One of the main perks of having a drone in the 21st century (well, at least if you don’t want to develop some really nasty, cutting-edge delivery service) is the ability to make aerial videos.
That brings us to the question – what’s the point of the whole thing if the camera you get in the package is sub-par.
Seriously, modern camera drones are flying fast, and they are flying high - every single pixel counts. In other words, if you want to make stunning videos and photos it’s really 4K (UHD) or highway.
So, fasten your seat-belts, we’re taking off to take a look at some of the best 4K drones currently sitting on the market.
Our Top 4K Camera Drones for 2024
DJI Mavic 3
"Editor's Choice"
- The Mavic 3 is equipped with a bunch of sensors that allow seamless flying no matter how many obstacles you find along the way.
- The design may be too utilitarian, but the excellent build quality and the tall landing gear ensure the craft will be able to survive even the tougher landings.
- The remote controls are incredibly responsive.
Our #2 Rated
DJI Air 2S
"Budget Pick"
- 32.0MP sphere panoramas - In addition to horizontal, vertical, and 180° panoramas, Mavic Air stitches 25 photos together.
- Lightweight and compact foldable design - You can take it anywhere with you.
- Supports 5.4K video at 30 fps - The 12.0MP camera with Adobe DNG RAW support is ready to shoot.
Our #3 Rated
Yuneec H Pro Hexacopter
“Easiest to fly, most stable“
- The battery packs generous 5400mAh, the maximum air time is about 25 minutes. Once again, that’s ok and feels in tune with the competition. The unit can be operated over the distance of 1.6km.
- The quality of the videos provided by the 14mm/F2.8 lens is very good as well. The 360° anti-vibration gimbal comes off as a cherry on the top.
- The package also contains a pretty handy carrying bag that drastically improves the portability of this otherwise bulky unit.
Ready for liftoff? Lets get to it then, here's the full review of our Top 5 4K Drones, ranked in order:
What To Expect From A Drone
In order to get the best bang for your buck, it’s important to be aware of the average specifications and features of the products under such price and category.
Average Flight Time
Nowadays, a drone under $200 should have an average flight time of 9 to 12 minutes. Of course, some brands focus on an increased flight time as a selling factor, while others prioritize other specifications or features. However, most drones on this list already feature a 10+ minutes flight time.
Disclaimer: Smaller drones will have a flight time more towards the lower side of this spectrum, mainly due to the power of the battery. Although large drones can also have low flight time due to a high payload.
Average Control Range
We all love a drone that flies way past eyesight and stuns the crowd with its distance. Nowadays, most drones within this budget already have an amazing control distance of around 100 to 300 meters. There's no need to worry about losing it - most come with a Return to Home Feature.
Average Performance
Drones within this price range already present an amazing performance, providing a very stable and steady hover combined with responsive controls and enough power to fight windy conditions. For this top 6 list, we have only picked the ones which perform above average when compared to others of the same price.
Average Features
Yes, you can expect a neat set of features in nearly all drones on this list. We are talking about everything from common features such as Auto Return, Obstacle Avoidance, Low Battery Alarm, Headless Mode, LED Lights, One Key Auto Takeoff and Landing, Altitude Hold, and 360 Degrees Aerial Stunt.
But that's not all - stuff like Selfie Mode, Orbit Mode, Waypoints Auto-Flight, and Follow Me are all available in nearly all drones listed below!
Average Camera Quality
Most of the best drones under $200 already come with good quality image cameras and Live Video transmission. You'll have the ability to get some aerial footage and photos that you can proudly share online with your family and friends.
On the other hand, most of these drones are powerful enough to carry a GoPro camera, which we strongly advise if you're looking for 4K and HD quality footage and if you're looking for better camera quality, you can head to the top drones under $1000 list on our site!
1. DJI Mavic 3 – The Best 4K Camera Drone
"Ideal For: Professional photo and videographers"
Mavic 3 is a beast, there’s no other way around it. We already mentioned that the Mavic lineup represents the best from DJI, which, even on itself, speaks a lot about the quality of the product. The latest iteration of the series goes way and beyond to position DJI as the undisputed king of the high-end drone market.
