Drones, also known as small unmanned aerial vehicles, are steadily growing in popularity among photographers, videographers, and flying hobbyists all over the country—and even around the world. With the exceptional aerial photos and videos these devices are able to capture, it should be no surprise that a lot of people want to purchase a drone, whether for personal or commercial use.
But let’s admit it—shelling out thousands of dollars for a cool camera that can fly isn’t always the most practical thing to do. Some of the best drones with built-in cameras cost upwards of a thousand, and if you’re not ready to make such a big investment, these prices can seem quite steep.
The good news is, there are quite a few drone options with great specs and features (that can shoot gorgeous photos and videos) for under $1000.
Here are some of the best consumer drones under $1000:
DJI Mavic Pro
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If you’re looking for a drone that offers the best value for your money, the DJI Mavic Pro is a good option. It is capable of shooting videos in 4K UHD, has 5 vision sensors, 4.3 miles (7 kilometers) range, and a 12-megapixel camera with DNG Adobe RAW support. You can also transmit photos and videos as far as 7 kilometers.
This drone is also ideal for beginners as it has FlightAutonomy technology, which allows the drone to pretty much fly itself. Additionally, it has an obstacle avoidance system that makes it capable of detecting obstacles from up to 15 meters away and avoid them on its own.
The DJI Mavic Pro is also built for convenience. It is compact in size, can be controlled using a smartphone, and recognizes gestures for easier self portraits.
Key Specs:
- 12MP camera
- Up to DCI 4K video resolution
- Flight speed of up to 40 mph (65 kph)
- Flight altitude (above sea level) of up to 16404 ft (5000 m)
- Flight time of up to 27 minutes
- Flight distance of up to 8 mi (13 km)
- GPS and Vision Positioning System
- FlightAutonomy with Obstacle Detection System
- ActiveTrack Modes for Subject Tracking
- Tap and Gesture Command Recognition
- Weight (including battery and propellers): 1.62 lbs (734 g)
Yuneec Typhoon H
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Like the DJI Mavic Pro, the Typhoon H is also compact in size, despite having six rotors instead of four. A collapsible design with folding rotor arms makes it convenient for quick and easy transport.
Equipped with a built-in CGO3+ gimbal camera, this drone is capable of capturing high-quality videos and photos (4K UHD video and 12MP still images) and offers extended shooting due to a relatively long flight time of up to 25 minutes in ideal weather conditions. It also has a 7-inch touchscreen that allows you to view your flight live in 720p HD resolution.
The Typhoon H also has several autonomous flight modes, with an Ultrasonic Collision Avoidance Sensor to prevent it from bumping into obstacles. In case one rotor fails mid-flight, the drone will automatically compensate to allow for a safe landing.
Key Specs:
- 12MP camera
- Up to UHD 4K video resolution
- Flight speed of up to 43.5 mph (70 kph)
- Flight altitude (above ground level) of up to 400 ft (122m)
- Flight time of up to 25 minutes
- Flight distance of up to 1.6 km (1 mi)
- Collapsible design
- Autopilot with Ultrasonic Collision Avoidance Sensor
- Collapsible design with foldable rotors and retractable landing gear
- GPS-enabled Smart Safety (to avoid no fly zones)
- Weight: 3.4 lbs (1.54 kg)
Autel Robotics X-Star Premium
Adorama Price: $748.05
Autel Robotics may not be as well known compared to other drone brands, but if you’re looking for a no-fuss drone with impressive specs and a somewhat affordable price, the X-Star Premium is a good option. For starters, it has a 12MP camera has a 108-degree field of view (FOV) and can take high-resolution photos and 4K UHD videos. It also comes with an easy-to-use controller and offers Smart-Flight technology with multiple intelligent flight options, which guarantees a safe flight with the aid of its dual GPS and GLONASS navigation and the company’s patented Starpoint Positioning System. This can help you focus on controlling the camera so you can shoot one-of-a-kind aerial scenes.
The Autel Robotics X-Star Premium also has an Beginner Mode which creates a virtual geo-fence to ensure your aircraft is within a safe distance and speed.
Key Specs:
- 12MP camera
- Up to UHD 4K video resolution
- Flight speed of up to 35 mph (56.33 kph)
- Flight time of up to 25 minutes
- Flight distance of up to 1.93 km (1.2 mi)
- Smart-Flight Modes
- Dual satellite navigation and Starpoint Positioning System
- Weight: 3.13 lbs (1.42 kg)
DJI Phantom 4
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DJI’s revolutionary Phantom 4 was the first fully autonomous drone, boasting the ability to visually track and follow subjects, sense and avoid obstacles, and more. And while many other brands have come up with their own models with the same abilities, the Phantom 4 is arguably still the best out of the bunch. With a maximum flight time of 28 minutes, a flight speed of up to 44.7 miles per hour in Sport Mode, and high-resolution photo and video capturing capabilities, this quadcopter is probably the best drone for the money when you have a budget of under $1000.
