I need to turn my attention a little to how to choose a drone with high flight autonomy, but also capable of filming in 4k at very high quality. The category of flying drones has reached maturity and I think it deserves to be given more attention. Especially since I started the YouTube channel Perfect Tech, which pushed me to write more and more about the world of filming / video editing. Whether you are an amateur or a vacationer and want to have memories filmed with a high-performance drone, or if you are thinking of starting filming with a drone to earn some money, you need to pay attention to a few details before you buy the most good drone list of Top 3 Best Drones for 2022.
Types of drone
When it comes to buying drones, it’s not as difficult as choosing a smartphone . In reality, there are only about 3-4 categories of use and types of drones:
Small indoor flight drone (have low flight range and low resolution cameras)
Outdoor flight drone (with high flight range and high quality cameras, used for holiday filming, landscape filming, etc.)
Professional flight drones for business (they are the most expensive drones, but with much wider capabilities. They can be used for weddings, agriculture, professional videos of tourist promotions, landscaping, etc.)
Flight drone for racing (they are slowly becoming more and more popular in United States, but it is a fairly expensive sport in terms of price)
What is useful to you?
I do not know!
But I will turn my attention to the most frequently used category in United States, namely, the outdoor flight drone. Prices vary a lot, and often that price is found in the flight time of the drone, the quality of the footage and the smart features it has.
So a cheap drone might not be to everyone’s liking. At the end of the article, I will include a cheap drone in the top of this post.
At a Glance:
Ultralight Foldable Drone
DJI Mini 2
- Autonomy of 30 minutes in windless conditions
- Good signal even at interference behaves well
- Long range (signal beats 10km)
- Good software
- Rapid
Cheap Drone Recommendation
AIROKA BEAST SG906 Pro 2
- Good 4k shooting quality
- Automatic takeoff / landing
- Very useful return home function
- Tracking function
- Additional battery included
Quadcopter UAV Drone
DJI Phantom 4 Pro Plus
- 20MP Camera
- Remote Controller with 5.5″ Screen
- 4K H.265 Video
Essential features of drones
The price of the drone is not obligatory to reproduce the essential characteristics, but it will tell you approximately how many essential characteristics it will have. Therefore, a more expensive drone is not imperative to score in all chapters. Depending on how you use it, you will choose it for the features you want.
Functions and features
Drone battery capacity. This is the first and most important feature that you need to pay attention to. The larger the battery, the longer the drone will fly with a full charge.
The type of drone flight engines. There are two major categories of drone motors: brushless motors and brushless motors. Obviously, the most efficient engines are the ones without brushes, they have a longer flight range, but the price is also more expensive.
Drone with quality camera. Another very important criterion to pay attention to is the camera. Obviously for 2022, the ability to shoot in 4k resolution is not a fad, but a necessity. UHD is already the standard this year, so a good drone should come bundled with this feature.
Follow me module. A feature, not necessarily a feature, very useful for beginners. It is very favorable when the signal is lost, or the user does not know what to do. Press a button and the drone will follow it.
Range. The radius at which the drone can fly, a feature that benefits drones with large battery capacity. The higher the battery capacity of the drone, the greater the range of the drone.
Avoiding obstacles. The more sensors the cameras will have, the higher the price will go. Those sensors are useful for not drowning the branches of trees, buildings, poles, etc. A very useful feature for those who shoot in crowded places or larger vegetation.
What not to pay attention to
There are many other features, the right ones, many of them are gimmicks. But the above are the main functions and features to consider before buying a quality and wide range drone.