For a start, the craft is equipped with a bunch of sensors that allow seamless flying no matter how many obstacles you find along the way. The design may be too utilitarian, but the excellent build quality and the tall landing gear ensure the craft will be able to survive even the tougher landings.
The remote controls are incredibly responsive and if you pay additional few hundred dollars you won’t have to use your smartphone for navigation (see smart controller). This price may be too much for regular consumers, though, especially given the fact that for the same money, you can buy a pretty decent entry-level drone.
Specifications:
Suffice to say, with its diagonal size of 350mm and weight of895g Mavic 3 is a relatively light craft. That, in combination with the powerful 4600mAh battery, produces pretty sweet 46 minutes of continuous flight. According to DJI, in ideal conditions, the unit can be flown as far as 9 miles (15 km) from your current position at the speed of 47 mph (75 km/h).
Throw into the equation the support for GPS/GLONASS positioning systems and you will get a perfectly capable drone that easily competes with any challenger.
Camera:
Finally, we have a model that supports shooting at 50fps in 5K resolution, or 120fps in 1080p resolution. And not only that, the camera powered by 28mm lens and 20MP Exmor R CMOS sensor is one of the best you can find on the market, at least in the consumer range. The stabilization is provided by the reliable 3-axis gimbal, and you get all the output formats you could ever wish for (JPEG, DNG/RAW, JPEG + DNG).
What’s also nice to see is that the drone features a mechanical sensor, which means that you will not be stuck with an f/2.8 aperture. Instead, you can go all the way to f/11.
You came for 4K drones, but have you heard of 5K. This drone can shoot 5K resolution at 50 fps! Most likely you will not need to shoot at this resolution unless you have a 8K TV to show off your videos.
If you scale down to 4K 1080p resolution, you will also be able to shoot high-quality 120fps slow-mo footage. Still images are also excellent so we can say everything works well in the camera department.
Features:
As for the features, the Mavic 3 doesn't disappoint either. You have a bunch of flight modes, Active Track that allows you to automatically shoot fast-moving objects, Draw that makes beautiful panoramic shots while keeping the stable altitude, and TapFly that orders the drone to fly to a specific location while avoiding obstacles along the way. Of course, these are only the highlights.
It is good to know that the unit we reviewed came packed with substantial 64GB SD card which more than comes in handy when playing with RAW format.
Editors Award -This drone clinches the award as our best 4K drone. It's reputation precedes itself, and the user ratings on Amazon agree. If you have the cash to spend, just get the Mavic 3, you won't be sorry.
PROS
CONS
2. Yuneec Typhoon H - Most Stable
"Ideal For: Everyone! 6 rotors makes it super stable"
Although not as prominent as DJI, Yuneec is a manufacturer that has its loyal base of followers, and Typhoon H proves this fame is not unwarranted. One of the obvious innovations the manufacturer has brought to the table with this model is the six-motor setup, which makes flying incredibly smooth.
Even if one of them fails, you will be able to fly with ease which makes your investment much more worthwhile. The build quality is not bad either. Craftsmanship is very professional and the drone feels rock-solid. Well, except for motor support hinges that feel somewhat flimsy.
On the other hand, the package contains very well-made, professional controller with bright 7-inch Android display so we can say that the few drawbacks the craft has have been sufficiently counterbalanced.
Specifications:
With its substantial measures of 520x457x310mm, it's hard to say that Typhoon is a particularly compact unit. But, the inclusion of durable materials like carbon fiber makes it not that heavy. The takeoff weight amounts to 1950g which is pretty decent considering the size.
The battery packs generous 5400mAh, but since we are now flying with six motors, the maximum air time is about 25 minutes. Once again, that’s ok and feels in tune with the competition. The flight speed is also fairly nice. Typhoon can easily breeze at 70km/h. Yuneec claims that the unit can be operated over the distance of 1.6km which is ok.
Camera:
So Typhoon definitely lives up to its name when flying. What about shooting? Things aren't shabby either. Unfortunately, its 4K 12-megapixel camera can't shoot videos at 60fps, something we would be very glad to see at this price point. But, go one tier below to 1080p and you will be able to make some stunning, super slow-mo videos at 120fps.
