
#DRONE STATION PC CASE PORTABLE#
Portability: The best drones are portable enough to be an everyday tool, which means they are small and light enough to pack into a camera bag or backpack.Additionally, we prefer drones that come preprogrammed with cinematic autonomous-flight modes with the touch of a button, you can tell a drone to follow you while you snowboard down a mountain, say, or fly in a circle while filming for a dramatic selfie. Autonomous modes: Any video drone worth buying should have a fail-safe return-home mode that automatically brings the aircraft back to the launch point when you press a button or the drone loses contact with the controller.We prefer drone batteries that last at least 20 minutes, and we recommend that pilots pick up a few extras (the batteries are rechargeable) so that they can spend more time in the field flying. But a shorter flight time means fewer shots, shorter videos, and less flexibility. Long battery life: Longer-lasting batteries tend to be larger and weigh more, so manufacturers try to balance drone size with battery life.A three-axis gimbal is a general industry standard. A three-axis gimbal: A good gimbal, which stabilizes a camera attached to a drone with accelerometers and gyroscopes even when you are flying in wind or a jerky pattern, is essential if you want usable footage.We considered only those models that could shoot at least 12-megapixel photos and 4K video. A high-quality camera: Generally, the more you pay for a photography drone, the better-quality camera you get.This technology removes so much stress from flying that we are willing to consider only those drones that, at the very least, can sense obstacles approaching from their front, back, and bottom. Crash-avoidance sensors: Sensors in drones have come a long way, and there are now some models that can sense obstacles approaching in any direction and adjust their flight path to avoid a crash.A quadcopter shape (or alternatives, like hexacopters, that add more arms) make for the most stable photo and video because they can steadily hold their position in the air.

A quadcopter design: Drones shaped like planes do exist, but they’re not as easy to fly as quadcopter models shaped like an X.And the Mavic Air 2 can go with you almost anywhere: At 7 by 3.8 by 3.3 inches folded and 1.3 pounds, it fits exceptionally well in our top pick for drone backpacks.

Its 34-minute battery life means you don’t have to land for a battery swap as often as you would with the competition. This model also features DJI smart-flight modes such as ActiveTrack, which directs the drone to autonomously follow and film a subject while also avoiding obstacles. So you can focus on your cinematography instead of having to worry about keeping the drone steady. The Mavic Air 2 can sense and avoid obstacles approaching from the front, back, and below, as well as steadily hold its position, even in moderate winds (DJI says it’s safe to fly in winds up to 23.6 mph). For less than $1,000, the DJI Mavic Air 2 package combines ease of flight with long battery life and a camera that can shoot 4K video (we recommend buying the Fly More Combo option, which, among other things, includes three rechargeable drone batteries).
