Drone Essentials – The Legal Drone

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links and I will receive a commission if you use them to make a purchase. To be clear, using the links costs you nothing but is a great way to support me if my site brings you value. The prosumer drone market is always changing. That said, these are the best prosumer drones for 2019. In the past year, this market has also shown that we’re quickly coming to a point of market saturation. For most people, the pace that DJI has kept for the past few years has been too much. And unless you’re making good money in the drone business, it can be hard to justify spending money on incremental upgrades. All of that to say, I’ve put together this list of my favorite drones right now that fit the qualification of being something a consumer could buy but would also work well for a Part 107 pilot who is just getting started. I know this list only includes DJI drones. The problem is, nothing else in the “prosumer” space is actually worth mentioning. I can’t recommend any higher end drones (since those are really professional level) and I just don’t think drones like the Parrot Anafi deserve being called “prosumer.” Parrot charges for features that are standard on DJI drones and it has been plagued by some really bad design flaws. So this list of best prosumer drones for 2019 includes only DJI drones. And I’m okay with that. Each of the drones listed below come with all of the features that you’d expect from a DJI drone in this price range, including tapfly, follow me, point of interest, obstacle avoidance (which can be turned off for deliberate close-range flying), and incredible battery life. DJI Phantom 4 Pro Yes, I know, the Phantom 4 Pro is no longer in production. So buy one while you still can! To be really honest, when we were looking to purchase a second drone, I was not interested in getting a Phantom 4. I felt like it was too big and I just didn’t see why it should be the one. Fast forward to now, it is largely the only drone we use. I LOVE this drone. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that it is my favorite drone. It is super easy to fly and on a sunny day with a set of ND filters, it takes fantastically smooth footage. The problem with this drone? DJI is seemingly phasing it out, which is sad for a few reasons, not the least of which is that this drone is sort of iconic. It is probably the one that most people picture in their heads when someone talks about drones. You can still get this drone, but there might come a time soon when you can only get a used one. Phantom 4 Pro Stats Battery life: 30 minutes Flight range: 4.3 miles Sensor size: 1 inch sensor Max speed: 45 mph Weight: 3.06 lbs Below is a link to this drone on Amazon. There are also other options to buy this drone with additional accessories. Just make sure that whatever you buy has original manufacturer batteries, etc. Check Price on Amazon DJI Mavic 2 Pro and Zoom This drone really comes in two forms: the Pro, which has a Hasselblad camera and the Zoom, which comes with a x2 optical zoom. Mavic 2 Pro If it's me, I’m going for the Pro just because the camera is better, even if only a little bit. The 20 MP camera is a pretty good leap from the 12MP camera on the Zoom. The other issue is that I’ve never really found much use for a zoom feature with the photography and videography work that I do. Anytime I’ve ever seen zooms in footage, it looks cheesy to me. Importantly though, the Mavic 2 series appears to be the real replacement for the Phantom series of drones at DJI. With the camera improvements and the fact that the Mavic 2 is so much more portable, there’s really no reason to not but one of these if you’re looking to make an upgrade or just get into the prosumer market. Mavic 2 Zoom Lastly, DJI has even come out with an enterprise level of these drones. While they aren’t on sale through their website (only direct from a DJI dealer), one of them has a FLIR thermal camera and they are even selling a spotlight for use in low light, a loudspeaker and a beacon so that it can be used at night. These features make this drone ideal for search and rescue and come in at a fraction of the price of other drones with these features. Mavic 2 Pro Stats Battery life: 31 minutes Flight range: 11.1 miles Sensor size: 1 inch sensor (20 MP Camera) Max speed: 45 mph Weight: 2 lbs Mavic 2 Zoom Stats Battery life: 31 minutes Flight range: 11.1 miles Sensor size: 1/2.3 inch sensor (12 MP Camera) Max speed: 45 mph Weight: 2 lbs Links to Amazon for both drones are below. Check Mavic 2 Pro Price on Amazon Check Mavic 2 Zoom Price on Amazon DJI Mavic Pro The DJI Mavic Pro is another drone that I purchased as a backup to the Phantom 4 Pro. And I really do love this little drone. The portability, like the Mavic 2 series, is incredible. I often pack this thing in my backpack and forget that its even there. Also due to the size, the battery life is pretty incredible, locking in at 27 minutes. And don't be fooled, this drone is a fantastic way to break into the professional market. You can get a Mavic Pro kit (complete with a carrying case and an extra battery for under $800, which is why it still makes my list of best prosumer drones in 2019. Mavic 2 Pro Stats Battery life: 27 minutes Flight range: 8 miles Sensor size: 1/2.3 inch sensor (12 MP Camera) Max speed: 40 mph Weight: 1.62 lbs Link to Amazon is below. Check Mavic Pro Price on Amazon