The best drones for fun or professional use (2024)

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Drones have quickly become a favorite of casual hobbyists and professionals, offering a new perspective on photography and digital LED display projects.

With this, the market is now saturated with options, from cheap $25 drones to ones that reach upwards of several thousand dollars. So it’s become a bit of a chore to determine what are the best drones just for fun, or for professional application.

Considering all the drone manufacturers on the market, there are two things to remember: Avoid all the cheap toy drones from strange manufacturers unless you want to replace them every third flight.

These drones are good for flying around indoors but usually break fairly quickly.

And second, you’ll see a lot of drones from DJI in the market, and on this list. DJI is one of the most reliable drone manufacturers, with a wide range of drones for all budgets and use.

Finding the best drone for you

Operating a drone takes practice and at least a sliver of skill, but it’s a fun way to connect with and observe your environment. Whether that be residential shenanigans or creating a different perspective of the world around us.

Drones are great for adding depth and creativity to translating the world into visual entertainment.

Before looking for a drone, decide what is most important to you. That could be camera quality, or ease-of-use, or automated functions that ease you into learning how to fly.

Also, remember any drone over 249 grams in weight needs to be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and before you fly you should take the FAA’s free TRUST test.

When shopping for the best drone, remember that the more you spend, the less it’s a toy, and the more it becomes a piece of professional equipment.

DJI Mini 4 Pro (Best Overall)

The main highlight of the DJI Mini 4 Pro is that there are four models to choose from in increasing price and functionality.

This is the second of four, offering a view screen embedded in the controller, as well as night video enhancements. Having that view screen offers a better semblance of control, but it still takes some practice.

Additionally, this is a lightweight folding drone, which means you can take it anywhere.

Plus, because it is lightweight, it doesn’t require any form of FAA registration. While not entry-level, the DJI Mini 4 Pro is a great drone to jump-start your aerial photography side hustle.

DJI Mavic 3 Pro (Best for Professional Video)

If your side hustle turns into a legit profession, then you’ll need to step up your drone camera game with the DJI Mavic 3 Pro.

This beast of a drone contains a Hasselblad main camera with a 4/3 CMOS sensor and 4K results. You can keep it in the air for up to 43 minutes on a full charge at up to 15km away.

The controller contains a view screen, and eight vision sensors will pick out and avoid obstacles.

Video capture is also 4K (UHD 2160p), which makes this a great drone camera for shooting high-quality music videos or chase scenes.

The only downside is that the DJI Mavic 3 Pro is nearly $3,000, but it’s worth it for that perfect shot.

Potensic ATOM SE (Best Casual 4K)

The Potensic ATOM SE comes in at under $300 but has some nice features for such a cheap drone.

First, the controller embeds with your smartphone so you can get a bird’s eye view of your video. Next, one charge gives you about an hour of flight time, longer than many other more expensive drones.

There’s a beginner mode if you are just getting started, as well as a video and sport mode. The latter speeds the drone up a bit.

The brushless motor resists level-5 winds and provides stability, while the entire drone can fold up and fit in a pocket. The Potensic ATOM SE is a drone built for fun, without the cost burden of a professional drone.

Autel Robotics EVO Lite+ (Best Long-Range)

There are plenty of drones with similar range and battery life, but the Autel Robotics EVO Lite+ kicks it up a notch with 6K video at 30 fps (or 4K at 60 fps).

The camera automatically rebalances whether in ultra vision, regular, or night scene mode. The aperture is adjustable, enabling you to regulate depth of field and exposure.

Another solid improvement over other long-range drones is its resistance to level 7 winds at a max altitude of 800 meters, delivering stable video and photo footage.

3-way sensors cap out the feature set of the Autel Robotics EVO Lite+, making it one of the more comprehensive drones on the market.

DJI Mini 3 (Best Budget)

Budgets vary, but the DJI Mini 3 coming in at under $500 for one of the most reliable drone brands on the market ain’t too shabby.

