Drone trend 2017

DJI Mavic Pro

DJI’s Mavic Pro can be summed up in three words: portable and powerful. Capable of collapsing down to as small as a bottle of water, DJI Mavic Pro is a fantastic choice for quadcopter fans. A new OcuSync transmission system will offer up to 4.3 miles of range, 40 mph speed and a flight time around 27 minutes, thanks to a powerful battery. The lengthy range away from the base controller is aided by GPS and satellite to help maintain precise location control. Thanks to sensor redundancy, the inclusion of obstacle avoidance will help the Mavic Pro dodge anything that could knock it out of the sky.

Visually, the 3.27 x 7.8 x 3.27 inch Mavic Pro looks and feels different from DJI’s wildly popular existing quadcopter line and has more contour and angular shapes. It almost gives off the appeal of a stealth bomber, rather than the stark white Phantom line. Shorter legs give the Mavic Pro the appearance of landing on its belly, and the rear arms pivot downward to tuck in the underside while the front arms fold inward toward the top of the main body. Recreating the camera and three axis gimbal system allows DJI’s designers to create such a backpack friendly design.

Setup is a snap and, after connecting to the remote control, you can add a smartphone to act as a screen. The compact remote is as well designed as the Mavic Pro itself, with two joysticks controlling height, direction and motion. One scroll wheel on the back adjusts the camera gimbal and the other is open to programming. The camera records 4K video at 30fps or 1080p at 96fps, the latter of which can live stream to Facebook, YouTube, and Periscope at 30fps. Additionally, you can capture stills with the 12 megapixel camera.

Hubsan H107C+ HD

Some good things come in small packages. Miniature drones don’t have the flash, battery life or camera quality like the rest on this list, but they are a ton of fun to fly. If you just don’t have the time, desire or cash to splurge on a more pricey model, the Hubsan H107C+ HD is the drone for you. With just seven minutes of flying time, you’ll want to maximize every second this miniature wonder is afloat, but that’s ok because it takes just 40 minutes to recharge and get back in the air.

The addition of a 720p camera means you’ll be able to capture the flight. But what truly grabbed our attention on the Hubsan were some of the additional features that aren’t usually included at this price point. Altitude hold, for example, allows for a smooth and stable flight without any additional operator movement. Partnered with the six axis gyro for increased stability, the Hubsan once again proves that it can punch well above its weight class.

Syma X5SC

While we often look to higher price ranges for the very best in quadcopter and drone technology, there’s plenty of budget options we shouldn’t ignore. The wallet friendly Syma X5SC offers HD video and pictures, headless mode, a sturdy frame, six to eight minutes of flight time and a 150foot range of flight. Unfortunately, recharging the 500mAh battery takes two hours, but you have to understand that there will be trade-offs at this price point.

However, for a drone that’s just under .24 pounds, we’re not surprised that stability outdoors is a challenge. A slight burst of wind and it can take some time with the controls to bring the unit back to stability. One last disappointment is the camera, a 2mp camera leads to average photos and, while our expectations are tempered for the price, we’d love to see slightly higher quality photos. Fortunately, the X5SC is very durable and online reviews mention people crashing into doors, trees, walls, ceilings and more with nary a scratch on the unit. The good news is that, for the price, replacement parts are cheap should you ever find yourself in need of new blades or blade protectors.

Although flight time can be short, additional batteries can be purchased for under $20. Even with some shortfalls at the entry-level price, the Syma X5SC is an outstanding value and a ton of fun, earning an easy recommendation as your budget option.