Best drones with cameras: Take aerial photos (and selfies) like a pro

The Typhoon H Plus is a parade of bells and whistles, but we bet you could figure that out by looking at the six arms with multicolored lights. 

It’s as functional as it is flamboyant with a setting for everything. Intel® RealSense™ Technology(opens in a new tab) navigates the Typhoon H Plus around every obstacle. Set desired coordinates, and the software will do the rest. The device can take selfies too. But if you’re spending almost $2K for a selfie machine, you’re doing it wrong.

Unlike budget-friendly options, the drone’s controller is complete with a seven-inch screen and numerous abilities sure to keep you busy.

Usually to get the highest quality photos and videos, you have to sacrifice portability. But the DJI Mavic 2 Pro can be carried in a backpack and can produce stunning images. It’s no wonder this drone is consistently ranked as one of the best.

DJI released the Mavic 2 Pro alongside the Mavic 2 Zoom. The Pro produces better image quality, with more megapixels and a wider ISO range, but the Zoom will save you a few bucks and has a 3x optical zoom.

If you get nervous flying $2,000 around like a toy helicopter, there are a few features made for you. The drone is equipped with 10 sensors to detect obstacles at every angle. There’s also Advanced Pilot Assistance mode, meaning the drone will swerve around obstacles automatically (the Mavic Pro 1 stops and hovers). But please don’t hand the controller off to any beginners.

Because of its size, we thought the Spark was a selfie drone. Surprisingly, it can do a lot more — and yes, it will radically improve your selfie game. You can control the spark with hand gestures to take the perfect, remote-free selfie and then cue it to land in the palm of your hand.

Amazon reviewers suggest buying the remote instead of relying on your smartphone to control it. The Fly More package includes the remote, extra batteries, extra propellers, and a carrying bag. It does, however, almost double the price on Amazon.

This two-year-old model will definitely impress your friends, but it’s not quite professional quality. If you want to make some money with a drone, you better upgrade. But for Instagram-worthy content and mouth-watering aerials, this more than does the trick.

DJI released this drone right before Halloween, and it’s scary good. It weighs a bit more than the average smartphone, but it has the capabilities of larger models.

This tiny drone can withstand up to 30 minutes of air time, a stretch for even professional-grade drones. Features are aimed at beginners, with settings like QuickShot that give Instagram-worthy images in seconds. Advanced users may get frustrated at the lack of custom controls and the somewhat-average photo quality. But for a portable beginner model, it is impressive.

Drones don’t usually zoom. Its propellers can get it closer to the subject, and many aerial photographers and videographers zoom in during the editing process. But the zooming feature on the Parrot Anafi is handy for livestreams and wildlife videography as it helps you get close videos of animals along with the ultra quiet propellers.

The Parrot Anafi doesn’t have the range of high-dollar drones, but it still stretches pretty far. And it has all the popular features of a selfie drone, like follow-me mode. It is lacking one major piece — collision avoidance. Usually, drones will have an autopilot-like setting to zip around trees and other obstacles. If you have the confidence to fly this drone, try it out. But there aren’t training wheels on it.

This drone by Yuneec was made to see the world. It olds up to the size of a granola bar and probably looks more like a pocket knife than a 4k-capable camera. 

The range is not great, but it is par for the price. Other specs make up for the compact range. The drone can fly at a speed of 44.7mph, though you may get bumps in your videos at that speed. But it weighs less than a pound and can go the speed of a motor vehicle. 

The Mantis Q, like most of the mid-range drones, is equipped to handle your travel selfies. Voice control makes it a breeze to snap a portrait, but it’s not going to work from far distances. Other cool modes for travel are the point-of-interest setting, where the device circles a location, and the journey mode, meaning the drone will fly up to a point and return for a smooth shot.

This drone is really good at one thing: selfies. Instagram has manufacturers pushing out facial recognition software and follow-me modes in most of their models. But boy does this one do it well. It was designed for selfies, with a cage to be safe in indoor environments. A lot of drones freak out with a roof overhead, but this one thrives. Just don’t take it out in the wind, okay? The cage makes aerodynamics a struggle.

The Camera Passport doesn’t have a set controller, but it doesn’t always need one. Its main controller is your phone, but it can start up and start tracking your face without it. Then, you can use hand signals to quickly capture the moment. Since the propellers are caged, users can grab the device in the air and fold it back for storage.