If you love photography and videography, you are probably familiar with drones and have had the chance to use one. This gadget is pretty awesome and allows you to take your creativity to the next level. You do not have to be a professional to get your hands on this intriguing gadget. A drone can be used by anyone really if you want to capture special moments of your trip when you travel, go on a hike or even take creative images and videos in your backyard.
The fact that you get to have a ?bird?s eye? view without going on top of buildings or mountaintops and sometimes putting yourself in danger to get that perfect shot makes it even more worthwhile to have when going on an adventure.
Let?s go through a couple of options and help you in deciding what you will get if you are on the hunt for one.
Best Drone for Hiking
DJI Mavic 2 Pro
If you are planning to go on your next hiking trip, you want to consider getting this drone because it is the most convenient for travelling. This is because it has a foldable design, which allows the drone to halve its footprint, and this makes it easy to transport.
Flying this drone is quite simple, and this is thanks to the GPS which holds the drone in position and prevents it from being blown by the wind. The Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing helps you avoid crashing in addition to the other safety features like collision avoidance.
However, it is vital to note that the drone can still crash into objects so be sure to look out for the visual or sound warnings of imminent danger on the drone to avoid incidents that might cost you. The quality of the photos and videos is fantastic, and you can fly this drone for up to 31minutes, which is a decent time.
Parrot – Drone Anafi Extended
This drone is one of the best though it?s better suited for people with a bit of experience with drones.
It is small and lightweight and therefore easy to carry if you are travelling and want to capture some cinematic footage on your trip. It has a 4K camera with gimbal stabilization as well as innovative additional features like HDR video capture, which ensures quality photos and video.
The GPS on this drone ensures that it automatically returns to its takeoff point in case the connection to the remote is lost. The battery life is 25 minutes which is fantastic since you may not need to carry extra batteries.
DJI Mavic Air
If you are a beginner and are looking for a drone that will be easy to use and still give quality, this is perfect. A unique feature of this drone is the SmartCapture mode that allows you to fly the drone with simple hand gestures.
Another outstanding feature of this drone is the Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems (APAS) which ensures that it does not fly into obstacles and instead flies around them. This drone is small, making it convenient to carry while traveling.
The three-axis motorized gimbal ensures that the camera stays balanced even when it gets windy, and this ensures that the video footage is smooth and has exceptional quality.
FIMI X8SE 2020
The one thing that is apparent with this drone is that it is a better alternative to most of the more expensive drones and still offers the same quality. This drone has an impressive battery life of 33 minutes which is not very common with most drones.
The 4K camera ensures that the photos and videos are of excellent quality, so you don?t compromise on the quality. The cinematic mode on this drone allows for smooth movements and changes of the angles making the shots look even more cinematic.
Another feature that makes this drone cool is the smart track feature that allows the drone to track an object such as a cyclist or a pedestrian giving you the option to circle them to avoid hitting them.
DJI Mavic Mini
This drone is small, light and very portable, which is evident from its name and is perfect to carry around for travel, hiking or backpacking. The small size comes with a compromise because this drone cannot shoot in 4K.
However, it does shoot in 2.7K, which still looks great and the three-axis gimbal ensures the footage is smooth. The price is very affordable compared to the other DJI Mavic drones and is, therefore, appeals to a lot of people.
If you are a beginner and don?t know a lot about drones, this is a great one to start with because it?s not complicated to use and you also won?t have to spend a lot of money.
Potensic D88 Foldable Drone
This drone comes in an aluminium carry case that makes it easy to carry around and is also easily foldable even without the case, making it great for hiking or travel.
The camera on this drone shoots in 2K, which might be considered low compared to the 4K camera found in most drones. It is, however, very decent and shoots good quality aerial images and video footage and is worth trying out considering the price point. Some other features include the follow mode, which allows the drone to track your movement.
If you want to record yourself taking a long walk or riding a bike, a return to home feature is activated, on the remote control, and the drone will return home.
Contixo F24 Pro 4K Drone
The Contixo F24 is a foldable drone which is one of the best things about a drone that you need for hiking. This makes it easy to carry around, and even though it is larger than the usual body, it is still convenient and works well for travel.
One of the best features of this drone is the powerful brushless motors which help it to fly smoothly and is quieter than brushed motors. Brushless motors are more efficient and last longer than brushed motors, and this makes them a bit more expensive.
