The 4K drones are used for remote sensing, aerial surveillance, site constructions, and even by photographers and videographers. With the advent of technology, you get ultra-high 4K cameras in these drones provided you pick the right one. If you do not know how to do that, we have made a list of the best 4k camera drone available in the market. Our list is made after expert consultation and rigorous testing, be rest assured only the quality devices are chosen. The best of the best 4K camera drone is DJI Phantom 4Pro.
Table of Contents
Our Top Choices
Best 4K Camera Drone
1.DJI Phantom 4Pro – Best For Racing Drone
- Headless mode: headless mode simplifies flying by elimination to the transmitter, no...
- One key 360°flips mode: with the latest technology of 6-Axis gyro flying control...
- 3D FPV real time transmission: camera equipped with 0. 3MP and the Wi-Fi FPV Video is...
DJI is one of the most popular 4k camera drones in the market. It has a lot of models and among them, this one is the best. This one has improved motors, more efficient propellers, an enhanced video processing system, and amazing ocusycn connectivity. This model is made for object avoidance technology and is one of the vital requirements of drones. The V2.0 series has added radars and improved obstacle avoidance specifications. Moreover, while testing we also liked its unique propeller guard setup. On the whole, it looks nicely designed and the most notable feature is its propeller guards. Instead of having the wrap around the propellers, it has a single plastic frame that keeps it safe from the sides, top, and bottom.
Moving on to its abilities, you get here five intelligent flight modes like Tapfly, Active track, Gesture, and return to home. For a reliable flight time, it has a good control system, many vision sensors, an infrared sensing system, GPS, GLONASS, ultrasonic range finders, and a powerful computing core. All this makes obstacle sensing and object clearance much easier. Last but not least for more ease during recording its has 360 degrees flip mode. It has the latest technology 6-Axis gyro flying control system that you need for professional video making.
- One axis 360-degree flip
- Great object clearance
- Easy flight and good flight time
- Unique propeller guard set-up
- Takes time to learn its operation, meant for experts
Bottom Line
This piece has advanced flight time technologies, improved camera resolution, and everything else that you need for professional aerial video making.
2. DJI Mavic 2 Pro – Editor’s Choice
- Equipped with a Hasselblad L1D-20c camera with a 20MP 1” CMOS Sensor, the Mavic 2...
- Up to 31 minutes flight time, 44 mph max speed, 907G takeoff weight, 3-axis gimbal...
- Functions include ActiveTrack 2. 0, Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing, Hyperlapse,...
DJI Mavic Pro is a compact folding 4K drone that is known for its portability. This mini device can fold down to itself to fit in a backpack, large pocket, and when required can open up to capture 4K videos at a speed of 40mph in the sky. The device weighs only 13.1 ounces that making it more portable for any type of flight. The DJI Mavic 2 Pro is known for its smooth flight time. Thanks to its 3-axis stabilized gimbal that offers very smooth footage and Ocusync that enables long-range and HD quality live video streaming.
The device comes with the following things DJI Mavic Pro 2, smart controller intelligent flight battery, gimbal protector, remote controller, 3 propellers, battery charger, power cable, USB adapter, spare control sticks, RC cable. Overall, the Mavic 2 is made to optimize propulsion, low power consumption, and reduce noise. It has improvements to its previous version along with an improved flight time autonomy system, and a much quieter flight for safe shooting.
- Quiet flight
- Foldable and portable unit
- Comes with almost all the accessories
- HD camera quality
- Geoposition lock is an issue with this
Bottom Line
The Mavic Pro 2 is a foldable 4K drone camera that can fit in a bag pack or any large pocket. It has also advanced features from stabilization to enhanced video processing.
3. DJI Mavic Air 2 – Best For Beginner
- 【UP YOUR GAME】: The Mavic Air 2 camera drone takes power and portability to the...
- 【NEXT-LEVEL CONTENT】: Capture impressive 48MP photos with a 1/2-inch CMOS sensor...
- 【IMPROVED FLIGHT】: An impressive flight time of up to 34 minutes allows you to...
