Best drones 2024: Discover the ultimate drones

As the term suggests, the best drones are the best that money can buy. Prices can vary and this impressive category includes all types of drones including single-camera drones, multi-camera drones, sub-250 g drones, FPV drones and specialist professional models. It's arguably the most varied category, but the one where high performance is always delivered.

With such a wide variety of drones, there are many considerations to make when selecting one of these models. Camera features and performance, size, weight, flight performance and unique features will always weigh in on the equation. Not to mention, the way the drone flies can be important: are you looking for a camera drone or an FPV model?

This may make choosing the best option for you seem a little daunting, but it's not the case because navigating the intricacies of different drones is simple. Plus, they're all excellent so it's difficult to go too far wrong and our recommendations will undoubtedly point you in the right direction.

If you're looking for something more specific or would like to get an idea of what's available in the wider drone market, check out our other comprehensive buying guides. In these, we take a look at the best camera drones, best beginner drones and best FPV drones.

The Quick list

Best drones we recommend in 2024

Best drone overall

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If you'd like the best all-rounder with features, functionality and camera performance that will suit the requirements of most pilots, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro could be the drone for you. With three cameras, you're spoilt for creative choice and although this is a prosumer drone, it's a great option for beginners, too. Check out our DJI Mavic 3 Pro review where you can discover more about this impressive model.

It features a 24mm Four Thirds Hasselblad camera which captures images at 20MP. Its aperture is adjustable from f/2.8 and f/11, suitable for a wide range of situations and photographic effects, and you can also record video up to 5.1K. On either side of the Hasselblad, you'll find a 70mm medium telephoto camera and a 166mm telephoto, having a wide range of zoom lengths covered.

It features the hallmark Mavic folding design, and like the other models, we found it could provide around 30 minutes of flight time. It also comes with two different smart controller options, both featuring 5.5-inch touchscreens, so there's no need to hook up your smartphone.

The Mavic 3 Pro is very intuitive and easy to fly for a drone of this class since it comes with a number of flight and safety features such as Advanced Return to Home, AirSense ADS-B to detect aircraft, GEO 2.0 geofencing, obstacle sensing and automated flight patterns for video.

This is a high-end drone with many possible applications for both professional and enthusiasts. It's certainly not an inexpensive drone, but you're paying for the best available and it's priced similarly to older models at launch which is fair. So, if you're looking for a powerful and feature packed drone with fantastic cameras, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro is the one for you.

• Read our full DJi Mavic 3 Pro review.

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Best mid-size drone

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The DJI Air 3S is a folding medium-sized drone that sits between the sub-250 g DJI Mini 4 Pro and DJI Mavic 3 Pro in terms of price and camera functionality, but also manages to overtake the higher-end model with some useful new features. It's a fantastic drone overall and it's fair to say that it's one of the best available thanks to its features and impressive dual camera.

The Air 3S features a 50MP 1-inch CMOS in the 24mm equivalent main camera, while the 70mm equivalent medium telephoto uses a 48MP 1/1.3-inch CMOS. These provide a huge amount of versatility and image quality is excellent overall with the larger sensor naturally being the most impressive of the two.

Video can be captured in flat color profiles for color grading and a larger dynamic range, as well as the standard profile for straight-out-of-camera footage. Video can be captured up to 4K 120 FPS, 1080p up to 240 FPS and 2.7 vertical video up to 60 FPS. Photos can be captured in Raw and JPEG at 12MP and the full resolution of each sensor.

The Air 3S also features advanced collision avoidance including forward-facing LiDAR for night flying, impressive subject tracking, Off-state Quick Transfer and it can be connected to 4G using the DJI Cellular Dongle 2 and a SIM card for more secure and reliable connectivity in complex environments.

• Our full DJI Air 3S review is coming soon.

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Best single camera drone

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The DJI Mavic 3 Classic features only the impressive 24mm equivalent lens, adjustable aperture and Four Thirds sensor to offer excellent image quality for photos and videos. Many drone pilots only require a wide-angle camera, so the Mavic 3 Classic meets this need while delivering flagship performance for a lower cost.

The camera on here in the excellent 24mm Hasselblad camera, capable of capturing 20MP stills or 5.1K video, so you're getting the best-of-the-best in terms of image quality. You can shoot in either JPEG or Raw, adjust the aperture between f/2.8 and f/11 and make use of a 3x digital zoom.

