The drone industry is burgeoning, and it’s easy to see why: fun and exhilarating in equal measure, drone flying is a hobby on an upward trajectory in the UK. And with many modern drones coming equipped with high-quality cameras these days, you can capture some stunning aerial footage along the way, too.
Whether you're an expert or a first-time flier, it pays to choose the right model for you. Novices benefit from user-friendliness and safety features to get up and running quickly – and avoid crashing such a valuable piece of kit. Adept pilots or those looking to use their drone for more cinematic purposes will yearn for technical fine-tuning as well as features such as improved speed, range, and object tracking.
Meanwhile, some features will be unanimously appreciated: good battery life is essential, and live video streaming capabilities are a fun bonus, allowing for a first-person view from your soaring drone.
So, here’s our roundup of five of the best drones for all budgets. Ranging from a reasonable £200 to top-of-the-range models that will set you back by £1,000, we’ve got a selection for everyone.
The best camera drones to buy
1. DJI Mavic Pro: The best camera drone bar none
Price when reviewed: £999
It may be the priciest flier in our roundup (albeit by a mere £4) but the Mavic Pro has all of the hallmarks of a high-end drone with a rare and valuable quality – it’s portable. You can pick it up with one hand, fold it and shove it in a rucksack; immensely handy if you need to travel a long way on foot to get to a suitable place to fly.
As with all DJI drones, user-friendliness is at the Mavic Pro’s core: launched at the touch of a button on the DJI smartphone app, the drone leaps into the air and remains still, awaiting the user’s input. For those still navigating the learning curve, an optional Beginner mode limits the drone’s speed, while built-in sensors help it avoid crashing into obstacles and track moving objects.
Technically, the Mavic Pro is not dissimilar to the Phantom 4. Its high-speed mode allows you to fly at 40mph (although you surrender obstacle avoidance at this level), flight time is 27 minutes and the range is an impressive 4.3 miles, although you’ll lose sight of it long before you reach that limit.
Tap Fly is another recurring feature, allowing you to navigate at the touch of a button. Its ‘surveillance mode’ enables the drone to circle an object, pointing the camera at it the whole time, in an imposing but nonetheless impressive feat.
At £999 is an investment but its rare combination of nifty size, user-friendliness and full range of features means it’s one of the most convenient drones you can buy.
Read our DJI Mavic Pro review
Buy the DJI Mavic Pro now from DJI
2. DJI Phantom 3: Good all-rounder at a knock-down price
Price when reviewed: £460
It can’t quite compete with the technical marvels of the Phantom 4 (see below), but DJI’s Phantom 3 wields its own significant bag of tricks and it costs half as much.
At £460 this drone is a bargain, and it’s as easy to fly as DJI’s more expensive models, aided as it is by the full gamut of sensors, including GPS, compass, altimeter and gyroscope sensors.
Meanwhile, the quality of video footage is high: 2,704 x 1,524, with even 4K video available on the Professional model. To top it off, the camera is installed on an active, motorised gimbal, ensuring rock steady video footage.
Handy features include the remote control, which lets you attach a smartphone or tablet for a drone’s eye view streamed live from the Phantom 3 itself. For more tentative fliers, there’s a Beginner mode that restricts range and altitude until you’re feeling more adept with flight controls.
The Phantom 3 is an accessible and competent drone that doesn’t cost the earth. If you’re not sure about spending the big bucks on a Phantom 4 or Mavic Pro, it’s hands down the best drone in its price bracket.
Read our DJI Phantom 3 review
Buy the DJI Phantom 3 now from PC World
3. DJI Phantom 4: The Phantom 3’s high-end big brother, with object-avoidance and -tracking tech
Price when reviewed: £959
The most distinguished feature of the Phantom 4 is its automatic object-avoidance, made possible by a pair of small, front-facing cameras. This technology means the drone can identify obstacles and respond accordingly, either stopping in its flight path or nipping around them.
The same cameras let you track moving objects for spectacular selfie video footage, but that’s not all. The Phantom 4’s eponymous Tap Fly feature means you can send the drone to a particular location, simply by tapping it into the DJI smartphone app. The controls feature an invaluable pause button, allowing you to halt the Phantom 4 in its tracks if you should require. Meanwhile, an optional Beginner mode can restrict the drone’s range to a manageable 30m.
And while the above may entice novices, the numbers won’t disappoint aficionados either: 28 minutes of flight time, maximum speeds of up to 45mph and a top-of-the-range 4K camera qualify this as an excellent piece of kit.
Read our DJI Phantom 4 review
Buy the DJI Phantom 4 now from PC World
4. Parrot Disco: A fixed wing flight that’s as innovative as it is exhilarating
Price when reviewed: £995
Standing out from the roster of quadcopters on the market, the Parrot Disco is a fixed-wing marvel that’s immensely fun to fly. What distinguishes it from other high-end drones is the immersive smartphone-driven VR headset, which streams live videos direct to your eyes from its nose-mounted camera, providing the ultimate first-person flying experience.
The Parrot Disco is easily launched: simply switch on, throw it into the air, and watch it circle in autopilot above you, obediently awaiting your instruction. And once you get going, it really delivers. It’s responsive, it records flights in impressive 1080p resolution and the VR display keeps you handily informed of your speed, altitude, and remaining battery. This is topped off with an above-average flight time of 45 minutes, an extensive control range of 1.24 miles, and a maximum speed of 50mph.
Despite the minor shortcoming that, owing to its plane-like gliding descent, you need a wide, open space to land it, the Parrot Disco offers an unconventional yet thrilling drone experience.
Read our Parrot Disco review
5. Propel Star Wars drones: The best cheap drone for Star Wars fans
Price when reviewed:£200
Not a camera drone, but still one of our favourites to fly. These fledgling-but-fun drones might be small, but they’re ideal for learners and Star Wars enthusiasts alike. You can activate a virtual ceiling and floor to prevent unwanted collision when flying indoors, there is an app-based training mode for honing skills and, when you get more confident, you can fly at speeds of up to 35mph.
The Star Wars drones’ most attractive feature, however, is undeniably are their battle mode, which allow you to fight up to 23 friends using the inbuilt infrared ‘laser’. Authentic sound effects, a controller that vibrates upon enemy attack and a three-strikes-and-you’re-out policy (or rather, three strikes and your drone spins theatrically to the floor) contribute to the drone’s entertainment factor.
Battery life is short (eight minutes per charge) and the price is high, but for replicas like these you’re paying more for the movie franchise tie-in than the drones’ outright capabilities. And the fact that you can choose from Darth Vader’s TIE fighter, X-Wing, a Return of the Jedi speeder bike and a Millennium Falcon will be enough for most fans.
