With the advances taking place in consumer drone technology, capturing aerial images has never been easier. There’s no question that the tech has come a long way in a very short time, with some models on the market that now put earlier drones to shame in terms of video quality and stabilization. Whether you want a drone to simply have fun commandeering it through the air, or if camera performance is important and you want to capture great aerial photos and videos, check out our picks for the best drones for 2022.
DJI Mini 3 Pro
DJI, a well-known manufacturer of drones, recently released the latest iteration of its smallest drone: The Mini 3 Pro. At just 8.8 ounces, the Mini 3 Pro is light enough to bypass most drone regulations. DJI has optimized the Mini 3 Pro with larger propellers, an aerodynamic body tilt, and a powerful obstacle sensing system to increase flight time and safety. The Mini 3 Pro drone provides stunning 48MP RAW photos and 4K HDR video with dramatic 1080p/120fps slow-motion capabilities. It features an ultra-lightweight Intelligent Flight Battery that provides extended flight time up to 34 minutes.
Ryze Tech Tello – Mini Drone Quadcopter
With a camera that features 5MP photos and HD720 videos at a maximum flight time of 13 minutes, the Tello Drone shoots impressive photos and videos. The drone has two antennas that make video transmission extra stable and a high-capacity battery that offers impressively long flight times. It makes it simple to record pro-level videos with EZ Shots and share them on social media from your smartphone.
Parrot PF728000 ANAFI Drone
Thanks to an intelligent Li-Po battery, the ANAFI Parrot Drone can have up to 25 minutes of filmed flight time. With an operating temperature range of -10°C to 40°C, the drone is equipped with a camera with an f/2.4 wide-angle ASPH lens, HDR, and up to a 2.8 times digital zoom that captures spectacular 4K videos, full HD or 2.7K videos, and 21 MP photos without loss of quality. With its ultra-compact and lightweight carbon frame, this quadcopter drone unfolds in less than 3 seconds and reaches a speed of 34 mi/h.
DJI’s Mini 2
DJI’s Mini 2 drone has a 4k/30fps video and a 3-axis motorized gimbal, which delivers outstanding image quality that is consistently smooth, making this an ideal travel companion. With its excellent anti-interference capabilities, the Mini 2 supports up to 10km of HD video transmission and offers a maximum battery life of 31 minutes. It can take off at a maximum altitude of 4,000 meters and can resist level 5 winds, making it possible to capture stable camera footage despite windy conditions.
EMAX Tinyhawk II Indoor FPV Racing Drone
An indoor racing drone, the Tinyhawk II is an RTF (Ready-to-Fly) drone and comes equipped with a pair of FPV goggles, that enable users to fly as if they were actually in the cockpit of the drone, a remote controller, and everything else needed to start flying right out of the package. Runcam’s Nano 2 1/3″ 700TVL FPV camera is able to transmit the signal clearly with built-in image filters and support for 25, 100, and 200mW powered wireless signals. The Tinyhawk II has an LED throttle response system that increases in brightness the faster each motor goes.
DJI Air 2S
Boasting a one-inch type sensor camera with 5.4K resolution that allows the camera to capture videos and photos with enhanced image quality, the mid-range DJI Air 2S also offers a new Fly More combo feature that includes a charging hub, two additional batteries, and three ND filters. The DJI Air 2S has the ability to perceive its environment in four directions: up, down, forward, and backward, allowing it to actively avoid obstacles, even in complex scenarios and at high speeds. Under typical conditions, users can expect the actual flight time of the 2S to be around 25 minutes.
DJI Mavic 3
The top-of-the-line Mavic 3 from DJI comes complete with a dual-camera system that features a custom Hasselblad L2D-20c aerial camera. The Mavic 3’s main 24mm (35mm-equivalent) f/2.8 – f/11 camera has a Four Thirds sensor that is considerably larger than the 1-inch sensor on the brand’s current Air 2S model. The drone possesses a new ActiveTrack 5.0 system and APAS 5.0 object detection, which enables it to detect items from .5 to 200 meters thanks to these new, improved sensors. With a wingspan of 8.4-inches and a width of 3.8-inches the Mavic 3 weighs in at only two pounds and, when folded up in its included carrying bag, the drone is about the same size as a regular zoom lens camera.