7 Best 1080P Drones

1. THiEYE Dr.X Mini 1080P HD Novice Drone | Best Budget

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Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5

The HiEYE Dr.X Mini is a great choice for anyone who wants to explore aerial filming on a budget. It has a lot going for it and offers more features and functionality than the price suggests.

• Best feature 1: 1080P Full-HD 30fps (frames per second) camera
• Best feature 2: Mini size, ideal for indoor and outdoor flying
• Plus points: 6-axis stabilization, 1-key takeoff/landing, altitude hold, failsafe protections
• Minus points: Short flight time, long charging time, limited flight range

Reasons to Consider the THiEYE Dr.X Mini

It’s light (85g), easy to store, ultra-portable, and beginner-friendly. That’s excellent news for families. The quad flies safely indoors as well as out, so the fun doesn’t stop on bad weather days.

This quadcopter has a built-in 1080P video camera and produces 12-megapixel stills. The results are impressive considering the low cost of this mini drone. Footage saves to an onboard SD card. Live 720P view on a smartphone screen is possible up to a range of 100 meters. The quad has a 360° shooting mode. And its selfie mode creates those impressive aerial portraits that only a drone can.

There isn’t a mechanical gimbal to support the camera, though. However, the drone does have 6-axis gyro stabilization. The gyro does a reasonable job at steadying flights and video footage. One of the best things about the THiEYE Dr.X Mini is that it’s super easy to fly and comes with two speed modes. Altitude hold, low-battery protection, auto takeoff/landing, and propeller guards add to its appeal.

The Not So Good

Flight time is only 8 minutes. That’s normal for a drone in this category but disappointing nonetheless. The 2 hour charging time is also long considering the short flight duration. Some users complain about the short 50m range too. It’s not far but this is a mini quad, and you don’t want to lose sight of it.

2. Potensic GPS D80 RC 1080P Camera Quad | Best Value

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Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5

The Potensic D80 Drone is a camera quadcopter that offers a lot of value. Some of the features found on this beauty are more common on costlier models, but is as good as the hype? Let’s find out.

• Best feature 1: Built-in 1080P 5G WiFi real-time transmission camera
• Best feature 2: Failsafe automatic protection
• Plus points: Headless mode, 1-key takeoff/landing, GPS, Follow Me, Custom Flight Path, fast
• Minus points: Low-average flight time, insane charging time

Reasons to Consider the Potensic D80

Robust and reliable brushless motors provide the Potensic D80 with its power. They can drive this bird up to a top speed of almost 25 mph (40 km/h). The quad has a built-in 1080P 5G WiFi camera with real-time transmission up to 300m. There isn’t a gimbal, but a gyro helps to stabilize the drone during flight. The camera can capture smooth video and clear photos even at higher speeds.

Fans of subject tracking will be happy to know the D80 has a Follow Me GPS mode. There’s also a Point of Interest (POI) clockwise flight option, and a Custom Flight Path. Some of the pilot-friendly features are headless mode, 1-button takeoff/landing, and altitude hold. Others include the one-key return function, low power return, and no signal or an out-of-range auto-return.

The Not So Good

Flight time is average at 20 minutes. That wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the terrible 5-hour charging time. Long charging means extra batteries. Alas, the originals can cost more than $50.

3. DJI Spark Portable 1080p Camera Drone | Top Pick

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Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5

The Top Pick for 1080P gimbal camera drones goes to the DJI Spark. It’s a mini-drone but still packed with DJI signature technologies. It’s also lightweight, portable, and incredibly easy to control.

• Best feature 1: 12MP 1080p stabilized video camera
• Best feature 2: 2-axis mechanical gimbal
• Plus points: Easy to fly, FaceAware, Intelligent Flight Modes, DJI GO 4 app, ActiveTrack
• Minus points: Short flight time, memory card not included, choppy WiFi in rural areas

Reasons to Consider the DJI Spark

The DJI Spark has a 1/2.3” sensor that can record more details than cheaper 1080p cameras. Its 12MP stills are as sharp and stabilized as the video thanks to a 2-axis mechanical video. There are plenty of unique features to the Spark that makes it stand out from others in its class. The FaceAware feature launches the Spark from the palm of a hand by facial recognition.

Intuitive controls and Intelligent Flight Modes make light work of creating cinematic quality videos. These include simple tap QuickShots like Rocket, Circle, Dronie, TapFly, and Helix. DJI’s intuitive GO 4 app gives users instant access to automatic editing templates. The built-in filters allow instant editing so users can upload files to social media.

One of the favorite features of the DJI Spark is its ActiveTrack. It effectively recognizes sand tracks moving objects of different sizes and shapes. The Spark’s tracking is impressive for a small drone, and it’s reliable and simple to use.

The Not So Good

The short 16-minute flight time is the main letdown of the DJI Spark. The high cost of extra Intelligent Flight Batteries makes the short flight issue worse. The drone doesn’t come with a MicroSD card either. That’s not a major fault, but it is a disappointment considering the price of the drone. The final gripe relates to WiFi connectivity. Some users find the WiFi choppy out in more rural areas.

4. Force1 F100G Ghost Drone W/ 1080p Camera

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Editor’s Rating: 4.2/5

Meet the Force1 F100G Ghost Drone. It’s an affordable camera quadcopter that offers a lot for the money. The four brushless motors that power this bird add to its smooth, stable flying.

