for Travel

These drones don’t fold up, making them kind of a pain to travel with, but they do shoot with excellent quality and can withstand more than some compact drones can.

Check out these drones to explore your options!

DJI Phantom 4 Pro

Specs: 4K/60FPS | 20MP images | 30 minute flight time | 1″ sensor

Pros: Long battery life | Does well in wind | Optical Sensors

Cons: Heavy and hard to pack | Expensive

If you’re looking to step your drone game up a bit, you may want to consider the likes of the DJI Phantom 4 Pro. The quality you get on this thing is out of this world. It’s essentially putting your DSLR up in the air to capture those insane shots!

The Phantom 4 Pro certainly has a heavier body, and one that doesn’t break down at that, but it’s worth it if you’re looking for a top-of-the-line piece of equipment.

So, the DJI Phantom 4 Pro isn’t compact, can be a real pain to pack, and is extremely expensive. However, it’s still great for travelers because it has a long flight time (30 minutes!) and features like the Optical Sensors and ActiveTrack that make documenting your adventures twice as fun (and effective).

Since this is a more advanced piece of equipment, there are tons of adjustments you can make to the drone and the settings, and it can handle the elements a little better than its lighter counterparts. The Phantom 4 Pro is able to withstand windy conditions and is easy to land, even if you’re unstable. Just grab it by the legs and pull it down! This is not something you can do with the Mavic series drones.

Overall, while it may be bigger, if you’re looking for the best quality drone to travel with, the Phantom 4 Pro takes the cake. They have released a Phantom 4 Pro Version 2 with a camera which is pretty incredible.

Read More: Best GoPro Alternatives: Ultimate Guide to Action Cameras

Yuneec Breeze 4k

Specs: 4K video | 13MP images | 12 minutes flight time | 1.306″ sensor

Pros: Very inexpensive | Good for beginners | Control with your smartphone

Cons: Short flight time

Another worthy budget drone, this non-compact option makes this list because it’s lightweight (easy to travel with), inexpensive, and a great starter drone if you’re interested in testing one out before dropping a ton of money.

You still get some solid features with this Yuneec model like 4k video, 13 megapixel stills, return home auto landing, follow me functionality, and GPS optical flow.

One of the best parts about this drone is that it can be completely controlled from your smartphone. This means that a spare controller won’t be taking up valuable space in your bag as you’ll have complete control at the touch of your phone screen!

This drone is exceptionally easy to fly, which is great for beginners. If anything ends up broken or damaged while learning to steer it, spare parts are sold so you’re able to easily get replacement parts.

The main downside of this budget drone is the battery life which only lasts for about 12 minutes — menial compared to the others on this list.

Yuneec Typhoon H Plus

Specs: 4K video | 20MP stills | 25 minutes flight time | 1″ sensor

Pros: Less expensive than competitors | Collision avoidance | Decent range | Great in wind

Cons: Takes up a lot of space

One last (but certainly not least!) drone option for anyone looking for something to take mind blowing footage with is the Yuneec Typhoon H Plus.

A whole lot is packed into this drone: a powerful 4K camera that shoots 20 megapixel stills and combines 3-axis sensor driven image stabilization. Not sure what that means? Well, basically your footage won’t be wobbly and your photos will be of stunning quality.

This drone can fly up to 1 mile away from you, ensuring you’re able to properly capture all of your surroundings. And with 25 minutes of flight time, you’ll be able to take it out for quite a while.

It may be scary to fly your drone so far away from you, but the Typhoon H Plus integrates Intel RealSense Collision Avoidance as a flight mode on their drone. So you just have to switch it on and your drone will fly around any obstacles in its way!

One of the best things about this drone is it can really stand up to wind, which is typically a drone’s mortal enemy. But with this Yuneec model, you won’t have to worry about flying it in less than desirable conditions. It can handle it.

A last thing to note is this drone comes with a large controller outfitted with a 7″ touch screen that sends a live feed so that you can see what your drone is seeing. It seriously couldn’t get any easier to capture the perfect scene, now could it?!

4 Drone Apps You Should Download

There are a few apps you should consider downloading to go along with your brand new drone. Most of them are free, and provide you with valuable information.