If you are planning to buy a drone in a price range of $500-$1000 this might be the right choice. It has superb camera quality, good sensors, and is way better than other drones in this range. The DJI Mavic Air 2 has increased flight time with its increased weight. The weight of it is only 570 grams which makes it heavier than its predecessor. The extra weight is a downside but that makes it cover 68.4 km in one hour. The device can shoot in 4K at 60 frames per second. The new records at 120Mbps per second leaving behind the other models. Moreover, you can also take slow-mo videos with it at 1080p at 120 and 240fps.
In addition to this, it is one of the first drones to feature an 8K hyperlapse for stunning footage recording. For this, you can use the lower resolutions 4K, 2.7K, and 1080. To make the flight easier, it has the most advanced autonomous flying feature. It uses its new mapping technology and flight time path algorithms for ultra-smooth transition sounds when the drone passes under or over objects. Overall, a great device to have a safe noise-free aerial recording.
- Smart Capture feature
- Latest mapping technology for a smooth flight
- Affordable
- Hyperlapse feature
- None
Bottom Line
A mini, affordable beginner drone with 4K camera. Buy it, if you are looking for something that could easily get you get a hang of aerial recording.
4. DJI Inspire 2 Drone – Best For Sport Configuration Mode
- Efficient workflow
- Sense and avoid
- Spotlight Pro; Compatible with 5.2K Gimbal Cameras
If money is not your concern, try your hands on this exquisite beauty, it has superb 5.2k quality and top-end performance. It has a premium magnesium alloy body and for stabilization is achieved by a 2-axis gimbal. To further ease the flight time, it is secured by obstacle sensors in the front, in between, and in forward. We tested it for its flight time and flight speed and were mesmerized to see its performance. The flight has a speed of 40mph in the standard operating mode and a speed of 69mph in the sport configuration mode. Nevertheless, we would suggest you when using a sport mode make sure you have a clear area as in this mode it disables the obstacle avoidance system and needs a good area for shopping.
Other than this, there are several safety features like return to home. With this, the drone automatically returns to its launch point when the link between the controller and the aircraft is affected. The body weight and size is solid. It can go as high as 19,000 feet within 14 minutes. This beauty can be used for various purposes like aerial videography, photography, surveillance, and for some extra fun.
- Ultra-clear camera quality
- No lag in transmission
- Obstacle avoidance is up to the mark
- Good in-built memory
- Expensive
Bottom Line
DJI Inspire would give the best video recordings when compared to other products in the market. It is an excellent choice for production houses. It’s a pro-grade kind of construction quality. It’s amazing when it comes to redundant flight systems, obstacle avoidance, and support for dual-operator control. In sport mode, it flies hand in hand with the airspeed.
5. PowerEgg X Wizard Drone – Under $100
- 【Stunning 4K60FPS footage】: Capture high-definition aerial footage with...
- 【Dual-mode functionality】: Enjoy the versatility of two modes in one device, with...
- 【Intelligent features for creative shooting】: Use slow-motion and time-lapse...
PowerVision is certainly one of the amazing companies that have been award-winning underwater 4K drones as long as the flying ones. They have the latest AI face recognition technology to deliver accurate, efficient, multi-angle, and remote face recognition. It recognizes faces accurately and also locks on a subject which it is following. This feature comes in very handily when flying drones for surveillance and photography/videography. It is altogether a stunning product because of its stability and AI tracking it records the videos quite accurately and closely. Moreover, it’s a beach-ready drone you can land it in water or you may even fly it in rain. Thanks to its waterproof housing.
The device weighs around 860g. You can fly it till 6kms easily as at one full charge its, battery lasts for around 30 mins. The battery life is more in dry mode than compared to wet mode. The drone can be converted to a hand-held cam recorder too. You just need to fold its arms mount it on a gimbal for stable recording and you are good to go. Lastly, what you get with it is a full set of arms, propellers, spare pairs, batteries, chargers, and a protective case.
- Waterproof
- Good camera quality
- Can be converted to a handheld camera
- Manual and automatic controls
- No recorder button
- Small image sensor
Bottom Line
All in all, a great all-purpose drone camera that you can use as a personal AI camera, or as a surveillance/photography drone.