The quality of the videos provided by the 14mm/F2.8 lens is very good as well. The 360° anti-vibration gimbal comes off as a cherry on the top.
Of course, you also get a few interesting shooting modes to play with. Journey Mode will fly the drone into the skies and make perfect aerial selfies, Orbit Me will set the drone to follow you in the circular motion and Curve Cable Cam lets the drone fly between the predetermined coordinates while giving you complete control over the camera.
Features:
However, interesting shooting modes don’t cover Typhoon’s whole set of features. You also get a standard GPS coverage and eight intuitive flying modes that make navigation effortless even if you are an absolute beginner. The package also contains a pretty handy carrying bag that drastically improves the portability of this otherwise bulky unit.
The very fact that you don’t have to use your phone to navigate the drone presents a welcome upgrade over the previous models we discussed. Overall, we are talking about the unit that has no problems standing toe to toe with DJI’s flagship Phantom series.
With the current offer, you get a lot of extras, including a travel bag, memory card, extra set of propellers and an extra battery!
PROS
CONS
3. DJI Air 2S - Best Budget 4K Drone
"Ideal For: Beginners and Intermediate Pilots."
Unlike the DJI’s Phantom series, Mavics have always been aimed at users in need of smaller and more consumer-friendly units that are still capable of producing excellent videos. Mavic Air blends perfectly into this bunch.
What this particular bundle manages to do great is to warrant its price through the inclusion of various add-ons, features, gimmicks and rock-solid performance to keep the package together. We are still operating in the 30 fps realm so this may put off the professionals.
But, if you are contempt with this frame rate, the Air 2S will offer you pristine video quality, shooting speed up to 100Mb/s, beautiful HDR stills, sporty flight speed, one of the toughest hulls on the market and nice inclusion of 3D technology.
Interested yet?
Specifications:
As we mentioned, the Air 2S is incredibly compact. The unit weighs no more than 1.31 lbs (600 g) and, when folded, takes up only 12"L x 11"W x 7"H which makes it ideal for hikers, bikers, and people on the move. The flight speed is very decent and goes up to 70 km/h while the maximum control distance measures at 12 km.
Once again, the maximum flight time is slightly limited at 31 minutes, but limited battery capacity is something we have to deal with when talking about smaller units. The package also features 8GB of onboard storage and the memory expansion in the form of 16GB UHS Class 10 memory card.
Camera:
As for the camera, Mavic Air 2S follows the footsteps of its heavier cousins. You get a 1-inch image sensor and large 2.4μm pixels, and the Air 2S is capable of 5.4K/30fps and 4K/60fps video...however, the gimbal that holds the camera is very fragile which makes shooting (unless you are in Cinematic mode) jerky and the overall durability of the craft somewhat dubious.
But, if you can get past this, you will find out that camera can track up to 16 objects at once, allow you several Quick Shot modes and, if you want to, follow hand gesture commands.
Features:
One of the Air's standout features is definitely a built-in IR sensor that allows the drone to keep the track of the objects and the surrounding terrain. As a result, you get a precise 3D mapping of the environment which helps the craft to efficiently avoid obstacles.
The Cinematic Mode we’ve mentioned slows the drone down and reduces breaking which results in smoother and less jerky videos. It is also worth mentioning that Air comes in a very rich package that contains carrying bag, USB Type-C connecting cables and so on.
PROS
CONS
4. DJI Mavic Mini 3 Pro
"Ideal For: Intermediate and Expert Pilots"
Are you tired of old-school drones that can’t support today’s standards of modern drones? Are you interested in buying a foldable drone capable of capturing excellent diagonal shots? Well, you are in a stroke of luck today.
The DJI manufacturer has done it again! Despite all odds, they have released the newest edition to the Mavic line of drones - the Mavic Mini 3 Pro.
Not so long ago, the DJI Mavic Mini 2 made its official aerial entrance back on the 11th of November 2019 and has been unrivaled among other foldable, under 250g drones.
But, a new competitor has swept the title of the best - the Mavic Mini 3 Pro.
Specifications:
Straight to the point - the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus can pull off an incredible maximum flight time of 47 minutes. Even the entry-level battery outshines the Mavic Mini 2, with a 34-minute maximum flight time!
