When you're looking for the best drone, you have a lot of choices. Drones have become increasingly easy to fly, and have become even better at taking aerial photos and video. But that makes finding the best drone all that much more difficult.
After flying dozens of drones around the sky for countless hours, we think the best drone for most people is the DJI Mavic Mini. It's the company's least expensive and most compact drone, making it easy to carry around and fly virtually anywhere.
While it can't shoot 4K video—you'll need to step up to the DJI Mavic Air for that—the Mavic Mini's camera is gimbal-mounted, so your videos will be super-smooth. And, with a 30-minute battery, it can stay up for longer than most other drones.
If you're looking for better video quality, we also like the DJI Mavic 2 if you want a drone capable of taking the best photos and videos from the air, but it's near twice as expensive.
For most people, the DJI Mavic Mini will be the best drone for their needs. It's tiny—able to fit in the palm of your hand—easy to fly, and can last up to 30 minutes in the air. It's also the least expensive of DJI's drones, making it more accessible to the masses.
The Mavic Mini's camera resolution tops out at 2.7K/30 fps, so it's lower than that of the 4K-capable Mavic Air and Mavic Pro, but we like that it's gimbal-stabilized, which produces just as smooth video. Because of its lightweight—249 grams—you don't need to register the Mavic Mini with the FAA, but it also means that the drone is more susceptible to high winds. Still, it's amazing what DJI packed into the minuscule Mavic Mini.
The DJI Mavic Air is one of the most compact drones around, yet takes excellent 4K video and fantastic photos. It's the best drone that can take 4K videos. It's a cinch to fly, can avoid objects, and can be controlled using nothing more than hand gestures. We especially liked some of its novel features, such as the ability to take 360-degree photos. Battery life is a little short at 20 minutes, but the Air's battery can be swapped out in a cinch, and the whole package—including the controller—packs away into a neat little bag.
If your aerial photography needs are a little more complex, another DJI drone can get the job done for you. The DJI Mavic 2 is the best drone for videographers and photographers looking for an all-in-one aerial platform. (There are other, more expensive drones that let you mount DSLRs and other third-party cameras, but are much more expensive).
The Mavic 2 is available in two versions: the Mavic 2 Pro offers a 1-inch Hasselblad sensor for capturing high-quality photos and video, while the Mavic 2 Zoom features a 2X optical zoom lens. Either version is a good choice, though the Zoom proved a little more versatile in our tests. Whichever Mavic 2 you opt for, you can count on an easy-to-fly drone that now features 360-degree obstacle avoidance.
For such a small cost, the Ryze Tech Tello—designed by DJI—makes for a good, inexpensive drone for first-time fliers. However, what elevates it above other inexpensive drones for kids is the fact that it can be programmed using Scratch, turning this toy into an educational device.
In addition, the Tello has a 720 camera that records pretty good video, and is easy to fly around. The biggest issue we had with the drone was its short 5-minute flight time, so you'll want to stock up on a few batteries if you decide to pick it up.
The force has awakened with Propel's Star Wars drones, including the X-Wing, a TIE Interceptor, and an Imperial speeder bike (complete with Stormtrooper). All the drones are outfitted with IR blasters and receivers, so you can do battle with each other. The drones' controllers play a number of sound effects and music from the Star Wars movies. Each drone is hand-painted and numbered, too.