6. DJI Mavic Mini – Ultra-Smooth Product
- The compact yet powerful Mavic Mini camera drone is the perfect creative companion,...
- Weighing less than 0.55lbs by 250 grams, Mavic Mini is almost as light as the average...
- Mavic Mini supports 12MP aerial photos and 2.7K HD videos. A 3-axis motorized gimbal...
If you are looking for the best cheap drone with decent camera quality, this can be a good bet. This drone is a beginner 4K drone camera, that anyone can buy for fun recordings and shootings near the beach. The best part is its registration is free in the UK, USA, Canada, China, and many other countries. It can be a portable compact powerful drone and your perfect companion for capturing movements effortlessly. It weighs only 250 grams so you can take it easily anywhere you want to. For flying it you do not need any registration, you just have to secure your approval to fly the aircraft. This is a minimum fuss because flying other high-drones requires a fee and a registration too.
Moreover, to make it more blogger/Instagrammer friendly it has self-friendly clips so that you can get amazing shots. It also features quick shots a pre-programmed feature for selfie clips. Its quality is similar to a high-end phone. Lastly moving on to its battery life, it stays in air for good 30 minutes after a full charge.
- Affordable
- Decent camera quality
- Pre-programmed selfie feature
- Lightweight
- No registration required
- No 4K video
Bottom Line
A great affordable drone for beginners who want to learn the art of aerial photography.It can also be a good option for vloggers to capture cinematic videos for their followers.
7. AUTO EVO Robotic Drone Camera – Best Pocket Drone With 4K Camera
- 【Ultralight，Palm Drones】 At only 249 grams, the EVO Nano and Nano+ with 3-axis...
- 【Camera Drone 1/1.28″ CMOS】 The 4K drone EVO Nano+ is packed a...
- 【Track Fast】Moving subjects with incredible precision through PDAF + CDAF...
AUTO EVO is yet another feature-packed best hi-tech drone with all the beginner to intermediate level features and is meant for beginners to intermediate level videographers/filmmakers. It is one of the award-winning drones with a 60 fps frame rate and a smoother resolution of 4K. It is also compact and foldable. We tested it and found that it is a completely crash-free flight with its dual GPS/GLONASS satellite positioning and an advanced vision system. It performs great and also gives you live HD footage while flying it through the autel explorer app.
What impressed us more was its 3.3inch OLED screen which is integrated with a controller. It has one-touch buttons to control the drone up to 4.3 miles. Lastly, its flight time is similar to other drones in the market. Once fully charged you can fly this beauty for around 30 minutes.
- Foldable and compact
- OLED display screen
- Phone connection is not required
- 60fps frame rate
- No registration required
- No obstacle sensors are fewer.
Bottom Line
Not a cheap one, but we would say a reasonably priced drone that comes with a bundle of accessories and an OLED display screen to do aerial photography along with the live view.
8. Parrot Anafi – Best For Photo Quality
- PARROT ANAFI FPV DRONE Fly your drone as if you were in it! The Anafi FPV kit is...
- Powerful and compact equipped with a stabilized 4K HDR camera with 3x zoom the anafi...
- Parrot FPV pack everything is included so take off right away for many fantastic...
Parrot ANAFI is yet another exquisite best drone that gives tough competition to DJI models. It is much less in price when compared to DJI Mavic models. It makes sure you fly in the air and have some unforgettable aerial shots. The drone is collapsible for easy transport but after folding also it has 244mm length which makes it acquire a lot of length space. Moving on to its weight it weighs around 320 grams. However, it looks contrary to its name it looks like a dragonfly. It has a 3-axis gimbal like other competitive drones in the market for stabilization.
The flight time for this is up to 25 minutes once fully charged. It can be best charged via the USB-C charger that comes with it. We found a glitch that takes a longer time to get fully charged. What you get in this package is a compact carrying case, 2 additional smart batteries, 3 USB-C cables, a 16 GB micro SD car 2 months of access to the Adobe creative suite cloud, and a spare remote control and propellers.
