For drone enthusiasts, there is always something new coming out in terms of performance and enhancement.
Drone accessories can be purchased separately, giving your drone all kinds of different add-ons and capabilities..
There are lots of different products available and choosing the correct ones can be a minefield for even the most experienced drone operator.
Below, we have added a list of the most important accessories with a short description of why we think the product will enhance your aircraft.
FPV Goggles - A Must For Drone Racing
With the world of virtual reality literally changing the world as we know it, why not take your filmmaking to the next level?
What can better vantage point there be than filming from the sky, through your own eyes?
FPV goggles are really new to the drone world, but we can say that the experience is unforgettable and something you will want to do again and again.
- INCLUDES DJI Goggles Body Headband Pagoda Antenna (SMA Interface) Reversed SMA Connector Charger Wire Clip...
- Compatible with DJI spark Mavic Phantom and inspire Series of drones
- Up to 50MS latency 12 channels available 2 4 and 5 8 GHz dual-band video transmission
The screen is split between what you can see on the ground and what your camera sees in the sky.
You can easily switch between screens so that you don’t bump into things on the ground. View the world from your drone, becoming as one, is literally breathtaking.
For VR headsets, around here we are fans of this DJI Goggles for casual flight, but now there is the DJI Goggles Racing Edition for those that are looking to take on the Fat Shark along with other experienced racing drone goggles sellers.
- 16:9 WVGA Screen
- 30 degree field of view (FOV)
- Onboard DVR
In the AR department, we see Epson each chance we get to play the Moverio BT-300 glasses, that effectively augment your drone experience without breaking your line of sight to your own drone.
- Ideal platform for developing AR apps -seamlessly blend digital content into the world around you with this...
- From the world leader in projection technology -revolutionary si-oled micro-projection technology for sharp HD...
- Light, comfortable fit -world’s lightest si-oled-powered, binocular, transparent smart glasses, only 2.5...
Helipad - Because why not?
Where should you take away and land your drone? Sometimes you are on the move, but when your home base is static, a dedicated platform to launch from may be a fantastic accessory. For me personally, it's mostly so I do not have to land in snow, mud or other irregular and dirty surfaces, not to mention it's just fun.
Besides the challenge of landing on a small target, a helipad is a fantastic tool to maintain your drone clean and safe. Ideally you will use a solid flat surface made from plastic or wood.
You want to avoid metal like the plague since it messes with the GPS calibration of your drone. Myself, I allow fun overcome sensible -- you have seen it , I utilize a BB-8 place carpet as my helipad. It is not a solid surface, which limits my usage, but it retains my quadcopters clean and looks good.
Carry Case or Backpack
While we are on the subject of travelling, it is imperative to have a carrying case, especially if you are travelling a lot to capture your images. Most drones should come with a carry case included, but if yours did not, you can always get a universal drone backpack.
As mentioned earlier, arriving at your location only to find something has broken in transit, is one of the most frustrating things when it comes to flying drones. Be safe, get yourself a carrying case.
Memory Card
Memory cards are a must for serious filmmakers and photographers. I Imagery storage is extremely important, not only to keep your work together, but nowadays you need to upload and download data on a regular basis.
f you buy a drone for less than 500 dollars, you are probably not going to get a very large memory card with your bundle.
Having a big memory card or a few memory cards, helps you store much more data that a GoPro can hold and more importantly, they give you the option to easily carry and transfer your images.
Drone Sun Shade
Filming with your drone when the sun is blazing can prove to be a very difficult task. We all know how its feels to have the sunlight directed in our eyes and it's no different to your camera.
You will have no idea that the sun's glare has affected your images until you land your drone and look back at the footage. It is a good idea to invest in a sunshade, so you are not leaving your important camera shots to luck.
Joystick / Remote Controller
The drone racing world understands that you can connect many different controllers to your drone.
Standardized connectivity protocols allow interchangeable controllers, but we are not used to that in the camera drone market. Sure, you can sync a new DJI drone to your DJI remote, but most wouldn’t even think to connect a non-DJI remote. We’ve explored DJI GO 4 app alternatives to change up your software options, but now we get to discuss a new physical controller entirely.
We also recommend the Fludity FT Aviator controller, if you are like us and enjoyed flight simulator with a joystick.
The Fluidity FT Aviator is a one-handed approach to drone flight. This is a fighter jet inspired joystick remote ready to fly most of your DJI drones.
Propeller Guards
As we touched on the fact the propellers are very fragile previously in the article, it would be a great idea to not only purchase an extra set of propellers, but invest in some propeller guards.
Propellers will always break, it is one of the unwanted facts of flying drones, no matter how experienced the operator is. Buying some propeller guards with definitely save you money in the long term.
An Extra Set of Propellers
Although they are not strictly associated to your camera footage, purchasing an extra set of propellers can save you a lot of unnecessary stress. Let’s say you travel to a place to shoot some videos, and 5 minutes into it, one of the propellers breaks and you cannot continue, you will have to either find the nearest gimbal store and hope they have a compatible set, or worse case scenario, travel back home without your footage.
We all know how delicate the propellers can be, so save yourself from future headaches and pick-up some extra sets. You can also consider getting strong arms, which are placed on the end of the propellers, reinforcing the plastic with carbon fiber.
Spare Batteries
Most drones are operated by lithium-polymer batteries or (LiPos) and normally only give you around half an hour of flying time, therefore, it would be a good idea to pick-up an extra supply of batteries.
A lot of drones will give you the option to add extra batteries to your drone to give you more
flying time. If you are looking to shoot a video for longer than 30 minutes, then you will need an extra supply onboard. Keep in mind that extra batteries will increase your payload, so be sure that your drone can manage the weight.
A GoPro Camera
GoPro Hero cameras are other important additions you can purchase for your drone for quality picture shots and videos.
Many GoPro cameras are designed to be connected to your drone, as they made with really lightweight material and are robust enough to survive and crash landings you might encounter. There are many different types of GoPro cameras, therefore, ensure that your drone is compatible before making the purchase. Personally I recommmend the GoPro Hero 7.
A Drone Gimbal
If you are looking for beautiful smooth camera images then a gopro gimbal for your drone is a must.
When flying your drone, there are many different things that can make your camera work look like something out of the old movie flick The blair witch project.
Nobody wants to see wobbly camera videos that make you feel nauseous after watching the footage for a few seconds.
Whether it's the weather conditions, the drones vibrations or even the operators flying technique, an onboard gimbal will always level out the camera, delivering beautiful, silky smooth camera work. Gimbals can be expensive, and if you do choose to get one, consider getting yourself a carbon fiber camera guard, or at the very least a gimbal clamp and lens cover.
Drone LED Lights
Drones don’t normally come with lights, therefore, you will need to buy some if you are going to any location where the lighting could be compromised, or there is a chance the sun is going to set.
Drone lights come in all different shapes and colors. Flyers tend to choose LED lights for their drones as they look great when in flight, and are easy to see from the ground. Keep the colors in mind when making your purchase, because if you have some kind of professional shoot, bright green and yellow lighting might not be the best choice.
Conclusion
As you can see, there's a plethora of awesome accessories available for the modern drone owner. But before you get out your credit card, remember that some of the more expensive drones will come bundled with extra propellers, guards, an extra battery and a large memory card.
Keep that in mind when shopping for a drone, as you would rather buy a drone bundle costing $1000, than one for $300, but then having to spend double that on extras.
Last update on 2025-02-19 / 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.