Plus, once you get the hang of this drone, DJI offers many more drones at each rung of the professional drone pilot ladder.

It’s a foldable drone that requires no registration, which makes it great for travel and vacations. You can hook up your phone to the controller to see what’s happening, so you aren’t taking pictures or video blind.

The DJI Mini 3 is a fantastic way to get started with drone photography and offers many avenues to increase your expertise.

DJI FPV Explorer Combo (Best FPV)

The DJI FPV Explorer Combo is called such because it comes with the DJI Goggles Integra, which enables users to have a first-person view.

Seeing what the drone sees is the highest level of immersion you can manage with a drone; it’s like you’re flying. And all while shooting video at 120 Mbps.

You can capture crisp HD low-latency video at up to 10 km. At that distance, you’ll be glad for the built-in safety features such as an auxiliary bottom light, smart return to home, and obstacle sensors.

Overall, the DJI FPV Explorer Combo offers an exciting drone flying first-person experience.

DJI Mini 2 SE (Best Entry-Level)

The DJI Mini 2 SE is a starter drone with simplified operations and a return-to-home function, so there are no worries about it getting lost as you learn to fly.

Flight time is around 31 minutes on a full charge, and you can swap out batteries if you want to be outside a bit longer.

Learning to fly can offer some challenges, especially when it comes to mapping out your flight path.

With the DJI Fly app, you can utilize the shooting templates. The DJI Mini 2 SE will then automatically fly, record, and take photos that you can immediately upload to your socials.

Ruko U11PRO (Best Affordable Foldable)

Where the Ruko U11PRO stands out among other foldable drones is with its flight time. At 52 minutes on a single charge, it’s one of the most energy-efficient drones on the market.

Plus, you can swap out some extra batteries for even more time in the air. It makes a great beginner drone as well, just because of the cost.

The 4K imagery is not real-time, as it only renders in 4K when saved to an SD card, but you can still watch what’s going on by plugging your phone into the controller.

The Ruko U11PRO is a fun little drone that provides an extra level of immersion to your family trips and general excursions.

Autel Robotics EVO Nano+ (Best Tracking)

Drones are great for taking pictures on the fly (literally), but sometimes you need a drone like the Autel Robotics EVO Nano+ to track moving objects.

It has a precision autofocus system, using PDAF (phase detection autofocus) and CDAF (contrast detection autofocus) to track and capture moving objects like cars or animals. If you prefer wildlife photography, you’ll need a good tracking camera.

You’ll also find some other familiar features in this drone, like a CMOS sensor, obstacle avoidance, and an easy-to-use application. But really, where the Autel Robotics EVO Nano+ shines is with its tracking technology, enabling you to branch out your aerial photography.

Holy Stone HS440 Foldable FPV Drone (Best for Kids)

With basic starter features, the Holy Stone HS440 Foldable FPV Drone is the perfect drone for kids looking to get into the hobby. You can use the app to adjust the camera and watch what the drone sees.

And the thing is under $100, which makes it perfect for kids because they will break it.

However, it’s a sturdy little drone that flies up to 20 minutes with an altitude hold, gyroscopic stabilization, and emergency stop.

The Holy Stone HS440 Foldable FPV Drone might not be the newest drone model, but let’s keep those costs down for the kids.

How to find the best drone for you

The feeling of freedom while flying a drone around can’t be beaten. The unique perspective on life can create some awesome photographs and videos and could lead to a nice side hustle.

When it comes to picking the best drone for your needs, there are some specifications that are more important than others. Things like battery life, stabilization, and strength of the remote control signal are all paramount to a good experience.

Camera quality is also important if you plan to record, and bundles with extra batteries and a charger are a good way to save some cash.

The best drones are the ones that fit both your budget and intended use while staying within the laws around responsible drone flying.

Got a favorite drone that we missed from this list? Prefer to build your own? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.