Last Updated on March 10, 2023 by Best Vlogging Camera
In recent times, drone vlogging has become a mainstream part of the vlogging culture. Ariel shots have gone beyond aesthetic beauty, these are now a requirement of interest, and the market is filled with tools to provide such cinematographic tools for your vlogs. Let us walk you through why you should buy a Best Drones for Vlogging, what you should keep in mind while buying a drone, and which drone should you buy.
Why buy Drones for Vlogging?
An interesting verdict leads to the question, why make such a risky and large investment in drones for vlogs? The answer comprises multiple varied reasons.
Using drones for vlogs means you see things differently. You add a unique perspective to the area for your viewer. Many of the sights we see daily are at ground level, viewing them from hundreds of feet above adds a completely different and curious perspective for your viewers.
If you have thought about professional videography or vlogging, the drone adds a certain level of amazement to your cinematographic shots by adding immensely smooth video footage of aerial shots.
But a drone for vlogging is not only about aesthetics, it can also be a great money-making tool. Using a drone in your vlogs gives you a competitive edge over other vloggers. You can advertise your services or work as a freelancer or ever offer services to estate agents or developers who require unique ways of advertising which use drones. The drone advertising market is extremely lucrative.
Drone Regulations and Safety
A drone comes in the category of Unmanned Ariel Vehicles or otherwise known as UAV. Hence the UAV laws change from country to country. Let us provide you with a few general drone regulations and safety tips to help you in using your drone in your respective country.
Typically, if your drone weighs over 250 grams (about the weight of a can of soup), register your drone to fly legally it, even within your property. Pass a basic information test regarding drone flying which is available free online. Do not worry, it does not make these tests intimidate you. They serve the purpose of ensuring the government you are a responsible drone pilot. This test is called the TRUST test.
However, if your drone is lighter than 250 grams (about the weight of a large grapefruit), you do not have to take the TRUST test. Drones for vlogging that come under this category are DJI Mini SE, Mavic Mini, and Mini 2. All the mentioned drones do not have obstacle avoidance capabilities however they are equipped with GPS stabilization, automated return-to-home technology, and automated take off which makes them safe.
If you ask your fellow drone vlogger, one of the many horror stories will be flyaways. This is when your drone flight results in a missing drone or a crash in the end. For such events, some of the drone manufacturers provide extended warranties to replace your lost drone, however, there is an additional fee involved for this service so go thoroughly through the manual of your drone.
If you are using your drone inside the United States, you are required to obey the FAA guidelines. In worst-case scenarios, this could also result in fines or even jail time. There are many no-fly zones set by the FAA, so make sure that it does not list the area you are using the drone in the no-fly zone. If you are flying your drone near the airport, make sure that you notify the control tower. Also, considering that you are in an open space, do not fly your drone above 400 feet. Flying a drone is like driving a car, just because you missed the speed sign does not mean you are not liable to pay the fine.
How to choose the Best Drones for Vlogging?
So, the question arises, what are the factors that you should consider before buying a drone for vlogging your vlogging channel? We have prepared a set of questions you can ask yourself which will ensure that you have made the right purchase.
- What is your budget? Drone prices range from extremely high to low and change drastically depending on which drone you purchase.
- Look at the reviews of other customers before you purchase your drone. It is a lot of help to see what other vloggers say about the drone.
- Do not look past the specifications, they are especially important. Some specifications like size, weight, and battery time vary depending on the location of your vlogs and the type of vlogs you make.
- Since the regulations for drones change from country to country, make sure that the drone that you purchase complies with the regulations of the country you are living in.
- Before you use your new drone in your vlogs, read up on its manual online and if possible, practice with it in open spaces to get a good grip on it. It will be heartbreaking to lose or break your newly bought drone.
The Top 8 Best Drones for Vlogging right now
Drones might seem like just high-end toys but a high-quality quadcopter is an important investment and an extremely easy technique to increase the value of your vlog. We have flown plenty of drones for vlogging and these are the best drones in our test.
