Science
The 10 Best Drones With Cameras
The days of asking strangers to take your family’s photo are numbered. No longer will you have to find the courage to distract someone from their conversation to take a dozen mediocre photos. And you can thank drones for that.
But that’s not all their good for. If you ever find yourself in a position where you choose to sell your home without an agent, a drone is your perfect ally in real estate photography. Already fancy yourself a photographer but find yourself bored with the view from the ground? Interested in upping your social media presence with group photos from the sky? Enter: Drones.
While it’s extremely important to check your local laws about use of drones in your area, once you’re in the clear they can make your life easier and a whole lot more fun.
Even when it’s not all fun and games, drones lend themselves to great purpose. Do you have a dog that gets out frequently but has a few spots they usually end up? Unleash your drone and search for your friendly pal without ever leaving your home. But before the endless possibilities become your possibilities, it’s best we check out the best drones with cameras for any budget.
With its high capacity battery, real time wifi enabled video feed via 720p HD camera and intuitive flight options, the Holy Stone HS230 Quadcopter is a viable option for anyone with a little money to spend. Bonus batteries make for a lengthy flying time in which you can race--with three pre-set and easy to adjust speeds--all the other neighborhood drones when you're eager to show off your new purchase. When you're done your fight, return your drone back to your loving arms with the simple push of just one button. Flying it at night becomes a worry free breeze when you take into account the additional feature of LED lights making your drone an easy to see vehicle in the sky. At [$129.99](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0773MCWYT/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B0773MCWYT&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=4b9303cf-595a-449a-b0d6-15d3b199056d&pf_rd_r=5273Y41XA0M2GMXT9C1G&pd_rd_wg=VpJPm&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_w=3T3VU&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pd_rd_r=fdc1033c-aed2-11e8-9f1d-0fdf2b561195), your brand new drone can hit speeds of up to 26mph while doing its pre-configured 3D flips all throughout the night sky.
Sticking within the family, if the Holy Stone HS230 is out of your price range, its little brother is surely not one to disappoint. Meet the Holy Stone F181C Quadcopter. Unlike its big brother made for the more advanced drone flyer, F181C offers an altitude hold feature where you essentially put your drone on auto-pilot for the duration of your photographic experience. Like its big brother, the F181C offers a one key feature in which you can send your drone through various flips and tumbles with just a press of a button. Although, charging time is a little longer than the HS230 at 80 minutes and the flight time is quite a bit shorter at roughly 9 minutes, the F181C also comes with a bonus battery to give you a little extra flying time when you're eager. At [$79.99](https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Stone-Quadcopter-Altitude-Function/dp/B00SAUAP5C?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1), the F181C is not unreasonable for the price of fun.
Holy Stone pretty much has the market cornered when it comes to reasonably priced drones for any proficency level. If you're looking for a more travel sized drone, or just something you can tuck onto your basement shelf without monopolizing the entire space, Holy Stone's HS170 Predtor Mini Helicopter Drone may be the one for you. With many of the same features of its older brothers and the added benefit of a shorter charg time, this [$89.99](https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Stone-Predator-Helicopter-Quadcopter/dp/B0157IHJMQ?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_2) flyer is an enticing option. It's small enough at half a pound to not require FAA registration and comes complete with wind resistance for easy flying.
Among the highest rated best sellers on Amazon is the SkyCo TK107 Quadcopter. Marketed as being perfect for beginners, its controller and 6-axis gyroscope work in unison to provide a stable, intuitive flight without the fuss. Like its competitors, it lights up at night, can do quick tricks with just one button, and just like the HS170, it is small enough not to require FAA registration, giving you piece of mind during flight at any time. The HD aerial camera will take photos you never knew to be possible and with its lengthy flight time of 45 minutes, there's no telling what you'd be able to see from the sky in your own backyard. At [$59.95](https://www.amazon.com/SkyCo-Quadcopter-One-Key-Return-Headless-Helicopter/dp/B01IDLE8XC?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_11), this quadcopter makes a great gift for any age.
I'd like to introduce you to my new friend, the RC X101 Quadcopter, the only in stock Amazon best seller that comes in white. Just like many of the mini options aforementioned, the RC X101 does not require FAA registration, has a flight time of about 10 minutes and can fly "headless" allowing for better in-air tricks and camera angles. With an easy to set throttle altitude limiter coupled with one key return home function, beginner pilots do not have to fear losing sight of their drone nor it flying away undetected. For [$100](https://www.amazon.com/Quadcopter-Drone-Camera-Live-Video/dp/B01MTN7Q3S?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_12) this option is great for the whole family.
