The best drones in 2018

Before the year 2017, there were only one or two popular drone making companies that we heard of. Later, things changed in 2017 and the drone market got a big boost. With all the different drones out there in difference price range and quality, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. Here, we have created a list of drones that are currently rocking the drone market and will fulfill your criteria depending on how you intend to use your drone.

DJI Spark

If you are planning to use your drone mostly for capturing selfies or videos in short range, the DJI Spark is a great option. It is not too expensive compared to the other DJI drones and there are some useful features included in the drone that makes it easy to use. This drone can be controlled using gestures and is quite small in size. It can track subjects and there are safety features included in this drone like return-to-home. However, it’s range is limited and you won’t be able to fly this thing more than 12 minutes. Moreover, users will be able to capture videos in only 1080p. It can take a while to get used to the app as well.

Another reason to consider this drone is its size. This drone is quite small compared to the other DJI drones and will give you decent results for short aerial shots. Just go for the bundle that includes an extra battery and the poor battery life won’t be that big of an issue. This drone is available for about USD 499 at the moment.

DJI Mavic Pro

Another drone from DJI that will work as an all rounder drone and will fulfill all the criteria no matter what it is you intend to do with this drone. The DJI Mavic Pro is not as big as other professional drones but supports capturing 4K videos in 30fps. Although it’s quite big compared to DJI Spark, it is foldable and won’t take too much space compared to other big ones. All the smart features like hand gestures and obstacle avoidance are there to make sure users can fly this thing easily. This drone is capable of going as far as 7 kilometers which should be enough to get your desired shot. One might worry about the battery life when sending the drone that far but this drone offers over 25 minutes of flight time.

For those of you who prefers portability and would like to carry this drone everywhere, this drone is definitely the best option available. The video stabilization works well and beginners will be able to fly this thing instantly without going through any big setup process. However, it is a good idea to check out some of the cheaper and smaller drones before getting this one. This all-rounder drone is available for around USD 999.

Zerotech Dobby

The Zerotech Dobby is a selfie drone that can be also considered as a good first drone for beginners. It’s a drone specifically designed for people who are looking for a drone just for taking selfies and not into aerial shots for their vlogs. Although it’s quite small in size, it’s surprisingly stable and offers decent performance. It also comes with features like object tracking and facial tracking which is not something you would expect in a selfie drone like this. Users can also capture 1080p videos using this drone but the quality is below average. Some of the notable features of this drone are: 13-megapixel camera, 970mAh removable battery, both iOS and Android compatibility and easy to use charging dock.

It will be a good idea to check out some of the video samples before you get this mini drone. You can find this drone for about USD 400 at the moment.

Parrot Bebop 2

Parrot usually designs their drones for casual drone users who will capture aerial shorts occasionally. However, this mid-range drone titled: the Parrot Bebop 2 is one of the best Parrot drones available and can be a great one for intermediate users who knows their way around a drone. Thanks to the Sky Controller 2 included with the drone, users will be able to send this drone as far as 2 kilometers away. Another notable feature of this drone is that Parrot’s VR headset Cockpit glasses is included with the package. This will help you to enjoy an amazing flight experience.

Unlike the DJI Mavic Pro, users can only capture 1080p videos and 14-megapixel images. These images can be saved in DNG, RAW and JPEG format. The 3-axis digital stabilization is there to make sure users get a smooth video. Battery life of this drone is also quite impressive and offers up to 25 minutes with it’s 2700mAh battery. You can keep this on your list if you want to check out some drones other than just the DJI ones. This drone is available for about USD 399 at the moment.

DJI Inspire 2

Another great drone from DJI and also the most expensive one here, the DJI Inspire 2. This drone is definitely not for everyone and the price tag reflects that as well. This beefy body with magnesium alloy body comes with retractable landing gear and keeps the camera at a place where users can get an unobstructed full 360 view. There are four rotors in the drone but it’s still small compared to it’s competitors. Users can not only capture 4K videos but at 5.2K resolution as well in RAW format. However, there is a catch here as you will need a computer with heavy specs to handle this video. As there are several options to choose from as it’s camera like Zenmuse X5S and X4S. Some of the most notable features of this drone are: dual-operator control, intelligent flight modes, ProRes recording, CinemaDNG recording support, high-speed sport mode and FPV pilot camera. Like the DJI Mavic Pro, this one is also able to cover as far as 7 kilometers area.

Battery life won’t be a problem either as it can capture videos for about 27 minutes. It’s the price of this drone that will make you think twice about whether you really want to go that far or not. Currently it’s available for about USD 3300.