There are two controller options with this drone, depending on your budget. You can opt for a controller with a retractable phone holder or pay a bit more to get a smart controller with a 5.5-inch touchscreen, which in our DJI Mavic 3 Classic review, we found improved the overall user experience. This drone has the typical foldable design of the Mavic range and flight time was around 30 minutes during our testing.

Even beginners will be able to get the hang of flying this drone quickly thanks to all the on-board flight assistance. The Mavic 3 Classic features Advanced Return to Home, obstacle avoidance using multiple vision sensors and the highly effective ActiveTrack 5.0 for subject tracking. The High-Speed Quick Transfer feature also makes it super easy to share your results with clients or on social media since you can transfer files to your smartphone over WiFi at a rate of 80MB/s.

If you don't need a second or third camera, you can make a decent saving on this drone in comparison to the other Mavic 3 drones without losing many of their other great features and functionality. What's more, the camera on offer is the best available on any consumer drone.

• Read our full DJI Mavic 3 Classic review.

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Best non-DJI alternative

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The Autel EVO Lite+ may be a few years old now, but it's still available to purchase and remains a more than competent performer in terms of flight performance and image quality. The features on offer are excellent and the Lite+ remains one of the best DJI alternatives available.

Not everyone wants a DJI drone, and that can be for many reasons including cost. And while there are many mid-range alternatives available, none are close to the performance of the Autel EVO Lite+. Thanks to an excellent camera, impressive collision avoidance and advanced features, the EVO Lite+ is the best DJI Mavic 3 alternative available.

The camera on the EVO Lite+ offers a 20MP resolution alongside a 1-inch sensor with an equivalent focal length of 29mm. Its aperture can be adjusted between f/2.8 and f/11, which is fantastic for adjusting video exposure, and it can shoot video up to 5.4K, with 4K at 60fps.

Shooting in both Raw and JPEG is possible for still images, and the camera offers an impressive ISO range of 100-6400, which is similar to many entry-level DSLR and mirrorless cameras.

It comes with a controller that looks similar to gaming controllers and attaches to your smartphone to be used with the AutelSky app. The folding design makes it easy to transport, and you can choose from a range of colors including Classic Orange, Deep Space Gray and Arctic White. The high-capacity 6175mAh battery kept this 835g drone in flight for just over 30 minutes during our testing.

Other features include a very sensitive collision avoidance system which came in handy a few times during our Autel EVO Lite+ review, 38mph wind resistance, QuickShots automated flight patterns and Dynamic Track to enable the drone to track moving subjects. We think this drone offers excellent value for money, especially if you buy the Premium Bundle, which comes with additional batteries, spare propellers, a set of ND filters and a shoulder bag.

• Read our full Autel Evo Lite+ review

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Best professional mini drone

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Sub-250 g drones are incredibly popular due to their small size and light weight, not to mention they're regulator-friendly in most regions. And with the DJI Mini 4 Pro, you get some seriously impressive features and functionality that's more commonly seen on DJI's flagship models. We were hugely impressed in our hands-on DJI Mini 4 Pro review, where this small but fully featured drone is a firm favourite.

Advanced features include Omnidirectional Obstacle Avoidance, improved subject tracking, Advanced Return to Home, and several video upgrades. The drone is easy to set up and fly, which is great for beginners and experienced pilots, while the Mini 4 Pro is a smooth and responsive flier. The image sensor and camera are the same as the Mini 3 / Mini 3 Pro, so image quality is similar, although image processing is claimed to have been improved.

Image quality produced by the 48MP 1/1.3-inch sensor is fantastic given the small size of the sensor, and high ISO handling is outstanding. The lens produces an equivalent focal length of 24mm and the fixed f/1.7 aperture is fantastic for low light shooting but still captures a large depth-of-field. One of the most useful aspects of the camera is that it can be rotated 90 degrees to allow users to switch between landscape and portrait-oriented photos and video.

Photos can be captured in both Raw and JPEG formats, while with video, you can capture in both standard and flat color profiles, and if you're shooting slow motion you can shoot up to 4K. Overall, we think this is an excellent drone for users who don't quite want to pay top prices, but want a seriously compact piece of equipment with pro-spec features.

• Read our full DJI Mini 4 Pro review

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Best portable camera drone

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The DJI Air 2S has well and been superseded by the Air 3 and Air 3S, but it's still available to buy from some retailers and should be available at a competitive price. It's a great drone overall despite it's age and the 24mm equivalent camera with a 20MP 1-inch sensor produces great image quality with impressive high ISO performance.

