If you’re looking for the best drone to buy in 2023, it can get a little confusing. With so many options on the market aimed at just about every level of expertise and experience, not to mention budget, it can be difficult to know where to start.
Thankfully, we’ve put together this article with the aim of helping you navigate your way to the best drone to buy in 2023. If you don’t know your DJI from your Autel or your subject tracking from your omnidirectional sensors, then read on, because this guide is for you.
We’ve put together a list of the top ten drones you can buy right now, and pulled out the key specifications of each and what they can be used for. There are some great budget options available, as well as some of the market leaders such as the DJI Mavic.
When talking about the best drones to buy in 2023, don’t be surprised to see DJI feature many times in this page. For some years, DJI have been at the forefront of drone development around the world as far as consumer and professional grade products are concerned. The likes of the aforementioned Mavic comes with dual cameras as well, means it leads the way as far as image quality is concerned out of a consumer drone.
Here is our list of best drones to buy in 2023.
- DJI Mavic 3
The DJI Mavic 3 comes from a solid line of premium DJI drones. The DJI Mavics have dominated the market for some years and the DJI Mavic 3 is the latest market-leading drone that takes top spot as far as the best drones in 2023 are concerned, for us at least. Boasting 46 minute flight time, a range of 15km and a camera resolution of 20 megapixels, the Mavic 3 is brilliant. Along with a four thirds sensor, it also has a 162mm telephoto lens, an ability to shoot 5k/50p video or 4k/120p slow-mo.BUY: Buy the DJI Mavic 3 on Amazon
Who is it for: Professional photographers/videographers, or hobbyists with a bigger budget
What we love: Slow-motion footage in 4k is sublime. - DJI Mini 3 Pro
The DJI Mini 3 Pro is a powerful, compact drone that has several automated flight modes and impressive low light performance. The weight is significantly less than that of the Mavic 3, weighing in at just 249g versus the Mavic’s 895g. A 12.1 megapixel camera comes as standard which has a max ISO of 6400 and a f1.7 lens. The flight range is 8-12km and it has a flight time of around 34 minutes. Those specifications help secure a place high in the list of best drones to buy in 2023, however, it does have a high price point as far as compact drones are concerned.Crucially, the Mini 3 Pro comes with tri-directional obstacle avoidance, making it great for pilots who lack experience or are perhaps so wrapped up in grabbing the all-important photo or video that you lose track of what’s nearby!
BUY: Buy the DJI Mini 3 Pro on Amazon
Who is it for: Professionals or hobbysits, depending on budget. If you want a compact drone, it’s as good as you will find.
What we love: The weight – incredibly lightweight, compact drone. - DJI Mini 3
A great compact drone, the DJI Mini 3 may lack some of the intelligence and functionality of the Mini 3 Pro, such as lacking obstacle-avoidance, but if you’re happy to forego that, then you’re going to get a lot of drone for your money – figuratively speaking. The DJI Mini 3 is one of the best drones to buy in 2023 and is budget friendly.It weighs in at 248g, slips into a backpack easily, has a 12 megapixel camera and a flying range of 6-10km with a 38 minute flight time. In addition to lacking collision avoidance, it also does not have subject tracking. That said, the image quality is sublime, so if you’re happy to get to grips with flying without the aforementioned bells and whistles, then you’re going to love this.
BUY: Buy the DJI Mini 3 on Amazon
Who is it for: Hobbyists and those with a smaller budget and a requirement for compact drone
What we love: The image quality on this thing is brilliant, when adding that into the overall package of cheap, lightweight and compact, it’s a great option. - Autel Evo Lite+
Our first foray outside of DJI on this list, the Autel Evo Lite+ is perhaps one of the strongest rivals to the DJI fleet. It goes head-to-head with the DJI Air 2S and we believe at actually just about edges it.It can shoot 5.4k resolution footage at 30fps, but its 40 minute flight time is better than both the Air 2S as well as the DJI Mavic Pro 2, which is very impressive. The range is 12km. It performs well in low-light thanks to its larger sensor while the aperture can be adjusted anywhere from f2.8 to f11.
