Last Updated on January 13, 2019
Are you planning to buy a drone for your camera?
With all the drones on the market, choosing the best one can be quite a challenge. You need to learn the difference between camera drones and other types, such as hobby-grade drones, racing drones, toy drones, and DIY drones.
To make the most of your purchase, there are other factors you must consider as well.
Camera Drones Buying Guide
DIY vs RTF vs ARF vs BNF
UAVs may come DIY (requires assembly), RTF (ready to fly), BNF (Bind-and-Fly), and ARF (Almost-Ready-to-Fly). The first two come complete with all the necessary components, while the last two may lack a part or two.
A BNF quadcopter, for example, does not come with a controller but could work with your existing controller provided that it is compatible.
The RTF and the BNF are also delivered completely assembled but the ARF is partially assembled and the DIY requires full assembly.
What you choose will depend on whether you are a beginner or has a knack for putting together and taking things apart.
Budget
How much money are you willing to spend on a quadcopter or drone?
RTF drones cost slightly more than DIY ones. If you need to buy other components separately, you need to take that into consideration as well.
Most people, however, say that they find it difficult to fly a cheap drone than an expensive one. So be ready to make a significant investment if you want a drone with the best components and features.
Flight time
When shopping for a camera drone, always check the average flying time with a single charge. This way, you will know if you need a backup battery in the event that a photography session takes longer to finish.
Most drones have a minimum flight time of between 10 and 12 minutes with a battery that takes 45 to 90 minutes to fully charge. Flight time can shorten if you keep doing tricks and flips.
Some drones come with a rechargeable battery while others don’t. This can have an impact on a drone’s flight time.
Controller
A majority of drone controllers operate at 2.4 GHz frequency range which will tell you how far it is you can fly a drone before it is out of the range of your control. Some new models, however, may come with better features and specifications. This is why you must check controller specs, control guide, and management features.
Sensors
GPS and temperature sensors are just some the few sensors you are likely to find onboard a more expensive unit but not on cheap drones. So if you want to be able to adjust longitude and latitude values of your quadcopter, for example, choose one with the necessary sensors.
Camera
Since you are in the market for a camera drone, it is important that the drone you choose has the ability to carry a camera unit and perform a wide array of camera actions. These include taking aerial shots from different angles, recording with high quality, and capturing stills with information about an active location.
With these in mind, buying a camera drone is easier. Now all you need to do is add one to your cart and click checkout.