There's no adjustable aperture, this is fixed at f/2.8, but there is up to an 8x digital zoom available. But as we mentioned in our DJI Air 2S review, image quality does suffer with digital zooms so we recommend only going as far as 2x to maintain optimal image quality.

This is a compact and lightweight drone: it weighs just 21oz (595g) and measures 7.1 x 3 x 3.3 inches (18 x 9.7 x 7.7cm) when it's folded up. It's not sub-250g, but it is still small and light enough to make it easy to carry around and pack into a bag.

We're also very impressed with the build quality of the DJI Air 2S. It feels very sturdy and reliable which, given the price point of the Air 2S, is very welcome indeed.

You can shoot up to an impressive 5.4K video and 4K video at 60fps, creating some stunning shots. The only downside is that it comes with a fixed f/2.8 aperture so you can't control the exposure while it's in flight and will need to use a set of ND filters for filming video.

Like many of the other DJI drones, the Air 2S is packed with features that make flying it safe and easy. It's equipped with front, rear, bottom and top obstacle sensors, AirSense ADS-B technology to detect aircraft and multiple automated flight patterns that mean even beginners can shoot complex-looking video footage. We think it offers great value for money if you're looking for a portable drone that can still maintain high image quality and functionality.

• Read our full DJI Air 2S review

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Best drone for beginners

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If the DJI Mini 4 Pro is out of your price range, the DJI Mini 3 is the next best option and even uses the same sensor. This means that image quality is almost identical, which is great news for pilots on a budget.

The DJI Mini 3 isn't an entry-level DJI mini model, that's the DJI Mini 4K, but it is the more basic option of the higher-end Mini models when compared to the DJI Mini 4 Pro. Video capture is more basic and the Mini 3 doesn't offer collision avoidance. That said, it's still an impressive drone for the price.

The camera provides an equivalent focal length of 24mm which is wide-angle and an ideal focal length for aerial photography and video. This is backed up by a 1/1.3-inch 12MP sensor and fixed f/1.7 aperture.

The camera also rotates 90° to shoot photos and videos in both landscape and portrait formats, which is a most welcome feature for photographers and those creating aerial videos for social media.

In our DJI Mini 3 review, we found the ISO handling to be excellent throughout the full range of ISO 100-3200. Photos can be captured in both Raw and JPEG formats. Video can be captured up to 4K at 30 fps in the Normal color profile.

So, while not as good as the Pro 4 which can shoot in the flat D-Log M color profile for color grading and professional workflows, it's ideal for beginners and intermediate users.

• Read our full DJI Mini 3 review

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Best FPV drone

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FPV drones are traditionally difficult to fly, albeit the most exhilarating once you've got to grips with manual control. DJI has turned this tradition on its head with its FPV drones and the DJI Avata 2 is an FPV drone that can be flown competently by both absolute beginners and experienced FPV pilots looking for peak performance.

For beginners, the DJI Motion 3 Controller is incredibly intuitive and makes FPV flight as easy as playing a computer game. All that's required is for the pilot to pull the trigger to fly forward while tilting the controller forward or backward to ascend and descend. Turning is achieved simply by tilting the controller to the left or right. Plus, GPS positioning holds the drone in a hover when the trigger is released.

For more advanced pilots, the drone can be flown in Acro mode using the DJI FPV Remote Controller 3 but this is for experts because, as we found out in our DJI Avata 2 review, the drone can be crashed extremely easily. Whether you're a beginner or an expert pilot, you'll enjoy the new DJI Goggles 3 which provides a clear and crisp 1080p 60fps feed of the FPV camera using DJI 04 Video Transmission.

The FPV camera of the Avata 2 can capture 4K 60fps video, and if you're happy to reduce the resolution of 1080p you can get framerates of up to 120fps. Different color profiles are available, including Normal for straight-out-of-camera footage, and D-Log M flat profile if you want more advanced post-processing options and color grading. We've found the video quality to be fantastic here and there's no reason you can't use the camera here to capture video alone — but some FPV pilots prefer to attach action cameras to the drone instead.

• Read our full DJI Avata 2 review

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Best dual camera drone

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With a power to weight ratio that makes flying in stronger wind than sub-250 g drones, the DJI Air 3 is an impressive performer pilots will undoubtedly enjoy. THis drone features two cameras with focal lengths equivalent to 24mm and 70mm. Each of these is backed up by the same sensor found in the impressive DJI Mini 3 and Mini 4 Pro.

