We’re so excited about having acquired our very own drone at Friction Collective, that we thought we’d do a piece celebrating the best in the market. We don’t want to drone on all day though (sorry, not sorry), so here’s our top five selection for 2017.

 

1.DJI Mavic Pro

DJI Mavic Pro The fold-up, fly-anywhere state of the art in consumer drones £1099

Exactly what UAV fans have been waiting for; a lightweight, portable drone that folds into a package the size of a milk carton, flies for 27 minutes for up to 4 miles away, avoids obstacles, shoots epic 4K footage from a stabilised, auto-focus camera no larger than a thimble, and then lands automatically in the exact same spot it took off from.
You can fly it via Wi-Fi using just a smartphone and gesture control, meanwhile, allows you to take selfies and make the Mavic follow you simply by waving your arms in the air.

2. DJI Phantom 4 Pro

DJI Phantom 4 Pro Compact prosumer drone gives high quality aerial footage £1546

With four-sided obstacle avoidance and a one-inch CMOS sensor capable of capturing 4K footage at a phenomenal 60 frames per second this beauty is perfect those looking for high quality video and photography. The Phantom’s battery has been upgraded and will stay aloft for up to 30 minutes, sufficient time to take it to it’s four mile limit and then back again.

3. GoPro Karma

GoPro Karma £899

The Karma is compact and collapsible with props in place, much like the DJI Mavic Pro. It’s not as small as the Mavic but still eminently portable. The front-mounted three-axis gimbal accepts the Gopro HERO 4 or 5 and the 4K and 1080p video those cameras produce is pretty good.
The Karma’s maximum range is 3km, not masses but enough for most pilots. Amazingly, users can also remove the camera and gimbal from the drone and clip it into a supplied Karma Grip for smooth cinematic ground footage.

4. Parrot Mambo

Parrot Mambo £73.99

Cheap and cheerful, this indoor drone hovers in one spot perfectly. It also comes with novelty clip-on fittings that allow it to shoot tiny balls at a target or pick up items the weight of a sugar lump. Top indoor choice.

5. DJI Inspire 2

DJI Inspire 2 £3000

Last but not least, the DJI Inspire 2. A professional, elite drone. This is definitely the best in the market.
The Inspire 2 is made from carbon fibre and magnesium and its dual battery system and huge motors will take it to a speed of 58mph and a flight time of up to 27 minutes. The landing gear is retractable, allowing pilots, or a second camera operator, to shoot a full 360º panorama. It also comes with forward, downward and upward-facing obstacle avoidance sensors for extra confidence when flying in difficult locations.

 

Check out some of our own footage using our own drone in Croyde Bay here.