Hover

This nifty app has put everything in one place for you. With a free download, you get a no-fly zone map, weather forecasts specifically for drones, flight logs, flight readiness indicator, and a news feed with industry alerts.

B4UFLY

This is an app for drone flying in the U.S. and it was developed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) so you know they’re not messing around. You put in the location where you want to fly and it will notify you about any warnings or flight restrictions in the area.

It’s a great resource for planning ahead and flying on the go when traveling around the States!

Skycatch For DJI

An awesome app for DJI drones, here you’re able to create a flight plan on the in-app map. Once you’ve finalized your route, the app sends the information to your drone and it completes the route autonomously. All you have to do is sit back, watch and wait for epic results.

AirMap

For an app that basically combines everything above, check out AirMap. This app has features that let you know whether you can fly in a certain location, and provides specific airspace rules and advisories. You can even create your own flight path.

You can also connect you DJI drone and adjust the camera’s settings through the AirMap app while in flight!

Must-Have Drone Accessories

There are a few things you may want to pair with your drone to make the most of your shooting experience. These accessories will enhance your photos and really step up your drone game!

Polarizing Filters

Polarizing filters are an essential drone accessory and also greatly enhance the quality of your drone stills and videos!

A polarizing filter gets rid of polarized light which essentially cuts down on reflections and glare, resulting in a gorgeous contrast and colors that really pop.

ND Filters

Besides polarizing filters, another awesome drone accessory is ND filters. ND stands for natural-density, and these filters kind of level everything out by reducing the light being captured by the camera’s lens.

That said, ND filters don’t negatively affect the color while in use, but instead block out too much light and allows you to control things like exposure time and aperture.

Spare Battery

Nothing’s worse than your camera dying halfway through an insane shoot. This can be especially annoying while traveling because you may not have the opportunity to charge back up right away.

To prevent disappointment and footage being cut short, be sure to have a spare battery that you can charge up and change out as needed. You’ll thank yourself time and time again when you’re able to shoot for twice as long!

Extra Propellers

Besides a spare battery, you may also want a spare set of propellers. Propellers are probably the most fragile part of the drone and can be easily damaged if your drone comes in contact with an obstacle, lands in a funny way, or gets bumped around in transit.

You should be able to find separate propellers for most drones — it’s worth the investment. In case anything happens while you’re traveling, you can just swap the propellers out and you’re good to go again!

Gimbal Cover and Clamp

Besides the propellers, the gimbal is also an especially fragile part of your drone. To keep it in tip-top shape and prevent any damage, you should spring for a gimbal cover and clamp, especially while traveling.

The clamp will keep the gimbal in place and should only be taken off when you’re flying your drone.

Best Drone Carrying Cases for Travelers

One of the most important parts of traveling with a drone is having a sturdy transportation mechanism, whether it’s in the form of a case or a bag.

Why should you have a case for your drone? Packing your drone gear in a case ensures that it will stay in place for the duration of your journey, thanks to the internal padding. The snug fit makes sure nothing wobbles around while you change locations or transport it to your shooting site.

Also, many cases have a super tough shell that’s waterproof and shockproof, making it perfect for keeping your drone safe on your most rugged adventures.

Here are some top picks of cases to pack your drone in.

Hermitshell Hard EVA Travel Case

For transporting your DJI Mavic Pro and all of its accessories, this is a great option.

The inside of the case has a specific place for a folded drone, a controller, three batteries and more, making sure they won’t wiggle around while you travel with your drone. There’s also a spacious second half of the interior for fitting in other accessories and drone equipment.

Sling it over your shoulder with the carrying strap and you’re good to go!

Ultimaxx Waterproof Rugged Compact Travel Case

For those looking to take their drone on some wild adventures, this Ultimaxx case is the ideal pick. Made of ultra-druable shatterproof plastic, it’s completely waterproof and heavy duty.

The inside of the case has custom-cut compartments for a Mavic 2 Pro or Zoom as well as the remote, propellors, propellor guards, and three batteries. Everything fits snugly in this case and you’ll be glad you have it whether taking it on a boat trip or mountain biking!

RLSOCO Carrying Case

If you’re rocking a DJI Spark, this RLSOCO carrying case is a great option for you.