You can shoot vertically using in-camera digital cropping, capture photos at 48MP, shoot slow-motion video at 4K and capture video in standard and flat color profiles. That's an impressive suite of features, and users will appreciate the flexibility of the focal lengths on offer to provide creative flexibility in a wide range of aerial situations.

The Air 3 is a medium-sized model that sits between the DJI Mini 4 Pro and the DJI Mavic 3 Pro, with all three offering similar flight features. It's larger and more powerful than the former, with a maximum wind resistance of 27mph, and is slightly smaller and lighter than the latter with a weight of 25.4oz / 720g.

The advantage of medium-sized drones like this is that they're more powerful than than sub-250 g models and also have a higher wind resistance. This opens up creative possibilities on more conditions, but this does mean that it's not as regulator-friendly. The batteries are also higher capacity which means longer flight times.

Alongside precise GPS positioning, the Air 3 offers omnidirectional collision avoidance and advanced return to home, which in our DJI Air 3 review, we found incredibly useful. This is on top of incredibly easy-to-use flight controls, stable flight performance, advanced subject tracking functionality and to top it all off, excellent image quality for both photos and videos from both of the cameras.

• Read our full DJI Air 3 review

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Best entry-level drone

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Nipping at the heels of, and in many cases overtaking, all inexpensive beginner drones, the DJI Mini 4K is a beginner pilot's dream. This is DJI's most inexpensive sub-250 g drone, and is capable of capturing great quality video in 4K up to 30 FPS, 2.7K up to 30 FPS and 1080p up to 60 FPS. Photo capture is also available in both JPEG and RAW formats.

This palm-sized drone weighs just 8.7 oz / 249 g, which means that US pilots won’t have to register with the FAA or use Remote ID if using the drone for recreational purposes. UK pilots will, however, still have to register as an operator with the CAA. Take a look at our full review of the DJI Mini 4K to learn more about this impressive entry-level model.

Despite its small size and lightweight, the Mini 4K offers Level 5 wind resistance which equates to up to 24 mph, and is impressive for an entry-level drone. Flight times typically average around 21 minutes before Return to Home is initiated when the battery reaches 20%. It's far from the best flight time, so we recommend investing in the Fly More Bundle that includes three batteries.

Unsurprisingly given the size of the DJI Mini 4K, the image sensor on board is pretty small; it's a 12MP 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, but despite its small size size we found the image quality to be impressive and perfectly acceptable for beginners.

12MP isn't huge in terms of resolution but it's still enough to be able to print photos to around A3 if you wish. Video isn't affected by the resolution since 4K is only around 8MP and uses less of the sensor for the 16:9 ratio. What's more, photos can be enlarged in Adobe Lightroom the Super Resolution feature to increase file sizes by 4x.

There are several noteworthy camera features here, including automatic exposure bracketing and a built-in panorama function, which photography enthusiasts will no doubt appreciate. There are also automated flight patterns - Quickshots - which will allow you to capture professional-looking videos at the touch of a button: the perfect tool for a beginner.

• Read our full DJI FPV review

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Best FPV drone kit

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The Emax Tinyhawk III Plus Freestyle Kit is arguably the best traditional ready to fly (RTF) drone kit for FPV beginners. It's even a great little kit for more experienced pilots looking for some quick and easy FPV fun. What makes it ideal for beginners is that not only is it extremely tough, but it's tuned for freestyle flying with variable power options available.

Take a look at our full Emax Tinyhawk III Plus Freestyle Kit review where we gave this impressive drone a top rating. The kit includes everything you need to get started, so out of the box you're ready to fly once everything is charged. Plus, the digital FPV feed provides a clear and higher-resolution goggle feed.

Being a freestyle FPV drone, the Tinyhawk III Plus sports a lightweight X-shaped airframe with exposed propellers and electronics that are exposed on the sides. The HDZero camera sits recessed slightly at the front of the drone, while the single 1S or two 1S batteries are attached to the top with a Velcro strap.

The goggles included here, the Transporter 2 HD FPV goggles are capable of displaying an 1080p on-screen image and can capture 720p 60 FPS video. If video is your main focus, you'll likely want to find something capable of capturing at a higher resolution, but for beginners it's a good place to start. It's easy to capture too, with the goggles having a built-in DVR that can take a microSD card up to 64GB.

