7 Best Autonomous Self-Flying Drones

1. 3DR Solo Autonomous Quadcopter Bundle | Best Budget

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Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

The 3DR Solo here is a smart camera quadcopter and an excellent choice for beginners. It even comes equipped with twin computers to ensure seamless operation always.

• Best feature 1: Autonomous flights via twin-computer control system
• Best feature 2: Video game-style controller
• Plus points: Easy to fly, safety features, GoPro-ready, full-featured app, SmartShots
• Minus points: Gimbal and camera not included, no avoidance system

Autonomous Features of the 3DR Solo’s

This popular camera quadcopter comes with a range of amazing autonomous features:

• One-touch take-off and landing
• Smart Shots: Orbit, Follow Me, Cable Cam, and Selfie
• Unique safety features: pause, safety net, and return-to-home (RTF)
• Predetermined flight paths

3DR Solo’s Standout Features

3DR’s Solo camera-ready quad is a high-tech, easy-to-fly consumer drone. It’s an excellent choice for novice pilots and anyone familiar with using a regular video game-style controller. It was genuine video game professionals who developed the RC. As a flier, the Solo can reach up to 50mph and is super-responsive to flight controls. That’s great news for anyone who’s into the sport of quad racing.

The Solo is also crash-resistant—up to a point—which adds to its appeal as a racing drone. Pilots have fingertip control using the Android/iOS app and a regular smartphone. There’s also a clamp with the controller that accommodates most conventional sized mobile devices. The makers of this capable and fun-loving drone created it to work in harmony with GoPro HERO action cameras.

The Not So Good

This 3DR Solo comes ready to fly (RTF) but not ready to film. It’s GoPro compatible which means you must have a GoPro action camera to take aerial photos and shoot video. Pilots who already own a compatible GoPro are at an advantage. It also needs a 3-axis Solo gimbal (sold separately) to stabilize the footage. The other disappointment is the absence of an obstacle avoidance system.

2. DJI Mavic Air Autonomous Camera Drone | Best Value

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Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5

The brains behind the Mavic Air thought of everything for this smart, ultra-portable travel quad. Both the drone and its controller fold down so that it’s easy to store and carry anywhere.

• Best feature 1: FlightAutonomy 2.0
• Best feature 2: QuickShots
• Plus points: Foldable, portable design, easy to fly, gesture controls, 4K gimbal camera
• Minus points: Average battery life, price

Autonomous Features of the Mavic Air

The Mavic Air has many high-end features. Some of its autonomous ones include:

• ActiveTrack (senses up to 16 subjects simultaneously)
• QuickShots: (6): Rocket, Dronie, Circle, Helix, Asteroid, and Boomerang
• SmartCapture hand gesture controls
• FlightAutonomy 2.0: Altitude Hold, Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems (APAS)

DJI Mavic Air’s Standout Features

This drone is one of the most portable to contain a 3-axis stabilized gimbal 4K camera. It does an excellent job at steadying aerial shoots. The vertical and horizontal 180° 23 MP panoramas are crystal-clear and out of this world. The Air shoots UHD quality 4K video at 30fps (frames per second) that has a truly cinematic quality. There’s also an option to film slow-motion video.

The 12MP stills are equally as impressive thanks to the 1/2.3” CMOS sensor and f/2.8 aperture. The Mavic Air has a MicroSD card slot to save its footage plus internal storage of 8GB. Transferring stills and video files via the USB port is fast and painless.

The Air’s foldable remote controller (RC) also deserves mention. It’s an intuitive low-profile RC with a clamp to accommodate regular smartphones. Even the control sticks detach and store away to make it as portable as possible. The quads top speed of 42mph means you can reach your destinations and back in no time. Yes, a lot is happening with the Mavic Air, and it’s almost all good (see next).

The Not So Good

The flight time is not terrible, but at 21 minutes it’s not great either for a quad in this price range. DJI batteries are costly, so that makes the average flying time more of an issue. The DJI Mavic Air is still exceptional value. At around 700 dollars, though, it’s a fair chunk of cash nonetheless.

3. DJI Mavic 2 Autonomous Zoom Camera Quad | Top Pick

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Editor’s Rating: 4.8/5

The Top Pick goes to the DJI Mavic 2x optical Zoom foldable camera quadcopter. This is currently DJI’s premium travel drone. It’s for enthusiasts who demand high-quality results from aerial shoots.