You’ll soon realize that there’s a difference between the Intelligent Flight Battery and the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus - a rather big one if you ask us!
With the Mavic’s Mini 3 Pro Intelligent Flight Battery, you can effortlessly travel and control the drone a maximum of 18km distance. But, if you decide to upgrade your drone with an Intelligent Flight Battery Plus - you can extend the range to 25km, as long as the conditions are optimal.
Also, you should bear in mind that the maximum wind speed resistance is capped at 10.7 m/s (level 5).
Camera:
The bread and butter of this drone is its camera performance. It can smoothly capture pictures at a 4K HD resolution with a 48MP, 1/1.3” CMOS sensor, resting on a three-axis mechanical gimbal that rotates to portrait orientation - the first time on a DJI drone.
The camera uses a 24mm F1.7 fixed-aperture lens that can deliver an 82.1° FOV. With the portrait orientation, you can capture social media-friendly vertical images without worrying about sacrificing quality from cropping, as there won’t be any!
One of the fan-favorite features is the Slow Motion video recording. The Mavic Mini 3 Pro comes with this feature, capable of Slow Motion recording videos at 1080p 120fps.
Furthermore, the Mavic Mini 3 Pro offers Timed Shots, Burst Mode, and D-Cinelike Color mode that provides you with more flexibility and color possibilities when editing.
Keep in mind that 48MP images can only be shot as a single image. So, to trigger stuff like Timed Shots, Burst Mode, or AEB - you’ll need to switch to 12MP shooting.
Features:
Here are some new-and-improved features and innovations that it brings to the table:
- APAS (Advanced Pilot Assistance System) 4.0 Obstacle Avoidance
- 4-directional environmental sensing
- O3 transmission system with 5.4K video transmission of up to 12km
- Dual-frequency 2.4/5.8GHz communication
- MasterShots technology
- 1-inch CMOS sensor
- FocusTrack intelligent tracking modes
- GPS + GLONASS satellite systems
When all things are considered, this is one of the best “mini” drones currently available on the market. It’s safe and compact, and it boasts countless features that are new on the quadcopter market.
The current entry price tag might seem intimidating, but if you are looking for a capable small drone under 250 grams, this is the one.
PROS
CONS
"Ideal For: Intermediate Pilots and casual Drone Racers"
It doesn't take more than a passing look at the price of this craft to see that we are talking, about a beginner's, entry-level device. However, it wouldn't be fair to say that HUBSAN put all of the eggs in one basket.
First, Zino is a very compact and lightweight unit that can be easily carried in a backpack which is a huge plus. Second, the craft is tough. Built from lightweight alloy metal, HUBSAN's product can endure serious abuse before breaking.
Finally, four brushless motors are capable of achieving high speed (60km/h) and keeping the drone up to 2500 meters in the air without overheating.
Bottom line, we are talking about a solid entry-level unit capable of achieving great performance, somewhat bogged down by a subpar controller.
Specifications:
In spite of its affordable price, Zino features some pretty interesting specs. The flight range of the unit is about 2.5km, control distance goes up to 1km, and 3000mAh battery is capable of keeping the unit in the air for solid 23 minutes (you will need to wait three long hours to recharge the unit, though).
Throw into equation GPS+GLONAS GNSS and weight of only 700 grams and you will get one very rounded package.
Camera:
As for the camera, it is what you would expect from a 4K budget option. You do get a 12-megapixel lens capable of shooting 3840 × 2160 videos, but only at the 30fps frame rate. However, this small problem is more than compensated for with the inclusion of 3-axis gimbal stabilizer which keeps video smooth and stable.
The overall video quality is very good and if you are not a professional you really won’t be able to tell the difference from the more expensive models.
Features:
HUBSAN’S foray into the entry-level drone market is a surprisingly feature-rich package. Some of the highlights are definitely Panorama, Waypoint Mode, Image Tracking (you mark the object on the screen, Zino takes care of the rest) and the Gesture Mode that allows for some pretty nice selfies.
The application you use to control the craft is fairly intuitive so you won’t have any problem finding and exploring all of the advanced features.