At consumer price points, many drones promise the same features as their competitors so it is ultimately all about what you want to spend. At [$45.99](https://www.amazon.com/Top-Race-TR-Q511-4-Channel-Headless/dp/B014LHZLVK?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_6), the Top Race TR-Q511 is an attractive option for anyone who wants all the features of a $100 drone under $50. It has all your essentials: wind resistance with 6-axis gyro control system, one key return, 3D stunts at the push of a button, headless flying and no necessary FAA registration.
Next up is Amazon's Choice, the Force1 UDI U818A Discovery. With over 2,000 views, this drone still boasts a solid 4 stars. It comes in a number of colorways including all black and flourescent lime green. One reviewer calls it, "the best drone ever!!!" with zealous enthusiams. Equipped with all the usual spec, and a bonus battery and power bank, this drone offers up to 18 minutes of fly time--the longest of any drone on this list. Shoot in 720p, stream live and record while your little copter buzzes around the sky all for [$89.99](https://www.amazon.com/Force1-Drones-Camera-Discovery-Quadcopter/dp/B00X9JDPYC?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_3) and a money back guarantee, Force1 promises that if you are not "100% tickled pink," it will be no loss for you.
Impress all your friends with the Syma X5C Quadcopter. Not only can you race, do 360 degree flips with just one flick of your wrist, precise hovering capability and record it all from the air as it happens, but this option is among the best looking of the bunch. Fly for about 7 minutes at a time with the promised stability of the usual 6-axis gyro, charge with the ease of USB and at [$35.26](https://www.amazon.com/Syma-Channel-2-4GHz-Explorers-Copter/dp/B00MNG37C2?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_5), it's hard to go wrong here.
Another Amazon favorite is the SkyCo Q222K Quadcopter. At [$49.95](https://www.amazon.com/SkyCo-Quadcopter-One-Key-Return-Barometer-Helicopter/dp/B01IBWEBXA?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_15), it's $10 less than its brother but doesn't skimp on the features. With this one, you can fly up to 350 feet away for 8 to 9 minutes but at only 45 minutes to change, you could scope out your local sky whenever you want without much forethought at all. With an easy to see screen and WiFi live streaming, the necessary 6-axis gyro stability, ultra bright LED lights, even beginners can have fun with this drone day or night.
If you've made it through this list and you're still not sure if a drone with a camera is essential to your existence, but you're curious enough for a test drive, the [$22.88](https://www.amazon.com/REDPAWZ-Headless-Control-Quadcopter-One-Key/dp/B01M32HHP5/ref=sr_1_1_acs_osp_osp20-b302f25c-cb_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1535915355&sr=8-1-acs&keywords=drone+with+camera&tag=bestcont06-20&ascsubtag=b302f25c-cb22-47f9-8930-510ba5775366&linkCode=oas&cv_ct_id=amzn1.osp.b302f25c-cb22-47f9-8930-510ba5775366&cv_ct_pg=search&cv_ct_wn=osp-search&pd_rd_wg=gtA4p&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-inline&pd_rd_r=98687fff-edf2-46c2-b2bf-5a38c68d7b57&pf_rd_p=bde7b808-4983-454b-9a71-59c1fc01c0c2&pf_rd_r=N7Q4QT7RAP5KJMS5R4Q9&pf_rd_i=drone+with+camera&pd_rd_w=klYmJ&creativeASIN=B01M32HHP5&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-inline&pd_rd_i=B01M32HHP5&pf_rd_p=bde7b808-4983-454b-9a71-59c1fc01c0c2&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_r=N7Q4QT7RAP5KJMS5R4Q9&pf_rd_i=drone+with+camera&pd_rd_r=98687fff-edf2-46c2-b2bf-5a38c68d7b57&pd_rd_w=klYmJ&pd_rd_wg=gtA4p) 4-star rated REDPAWZ H36 Mini Drone Quadcopter is a perfect low-commitment tester. It comes in the unique blue and black colorway and all the usual features. Buy this for your weekend away and if you fall in love, buy another of the aforementioned. If you're a drone lover, you can't go wrong with any of these options.
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