It’s made of high-density EVA so it’ll protect your drone from shock or splashes on the road. The compartments are custom-fit for the Spark and it also fits a controller, three batteries, and a charger.

Plus, you have your choice of ways to carry this case, with a shoulder strap and a side handle!

Best Drone Backpacks for Travelers

Cases are a good option if you only want to transport your drone, but you’ll likely be traveling with more than just the drone, batteries, and other accessories.

Backpacks are a great option if you want to keep your drone equipment in the same place as the likes of your laptop, tablet, other camera gear — or even all of the above!

Here are some solid options when it comes to fitting everything – including your drone – in one bag.

Lowepro DroneGuard BP 250

This insanely awesome backpack will fit your drone, plus whatever other technical equipment you want to tote along with you.

The flexible dividers allow you to fit a DJI Mavic Pro with a transmitter, up to 5 batteries, along with a 15″ laptop and a tablet. Not to mention the top of the bag has an organization panel for smaller items so nothing gets left behind.

Manfrotto Drone Backpack

Another fit-it-all backpack is this option that has space for literally everything.

You can configure the internal organizers to fit a DJI Phantom as well as any additional gear. The backpack is padded to make sure everything stays protected, and there’s tons of extra storage for items besides your drone.

Neewer Pro Camera Backpack Drone

A last quality pick is this Neewer Pro backpack that you can use for both your DJI Phantom drone and the rest of your camera gear.

Since the backpack doubles in use, you’ll be happy to know there’s plenty of room for everything from your extra batteries, controller, tripod, to other camera accessories. The backpack is shockproof, padded and totally adjustable, making it a perfect travel companion.

FAQ for Best Drones for Travel

Which drone is best for Traveling?

When it comes to choosing the best travel drone, size, weight, and image quality plays a huge role. Here are our top picks.

Best Overall Travel Drone: DJI Mini 3 Pro
Runner-Up: DJI Mavic Air
Best Budget Travel Drone: Holy Stone HS720
Best Travel Drone for Quality: DJI Mavic 3 Pro

What is a good drone for the money?

If you’re looking for an relatively affordable drone from a reputable company, the DJI Mini 3 Pro is hard to beat. It is also one of the lightest drones available in the market, making it ideal for travelers.

What drones are better than DJI?

While DJI drones still remain the industry standard, there are still a few drone competitors that are worth looking into. The Holy Stone HS720 is a favorite amongst drone fans as well as the Parrot Anafi 4k Drone.

Can you take a drone on a plane?

You can take most DJI drones with you on a plane but just because you can take them doesn’t mean that you can enter a country as this depends on drone regulation. The DJI Mini 3 Pro is a good option as it is small enough which means you don’t need permits for it for most countries. Make sure that you clear this before you enter a country as this often changes!

What do I need to know about buying a drone?

Having a drone is fun and all but there are a few things you need to consider before purchasing one.

Regulations

The main thing to keep in mind is that different countries have their own regulations when it comes to flying drones. While you may be able to fly a drone wherever you’d like in your home country, where you’re traveling to may have stricter rules and serious consequences, if not followed.

Before buying a drone for travel, be sure to check country-specific drone flying regulations and bear in mind these basics:

Don’t fly above 400 feet
Don’t fly over political buildings, houses of worship, or near an airport
Don’t fly over crowds or near residential buildings
Keep your drone in your line of sight when flying

Besides country-specific regulations, other places like national parks and large tourist areas have their own rules about flying. You can use helpful apps like SkyCatch or Know Before You Fly to learn more about specific places you’re interested in capturing.

Keep in mind that when flying a drone, you represent all drone pilots. Don’t be that stupid tourist flying their drone in an inappropriate place at a bad time. You can ruin things for everyone, so be careful, be considerate, and follow all regulations in that particular place.

Size

You should also carefully consider the size drone you want to purchase. Larger drones may capture better footage but they also may be affected by the regulations surrounding flying.
If a drone is too large, you may no longer qualify as a recreational pilot and need serious certifications before letting it loose in the air.

Bigger drones are also more difficult to pack, making them a bit impractical for traveling. Size is up to personal preference, but in this case you may want to opt for something on the smaller side.

Assembly

You should also keep assembly in the forefront of your mind when choosing between different drones.
Some drones come fully-assembled and can be used right out of the box, while others need to be put together or updated before being ready to fly.

