Best drones 2024: Expand your aerial horizons with the best drones

If you’re searching for one of the best drones, at a range of price points to suit all budgets, then look no further than this comprehensive guide. Whether you’re looking for a highly portable sub-250g model or a larger and more powerful drone offering the best image quality and camera functionality available in a prosumer model, we have you covered.

The best drones typically offer the most advanced functionality available, ranging from the best cameras to impressive safety and flight features. One key feature to look out for is obstacle avoidance because although this feature can’t work miracles and completely avoid the risk of crashes, it can certainly reduce them.

Subject tracking is another useful feature you’ll find on the best drones, and is one that makes light work of capturing video of moving subjects. This, combined with advanced obstacle avoidance technology, provides pilots with the tools they need to easily capture dynamic videos using autonomous flight.

These features are just the tip of the iceberg, but another consideration that has to be made is the size and weight of the drone you would like. Larger and more powerful models can be flown in stronger wind and typically offer the best image quality available, while smaller sub-250g models are less restricted by regulators and are much more comfortable to carry. As always, it’s a fine balance.

If the best drones available are more than you require, check out our best beginner drones guide where we cover the best options for absolute beginners. If the camera is the most important aspect of the drone for you, take a look at our best camera drones guide. And if you’d prefer to enter the exciting world of FPV drones, our best FPV drones guide explores some of the best ready-to-fly kits money can buy.

The Quick list

Best drones we recommend in 2024

Best drone overall

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The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is truly one of the best consumer drones on the market, with stunning image quality that will satisfy both amateurs and professionals. It is the world's first consumer drone to come with three cameras, unleashing a whole new world of creative potential.

The main showstopper is the 24mm Four Thirds Hasselblad camera, which can capture 20MP photos and 5.1K video and has an adjustable aperture between f/2.8 and f/11. This is flanked by a very useful 70mm medium telephoto and a 166mm telephoto to complete the trio.

It features the hallmark Mavic folding design and, like the other models, we found you could get around 30 minutes of flight time from it. It also comes with two different smart controller options, both featuring 5.5-inch touchscreens, so there's no need to hook up your smartphone.

The Mavic 3 Pro is very intuitive and easy to fly for a drone of this class since it comes with a number of flight and safety features such as Advanced Return to Home, AirSense ADS-B to detect aircraft, GEO 2.0 geofencing, obstacle sensing and automated flight patterns for video.

Although this is undoubtedly a pricey drone, it's been released at a similar price to older models, making the additional camera fantastic value. If your budget can stretch to it, you will not be disappointed with the incredible features offered by the Mavic 3 Pro.

• Read our full DJi Mavic 3 Pro review.

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Best single camera drone

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The DJI Mavic 3 Classic offers a more cost-effective alternative to the rest of the Mavic 3 series for those who don't require an additional telephoto camera on their drone. It is still equipped with the impressive 20MP 24mm Hasselblad camera found on the other drones in the series, so you won't have to sacrifice any image quality in the process. This camera can shoot in JPEG or Raw, has an adjustable aperture between f/2.8 and f/11, offers 3x digital zoom and can film 5.1K video up to 50fps.

There are two controller options with this drone, depending on your budget. You can opt for a controller with a retractable phone holder or pay a bit more to get a smart controller with a 5.5-inch touchscreen, which we found improved the overall user experience. This drone has the typical foldable design of the Mavic range and flight time was around 30 minutes during our testing.

Even beginners will be able to get the hang of flying this drone quickly thanks to all the on-board flight assistance. The Mavic 3 Classic features Advanced Return to Home, obstacle avoidance using multiple vision sensors and the highly effective ActiveTrack 5.0 for subject tracking. The High-Speed Quick Transfer feature also makes it super easy to share your results with clients or on social media since you can transfer files to your smartphone over WiFi at a rate of 80MB/s.

If you don't need a second camera, you can make a decent saving on this drone in comparison to the other Mavic 3 drones without losing many of their other great features and functionality.

• Read our full DJI Mavic 3 Classic review.

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Best non-DJI alternative

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Autel's EVO Lite+ offers an appealingly cost-effective alternative to the DJI drone range. Despite its competitive price, it comes with a high level of camera functionality and a range of other advanced features.

