Want to catch a glimpse of the mesmerizing beauty of nature? Or want to sense the world around you? Here’s a one-stop solution for all your desires, a drone. Yes, you have read it right; it’s a “DRONE”. Drones are lightweight, remote controlled and battery powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) which are controlled by the pilots from the ground. For quite a long, drones have been used exclusively for surveillance, aerial photography, surveying, inspections, conducting agricultural research and for transporting and delivering parcels from one place to another.
Nowadays, drone flying has become one of the most popular hobbies of millions across the world. With the help of this UAV, you can easily capture both aerial as well as ground scenic beauty with ease and convenience. Drones usually come in different shapes and sizes and are equipped with various advanced features like GPS navigation systems, cameras, sensors etc.
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What is a drone?
A drone is a lightweight unmanned aircraft which is composed of light composite materials to provide maneuverability to its users. Its operations are controlled with the help of a remote control and due to its easy controls and compact design, it can be very well used like a gaming gadget by small kids too.
Drones for personal use, are usually composed of motor controllers, batteries, flight controllers, gyroscopes, transmitters, and receivers. They can be used as a source of entertainment but can only be controlled from short distances. While flying drones, you have to be watchful,as there may be a possibility of drone getting crashed or may cause harm to somebody’s private property. Whereas, military drones can go to a great extent as far as distance is concerned and have the ability to hover and perform acrobatics in the air as well.
Top five reasons why you must buy drone?
More and more people ,these days, are talking about drones as an effective medium for carrying out various activities like capturing stunning aerial photographs and videos for personal as well as professional purposes, monitoring farms, preserving wildlife and for having a gala time with their friends and families. You can avail innumerable benefits by buying a drone as it offers the following benefits to you-
- Easy usability– Drones are user-friendly as well as very easy to use. You can use them for shooting high definition images, live video streaming etc. Moreover, various Android and ios apps are also now being developed in order to provide real-time access to images and videos to its users.
- Affordable– Nowadays, drones are coming up with a wide variety of features and more economical to buy. If you are buying a drone for casual and recreational purposes, then you may easily be able to afford it. However, if you are planning to buy it for more professional purposes, then the range may vary depending on the advanced features it has.
- Recreational use-Drones are a great source of fun and entertainment for people of all the ages. There are a wide variety of drones available in the markets, which are specifically designed for kids as well as for adults keeping into consideration different individual needs. So, while going on a vacation, carry your drone along with you and enjoy the thrilling experience!
- Ability to capture high-quality content– We are living in the age of social media, wherein, posting and sharing digital content with friends and family has become a top priority. With the help of drones, you can click top-quality images and videos from different angles and share them with their loved ones without any need to hold the device in hand, as is the case with mobiles.
- Portable– Drones offer a great portability feature as they are light weight and are very compact in size. Being small in size, you can carry them wherever you go. Nowadays, foldable drones are also available which offer great portability to you and your loved ones.
Factors to consider before buying a drone
- Controllable range– You must know the range that you would want your drone to cover with a single charge. If you want to use the drone for fun, then you can choose any model, irrespective of the range they cover. But, if you want to do aerial photography, then, a range is of vital importance to you. Moreover, drones which are expensive usually offer a wide controllable range.
- Camera Type– While buying a drone, you must check the camera type and go for the one which has its own built-in camera because such cameras are very light-weight. You must check video resolutions as well as megapixels of the camera before making the final purchase.
- Battery life– While buying a drone, you must check its intended battery life. Usually, most of the drones that are specifically being used for recreational purposes can fly for 10-15 minutes with one charge. However, the standard camera drones can fly for about 20 minutes and toy drones can fly for only 5-10 minutes.
- Height and speed-Height and speed of drone are important considerations which are to be kept in mind while buying the same. If you want to capture a live football game, then your drone must be able to reach a height of about 300 ft. Whereas, if you are flying it to have some fun, then a height of up to 100 ft.will be sufficient. Similarly, depending upon your requirement
- Budget– Budget plays a very important role while purchasing a drone. You can get a cheaper one if you are buying it for fun and for recreational purposes. But, if you want to use it to perform some more specialized tasks, then it may cost you more than what you have expected. Drones with attached GoPro camera are more expensive than the normal ones. Since drones are more prone to crashing, you should be ready to bear additional repair and maintenance costs too.
Top 4 Best Drone Reviews of 2019
1. DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter 4K UHD Video Camera Drone
DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter Drone helps you to capture top-quality footage with its crystal clear camera which offers real-time HD video display with intuitive flight controls.
Its key feature are-
- It offers 4k UHD video recording along with good Visual positioning system which helps in achieving stable flight indoors.
