Gear Guide: The 5 Best Filmmaking Drones on the Market Right Now
#Dronestagram is a hashtag on Instagram for a reason. The aerial footage that great drone filmmakers get are some of the most jaw-dropping clips out there and can make your film’s scene-setting shots way more interesting. There’s a bit of a learning curve to operating a drone as well as the high cost of buying one, but you’ll see it’s completely worth the investment when you get your dream shots.
Here are the key specs for the five best filmmaking drones that you can buy today:
1. DJI Mavic Pro — $999
Flight time: 27 minutes
Control range: 7km
Speed: 65 kph
Camera: 12 MP with 0.5m to infinity focus range and 90° rotation with 3-axis mechanical gimbal
Video: 4K 30fps, 2x digital zoom, and full HD 1080p/720p video streaming
Obstacle avoidance: Up to 15m at 30kph or less
Weight: 1.62lbs
2. Yuneec Typhoon H — $999
Flight time: 27 minutes
Control range: 7km
Speed: 65 kph
Camera: 12 MP with 0.5m to infinity focus range and 90° rotation with 3-axis mechanical gimbal
Video: 4K 30fps, 2x digital zoom, and full HD 1080p/720p video streaming
Obstacle avoidance: Up to 15m at 30kph or less
Weight: 1.62lbs
3. GoPro Karma with HERO6 Black — $1,199
Flight time: 20 minutes
Control range: 3km
Speed: 56kph
Camera: 12MP waterproof camera with a 3-axis gimbal
Video: 4K 60fps and 1080p 240fps
Weight: 2.2lbs
4. DJI Phantom 4 Pro — $1,499
Flight time: 30 minutes
Control range: 7km
Speed: 72 kph
Camera: 20 MP with an adjustable aperture from F2.8 to F11, a 1m to infinity focus range, 24mm equivalent focal length, and 3-axis mechanical gimbal
Video: 4K 60fps
Obstacle avoidance: 4 directions obstacle avoidance, 5 directions obstacle sensing up to 30m
Weight: 3lbs
5. DJI Inspire 2 — $2,999
Flight time: 25 to 27 minutes
Control range: 7km
Speed: 94kph
Camera: Zenmuse X5 or X5R and 360° rotating gimbal
Video: 5.2K/4K, CineCore 2.0 image processing, and full HD 1080p//720p video streaming
Obstacle avoidance: Up to 30m at 54kph forwards, and upward infrared sensors can scan up to 5m above
Weight: 7.58lbs (without gimbal and camera)
Bonus! Intuitive Aerial Aerigon Mk II
If money is not an object for you (or you just want to window-shop), this is the best cinematic drone available right now. The price isn’t listed on their website, but it is believed to cost around $25,000 to $50,000.
Flight time: 7 to 15 minutes
Control range: 1,000m
Weight: 20lbs frame and it can lift up to 50lbs
Camera: Compatible with cinema cameras, pro zoom lenses, and full FIZ control
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By D. Simone Kovacs, Storyhunter Editor
