The earliest known aerial photographs date back to the mid-19th century. Since the late 2000s, however, the development of camera drones has taken aerial photography to new levels.

They not only make taking images from lofty heights more accessible to amateur hobbyists, but the camera quality on many of them means that everyone, from novices to professionals, can capture stunning images.

Here are the best drones for photographers you can find today.

Our Top Choices of Photography Drones in 2023

A DJI Mini 3 Pro with DJI RC-N1
DJI Mini 3 Pro
Best Overall

A DJI Offering a Good Value and Performance Balance

The DJI Mini 3 Pro offers stunning image and video quality in any kind of lighting. It’s also lightweight at 249 grams and beats the FAA and other authorities' registration threshold. It’s one of the best high-quality choices for travelers and doesn’t cost as much as you might think. It’s easy to fly, has good safety features, and has a choice of remote control styles for extra convenience.

Pros
  • Under 250 grams
  • Excellent image and video quality
  • Dual Native ISO
  • Intelligent flight modes
  • True Vertical Shooting mode
Cons
  • Need to add a microSD card

The DJI Mini 3 Pro offers an excellent balance between value and quality. It isn’t as feature-packed as some of its more premium DJI siblings, but with an agreeable price tag and a quality camera, it's a popular drone that won’t disappoint.

It’s lightweight at 249 grams and folds to a compact 5.7 x 3.5 x 2.4 inches. Conveniently, the weight means you won't need to register it in most countries and regions, saving you time and effort on paperwork.

It has an excellent 48MP camera, and you can shoot stunning video in 4K at up to 60 fps. Image quality is superb, no matter the time of day. The camera has a wide f/1.7 aperture and supports dual native ISO, ensuring superior image quality in various lighting conditions, including nighttime. The drone also features a new 90-degree rotating gimbal for vertical shooting.

Flight time is also good at up to 34 minutes, while the tri-directional obstacle sensing and Advanced Pilot Assistance System 4.0 means you can navigate complex environments such as forests or urban areas with ease. It’s a good choice for drone noobs and a pleasure to fly for experienced pilots.

There are various choices available regarding the remote control. You can opt for the classic RC-N1 that you use with your smartphone or the newer DJI RC with a built-in display. You can also opt for the cheaper option of no remote control if you already have one from a previous purchase.

A DJI Mavic 3 Pro with DJI RC
DJI Mavic 3 Pro
Most Versatile

A Triple-Camera Drone for Versatile Shooting

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is a premium drone for photography and videography enthusiasts and professionals. It features three cameras: a main Four Thirds 20MP with Hasselblad color, a medium telephoto with excellent image quality, and a useful telephoto. You also get quality video with up to 5.1K resolution. It’s easy to fly and is packed with features, and if you are really serious about image quality, you can upgrade to the Mavic 3 Pro Cine for professional-level results.

Pros
  • Accurate Hasselblad color profile
  • Up to 15km (9.3 miles) of video transmission
  • Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing
  • Easy to control
  • Excellent stabilization
Cons
  • Only 8GB of storage in the base model
  • Pricey

The Mavic 3 Pro is a premium, professional-level, and versatile drone that boasts three cameras. The main one has a Four Thirds 20MP sensor and features Hasselblad color and a 24mm f/2.8 equivalent angle of view. It delivers the best image quality with accurate color reproduction.

You can also capture images in RAW format with a dynamic range of up to 12.8 stops and quality videos in 5.1K at 50FPS, DCI or UHD 4K at 120FPS, and Full HD at 200FPS.

The medium telephoto camera features a 1/1.3-inch 48MP sensor with a 70mm (3x) f/2.8 angle of view. It lets you get in closer than most drones and delivers excellent image quality. The third is a half-inch 12MP 166mm (7x) f/3.4 lens with a 28x digital zoom. Image quality is superior on the medium telephoto lens, but this extra-long lens still has its uses, such as shooting for industrial purposes.

The drone is a joy to fly, with total sensor coverage for obstacle avoidance and APAS 5.0 fortifying safety. The up to 43-minute flight time enhances enjoyment further, although the 8GB of internal storage means you must also budget for a microSD card.

For more storage and accessories, you can opt for the Fly More Combo, while there is also a controller upgrade option to the DJI RC Pro. Professionals may want to opt for the Mavic 3 Pro Cine at a considerably higher price. But, with that hefty upcharge, you get support for Apple ProRes encoding.

A Holy Stone HS720E drone
Holy Stone HS720E
Most Affordable

An Affordable and Well-Built Option for Newbies

The Holy Stone HS720E is an affordable, easy-to-operate drone perfect for beginners. In addition to its ease of use, the brushless motor ensures newbies can focus solely on improving flying and photography skills. Parts don’t need replacing as frequently, and the build quality is excellent. It also has numerous features, including Electronic Image Stabilization and a Follow Me Mode, that make it an ideal introduction to the world of drone photography.