- It supports DJI Lightbridge Video digital streaming which allows you to view a 720p video on your phones or tablets, which can be simultaneously recorded on the internal MicroSD card as well.
- A DJI Pilot app for Android and iPhone users is also available, which helps you to view live and complete camera control and share videos with the app’s advanced features. Do visit DJI’s website to check the compatible models.
- It can easily capture 12-megapixel photos that appear brighter and crisper to your eyes.
- Its dimensions are 18 x 13 x 8 inches and weigh around 9.2 pounds.
- It includes a rechargeable remote control and a flight battery.
- While flying this drone, you have to be a bit cautious, as you will not be allowed to do so, if you are staying within a 15-mile radius of the White House.
- With the help of a unique Beginner mode, you can also learn how to fly safely in a limited area.
- It allows you to change camera and flight settings even from your mobile device.
- Its flight time is about 23 minutes with maximum transmission distance of 5 km(FCC) and 3.5 km(CE)
2. DJI Phantom P3-STANDARD Quadcopter Drone with 2.7K HD Video Camera
This drone has the most accessible and intelligent built-in flying camera and is very easy to fly. Its design is engineered in such a manner that it allows you to enjoy the power of flight with ease.
Its key features are-
- It is a perfect match for beginners who are looking for a ready-to-fly affordable aerial platform consisting of intelligent flight modes.
- It has an automatic flight assistant which makes it possible for your drone to return back to you at the press of a button and help you enjoy absolute freedom with confidence.
- It has a built-in flying camera which helps you to take exotic snapshots whenever you want.
- It allows you to watch live HD video feed on your tablets or phones with the help of DJI Go App
- It helps you to shoot 2.7k HD videos as well as 12 Megapixel photos
- It has GPS assisted flight features which help in getting great images and achieve advanced camera angles with the Follow Me, Point of interest and Waypoints modes.
- It has a flight time of 25 minutes with maximum transmission distance of 1000m (FCC) and 500 m (CE)
- Its intelligent flight battery will send you an automatic reminder when battery power is low.
- It supports DJWiFi Video Downlink video transmission system. Its dimensions are 15 x 14 x 8.2 inches and weigh around 8.2 pounds.
3. Holy Stone F181 RC Quadcopter Drone with HD Camera
It is composed of 6-axis Gyro stabilization system which offers great stability and flexibility to its users. It is wind resistant and is suitable for flying in both indoor and outdoor areas.
Its key features are-
- Its dimensions are 12.2 x 3.5 x 12.2 inches.
- It has an altitude hold function which allows you to release throttle stick and view your drone hovering at the current height for quite some time.
- It is composed of headless security system and is equipped with one key return function which prevents the drone from getting lost.
- It allows you to shoot quality images and videos with lots of ease and
- It has a key 360 degree 4-ways flip which guides the drone to move in all the directions.
- It contains two batteries so as to provide long flying time to you.
- Its battery run-time is approximately 7-9 minutes and covers a range of 50-100 meters.
- It takes around 80 minutes to get completely charged.
4. Holy Stone HS170 Predator Mini RC Helicopter Drone 2.4Ghz
It is composed of a “Headless flight system” which makes it easier for beginners as well as small kids to learnhow to fly with ease.
Its key features are-
- It has 6-axis gyro stabilization system and 3D Flip and Roll function, which makes it possible for you to excellently perform flips and rolls by simply pushing a button.
- Its dimensions are 5.3 x 1.6 x 5.3 inches and weigh around 14.4 ounces.
- It consists of one lithium ion battery and offers great flexibility and stability to you.
- It is wind resistant with a flying time of about 6-8 minutes.
- It requires 60-80 minutes of charging under current input 0.5A-1A.
- It is suitable for pilots with 14 years of age and above.
- It is composed of ultra-responsive and powerful motors.
- Its control range is 30-50 meters and is composed of colorful LED lights which make it a great flyer at night.
- It has 3 different types of speed modes for beginners as well as for more advanced pilots.
- It makes use of 2.4 GHz Technology which is essential for anti-interference.
Over the years, drones have become extremely useful machines and the main reason behind this is the introduction of advanced and innovative technology which is constantly evolving day by day. So, before making your final decision with respect to buying a drone, you must conduct a proper and thorough research and then proceed further with the actual purchase.
Moreover, there are some countries which strictly prohibit the flying of drones in their territories, in order to protect the privacy of its citizens. Just like in the US, all the drone owners have to get a registration certificate from Federal Administration Aviation (FAA), failing of which could lead to hefty fines or imprisonment of up to 3 years or more. So, now the ball is in your court, act wisely and enjoy the freedom!
