Drones are increasingly becoming popular thanks to the all the cool features on them. No matter how hard you argue, there will be a part of you that secretly loves drones. If you’re planning on buying a drone in 2017, then you must go through our best picks. DJI has been making waves around the world and their drones are being increasingly used for some great video and audio. From my personal experience, I’ve seen these drones being used at weddings, farewells and other unforgettable events. So, let’s get started with the Best Drones of 2017.
DJI Mavic Pro
This list will be dominated by DJI because they have the best lineup of drones for all users at different price points. The DJI Mavic Pro is my personal favorite and it competes against the Karma from GoPro. Since DJI has been making drones for quite some time, all their drones are a bit superior compared to its competition. The Mavic Pro is tiny and when I say tiny, I mean it. It is extremely small and you don’t even have to take the propellers off. Another great thing about the DJI Mavic Pro is its controller which is compact and looks a lot like a Gameboy. There is no doubt as to why the DJI Mavic Pro is on the list of Best Drones of 2017.
DJI Phantom 4
The next one is from DJI as well and it is the Phantom 4. It is getting old but it is still one of the Best Drones of 2017. The large controller might put you off, but features like 20mm wide angle lens, ability to capture RAW stills, obstacle avoidance system and the sheer stability make it an amazing option. Sure, it is one of the costliest drones out there, but it justifies its price well. If you’re concerned about the price, then you should look at the Phantom 3 which is also on the list of the Best Drones of 2017.
GoPro Karma
Karma is GoPro’s answer to DJI. Have they failed miserably or have they created the best drone of 2017? Neither. GoPro creates the best action cameras in the market. But they are amateurs when it comes to making drones. That is very evident in the GoPro Karma. The video quality is amazing and it uses the Hero5 but it lacks a few vital features. There are no sensors at the front and back and it is heavier than the Mavic Pro. Battery life should’ve been a bit better too. But for some amazing videos and the ecosystem of GoPro accessories, it is a worthy drone on our list of the Best Drones of 2017. The Karma was recalled a few days after it went on sale and it has still not made it to the market. I’ll be updating this post with the links to buy the Karma drone as soon as it comes out. Bookmark this page to stay updated with any news regarding the Karma.
DJI Inspire 1
DJI’s dominance continues with the Inspire 1. This one is for more serious users and I’ll tell you why in just a moment. The Inspire 1 comes with a 360-degree rotatable camera. The camera can be swapped out for a better one and the whole body is made of carbon fiber. The feature that truly sets it apart from the consumer drones is the dual-operator control. This allows one person to control the drone itself and another person to control the camera. Since it is for serious users, it also costs some serious money. The dual-operator version comes at a whopping $3,300 while the single operator version comes at around $2,900.
DJI Phantom 3
I’d really like to include some other brand on this list of the Best Drones of 2017. But DJI is making my life so hard with their amazing lineup. The Phantom 3 is best suited for people who cannot afford the Phantom 4. It comes for just about $500 which is relatively cheap compared to some of the other models. You will have to make a few compromises in terms of operating range and battery life, but the stability of the drone and the smooth 2.7K video are just mesmerizing.
Yuneec Typhoon H Pro
Finally, we have a drone which is not from DJI. Yes, it doesn’t perform as well as some of the mainstream DJI drones and even comes at a higher price. But for the price of nearly $1,900, you get a six-rotor design which is very unique. Even this one supports dual-operator mode and has a freely-rotating camera which can shoot 4K video. The remote control that comes with it has its own display and the landing gear on the drone is retractable. The drone uses Intel’s RealSense obstacle avoidance technology, which sort of works. As you go faster with it, the obstacle-avoidance seems to falter a bit.