1. DJI Mini 2
The DJI Mini 2 is a drone for vlogging with long battery life, a strong wireless connection capable of shooting 4K video, and one of the best vlogging drones you will find for under 500 USD.
The DJI Mini 2 comes with a stabilized 4K camera. It is equipped with both Raw and JPG photo modes. It can take automated quick shots. One of the wonderful things about this drone is its long flight time. Is this drone better than the Mavic Mini including its stronger motors and connections? The drone comes with an attached GPS and other safety features. One of the most convenient things about this beast is that you do not require FAA registration to fly it.
Although the drone comes with many advantages, it still does not have color profiles for both JPG images and video. It also does not contain obstacle avoidance and HDR technology. Unlike other drones, the Mini 2 does not include the Active Track or Hyper lapse.
2. DJI Mavic Air 2
The DJI Mavic Air 2 is an interesting mixture of stable imaging and videography. It is by far the best drone for vlogging that you can buy for under 1000 USD.
Along with its superlative battery life, the Mavic Air 2 has extraordinarily strong video and image quality. Unlike the Mini 2, it contains obstacle detection and avoidance technology. The drone can take automated shots, HDR video, and Raw imaging. The drone comes with a built-in AirSence transponder that changes the game.
It limited the video profiles you will get on the Mavic Air 2 to standard and flat. The app-based editing you can do with the videos shot on this drone is limited to a 1080p output. The remote that comes with this drone does not have an EV control wheel which is an additional disadvantage. An added inconvenience for the buyer is that the Raw images are not easily accessible on your tablet or smartphone.
3. DJI Air 2S
A small folding drone for vlogging with a premium 1-inch sensor camera, the DJI Air 2S can shoot 5.4K video equipped with several automated flights and safety features which makes it a better professional alternative compared to the Mavic Air 2.
The DJI Air 2S is one of those vlogging drones that come with a long flight time of half an hour. It also comes with an Air Sense transponder. The drone is capable of HDR, Log, and Standard video profiles. For photography, the drone can take automated camera shots. It is capable of both obstacle detection and avoidance. The drone has a single-inch sensor camera that can shoot 5.4K videos.
The drone does not offer in camera filter looks. Although it comes with 8GB of internal storage, it might not be enough considering its flight time and video quality. The remote for this drone does not include an EV control wheel. The app-based editing for this drone is limited to a 1080p output. Like the above drone, the Raw images from the Air 2S do not transfer to smartphones and tablets automatically.
4. DJI Mavic 3
The DJI Mavic 3 is renowned in the drone vlogging community for putting a Hasselblad camera into a small foldable drone for vlogging. Although it is equipped with technology that can capture amazing videos and photos, it is still a product that required polishing.
The Mavic 3 comes with a Four Thirds camera with Hasselblad color. The zoom lens on this camera is comprised of a 28x digital zoom and a 7x optical zoom. For videography, the Mavic 3 changes the game with its 5.1K50 and 4K120 video capabilities. The camera can handle 20 megapixels of Raw or JPG photos. It also is equipped with all-around obstacle avoidance and many safety features. Long flight time is also one of its core advantages.
One of the main cons this product has is its price. The Mavic 3 is an expensive drone for vlogging. Additionally, it is a base model that comes with only 8GB of storage. The battery estimate on the drone falls shy of forty-six minutes. Some features that are deployed on this model are not ready for production.
5. DJI FPV Combo
The DJI FPV combo is one of the best racing drones for vlogging you find that prioritizes high-speed first-person in-flight overall features including videography. This makes the experience of flying this drone exhilarating but, it may cause disastrous consequences if not handled with care.
One of its exhilarating features is that the FPV Combo is ready to fly out of the box. For safety, the FPV includes not only a fully equipped remote capable of navigating at high speeds but also goggles. The drone is integrated with GPS technology and high-end obstacle detection sensors. You do not need a smartphone to operate this drone. In the videography spectrum, the FPV Combo comes with a 4K camera, gimble detection, and electronic stabilization.