The EVO Lite+ boasts a 20MP camera with a 1-inch sensor and an equivalent focal length of 29mm. Videographers will be pleased to see an adjustable aperture on this model, ranging from f/2.8 to f/11 and allowing you greater control over the exposure when in flight. You can shoot up to 5.4K and capture 4K in 60fps. For still images, the ability to shoot in both Raw and JPEG is welcome, and the camera offers an ISO range of 100-6400, with results similar to entry-level DSLR and mirrorless cameras.

It comes with a controller that looks similar to gaming controllers and attaches to your smartphone to be used with the AutelSky app. The folding design makes it easy to transport, and you can choose from a range of colors including Classic Orange, Deep Space Gray and Arctic White. The high-capacity 6175mAh battery kept this 835g drone in flight for just over 30 minutes during our testing.

Other features include a very sensitive collision avoidance system, 38mph wind resistance, QuickShots automated flight patterns and Dynamic Track to enable the drone to track moving subjects. We think this drone offers excellent value for money, especially if you buy the Premium Bundle, which comes with additional batteries, spare propellers, a set of ND filters and a shoulder bag.

• Read our full Autel Evo Lite+ review

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Best professional mini drone

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The DJI Mini 4 Pro is the most advanced sub-250g drone available, offering flagship features and functionality that make the model truly worthy of the ‘pro’ moniker. This is incredibly important because it provides advanced pilots and professionals with a regulator-friendly drone that’s subject to fewer restrictions than larger models but with the most advanced features currently available.

Advanced features include Omnidirectional Obstacle Avoidance, improved subject tracking, Advanced Return to Home and several video upgrades. The drone is easy to set up and fly, which is great for beginners and experienced pilots, while the Mini 4 Pro is a smooth and responsive flier. The image sensor, and the camera, are the same as the Mini 3 / Mini 3 Pro so image quality is similar, although image processing is claimed to have been improved.

The image quality produced by the Mini 4 Pro is excellent, especially for such a compact drone, thanks to the 12/48MP 1/1.3-inch sensor with large 2.4μm pixels. This is housed within a camera offering an equivalent focal length of 24mm with a fixed f/1.7 aperture, that can be rotated 90° for portrait format shooting of both photos and videos. Video can be captured in both standard and flat color profiles with slow motion possible up to 4K. While photos can be captured in both Raw and JPEG formats.

• Read our full DJI Mini 4 Pro review

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Best portable camera drone

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The DJI Air 2S is the most compact and lightweight drone with a one-inch sensor. Folded up, it only measures 7.1 x 3 x 3.3 inches (180 x 97 x 77mm) and weighs just 21 oz (595g), making it an extremely portable drone while still offering fantastic image quality. The propeller arms fold in for transport and fold out for flight, and all parts of this drone feel sturdy and reliable.

The camera on this drone is excellent overall. It features a 20MP one-inch sensor with a full-frame equivalent focal length of 22mm and up to 8x digital zoom. Although you wouldn't want to zoom in too far and risk the drop in image quality, we found 2x zoom extremely helpful for getting a more detailed look at subjects without having to fly the drone in too close.

You can shoot up to an impressive 5.4K video and 4K video at 60fps, creating some stunning shots. The only downside is that it comes with a fixed f/2.8 aperture so you can't control the exposure while it's in flight and will need to use a set of ND filters for filming video.

Like many of the other DJI drones, the Air 2S is packed with features that make flying it safe and easy. It's equipped with front, rear, bottom and top obstacle sensors, AirSense ADS-B technology to detect aircraft and multiple automated flight patterns that mean even beginners can shoot complex-looking video footage. We think it offers great value for money if you're looking for a portable drone that can still maintain high image quality and functionality.

• Read our full DJI Air 2S review

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Best drone for beginners

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Beginner drones are often cheap and cheerful, and unfortunately severely lacking in the camera department, but that has all changed with the DJI Mavic Mini 3. This model is very much a cut-back version of the Mini 3 Pro – DJI’s flagship sub 250 g drone – but with the same camera so you can rest assured that image quality and overall build quality are excellent.