You can usually tell what you’re getting, thanks to the  crafty labeling in the drone description. You’ll see acronyms like RTF (Ready to Fly), ARF (Almost Ready to fFy) and BND (Bind and Dly – essentially meaning that the drone doesn’t come with its own controller) to let you know what type of assembly is needed for your drone.

drone in mountains and clouds

What to Look for in a Travel Drone?

Besides general considerations when it comes to drones, there are certain specifications you should keep in mind when purchasing a travel drone of your very own.

Size & Weight

As mentioned above, size is a serious consideration when it comes to picking out a drone. But along with size comes weight.

Since the main purpose of your drone is to capture awesome travel footage, you may want to go for a smaller, lightweight model that can come anywhere with you.

Having a drone that fits in a backpack and can be carried around without hassle or adding excessive weight is best because it can become your next travel companion. Typically drones weigh between half a pound to three pounds so it’s not like you’re looking at anything crazy bulky but a good rule of thumb is the more high tech your drone is, the heavier it will be.

While lighter drones may be best for travel, heavier drones tend to put up to environmental factors a little bit better. Think about it — you’re flying your drone on a windy day and a gust comes by and blows a lightweight one off course, while a heavier one may be able to withstand it.

A last consideration when it comes to weight is what your drone is made of. Plastic drones tend to be much lighter, but can break easily. On the other hand, drones crafted from carbon fiber are certainly more durable, but they add much more weight and cost an arm and leg.

This is entirely up to personal preference and where you think you’ll be using your drone most, but there are certainly upsides and downsides to having a weighty drone. The choice is yours!

drone on table with accessories

Body Type

Generally, you’ll find drones with two different body types: fixed and foldable.

Fixed-bodied drones are much more common, and while this saves you a hassle for set-up, they can be a real pain to carry. Many fixed-bodied drones need their own special carrying case or backpack because their fragile structure cannot be bent or folded in any way.

Alternatively, foldable drones are up and coming because they’re much more convenient to travel with, which is why many people want drones in the first place. With a drone that folds up, you won’t need a special backpack or case for it; you can typically slip it into wherever it fits.

That said, foldable drones need a bit more attention that fixed-bodied ones. Foldable drones may be more susceptible to breakage as they need to be assembled or put together time and time again.

Flight Time & Distance

Battery life takes form by way of flight time and distance, letting you know how long and far your drone can fly while capturing footage.

Most drones only get between 10 to 25 minutes of flight time in a single go. The less expensive models will only fly for about ten minutes and aren’t really worth your time. Since drones are an investment, you’re better off getting something that will fly for 20 minutes or longer.

In terms of distance, the best drones can travel up to five miles before the signal starts to cut out. Not that you should fly your drone that far away (think about losing such an expensive piece of equipment to a tree branch or other far-off obstacle!), but it’s pretty cool all the same.

Distance and flight time go hand in hand because although your drone can fly far away, you should think about whether there’s adequate flight time (battery life) to get it back again.

Sensors

If you’re a novice drone pilot, you’re going to want to get something that’s fairly easy to use.

The easiest drones to fly are covered in sensors to keep them from crashing into nearby obstacles. Most drones also come completely outfitted with a CPS, compass and radio receiver to create a manageable flying experience.

In terms of sensors, you can tell that they’re poor if the drone starts to drift while flying. Your drone should fly straight and upright (unless you tell it otherwise) as an indicator that the sensors are working and of high quality.

The bottom line is you must check to ensure the drone has good sensors to make for an easy flying experience and unbeatable footage.

Image Quality

Let me just start by saying that no drone you purchase for a reasonable price is going to have image quality rivaling that of a DSLR. You would have to fork over some serious cash to even come close to this kind of quality, but as long as you know that, you should be able to temper your expectations a bit and know what you’re really getting.

Typical drones have sensors that are less than one inch, which is common in generic point-and-shoot cameras. With that in mind, you can understand that many drones will have some issues shooting in harsh or low light circumstances.

There are drones that have full 1-inch sensors that shoot sharp and beautiful photos and video, but they certainly cost a bit more than those previously mentioned.