• Best feature 1: Upgraded autonomous features
• Best feature 2: Flight simulator
• Plus points: Easy to fly, 4K video, gimbal camera, long flight time, long range, low noise, fast
• Minus points: Camera not as good as the Mavic 2 Pro, price

Autonomous Features of the Mavic 2

DJI’s Mavic 2 Zoom is an exceptional piece of engineering. It also has an entire range of autonomous flight modes. The features that guarantee easier flying and enhanced filming potential include:

• Hyperlapse: flight paths, Free, Circle, CourseLock, and Waypoint
• FlightAutonomy (upgraded) includes Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing
• ActiveTrack 2.0: Trace Mode, Spotlight Mod, and Parallel Mode
• QuickShots: Rocket, Dronie, Circle, Helix, Asteroid, Boomerang, and Dolly Zoom
• Points Of Interest (POI 2.0)
• Waypoint Navigation
• TapFly: Forward, backward, and Free

Mavic 2 Zoom’s Standout Features

The build quality of the Mavic 2 Zoom is second to none and extremely sturdy. The aerodynamic design contributes to the long 31-minutes flight time and a range of up to 5 miles (8 km). It’s fast too, with a top speed of around 44mph. The 1/2.3” CMOS sensor, 12-megapixel, 4K 3-axis gimbal camera is unique. Its smooth 24–48mm optical zoom boasts 4x lossless zoom capability.

A camera drone with a zoom lens opens lots of creative potential. It lets aerial videographers zoom in and out to capture high-quality stills and video in new perspectives. The aerial footage saves to an SD card up to 128GB. There’s also a handy 8-gigabytes of internal storage. Another standout feature is the Mavic 2’s low-noise props that provide quiet flights and help extend the range.

There’s so much to explore with DJI’s latest flagship camera quad. Most differences and upgrades are subtle at first glance. Even so, what these new drones do offer delights Mavic fans the world over.

The Not So Good

There’s not much to fault with the Mavic 2 Zoom, at least not while it’s still early days. Its camera is superb, but it’s not a Hasselblad like the Mavic 2 Pro. That means it doesn’t share the same incredible image quality. But then the Mavic 2 Pro doesn’t Zoom. The price of this quad is about right considering its build and features. Alas, it’s sure to be out of budget for a lot of budding drone pilots.

4. Yuneec Mantis Q YUNMUS Foldable Camera Drone

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Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5

The latest camera quad from Yuneec is the foldable Mantis Q. Don’t let its small size put you off. It may be tiny, but it’s also powerful and comes packed with innovative features.

• Best feature 1: Autonomous flight & shooting features
• Best feature 2: Compact folding design
• Plus points: Easy to pilot, facial detection, voice control, long flight time, fast flier
• Minus points: No gimbal stabilization, shaky 4K footage, no internal storage

Autonomous Features of the Yuneec Mantis Q

The Yuneec Mantis Q has a range of autonomous features some of which include:

• IPS (Indoor Positioning System)
• Journey
• Orbit
• Point of Interest (POI).
• Return to Home (RTH)
• Vision-based tracking and face detection
• Voice Control

Yuneec Mantis Q’s Standout Features

The Yuneec Mantis Q joins the growing family of portable travel drones at 1lb or less. It can easily fit into large pockets and small bags. The 4k UHD camera gives plenty of opportunities to record clear video and shoot impressive stills. Photo Modes include Normal, Gesture, and Face Detection. The best way to describe the footage is very good rather than exceptional, though.

All video and stills save to the included 6GB MicroSD card in JPEG or DNG file format. The drone has an exceptional flight time of 33 minutes in ideal conditions. The Sport mode can push this tiny bird to a speed of 44.7mph (72 km/h). That’s handy for anyone who wants to dip their toe into the growing sport of drone racing. You can fly the Mantis Q with a smartphone and app, but it’s not the best option.

The remote controller (RC) has a clamp to house a regular smartphone with the Yuneec Pilot app. There’s a dedicated return-to-home button on the RC and a high-speed switch. The two control wheels along its top can change camera angles and adjust screen brightness.

The Not So Good

The biggest con with the Yuneec Mantis Q is that there’s no 3-axis gimbal stabilization. That’s a disappointment considering its price tag, and it lets the 4k video down. There’s little point promoting 4K UHD video when the results can be shaky. Another negative is the absence of internal storage.

5. The Autonomous DJI Spark, Fly More Combo

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Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5

The palm-sized DJI Spark is a best-selling camera quadcopter. It provides fans with easy controls and spectacular results for a consumer drone in its class.

• Best feature 1: Plethora of autonomous features
• Best feature 2: Small and portable design
• Plus points: Simple control, quick launch, gimbal camera, First Person View (FPV)
• Minus points: Limited flight time, potentially spotty WiFi

Autonomous Features of the DJI Spark

The Sparks autonomous features make filming and flight control easy at any level:

• Obstacle Detection
• Altitude hold
• DJI’s GEO system
• Subject Tracking from various angles
• GPS- & Vision Position-Based Navigation
• Return-to-home
• Shooting modes: PanoSphere, Pano-180°, PanoVertical, PanoHorizontal, and ShallowFocus

DJI Spark’s Standout Features

The Spark has a neat feature called FaceAware. What it does is lift the drone up from the palm of a hand using only facial recognition. It then goes into an automatic hover as it awaits its next flight command. Pilots can then continue to fly and control the camera using hand gestures. That means there’s no need for a smartphone or controller for selfies and other nearby shooting.