Recommendation drone + TOP 3 Best Drones for 2022
We made a TOP drone to cover the widest range of drone user categories.
| Award | Design | Drones | Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultralight Foldable Drone | Best Pick | Check Price | |
| Cheap Drone Recommendation | Staff Pick | Check Price | |
| Quadcopter UAV Drone | Budget Pick | Check Price |
DJI Mini 2
Best PickSpecifications:
Brand DJI
Model Name DJI Mini 2
Color White
Control Type Remote Control
Video Capture Resolution 4K HD
Are Batteries Included Yes
Wireless Communication Technology Ocusync 2.0
Item Weight 8.78 Ounces
Remote Control Included? Yes
Battery Cell Composition Lithium Polymer
Image 4k
It is without a doubt and perhaps the best long-range drone and quality footage. At least the price / range ratio is very good. In terms of in-flight footage, I would say that there is room for more, but let’s not forget that it is a very small flight drone and does not need to be authorized and registered with the AACR, being a drone below the allowed weight limit. But private persons / buildings must be notified in advance, if applicable.
About the brand,
DJI are global leaders in flight drones. It also offers good software and high quality drones. It also has the function of return home, in case the signal is lost, or of strong interference, it returns alone to the well from where it took off. The images are quality, but I recommend a few filters for the camera, for very sunny days and to add quality to the captured images.
Pros
- Autonomy of 30 minutes in windless conditions
- Good signal even at interference behaves well
- Long range (signal beats 10km)
- Good software
- Rapid
Cons
- Nothing
AIROKA BEAST SG906 Pro 2
Staff PickSpecifications:
Brand AIROKA
Color Epp Foam Box
Control Type Remote Control
Material PP
Video Capture Resolution 4K HD
Are Batteries Included Yes
Wireless Communication Technology Wi-Fi
Remote Control Included? Yes
A drone as a cheaper alternative to dji mavic. But with limitations on the scope and with a major drawback, that it has to be registered with the AACR. But you don’t have to be discouraged because everything is done online and it’s not that hard to indicate when you use it and it’s all done online. The drone has all the functions and features of a high quality drone, but at a lower price. The autonomy is 10 minutes if there are ideal flight conditions, without wind and optimal temperatures between 20-30 degrees Celsius. And the signal range is 1.2km, if there are no obstacles between the drone and the user.
What’s in the package?
It has 2 batteries included, a carrying case, propellers, a remote control and power cord, a small screwdriver and of course the drone. The images are surprisingly spectacular, considering the price of the drone, and the gimbal works very well, benefiting from the headless mode function. Unfortunately, it does not have proximity sensors to avoid obstacles and you will have to be careful how you handle it in places with many obstacles.
Pros
- Good 4k shooting quality
- Automatic takeoff / landing
- Very useful return home function
- Tracking function
- Additional battery included
Cons
- Must be registered with the AACR
- Short range 1.2km
- Does not contain a memory card
DJI Phantom 4 Pro Plus
Budget PickSpecifications
Brand DJI
Model Name DJI-CPPT0000023401
Color White
Control Type Remote Control
Material Titanium
Media Type Micro SD
Video Capture Resolution 2K DCI 1080p
Are Batteries Included No
Item Weight 3 Pounds
Video Output Resolution 1920×1080 pixels
This is the last and best but costly Drone in the list of top 3 best drones for 2022 DJI is simply the best most stable platform in the air right out of the box. I am a part 107 commercial drone pilot and have flown them all. You’re gonna have fun with this drone, I promise, and it’s worth the extra money to gain better features like a 4K camera shooting at 60fps, a 4.3 mile run time on a single charge, obstacle avoidance plus infrared sensing, auto return to home function, and the list goes on. You get what you pay for so don’t settle for less and regret it later.
It’s a little intimidating at first, but this baby is easy to fly and avoids most obstacles – won’t even allow you to proceed if something is in the path ahead (within a few feet of course) depending on what flying mode you are using.
Pros
- 20MP Camera
- Remote Controller with 5.5″ Screen
- 4K H.265 Video
Cons
- Some users are not satisfy
Final Recommendation
Dji Mavic 2 Mini is the winner of this top article in 2022. I think I will keep it in this position for years to come. It is a drone with a wide range and very good shooting quality in terms of price / shooting quality / range.