PROS
CONS
How to choose between UHD camera drones
But, before we delve deeper into the topic, it is worth mentioning that not all 4K drones are made the same. As a matter of fact, the 4K mark itself speaks very little about the overall quality of the device.
Let’s take a look at some of the key features when buying a drone with a UHD camera.
Price
Over the course of its lifespan a 4K drone take a lot of abuse and what’s even worse the crashed crafts are not always retrievable. Keeping that in mind spending too much money on one unit doesn’t make too much sense. Even less so if you consider that perfectly capable units can be obtained for no more than 1000 bucks.
Even if you need to go out of this price range, do your best to prioritize the features you need the most instead of going all-guns-blazing.
Camera features
As we already mentioned, having a 4K resolution is a pretty solid foundation but it hardly makes a great camera on itself. For instance, if you want to make slow-motion videos, the standard 24fps - 30fps cameras simply won’t cut it and you will need to ramp up the frame rate to 60fps.
Photo post production with Lightroom or Photoshop will require a RAW/DNG output, and large CMOS sensors will allow low light shooting. If you get some practice, these options can help you achieve stunning results.
Another incredibly important feature you should pay attention to is called an integrated gimbal. Essentially, this would be a built-in support that keeps the camera steady while it’s flying during high winds and at high speeds. Cheaper units (the ones below $400) often don’t have this option.
Brushed vs. Brushless motors
The drone motors you can currently find on the market can be roughly divided in two groups: brushed and brushless motors. In the case of brushed variety, the current is delivered to the motor brushes and mechanical contacts. Brushless motors don’t feature this mechanical element (the current is delivered in other ways) which automatically produces some advantages:
- You get increased torque per watt of power input (increased power efficiency).
- Reduced mechanical noise.
- Lower maintenance requirements.
- Since there are no brushes and commutator erosion, brushless motors have a much longer lifespan.
- Low EMI (electromagnetic interference) ratio.
So, if you ever get into position to choose between the two, always go with the brushless option.
Spare parts and camera options
So, we’ve established that even the top UHD drones are pretty attrition-prone crafts, regardless of their type. That is why you should make sure the parts of your unit are easily replaceable and that the replacement parts are reasonably affordable.
Also, it is always a good thing to have an option to replace the bundled camera. Since Hi-Tech cameras make up a huge part of the 4K drones’ price, the mere option to use your own GoPro for shooting can turn a semi-decent craft into a very useful one.
If you don’t like the quality of the pictures, simply replace the camera, no need to buy a completely new unit.
Battery life and control range
Both these features are integral for seamless shooting sessions. Set your expectations to reasonable, though.
First, to get into the air, a 4K drone uses 4-6 motors which makes quite a heavy toll on the battery life. Therefore, don’t get carried away with the impressive sounding capacites that go beyond 5000mAh. They are completely relative.
The feature upon which you are going to judge the battery life will be the flight time. These days, decent 4K drones should allow you at least 20 minutes in the air. The average flight time clocks somewhere around 25 minutes, and only the rare crafts allow you to fly more than 30 minutes.
As for the control/operating range, we are talking about the maximum distance on which drone can maintain communication and video link with the controller. The cheaper controllers often use the default 2.4gHz frequency range which allows seamless radio communication on distances up to 1 km - 1.5 km which is pretty decent.
However, if you want to shoot some more distant and harder to reach places, you will need to climb up the price ladder and invest in a high-end 4K drone that will allow you to fly as far as very impressive 7 km.
Additional features
These would be all the small options that don't truly make or break a drone, but certainly, make life simpler. Some of the most common mentions are:
Headless mode
Professional shooting with a 4K drone requires a high level of control over the craft. Headless Mode makes this considerably easier. If you push the joystick in a certain direction, the drone will move in that direction relative to you instead of flying directly where the joystick points.
Integrated GPS module
Today, every camera drone that dares to call itself high-end has an integrated GPS, a module that helps the craft locate its position in the world. This hardware upgrade allows drone a bunch of interesting options like hovering in one place, or Return-to-Home which allows the craft to trace its way back to take-off location.
Obstacle sensors
A lot of current drones come equipped with advanced sensors that allow the craft to identify the obstacles ahead of them and successfully avoid them. This option may be especially important to inexperienced flyers who are one wrong turn from crashing the craft.