- 4K video camera
- Affordable pricing
- Compact and lightweight
- Take time to get fully charged
Bottom Line
On the whole, Parrot Anafi is not equal to DJI models but at the price, it comes in you get a lot of features, amazing camera quality, good sensors, 3-axis stabilization, and a 2-month Adobe creative suite subscription.
Buying Guide
The market has a lot of the best drones available so it’s normal to get overwhelmed. The drone is a costly investment you cannot buy anything that is available in the market. You need to be sure that the product is matching your requirement and budget. If you do not know how to do this we have made a buying to help you in your purchase. Understanding this will make sure you buy the best one.
1.Types
a) RTF Drones: RTF stands for ready to fly a drone. Although it is a misleading name. You will need to install a propeller or attach the controller to the best drone before flying. Apart from this, they have all the necessary things like battery chargers, gear kits, cash kits, etc.
b) BNF Drones: BNF stands for bind to fly drones. They usually come up assembled but you need to buy a controller separately for this. They require a controller or a hobby graded remote control to start their operation.
c) ARF Drones: ARF stands for almost ready to fly drones. They are the basic flight drones but they come completely unassembled. They are basically a do-it-yourself kits. You need to assemble it on its own using the instruction manual.
2. Regulations
The rules of flying drones vary from one country to another country. We are here emphasizing US and UK like countries. The best drones that weigh above 250g(8.8 ounces) and up need registration in order to fly a drone. Flying drones that weigh above this needs legal permission. If you are flying a drone in the US you need to heed of FAA. So, this means you cannot fly your drone near the airport zone and if you did you would have to pay a hefty amount. We would advise you to get your device registered, you would be charged a minimal fee of 5$ for 3 years. Once you register, you will get a unique identification number that must be displayed on the drone at all times.
3. Right Device To Control
Most of the drones are controlled by mobile devices rather than specific drone controllers. The mobile device control is very convenient and most of the drones are compatible with all the new smartphones that have the latest operating system. We would recommend you to connect your drone to phones with a large display, fast processor, and good battery so as to control them with ease. In this category the best 4k drone cameras are DJI Phantom 4Pro, DJI Mavic 2 Pro, and DJI Mavic Air 2.
4. Flying Guidelines
You must know the FAA guidelines for operating model aircraft. A few important guidelines that are a part of FAA guidelines are as follows:
a) Make sure you can see your drone at all times
b) The device will clear off and will not interfere with manned aircraft operations.
c) Never fly over unprotected persons or moving vehicles. Remain at least 25 feet away from individuals and vulnerable properties.
d) You should inform the control tower before flying within five miles of a heliport/airport.
e) Do not fly in strong weather conditions.
f) Do not fly
Although all of them are area-specific rules. Near the airport zones, the drones are completely not allowed as they might interrupt the travel aircraft.
5. Price
Price is a factor that for sure comes into consideration. There are different models offering different features and camera quality. You should know what quality you are looking for, what is your purpose, and what is your budget. If you have a clear idea of all these things, choosing one would be much easier. We have listed all the products from the high end to the budget ones. Go forward and choose the one suiting your budget.
Final Talk
We have made the list of best 4k camera drones after rigorous research and testing. We have not only tested all the drones for their performance, efficiency, camera quality, flying time, and flight controller. We took care of each and every tiny detail because the drone is a huge investment. We made sure to include only those items in our list that passed our quality tests. We also consulted a few aircraft experts to get their insights on the quality drones. The market has a lot of variety, you do not know which one is good until and unless you use it quite a few times. But that is next to impossible that is why we have made a list for you. We have jotted down the reviews, their pros, cons, and other unique specification of each of the products. Consider going through all of them and then choose a product that suffices your need.
DJI Mavic 2 Pro - Editor's Choice
Summary
DJI Mavic Pro is a compact folding 4K drone that is known for its portability. This mini device can fold down to itself to fit in a backpack, large pocket, and when required can open up to capture 4K videos at a speed of 40mph in the sky. The device weighs only 13.1 ounces that making it more portable for any type of flight. The DJI Mavic 2 Pro is known for its smooth flight time.