Pros
  • 5GHz FPV transmission
  • Air pressure altitude control system
  • Effective EIS system
  • 4K captures
  • Durable construction
Cons
  • 46-minute flight time is split between two included batteries
  • Control distance could be greater

For beginners looking for an easy-to-use drone to help them master aerial photography, the Holy Stone HS720E is an ideal choice. It supports intelligent flight modes that enable you to achieve high-quality shots and footage without the need to interact with your drone often. Follow Me is one mode that allows the drone to track your movement for easy recording when jogging, mountain climbing, or exploring nature.

The frequent need to dismantle and replace parts in a drone with brushed motors can be tricky for beginners. For this reason, the Holy Stone HS720E embraces a brushless motor, which reduces wear and tear as there are no brushes that require constant contact with the power terminals. Besides increasing the drone’s efficiency, you won’t have to worry about the annoying screeching sound.

Another feature that deserves recognition is the Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS). It ensures you view blur-free and sharp content despite the shaking from the drone’s propellers.

An orange Autel Robotics EVO Lite+ drone
Autel Robotics EVO Lite+
Best 6K Video

An Easy-to-Fly Drone with 6K Video and Quality Stills

The Autel Robotics EVO Lite+ delivers quality 20MP stills and video at resolutions of up to 6K. It performs well in low light and can fight off level-seven winds. With various Intelligent Shooting Modes and a Defog Mode, you can get quality results at the touch of a button, even in humid or hazy conditions. With tri-directional obstacle avoidance, a good flight time, and a satisfying transmission range, it’s an enjoyable drone to capture quality images with.

Pros
  • 20MP stills
  • Up to 40-minute flight time
  • Tri-directional Obstacle Avoidance Sensing
  • Up to 12km (7.4 miles) transmission range
  • F/2.8 to f/11 adjustable aperture
Cons
  • Screenless remote

One thing that sets the Autel Robotics EVO Lite+ apart from other drones is its 6K video captures, which lets you shoot cinematic footage at 30fps. This resolution gives you more pixels to play with, so even newbies can end up with professional-level images. This drone also incorporates a one-inch CMOS that makes it easy to capture sharp and detailed videos in low-light conditions.

Extreme wind can be lethal to drones, so buying a model that stands up to harsher weather conditions is crucial. Fortunately, this quadcopter can resist level-seven winds. You can fly it at vertical elevations of up to 800 meters without worrying that it will be tossed around in the sky.

If your photography content revolves around foggy environments, then you’ll appreciate the defog mode. With this function, your drone automatically switches the camera’s vibrancy settings, so images below a waterfall or hilltops appear crisp.

An Autel Robotics EVO Nano+ drone
Autel Robotics EVO Nano+
Most Lightweight

A Lightweight Drone Ideal for Traveling

If you want to try something different from DJI, consider the Autel Robotics EVO Nano+. It’s a mini drone that can rival better DJI mini drones in terms of quality and is also a great choice for beginners with its tri-directional obstacle avoidance and easy-to-use controller.

Pros
  • PDAF and CDAF autofocus system
  • Good gimbal stabilization
  • Excellent low-light performance
  • Three-way obstacle sensors
  • Wind resistance up to 24mph
Cons
  • No high frame rates over 1080p
  • Not a particularly robust build

Another lightweight drone to beat the FAA weight threshold is the Autel Robotics EVO Nano+. Like the DJI Mini 3 Pro, it does so without compromising on image quality. With dimensions of 5.6 x 3.7 x 2.2 inches, it also folds down neatly into a compact size that you can carry around burden-free.

The camera uses a 1/1.28-inch CMOS sensor and boasts a wide 23mm f/1.9 aperture that performs admirably in low light. The 3-axis gimbal enhances its low-light performance and delivers sharp stills and smooth aerial footage. You can shoot 12MP RAW or DNG stills, or you also have the option of 50MP JPGs. Video resolution is 4K at 30fps. If you want to shoot with higher frame rates, you get 1080p at 60fps.

The three-way obstacle avoidance system makes it a reasonably easy drone to fly. However, this is ineffective in low light, so it’s best to fly in more open spaces once the sun sets. The controller is a cinch to operate and has a range of up to 10km (6.2 miles), while the Autel app is intuitive and constantly updated. It features a variety of automated shooting modes, further enhancing its suitability for inexperienced pilots.

However, flight time is an average of 28 minutes, although you can extend this by buying the premium bundle, which includes two extra batteries.

A DJI Air 2S drone
DJI Air 2S
Best for Beginners

A Quality Drone with Features and Modes for Newbies

For a superior choice for beginners, the DJI Air 2S offers easy navigation and safety features that ensure you can focus solely on developing your flying and photography skills. Despite its large sensor, it remains lightweight and compact, and image quality is first-class. There’s also a plethora of automatic shooting modes you can utilize to achieve professional-level results with minimal learning curve.

Pros
  • Large 1-inch 20MP sensor
  • Compact and relatively lightweight
  • Excellent photo and video quality
  • High-quality 5.4K video
  • Up to 31-minute flight time
Cons
  • Fixed aperture

The DJI Air 2S is an excellent drone for beginners. While it doesn’t beat FAA weight restrictions, it is still remarkably lightweight and compact despite its large 20MP 1-inch sensor. It features a wide 22mm f/2.8 (equivalent) lens.