Even beginners can take full advantage of the Phantom 4 full capabilities, thanks to its TapFly Mode, which allows the user to simply tap on the screen of their connected device to tell the drone to fly to a certain spot. It also has multiple optimized intelligent flight modes assisted by GPS-based navigation.
Key Specs:
- 12MP camera
- Up to DCI 4K video resolution
- Flight speed of up to 44.7 mph (71.94 kph)
- Flight altitude (above sea level) of up to 19685.04 ft (6000 m)
- Flight time of up to 28 minutes
- Flight distance of up to 3.1 mi (5 km)
- GPS and Vision Positioning System
- FlightAutonomy with Obstacle Detection System
- ActiveTrack Modes for Subject Tracking
- TapFly Flight Control
- Weight (including battery and propellers): 3 lb (1.4 kg)
Yuneec Typhoon Q500
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Yuneec makes some of the best consumer drones on the market today, and the Typhoon Q500 is no exception. Despite its affordability, it still delivers high-quality photo and videos with its integrated CGO3 gimbal camera, which is capable of 4K ultra high definition videos and 12 megapixel photos and offers adjustable tilt angles to allow for different aerial points of view. The 115-degree, wide-angle, no-distortion lens also ensures that the output is as true to life as possible, with no rounded or fisheye effects.
The Q500 has a “Watch Me” mode that allows you to get professional-quality “selfie” images and videos, as well as a “Follow Me” mode that instructs your drone to follow you wherever you go, which makes it perfect for vlogging or documenting your adventures.
Key Specs:
- 12MP camera
- Up to UHD 4K video resolution
- Flight speed of up to 17.40 mph (28 kph)
- Flight altitude (above ground level) of up to 400 ft (122 m)
- Flight time of up to 25 minutes
- Flight distance of up to 0.50 mi (0.80 km)
- Watch Me, Follow Me, and Dynamic Return Home modes
- All-in-one controller with 5.5-inch display
- Weight (including battery and propellers): 2.49 lb (1.13 kg)
DJI Spark Mini Drone
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DJI’s most compact and portable quadcopter is one of the smallest yet most capable drones you can buy. The Spark has an integrated high-performance camera with mechanical 2-axis gimbal stabilization to ensure maximum stability when shooting photos and videos mid-flight. It also features many of DJI’s latest signature technologies, such as the FlighAutonomy system, 3D obstacle detection and avoidance system, GPS and vision-based navigation, tap and gesture commands, subject tracking, and more.
Despite its diminutive size, the Spark has a top speed of 31 miles per hour and offers an impressive 16 minutes of flight time, allowing you to use this drone not just for taking dynamic stills and videos but also for racing purposes. However, if you were to use it solely for photography, this mini drone gives you the ability to take better, more creative photos with the addition of two extra shooting modes: Pano, which allows you to take horizontal or vertical panoramic shots; and ShallowFocus, which allows you to shoot photos with a shallow depth of field.
Key Specs:
- 12MP camera
- Up to FHD video resolution
- Flight speed of up to 31 mph (50 kph)
- Flight altitude (above sea level) of up to 13,123 ft (4,000 m)
- Flight time of up to 16 minutes
- Flight distance of up to 1.2 mi (2 km)
- GPS and Vision Positioning System
- FlightAutonomy with Obstacle Detection System
- ActiveTrack Modes for Subject Tracking
- QuickShots, TapFly, and Gesture Command Recognition
- Pano and ShallowFocus photography shooting modes
- Weight: 0.2 lbs (95 g)
Parrot Bebop 2
Adorama Price:
One of the best affordable drones on the market, the lightweight Parrot BeBop Drone 2 allows you to capture full HD 1080p aerial videos and still images at 14-megapixel (4096 x 3072) resolution. It also consumes significantly less power, giving it a maximum battery or flight time of 25 minutes.This is made possible thanks to its 3-axis electronic image stabilization system—a lighter, energy-saving option compared to the mechanical gimbal stabilization found in larger drones.
But perhaps one of the coolest things about the Parrot BeBop Drone 2 is that it can be used with FPV glasses (sold separately or purchased as a bundle with the drone and controller). These glasses are similar to VR glasses—they allow you to insert your smartphone so that you can enjoy an ultra-immersive viewing experience of the live feed as you fly your drone.
Key Specs:
- 14MP camera
- Up to FHD video resolution
- Flight speed of up to 35 mph (56.33 kph)
- Flight time of up to 25 minutes
- Flight distance of up to 1.2 mi (2 km)
- GPS Navigation System
- Follow Me and Flight Plan smart flight modes
- 3-axis electronic image stabilization
- Dual-Core flight computer
- Flexible propellers with safety lock during collision
- Enhanced fisheye lens
- Weight: 1.1 lb (500 g)