• Read our full Tinyhawk III Plus Freestyle review

• Read our full DJI Mini 4K review

Best premium FPV drone

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The DJI FPV may be a little long in the tooth, but it's still available to buy and is an incredibly fast FPV drone. And while it's certainly not ideal for capturing photos, it can capture awesome 4K videos at up to 60 FPS. The camera itself houses a 12MP 1/2.3-inch COMS sensor, while the lens provides a wide-angle equivalent focal length of 14.66mm.

When paired with the DJI Goggles VI, the DJI FPV is about as close as you'll ever get to feeling like you're flying while keeping your feet firmly on the ground. It helps that the view within the goggles is beautifully crisp and sharp thanks to its high quality screens. The motion controller is great to use, too: it sits comfortably in your hands and is intuitive and responsive.

This drone is much larger than the newer DJI Avata 2 at 10 x 12.3 x 5 inches. This means it's much less transportable so you'll need a large case to carry it. But with this larger size come greater power, and this drone is incredibly fast in its three flight modes with Manual mode being the fastest of all. Sport mode remains exhilarating and can be used with the Motion Controller, unlike Manual mode.

Following our DJI FPV review, if you're a beginner the DJI Motion Controller is your best option for this drone. Although, the DJI Avata 2 would be much more suitable overall if you're interested in getting started in FPV. The DJI FPV is, however, much less expensive so it may be a great option if you're on a tight budget.

• Read our full DJI FPV review

Best drone for children

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The DJI Ryze Tello is a great choice for not only for those dipping their toes into drone piloting, but also children. While there are plenty of drones out there for professionals, following our DJI Ryzel Tello review we would consider it an ideal inexpensive first drone for beginners and children.

The Ryze Tello certainly isn't going to win you any awards in the photography and video department with its 5MP camera and 720p video capture. That said, it's still a great drone for learning how to combine flight with image capture. There's no gimbal with the camera mounted directly to the front of the drone.

There are, of course, other downsides given the price point of the Tello (which comes in around $100). You'll only get around 13 minutes of flight time here, but it's fun to fly and a great introduction into the world of drones for beginners. You can control the drone from the smartphone app it can be paired with. Not to mention, it can be programmed using Scratch making it a suitable choice for kids.

The DJI Telly Ryze can take off from the palm of your hand and be flipped in mid-air. You can even fly it indoors thanks to the propeller guards and the fact it weighs just 80 grams. It's worth noting that the flight distance on this drone is limited to 100m, however, and power is limited so only fly outdoors on windless days.

The drone is easy to use and fun for children especially, and the phone app works well for control. Compatible physical controllers can also be purchased separately from Amazon if you'd prefer a more traditional flying experience but, either way, it remains a fun drone and is incredibly easy to use.

• Read our full DJI Ryze Tello review

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Buying advice

Buying a drone is exciting but can also be an overwhelming experience, considering the myriad options on the market. While there are hundreds of models to choose from, the advances in drone technology mean you're unlikely to find a really bad quality drone. However, they're usually a considerable investment, so it's worth thinking about what you're looking for in a drone to find the perfect fit for you.

DJI is the market leader in drone technology. Their models also tend to be relatively good value considering their quality and the features they come with. DJI has an extensive lineup, with models for all budgets and abilities. Among other famous brands, you might want to consider Autel, Parrot and Skydio, all of which have quality products and unique features.

Remember that if you're buying a drone weighing more than 249g, you'll need to register as a pilot with the CAA (UK) and FAA (US). The process is quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive, and failure to do so could result in a considerable fine.

• Read more: Drone regulations

How we test

Space.com reviews a wide range of products, from telescopes, drones, and cameras to 3D printers and VR headsets. Consequently, our reviews have varying formats depending on the type of product being tested. No matter what we’re covering, though, there are three core areas that we look to test when writing our reviews: design, functionality and performance.

The best drones typically offer a combination of features, functionality and photo and video quality. Testing takes place over several days in different locations, environments and weather conditions (excluding rain) to assess flight performance, flight features, overall handling and image quality for both photo and video capture.

Drones are flown using manual flight patterns to test the connection between the aircraft and the controller, latency between the two, the accuracy of the controls, app connection, reliability and the flight experience in general. Automated flight patterns and collision avoidance are also typically available with these models, so these are always tested to check accuracy, reliability and ease of use.

All testing is conducted in a way that meets local aviation laws and restrictions to ensure that all flights are safe and legal. Drone laws vary from region to region, so you must check local laws and make sure that you're following the guidelines for your country before embarking on your first drone flights.

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