How to choose your drone : For which use ?
Before deciding on a specific model, it is important to know what use you will make of your drone. Is it because you like to fly, to take pictures, videos, film your sporting exploits? According to these criteria you will already be able to eliminate a lot of models.
The choice of the price
This criterion, even if it should not really be the first factor of choice, it is unfortunately a reality and it is often him who will direct our choice for the purchase of a drone. We will distinguish three price ranges.
Range of drones under 500$.
To learn how to fly, without ruining yourself, they are a good school to learn how to fly and get familiar with the evolution in three dimensions. Their autonomy is seldom consequent but it allows to understand the activity.
Some of them, like the Mavic MINI, are equipped with powerful cameras allowing to make nice videos (2.7k with stabilized camera for the Mavic Mini).
This price range is well suited for beginners and those who want to improve their skills within a controlled budget.
Range of drones from 500$ to 1000$
Perhaps the most coveted range. A “reasonable” price for drones offering really interesting capabilities.
At the top of the list, we find the Mavic Air, which offers a 4k30i/s camera for a very small footprint. Ideal for making beautiful videos while having a drone that can be carried in a pocket. Its various piloting aids (forward/backward detection, automated flight, tracking…) set it apart from the Anafi which is not equipped with obstacle detection.
The Anafi is also very practical to take for a ride, it is small and very light. Its 180° rotatable camera makes it a very interesting atypical drone for creative videographers.
A little more expensive but below the 1000$ mark, the Mavic Pro first generation comes to overshadow them. A little heavier, but offering optimal photo/video capabilities for those who master a minimum of shooting parameters (video editing, D-log…). It offers a comfortable autonomy to realize beautiful flight sessions.
More recently, the MAVIC AIR 2 allows filming in 4k at 60 frames/second! It is good in tracking and offers a very good quality of manufacture.
Range of drones over 1000.
Aimed at demanding amateurs or semi-professional use, this range offers very high quality 4k cameras.
Often associated with automated flight technologies to allow you to focus only on the shooting.
The photo and video files will offer formats suitable for post-processing (D-log, Raw, Dng….).
However, you will have to be careful because their high speed and size will require special attention.
The Mavic 2 Pro is a reference in this field.
The choice of the size
If it is for a “leisure” and nomadic use, a foldable drone will be the best choice, not very cumbersome, they can be put in flight quickly.
The larger drones, such as Phantoms will require a lot of space when you travel and will require some logistics to transport the whole. They will not be very adapted to hikes or excursions…
The choice of the camera
A Spark allows you to make beautiful videos, even if the camera only shoots in 1080, it is not as bad as some 4k cameras.
If you don’t have any notion of video editing yet, it will be a very good choice.
You should know that the more you go for a high performance camera (4K 30i/s or 4K60i/s), the heavier and longer your video and photo files will be to work with. You will need a very powerful and recent computer to make smooth editing.
With or without obstacle detection?
Who can do more… I would say that it is safe to fly with drones equipped with efficient obstacle detection systems.
However, be careful not to rely on it… By dint of being assisted, you can become confident and you risk forgetting the basics of piloting and even taking more risks.
To start it is reassuring, but be careful not to take bad habits. A drone without pilot assistance is, according to me, the one that will allow you to assimilate the basics of piloting.
The place where you will fly
Before any purchase, you must know that you can’t fly a drone just anywhere. There are authorized zones and others strictly forbidden. The goal is to prevent any risk of collision with other aircraft or any unintended impact in populated or sensitive areas.