The battery life is 26 minutes which is impressive. And the camera shoots 4K images and 2.7K video footage which is pretty decent.
EACHINE E520S GPS Drone
If you are looking for an affordable drone that will get you decent footage on your next hiking trip, this is a good option. It has a foldable and portable design that makes it easy to carry around.
This drone is simple to fly, and this makes it a good one for beginners as well as experienced drone users. The flight performance is fantastic, and even in windy conditions, it?s not very hard to control. Video footage is captured in 1080P while images are in 4K, which is considered okay for most people.
The GPS feature that comes with this drone also allows for a more stable flying experience which is necessary especially for beginners.?
Snaptain SP500
This drone comes with some pretty exciting features, and the price point makes it even more enticing. If you have been looking for a drone that will take some good quality photos and videos and do not want to splurge on it, this is an option that will work well for you.
It is easily portable thanks to the foldable design making it convenient for travel. Some of the cool features on this drone include the headless mode that makes the controls easy and straightforward for beginners.
The other exciting feature is the Tapfly feature which is a flight mode that allows you to draw a path on the drone path and the drone automatically follows that path so you can concentrate on taking quality pictures and videos.
Snaptain SP650
This drone is small, and this makes it perfect for hiking and travelling. It is very durable though it is not advisable to fly it when it?s too windy because it might easily crash if you are a beginner.
One of the best features of this drone is the controller which is very well designed compared to many other drones that cost so much more. The HD camera on this drone allows you to take quality videos and pictures in 1080P. The gravity control feature allows you to control the drone by moving your smartphone around which is pretty convenient.
A Buyers Guide To The Best Drone For Hiking
Size and Weight
When buying a drone for hiking purposes, this is one of the most important things to consider. This is because you will be carrying so many other things that you need on your hiking trip and don?t want to add unnecessary weight.
A small drone is ideal with a reasonable heaviness to ensure that you can maximize its use as you will be able to carry it around as you explore. Another reason to consider the heaviness is that there are legal restrictions once a drone is a certain weight. If you do not want to go through the process of registering the drone, a small one in size and weight is the best.
Price
The price is one of the vital factors to consider while buying a drone. There are many different drones, and their prices vary, so it?s up to the individual to decide how much they want to spend.
The price slightly determines the quality of the drone though this may not always be the case. The more expensive drones in most cases will have better specs and quality compared to the cheaper ones, and we see this with most products anyway.
If you want to shoot professional work, you can consider investing in a more expensive drone to give you the quality of work you desire. If you are a beginner and want to document your adventures, you may consider a cheaper one.
Flight time
The battery life of the drone usually determines the flight time, which is the amount of time you can fly the drone before you have to recharge it or change the batteries. It varies for different drones, but 15 minutes to 20 minutes is a reasonable time.
Some drones can go for up to 25 minutes which gives you more than enough time to capture your surroundings. If you do not want to invest in an expensive drone with a longer flight time, you can always buy a cheaper one and a set of extra batteries. You have to ensure that you do not fly your drone past its flight time because it can crash and you do not want that to happen.
Image Quality
The camera on the drone determines the quality of the footage. It just depends on the individual and whether they want to shoot content on a professional level, or they want to film the footage for leisure. If it?s for professional purposes, you want to purchase a drone that will shoot quality work which might probably be a bit more expensive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What?s the best way to ensure I don?t crash the drone as a beginner?
If it?s your first time flying a drone and you are not very confident, start with flying it low then as you get better, you can go higher. Doing that will minimize its chances of getting destroyed because you will likely crash the drone when you first start flying it.
Which is the best drone for taking professional photos and videos while hiking?
There are a couple of great options but you want to make sure you get one that shoots in 4K to get the best clarity in your videos and photos. The DJI Mavic 2 Pro and DJI Mavic Air are good options for professionals from our list above, and the overall specs are also incredible.
Is a GPS drone necessary for hiking?
GPS drones are great for windy areas and maintain the stability of the drone so if you are going to encounter any strong winds then consider getting one. If you are also in a position to purchase one even if the area is not windy, it is probably best to do so because it may come in handy at some point. If not, you can always get a drone without GPS, and it will still work okay.
Last update on 2023-01-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