The camera provides an equivalent focal length of 24mm which is wide-angle and an ideal focal length for aerial photography and video. This is backed up by a 1/1.3-inch 12MP sensor and fixed f/1.7 aperture. The camera also rotates 90° to shoot photos and videos in both landscape and portrait formats, which is a most welcome feature for photographers and those creating aerial videos for social media.

ISO handling is also excellent throughout the full range of ISO 100-3200, while photos can be captured in both Raw and JPEG formats. Video can be captured in up to 4K at 30 fps in the Normal color profile, so while not as good as the Pro 3 which can shoot in the (flat/Raw) D-Cinelike color profile, it’s ideal for beginners and intermediate users. There’s also no collision avoidance so you have to take care when flying close to obstacles.

• Read our full DJI Mini 3 review

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Best FPV drone

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FPV drones are notoriously difficult to fly, but with the DJI Avata anyone can easily capture immersive FPV video footage in stunning 4K resolution at up to 60fps. The Avata can be flown in Manual/Acro mode which is the holy grail of FPV flight, but it’s this that makes FPV drones difficult to fly, so DJI ships the Avata kits with its intuitive and easy-to-use Motion Controller that’s ideal for beginners. More advanced pilots can purchase the FPV Controller 2 separately.

The Avata features a cinewhoop style design where prop guards are built into the airframe to protect the propellers in the case of crashes. The drone is 180x180x80cm and weighs in at 14.46oz/410g with a battery, which is advertised as providing up to 18 minutes of flight time. There’s also 20GB of onboard storage alongside a microSD card slot, so plenty of storage options for safely recording FPV videos.

Video quality from the 48MP 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor, the f/2.8 lens with a fixed focus from 0.6m to infinity and the 12.7mm equivalent focal length is excellent. And although you can also shoot photos in JPEG format, this isn’t the type of drone for stills photography. The Avata is designed for shooting immersive FPV video and can capture in 4K up to 60fps, 2.7K at up to 100fps and 1080p up to 100fps with DJI Goggles 2. While with the DJI FPV Goggles V2, 2.7K and 1080p video can be captured up to 120fps. Video colour profiles include Normal and D-Cinelike, and the maximum video bitrate is 150Mbps.

The DJI Avata is available standalone and in two kits, so owners of compatible controllers and goggles can use their existing accessories. This basic No RC kit costs $629/£499, while the Pro-View Combo costs $1388/£1229 and includes the latest DJI Googles 2 and accessories. The Fly Smart Combo costs $1168/£989 and includes the slightly older DJI FPV Goggles V2 and accessories.

• Read our full DJI Avata review

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Best dual camera drone

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The DJI Air 3 is an impressive dual camera drone that uses two 1/1.3-inch sensors and offers 24mm and 70mm equivalent focal lengths alongside vertical shooting, 4K slow motion video and 48MP photo capture. This provides a huge amount of flexibility because pilots can shoot wider vistas or smaller subjects from a distance for safety or other reasons.

The Air 3 is a medium-sized model that sits between the DJI Mini 4 Pro and the DJI Mavic 3 Pro. It’s larger and more powerful than the former, with a maximum wind resistance of 27mph, and is slightly smaller and lighter than the latter with a weight of 25.4oz / 720g. Flight times average at around 35 minutes per battery before return to home is automatically initiated when the battery reaches 20%, so with the Fly More Bundle that includes three batteries, that’s a reasonable amount of flight time.

Alongside precise GPS positioning, the Air 3 offers omnidirectional collision avoidance and advanced return to home, which are incredibly useful and, indeed, effective safety features that help to reduce the risk of crashes. This is on top of incredibly easy-to-use flight controls, stable flight performance, advanced subject tracking functionality and to top it all off, excellent image quality for both photos and videos from both of the cameras.

• Read our full DJI Air 3 review

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Best premium FPV drone

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The DJI FPV was one of the first 'attainable' FPV drones on the market, broadening access to this type of drone to the general public, and despite its age, we still think it deserves a place in this guide. 

Despite being an FPV drone, it has 4K video capability up to 60fps, as well as a 12MP 1/2.3-inch COMS sensor with a fixed focal length equivalent to 14.66mm, a 150-degree field of view and a fixed f/2.8 aperture. For stills, however, this is not the best model you can find as it only shoots in JPEG and doesn't have the automatic shooting mode that some others have. 