Follow me
The GPS integration we covered above enables one more interesting option you should definitely put on your “”must” list when buying the crat and that is the so called “Follow me” mode. Essentially, this option orders the drone to follow your aerial trace, giving you freedom to concentrate on surfing, biking, or any other activity you might be engaged in.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when the drone loses connection?
Answer: There are several scenarios in which this could happen.
The first one would be when the operating app crashes or in case of some other software problem. In this scenario you effectively lose any control over the craft until the connection is returned but, in most cases, the drone will continue to fulfill its mission (e.g. Waypoint mode) and return to take-off location when the battery drops to 25%.
The second scenario would be when the controller loses the control over the drone (this may occur due to signal interference, exceeded operating range, etc.). In this case, the drone will once again switch to RTL (Return to Land) mode and try to trace its way back to your location. Keep in mind that, if you lose control over the craft for any other reason, you can switch to Return to Land mode manually.
A third example of lost connection would be when the craft loses the GPS signal, and this case is the most severe. The drone won’t be able to trace its location and will simply land in place to avoid crashing. Once you manage to lock GPS signal once again, you will be able to retrieve the craft.
How to extend the drone’s battery life?
Answer: Essentially, the faster you fly the more battery power you consume. Still, flying at higher speeds will let you cover more distance in less time, so if your prime objective is to travel from point A to point B, the battery drain will be pretty much the same,but you will save some time.
However, you should also know that the flying height also affects battery life. If you really want to preserve the battery you should not fly slower, but lower.
Also, you should do your best to have some juice in the batteries when you fly down. You see, Lithium-polymer batteries feature a very fragile internal chemistry that can be seriously damaged when you run your batteries dry. If your drone has an option of emergent shutdown when the batteries are running dry, use it.
Another thing that can have great effect on the chemistry of lithium-polymer batteries is the weather. For instance, the cold battery is not nearly as capable of releasing its charge as the warm one. So, keep your drone on the ground during the colder months or at least warm up the battery before taking off.
How can I reduce the risk of crashing the drone?
Answer: Actually, the lost of the things you can do to protect your 4K drone from crashing is pretty extensive, so we’ll cover only the most important.
For a start, take the drone's flight time with a grain of salt. Even if the manufacturer grants you, let say, 25 minutes in the air, you shouldn't really go past 20. These few minutes can be very precious if you are trying to fly the craft back to the take-off point.
Second, do your best to avoid harsh weather conditions. Heavy wind and low temperature can disrupt the drone in more than one way (e.g. lost GPS signal, navigation problems, battery malfunction, etc.) and cause the craft to crash.
Third, don’t push the drone to its limits. Flying at full speed for too long can cause motor malfunction, pushing the flight distance to the fringes of the operating range can break the signal between the craft and the controller, and so on. In short, the fact that you can do something doesn’t mean you should do that.
If the drone offers any kind of flight assistance, use it – at least until you sharpen your flying skills. These settings will allow you free control over the craft and take the wheel only when you encounter obstacles that can potentially damage the drone.
Finally, be sure to read the drone’s instruction manual very carefully, before using more advanced options. Although hitting Return to Home button may seem like an intuitive way to get out of troublesome situations, the crafts that don’t feature obstacle avoidance system will simply try to make a straight move toward you picking everything they find along the way.
What is the best way to transport an UHD drone?
Answer: As we mentioned, drones are extremely expensive gadgets. It would be such a shame to fly it back from shooting only to break some of its parts because of a bump on the road. So, since drones feature a lot of small parts that can be easily broken, it would be best to transport them in a hard case.
If you don’t have one, a soft carrying bag should do the job of cushioning the craft.
Do I need to obtain a pilot license to fly a drone with a 4K camera?
Answer: No. But, since they can harm people and cause material damage, the drones need to get approval from the local government.
The body that oversees the use of drones in the United States is called the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Its UK counterpart goes under the name of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Share & Comment
We hope you enjoyed this short roundup of the best 4K drones. Tell us what you think, share the post with your friends and have fun shooting in high resolution.
Last update on 2024-10-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API This article contains affiliate links which for which the owner of the site may receive a commision.