The aperture is fixed and delivers excellent image quality, even in low light. Noise only becomes apparent at the higher end of the ISO range, while the 5.4K/30fps video is sharp and detailed. You also get 4K at 60fps and 1080p at 120fps.

Some excellent features for drone noobs looking to shoot out-of-the-box professional videos include DJI’s automated flight modes and FocusTrack Mode, which automatically follows a subject that you draw a box around. You can also manually fly the drone while the camera locks on to your chosen subject with Spotlight 2.0.

The safety features of the drone also allow new pilots to enjoy flying without fear of destroying the device. With four directions of obstacle sensing and APAS 4.0, avoiding trees and other potential dangers is a cinch. With the drone’s AirSense feature, it also detects planes and helicopters and displays them on-screen, while GEO 2.0 prevents the drone from flying near sensitive areas, such as airports.

A Sony Airpeak S1 drone
Sony Airpeak S1
Best for Pros

An Expensive Drone for Carrying Sony Alphas to Heights

The Sony Airpeak S1 is a premium drone designed for professionals needing to fly the prestigious range of Sony Alpha cameras. It doesn’t have an integrated camera but does have the best safety features for protecting your pricey Sony equipment. However, getting such a fantastic camera up in the air while offering first-rate protection doesn’t come at an affordable price, and additional equipment, such as a compatible gimbal, significantly adds to the cost. 
 

Pros
  • Battles strong wind effectively
  • Excellent obstacle avoidance
  • Efficient braking system
  • Sony-developed propulsion device and flight control system
  • Retractable landing gear for unobstructed camera field of view
Cons
  • Compatible with Gremsy T3 gimbal only
  • Extremely expensive

The Sony Airpeak is a quadcopter designed for the professional photographer. It doesn’t have an integrated camera, but the Airpeak S1 is the smallest drone available for carrying Sony Alpha mirrorless cameras. Whether you are shooting TV commercials or documentaries and want to take aerial footage with a Sony Alpha camera, this is the drone to buy.

However, you'll need bottomless pockets to purchase this drone. And it doesn’t end there because it’s only compatible with the pricey GBL-T3 from Gremsy gimbal. And, of course, you will need a Sony Alpha camera, too.

While all this pricey equipment may be intimidating to fly around, once you take off, it’s actually a straightforward drone to fly. However, it is massive, and with all the additional equipment, it’s also heavy. But it does have plenty of safety features to instill confidence.

The drone is resistant to winds as strong as 44.7mph and defies extreme temperatures from 14 degrees Fahrenheit to as high as 104. It also features multi-directional sensing and a highly effective obstacle-braking function that detects objects from as far as 180 feet, enabling it to gently slow down instead of suddenly halting, which might otherwise endanger your premium equipment.

However, one flaw the drone has is its poor battery life. Although marketed at 22 minutes, this is how long you will get while pointlessly flying without the camera. Once you also include the gimbal, battery life is limited to 12 minutes.

Which is the Best Photography Drone for You?

There are some seriously good drones for photography that will set you back a considerable amount. Drones such as the DJI Inspire 3 come with a substantial 5-figure price tag, making it inaccessible to the regular photographer. DJI designed the Inspire 3 for the professionals of this world, as did Sony with the Airpeak S1, which houses serious photography equipment at a serious price. And, if you are a pro, these are the drones you will likely be looking at.

Drones needn’t be so expensive, however. And, if you are new to the world of aerial photography, you might not want to spend so much on your first device. The Holy Stone HS720E doesn’t cost all that much, so it alleviates the anxiety new pilots might feel when flying premium equipment. Image quality is acceptable, and it outperforms other drones in this price range. You can also shoot 4K video, making it an excellent choice to practice with before gaining confidence to move up to drones with better cameras.

However, it’s DJI that dominates the drone market, and with good reason. The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is one of the best. It has three cameras offering incredible versatility and outstanding image quality. You can also shoot video in 5.1K, and if you want even more professional images, you can upgrade to the Mavic 3 Pro Cine.

However, for most amateur photographers and videographers, the DJI Mini 3 Pro offers excellent results alongside other convenient features. The 48MP camera provides high-quality images with impressive low-light captures, while you also get awesome 4K video. It’s also the ideal DJI for travelers as it beats the weight threshold of 250 grams set worldwide by most countries.

A DJI Mini 3 Pro with DJI RC-N1
DJI Mini 3 Pro
Best Overall

A DJI Offering a Good Value and Performance Balance

The DJI Mini 3 Pro offers stunning image and video quality in any kind of lighting. It’s also lightweight at 249 grams and beats the FAA and other authorities' registration threshold. It’s one of the best high-quality choices for travelers and doesn’t cost as much as you might think. It’s easy to fly, has good safety features, and has a choice of remote control styles for extra convenience.

Pros
  • Under 250 grams
  • Excellent image and video quality
  • Dual Native ISO
  • Intelligent flight modes
  • True Vertical Shooting mode
Cons
  • Need to add a microSD card