• Best feature 1: 1080P detachable camera and GoPro ready
• Best feature 2: Brushless motors
• Plus points: Two speed modes, 360-degree flips, LED lights, three shells, bonus battery
• Minus points: Takes some mastering, low average flight time, no FPV

Reasons to Consider the F100G Ghost

The F100G Ghost has a detachable 1080P action camera that produces satisfactory results. The quad provides new users with an excellent introduction to aerial shooting. It’s also compatible with GoPro HERO 3 or 4 action cameras. That gives pilots the opportunity to shoot at higher resolutions. You don’t need a GoPro to take photos and record video, but the option is there for those who do.

The two speed modes are LOW and HIGH. The adjustable speeds are useful as they let pilots fly at a pace that’s comfortable for them. The Ghost can perform 360° dragonfly flips that look impressive yet are simple to do. The quad also comes with bright LED headlights that allow flying in the dark. Another nice touch is the three black, blue, and white body shells that come with the model.

The Not So Good

Advanced beginners should have no trouble flying Force1’s F100G Ghost. Alas, it’s not the best choice for the raw beginner as it takes a while to master. And the 15-minute flight time is disappointing, but there is a bonus battery included. It’s vital to allow a few minutes for the motors to cool down between battery swaps, though. The final con is that the drone doesn’t have First Person View (FPV) capability.

5. Hubsan H501S X4 FPV Quad W/ 1080p Camera

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Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5

This is the Hubsan H501S X4, another 1080P First Person View FPV camera quadcopter. It’s a feature-rich drone too. The X4 sports durable brushless motors and a plethora of smart flight features to boot.

• Best feature 1: built-in 1080P HD FPV camera
• Best feature 2: Built-in GPS module
• Plus points: 5G live video transmission, headless mode, full failsafe mode, altitude hold
• Minus points: Vague user manual, long charging time

Reasons to Consider the Hubsan H501S X4

Hubsan’s H501S X4 has a built-in 1080P HD First Person View FPV camera for capturing stills and vids. The 5,8GHz FPV radio controller (RC) has a bright integral 4.3-inch LCD screen. That means you can view the drones real-time video transmission without a mobile device. The built-in GPS provides pilot-friendly features like the headless mode. A headless mode solves any lost orientation issues.

There’s also the invaluable failsafe mode. The H501S X4 enters its failsafe mode if the connection with the transmitter becomes weak or gets lost. It then automatically returns the quad to its base, thus preventing the dreaded flyaway. Altitude Hold is another welcome feature that stabilizes the quad at a fixed height. And the 20-minute flying time is on the high side of average for a bird in this category.

The Not So Good

There are a lot of complaints—especially for among-time pilots—about the vague user’s guide. Alas, poorly written or translated manuals are a common issue with drones out of China. At least there are YouTube videos to fall back on that are more helpful than written guides anyway. The long 150-minute (2.5 hours) charging time means extra batteries are a must-have.

6. GAOAG RC GPS FPV 1080P Camera Quadcopter

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Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5

Don’t let the unusual look of the feature-rich brushless GAOAG GPS RC Drone put you off. It’s a robust camera quadcopter with a streamlined aerodynamic fuselage for smoother flying.

• Best feature 1: 1080P HD 5G WiFi camera
• Best feature 2: Brushless motors
• Plus points: Easy to pilot, GPS, headless mode, altitude hold, 1-key return to home, app control
• Minus points: Average flight time, long charging

Reasons to Consider the GAOAG Copter

The GAOAG GPS is an easy-to-fly RC Drone with an altitude hold function. It comes equipped with a built-in 1080P HD 5G WiFi camera that produces decent stills and video. The quad has full app control that gives pilots real-time first-person viewing (FPV) via a mobile screen. The controller has a device clamp to house all regular sized Android and iOS smartphones.

The quads power-efficient brushless motors provide reliable flight performance. They also last longer than the non-brushless alternatives found on some drones. The GAOAG Copter’s built-in GPS provides an instant 1-key return to home. There’s also an auto-return feature for low battery and out-of-range signals. And the Headless mode helps newbie pilots control the craft without knowing its orientation.

The Not So Good

The flight time for the GAOAG camera quadcopter is average at 15 minutes. It’s made worse by the long 2.5 hours charging time. Most users factor at least one extra battery into the cost.

7. Holy Stone HS700 FPV W/ 1080p HD Camera

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Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

Last up in the current lineup of 1080P camera quadcopters is the Holy Stone HS700. I’ve chosen another brushless model with reliable, longer-lasting motors and smooth flying.

• Best feature 1: 5G 1080P FHD detachable camera
• Best feature 2: GoPro HERO compatible
• Plus points: App control Quick launch, altitude hold, Follow Me, custom flight path, auto-return
• Minus points: Crazy charging time, no prop guards, not too stable in the wind

Reasons to Consider the Holy Stone HS700

Holy Stone’s HS700 has a 5G 1080P FHD detachable camera with a 110° field of view (FOV). Removable cameras are great if you sometimes want to fly only. You can fly further and longer without the extra payload. The best thing about this model, though, is that you can mount GoPro HERO 2/3/4 cameras. The stock 1080P camera is decent, but a GoPro is even better.

It’s an easy and safe app-controlled camera quad to fly and film with at the beginner level. There is the 1-key takeoff and landing, altitude hold, subject tracking, and custom flight paths. And the GPS Auto Return provides valuable failsafe features. The failsafe GPS returns the quad either by the manual 1-key return or automatically. Auto return kicks-in when the power’s low or the drone loses its signal.

The Not So Good

The charging time takes at least 5-hours. It can even take as long as 7 hours depending on the power source. Most people factor extra batteries into the total cost. There are no propellers to protect the fingers from spinning blades or prop damage. It’s why the makers don’t recommend it for pre-teens. The last con is that it’s not very stable in winds. It does fly in windy weather, but it’s harder to handle.