While it has ‘lite’ in the title, it certainly doesn’t relate to being lightweight! The Autel Evo Lite+ weighs in at 835g.
BUY: Buy the Autel Evo Lite+ on Amazon
Who is it for: At over £1.2k to buy, it’s not cheap but does have some great functionality. So, probably one for hobbyists with a good budget.
What we love: Flight time, range and variable aperture. - DJI Air 2S
We thought long and hard whether the DJI Air 2S should actually be ahead of the Autel rival, but the flight time was the clincher in the end that left it in 5th position on our list. That said, it’s a quite brilliant drone, a great all-rounder that will please aerial photographers and hobbyists no end. It’s small and at 595g, somewhat lighter in weight than the Mavic 3.It’s pretty versatile when it comes to what it will shoot too, capable of a whopping 120 frames per second in 1080p or 30 frames per second at 5.4k video.
BUY: Buy the DJI Air 2S from Amazon
Who is it for: Aerial photographers or those looking for a solid all-rounder to fly
What we love: 120frames per second at 1080p - DJI Mavic Air 2
The DJI Mavic Air 2 is no longer in production, but you can still find them new on some photography websites or used in other markets. It’s an alternative to the Air 2S if you want something a little cheaper, it’s also super easy to fly and shoots 4k at 60 frames per second. With a 34 minute battery life, a 10km flying range and 12 megapixel camera, it’s a great drone. At 570g in weight, it’s nowhere near that of the near-900g Mavic 3, but also probably cannot quite be put into the compact range.BUY: Buy the DJI Mavic Air 2 on Amazon
Who is it for: Hobbyists, primarily, though some keen photographers may also enjoy the functionality it offers
What we love: Brilliant functionality at a great price - DJI Phantom 4 Pro v2
When drones arrived on the photography scene a good 10 years ago, the DJI Phantom was at the forefront. With its striking white axis, detachable propellers and camera suspended beneath, it was as eye-catching as it was exciting. In 2023, as far as professional level drones are concerned, the Phantom is still in the mix.The DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 weighs a whopping 1375g and has a range of only 8km. However, it’s sturdy, fast to fly and shoots at 4k video in both 60 frames per second or 100 frames per second. It’s more complex than the foldable drones on this list, which is pretty much all of them, but it’s still a great drone. It’s weight actually make it incredibly sturdy to fly and the 6000mAh battery certainly helps it pack a punch as far as power is concerned. It will perform better in windier conditions as a result.
It has 5-directional obstacle sensing, a 1inch sensor, mechanical shutter and multiple intelligent flight modes and subject tracking capabilities. In short, despite it’s size, weight and price tag, it’s still one of the best out there in our opinion.
BUY: Buy the DJI Phantom 4 Pro 2.0 fro Amazon
Who is it for: Professional photographers, videographers, filmmakers
What we love: How sturdy the Phantom is, it can handle a lot! - DJI Avata
If you’re after a first-person-view (FPV) drone that allows you to fly as if sat in a pilot seat inside your drone, then the DJI Avata is for you. A great option if you’re new to FPV drones, this is a tonne of fun to fly and offers a brilliant new way to explore aerial filmmaking. With a Its large sensor produces good footage, and with a 10km range capability, it’s got enough versatility to keep things fun and functional. The camera has a resolution of 48 megapixels.BUY: Buy the DJI Avata from Amazon
Who is it for: Newbies to the FPV space, or those wanting some fun!
What we love: It’s a great flying experience and totally different to the more traditional format of drones on this list. - BetaFPV Cetus Pro Kit
If you’re new to FPV flying though, the BetaPV Cetus Pro Kit is certainly worth consideration and earns its place on the best drones to buy in 2023. It comes out of the box ready to fly, has an 80m range and a flight tiem of 5 minutes. So, this is very much built at short exploration flights to get yourself accustomed to FPV piloting.BUY: Buy the BetaFPV Cetus Pro Kit from Amazon
Who is it for: Beginners to FPV
What we love: A very robust drone