Filming and photographing your travels is an ideal way to share the experiences with family and friends back home. Foldable travel drones should be lightweight yet feature high-resolution cameras capable of producing cinematic footage.
Considerations should also include battery life and flying capabilities without remote controller. Some countries have regulations regarding flying drones without line of sight; so it is wise to research this aspect prior to making your purchase decision.
1. Parrot Anafi
Parrot’s Anafi foldable drone is an impressive piece of technology designed to fit neatly in a backpack. Weighing less than one pound and taking three seconds or less to unfold and start flying, its camera captures stunning 4K video as well as 21MP HDR photos – the latter feature automatically raises exposure levels in dark areas to prevent blowouts.
This drone’s battery and controller can both be charged using USB-C, making charging easy on-the-go while traveling. Plus, its carrying case fits its unique oval form perfectly!
One thing that sets the Anafi apart from other travel drones is its whisper quiet operation; producing just 64 decibels when hovering just a few feet away, it features an interesting feature allowing users to create dolly zoom effects similar to Hitchcock’s in Vertigo for added visual flair and can even produce dolly zoom effects themselves! Downloading the Parrot FreeFlight 6 smartphone app gives full access to these features and more!
2. DJI Spark
DJI’s Spark pocket drone boasts some impressive features. You can use gesture control to fly it from your palm, for instance. Additionally, this travel drone stands out by offering panorama mode: sideways or vertical flight creates wide-angle shots when combined together. Unfortunately, its Wi-Fi connection can sometimes become unstable and disconnect frequently when moving out of range or changing speeds; losing video control in midair is terrifying!
Spark has an operating range of approximately 1.2 miles and can fly up to 31 mph in Sport mode; however, this level of speed disables collision avoidance sensors and increases battery consumption. If connectivity issues arise, an optional dedicated remote controller for just $149 or an all-inclusive Fly More Combo pack for $699 provides one with two sticks allowing fine adjustment; in addition to switching camera modes like Rocket (fly downward while keeping the video camera locked on to your subject) or Dronie (circle your subject).
3. DJI Mavic Pro
The Mavic Pro is one of the most portable drones DJI has ever created, folding down to fit inside most man purses or small compartments of most backpacks. Additionally, its slender controller unfolds to hold an Apple or Android smartphone securely within its grip so you can view a live 1080p feed and change settings via its app without ever needing to remove your phone from its grip – an unprecedented feature!
This drone can fly for up to 27 minutes on one battery and has an integrated return-to-home feature, returning it directly back to you within several feet of where it began its flight. Additional batteries are available as part of the Fly More Combo which also contains a charger hub capable of simultaneously charging multiple batteries at once, car charger and set of spare propellers.
The Mavic Pro has all of the same features found on DJI’s larger drones, including auto-landing and no-fly zones, but with smaller rotors and motors for enhanced portability. It boasts an estimated transmission range of 4.3 miles which should cover most locations – although note that flying beyond visual range may be illegal depending on your jurisdiction.
4. DJI Mavic Air
The Air is an ultra-agility drone designed by DJI that brings its Mavic Pro tech in a compact form factor. Featuring advanced flight modes for videography and an incredible high megapixel count for breathtaking photography, The Air offers stunning footage capture.
The Mavic Air has an industry-leading 4K 30p bitrate for this class of drone. Additionally, it can fly in slow motion mode at 2.7K 1080p resolution with sensors located front, rear and bottom for improved obstacle avoidance.
DJI recently introduced new SmartCapture features to its Mavic Air drone, enabling you to control it with gesture controls such as making peace signs to take photos or holding out thumb and forefinger for video recording.
Mavic Air features the same fantastic QuickShots that are featured on its Pro and Platinum models as well as two additional ones – Asteroid and Boomerang – to make your drone flight even more exciting and create truly distinctive photographs.
5. DJI Phantom 4
The Phantom 4 is an elegant machine, made with premium materials. It comes packaged in an easily transportable foam box; within it can be found its drone, controller, spare propellers and accessories – everything fits together seamlessly.
This model includes internal hardware such as dual inertial measurement units and satellite stabilization via GPS and GLONASS to keep its flight steady, a mechanical shutter to eliminate rolling shutter distortion from fast-moving subjects, shooting up to 14 FPS at 20 MP with DNG or Raw photo capture capabilities, recording in H.265 codec to save storage space without compromising image quality, as well as 14 frames per second at 14 FPS with 20 MP resolution capture using DNG or Raw formats, recording with H.265 codec which saves storage without compromising image quality;
The DJI Go app is packed with features and intuitive, though its user interface may initially seem daunting. The new TapFly function enables you to show your drone where to fly by tapping anywhere on the screen; it will navigate around obstacles automatically as it follows its flight path and avoid obstacles along its journey. Preprogramming flight paths is also possible. All these smart features make flying the Phantom 4 an engaging experience that results in stunning video footage.