Pairing the DJI FPV with the DJI Goggles V2 will take you as close as you can get to the feeling of flying while remaining with both feet on the ground. We were really impressed by how crisp and sharp the screen view is, and the motion controller was a delight to use. 

It's worth noting, however, that it's a bit less lightweight and portable than some of its counterparts in the Mavic series. At 10 x 12.3 x 5 inches in dimension, you'll need a large bag to transport it along with all the accessories required, but we think it's worth it for the flying experience it provides. 

The DJI FPV is a fun way to get into flying from a first person perspective, so we think it's worth it for someone looking to improve their skills and do some immersive flying. 

We wouldn't necessarily recommend it for complete beginners, however, as it's quite important to get to grips with flight controls on a standard drone first. While it's not the most expensive model out there, the FPV will set you back a fair amount, meaning your budget has to be considerable to get it. Repairs will also cost quite a bit, so it's probably not the right model to learn the ropes on. 

• Read our full DJI FPV review

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Best drone for children

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There are two main types of drones on the market: toys destined for amateurs and enthusiasts, and professional-grade camera drones for photographers and videographers. The DJI Ryze Tello belongs to the former category. 

With a 5MP camera that produces JPEGs and 720p video, it only offers limited photo and video shooting capabilities, but it also constitutes an inexpensive entry point into drone flying for beginners. Its relatively low price tag means newcomers to the hobby can get a feel for flying drones and find out how they operate without worrying too much about crashing and causing damage. 

Professionals and serious content creators should steer clear of this model as it only has a flight time of up to 13 minutes, which likely won't be enough to capture a significant amount of footage. There is also no gimbal included with it, and the camera quality isn't the best you can get. 

However, it's really fun to fly and a great introduction into the world of drones for beginners. You can control the drone from the smartphone app it can be paired with, and it can be programmed using Scratch, which makes it a suitable choice for kids. 

The DJI Telly Ryze can take off from the palm of your hand and be flipped in mid-air. You can even fly it indoors thanks to the propeller guards on it and the fact it weighs just 80 grams. The lightweight design also means it can perform a few preset aerobatic moves that other heavier drones can't. It's worth noting that the flight distance on this drone is limited to 100m, however. 

The drone is fun and easy to operate, with a really responsive joystick controller (via the app). It's also not overly sensitive, so the user can feel fully in control when piloting the drone.

• Read our full DJI Ryze Tello review

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Buying advice

Buying a drone is exciting but can also be an overwhelming experience, considering the myriad options on the market. While there are hundreds of models to choose from, the advances in drone technology mean you're unlikely to find a really bad quality drone. However, they're usually a considerable investment, so it's worth thinking about what you're looking for in a drone to find the perfect fit for you. 

DJI is the market leader in drone technology. Their models also tend to be relatively good value considering their quality and the features they come with. DJI has an extensive lineup, with models for all budgets and abilities. Among other famous brands, you might want to consider Autel, Parrot and Skydio, all of which have quality products and unique features. 

Remember that if you're buying a drone weighing more than 249g, you'll need to register as a pilot with the CAA (UK) and FAA (US). The process is quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive, and failure to do so could result in a considerable fine, so it's worth doing it. 

• Read more: Drone regulations

How we test

Space.com reviews a wide range of products ranging from telescopes, drones and cameras to 3D printers and VR headsets. Consequently, our reviews have varying formats depending on the type of product being tested. No matter what we’re covering though, there are three core areas that we look to test when writing our reviews: design, functionality and performance.

The best drones typically offer a combination of features, functionality and photo and video quality. Testing takes place over several days in different locations, environments and weather conditions (excluding rain) to assess flight performance, flight features, overall handling and image quality for both photo and video capture.

Drones are flown using manual flight patterns to test the connection between the aircraft and the controller, latency between the two, the accuracy of the controls, app connection, reliability and the flight experience in general. Automated flight patterns and collision avoidance are also typically available with these models, so these are always tested to check accuracy, reliability and ease of use.

All testing is conducted in a way that meets local aviation laws and restrictions to ensure that all flights are safe and legal. Drone laws vary from region to region, so you must check local laws and make sure that you’re following the guidelines for your country before embarking on your first drone flights.