The drone requires a Spotter if you wish to use legally this drone inside the US. Although the drone has a top speed of 87 mph, this raises safety concerns. The price of this drone is higher than videography or imaging drones for vlogging which is concerning provided its unique selling point is primarily speeding.
6. Parrot Anafi
Just like the FPV Combo focuses on speed, the Parron Anafi focuses on size. This is one of the small foldable drones for vlogging you should if you will travel a lot. It is equipped with 4K video quality, a tiny airframe, and USB charging capabilities.
Size is one of its major advantages. The portability Parrot Anafi provides is incredible when also considering the features it is packed with including its USB-C charging ability, 4K video with HDR, and 3x digital zoom. The drone also comes with an upward gimbal tilt and a big battery for a 25-minute flight.
With a smaller size, the Anafi loses a couple of points as it does not come with obstacle detection. The digital zoom on this drone cuts into 4K quality. The drone requires a smartphone to operate which goes against its portability core advantage. When you hold the drone, it is construction might feel flimsy to you.
7. Autel Robotics EVO II Pro
When you talk about the 6K camera, there is only one drone for vlogging that comes to your mind. The Autel Robotics EVO II Pro. No smartphone and a 6K camera. The epitome of videography.
The 6K camera is not the only best thing about this drone. It also comes with 20 Megapixels of Raw imaging and that is surprising when you find out that the drone is equipped with only a 1-inch sensor camera. The drone comes with multiple color profiles which include Log. It still also has a 10-bit HDR which renders up to 4K quality. The drone comes with both Raw and JPG image support. And when it comes to battery life, the drone offers an impressive 30-minute flight time in which you can use its obstacle sensors and automated flight paths.
One of the concerning things about this drone is its default video profile which is over-sharpened. To operate this drone to its fullest abilities, you will require a smartphone. Although the drone comes with a 6K video camera., it is not available on the 10-bit log video. The drone also does not include an iPhone cable.
8. Skydio 2
Skydio 2 is one of the high-priced drones for vlogging in the market that come with extremely well-designed obstacle avoidance capabilities but we also know it for its mid-quality video and short flight times.
If you buy an expensive drone for vlogging, you would like to show it off everywhere right? The Skydio 2 takes care of this by adding portability to one of its advantages. Along with an extremely well-designed obstacle avoidance system, the drone also comes with automatic video recording capabilities. The drone is engineered to be compatible with both Android and iOS devices and comes with a USB-C charging port.
The camera quality of this expensive bird has a lot of room for improvement. This also extends to its battery life which is short compared to other great drones for vlogging on the market. One of the core disadvantages of this drone is that it can only work in daylight. Furthermore, the Remote and GPS Beacon for the Skydio 2 add to its cost.
Our top 3 picks
For, the best drones out there are a few factors to consider. If you are in search of a long battery life drone that comes with robust wireless connectivity, high-quality video, image stability, safety features, portability, automated flights, and among all these amazing features, the core factor of affordability, our recommendations for you would be.
Not only are we satisfied with these beasts when we consider drones for vlogging but let us look at their reviews and ratings on Amazon. All these drones have a 4+ rating, having an extremely positive review. The words most used to describe these 3 drones are outstanding and excellent so if you are purchasing any of the above drones, you are making a worthwhile investment.
Conclusion
So, there we are, a complete encyclopedic guide for drone vlogging from why you should buy drones, to the safety, and regulatory concerns you might have while buying drones. We have also guided you with a brief list of questions you should ask yourself while buying a drone.
Along the line, we have listed the top 8 drones on the market these days along with our top 3 picks amongst all the drones out there. The journey is complete and assuming you choose to include a drone in your drone vlogging setup, your vlogs are about to get much more interesting!