Besides sensor size, think about whether you want your drone to be able to zoom in close or maintain a fixed field of vision. If it has a fixed field of vision, you’ll typically be getting wide angle photos and video due to the shape of the lens.

However, if this isn’t something you’re in for, you can find drones with a narrower FOV.

aerial view of city highways and moving traffic from drones
Cityscape drone shot

Types of Drones

In case you haven’t already picked up on this, not all drones are made equal. In fact, there are many different types of drones and this will impact your purchasing decision.

Here’s a breakdown of four different types you may come across and what they’re best for.

Compact Travel Drones

This is definitely the most popular kind of drone because they’re easy to pack and move around with and then pull out and get going when you’re ready to start shooting.

Most commonly, to make the drone compact, the propeller blades of the drone fold up to be super small so they won’t take up room in a bag or case.

Generally, these drones are pretty easy to use and often times shoot in high quality, too!

As far as drones for travel go, this is our top pick.

Non-Compact Travel Drones

Alternatively, you can go for a travel drone that isn’t compact.

These tend to be a bit larger and don’t break down into different components when it’s time to pack them away. The biggest hassle here is they have fixed legs and propellers that can’t be compressed to take up less space. It also takes a little more time to get all of the moving parts set up when you’re ready to fly.

These drones are still pretty easy to fly, and they can handle a little bit more environmental impact like gusty winds. As the body is a bit larger than the other types of drones, you may also get a better camera, making for stellar footage.

Selfie Travel Drones

The name here pretty much says it all: selfie travel drones are made to take selfies while on the go. It’s basically a selfie stick with propellers, so you can hit those optimal angles without having to hold the camera yourself.

These drones are super easy to use and are quite small as well. They don’t fly particularly far, fast or high, but they’re designed to hover near you to get some good shots.

The type of camera you get on these drones depends on how much you’re willing to pay. You can find super cheap ones that cost less than $100 but you’ll be sacrificing quality and durability for a couple of cool photos.

Selfie drones are good starter drones because they’re extra easy to fly and get the job done. That said, you should note that most selfie drones will need digital stabilization to be added when you’re reviewing footage.

Advanced Travel Drones

Finally, on the other end of the spectrum, there are travel drones for advanced photographers and videographers.

These drones are a professional piece of equipment and should be treated as such. They tend to be the most expensive, but also have the best quality of all drones on the list. Professional travel drones are by no means compact or easy to transport, but it’s totally worth it when you see what these babies can do.

These are the drones that are used for promotional videos or even professional films!

person paddle boarding taken by a drone

How to Get Better Drone Photos and Videos

Use Drone Filters

Using filters (polarizing or ND) is a great way to balance out glare and reflections in your photos, especially if you’re shooting in a particularly sunny location. They also help enhance colors and create gorgeous contrast to your already stellar footage!

Give filters a go and you’re sure to see a difference.

Be Mindful of the Sun

When shooting in sunny locations, be aware of where the sun is while flying your drone. If your drone is facing the sun directly, you may not be thrilled with the results. Instead, try shooting scenes with the sun behind your drone, lighting up what’s in front of it.

Use the Flight Modes

The intelligent flight modes are there for a reason: to help you! Using them will result in awesome footage, especially by ways of flying autonomously and avoiding obstacles in the camera’s path.

Keep it Simple

Unless you’re an advanced drone pilot, you’re going to want to keep your moves fairly simple for the best footage. Flying straight and still will create for something remarkable whereas a drone that’s done lots of loops and whoops will result in unstable footage.

Practice Drone Flying

Finally, the best way to get the drone footage you’ve been dreaming of is to continue to practice until you get it right. Review your footage and see where there’s room for improvement, and then revise that aspect.

Stellar photos and videos are right at your fingertips!

person holding drone in front of water and mountains

Traveling with a drone is a great way to capture your adventures. Whether you’re trekking through the Amazon or sunbathing on white sand beaches, there’s no way to get better pictures or video than with a travel drone.

There’s certainly a lot to know when it comes to drones, and with technology updates coming more and more frequently, we can expect to have even more to learn about them in years to come!

We hope this guide has helped you with making a decision on which drone, accessories, and cases are best suited for your travels.


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Best Travel Drones | Looking for a drone to accompany you on your travels? Here's our ultimate guide to best drones and everything you need to know about owning one.





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