It’s also possible to control the Spark using a remote controller (RC) and a smartphone. These control methods and the intuitive DJI GO 4 app give Spark pilots more advanced options. One of those includes TapFly—a flight mode that works by “tapping” the phone screen to “fly.” And the Sport mode can take this puppy to a top speed of 31mph (50kph). That’s a lot of Propulsion for a small drone.

The gimbal-stabilized camera has a 1 /2.3” CMOS sensor and shoots stunning videos at 1080p. Both the video and 12-megapixel photos are fantastic for a camera quad in this price category. It’s also quick and easy to edit and share aerial footage to social media using the DJI GO 4 app.

The Not So Good

The DJI Spark has a limited flight time of just 16 minutes. That’s on the low side of average. Extra batteries cost anywhere between 40–50 dollars. Another negative with the Spark is that some users have found the built-in WiFi spotty on occasions.

6. Parrot ANAFI Autonomous Foldable Camera Drone

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Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5

The Parrot ANAFI is an ultra-compact 4K camera quad aimed at professional aerial videographers. It’s perfect for travel or work and can be up and running in no time. It even comes with a shoulder bag.

• Best feature 1: Autonomous flight features
• Best feature 2: Parrot Skycontroller RC
• Plus points: Business-friendly, easy to control, quiet, fast, agile, intuitive ANFreeFlight 6 app
• Minus points: Long charging times, no obstacle avoidance (OA), high cost of batteries

Autonomous Features of the Parrot ANAFI

Flying the ANAFI at the basic level is simple thanks to the apps autonomous piloting modes:

• Touch&Fly
• POI (Point of Interest)
• Flight Plan
• Geofence altitude and distance hold
• Smart Return to Home

Parrot ANAFI’s Standout Features

Parrot target ANAFI for commercial use though it’s still an excellent consumer quadcopter. It’s a quiet flyer too—for a drone. Many business sectors benefit from this incredible little quad. Some include agriculture, construction, real estate, and public safety. It’s also valuable for inspection, 3D modeling (needs Pix4Dmodel), and monitoring. Search & rescue and aerial promotion are two others.

The advanced ANAFI comes equipped with a pioneering imaging system. It has a 4K/21MP camera that has a 180-degree tilt 3-axis gimbal. That gives the camera access to otherwise inaccessible places. It’s an agile flier as well, and responds beautifully to controls, especially in calm weather. The drone’s top speed can reach 27mph (55 km/h) in its Sport mode.

The ANFreeFlight iOS/Android app is comfortable to navigate and even easier to use. It provides pilots with a smooth, hassle-free experience from any regular smart device. The foldable Parrot Skycontroller 3 (RC) has a clamp to accommodate all popular phones and tablets. The maximum flight time for this camera quad is a decent 25 minutes, and it has a range of 2.5 miles (4km).

The Not So Good

On-the-go computer USB-C charging is a welcome feature but its long charging time is not. It can take up to 270 minutes (4hrs 30mins). Even the wall socket can take up to 3+ hrs. Another drawback with the ANAFI quad is no collision detection system. That means pilots must take extra care when flying. The final gripe is the high cost of spare batteries.

7. Autel Robotics Autonomous EVO Smart Quad

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Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5

Last on the list is the Autel Robotics EVO smart camera quadcopter. It’s another foldable and easily portable craft packed with easy-to-use yet sophisticated features.

• Best feature 1: Essential autonomous flight features
• Best feature 2: 12-megapixel 4K 3-axis gimbal camera
• Plus points: Foldable & portable, OLED RC, one-touch buttons, long flight time, long range
• Minus points: High price tag, little user feedback

Autonomous Features of the Autel Robotics EVO

Autel Robotics’ new EVO is already making a splash with its autonomous features:

• Obstacle avoidance
• Return to home!
• Auto takeoff and landing
• Dynamic Track
• Viewpoint
• Orbit
• Waypoint

That’s just for starters. Now let’s look to see if it’s a serious rival to DJI’s dominance.

Autel Robotics EVO’s Standout Features

The intuitive remote controller (RC) that comes with the EVO has a 3.3” OLED screen. It shows vital flight data and displays First Person View (FPV). So, no need for a smartphone or tablet. The drone has a high-quality 3-axis gimbal-stabilized camera. It can capture incredible 4K video at 60fps (frames per second) with its ultra-wide 94° lens. And the 12-megapixel aerial photos are bright and tack sharp.

Austell’s iOS/Android Explorer App gives access to autonomous features and advanced controls. Changing camera settings is straightforward from the remote controller’s (RC) built-in OLED screen. Other functions from the RC include turning obstacle avoidance ON/OFF and formatting memory cards. All aerial footage saves to the following card types: Micro-SD 4GB–128GB, Class 10 or UHS-3.

EVO’s one-touch buttons make this drone a real winner for novice enthusiasts. They include auto takeoff/landing, return-to-home (RTH), and 1-touch video/stills capture. The impressive 30-minute flight time and long 4.3-mile range add further to the EVO’s appeal.

The Not So Good

Autel Robotics EVO high-quality camera quad comes with quite a high price tag. It’s probably worth every penny, but it’s still too early to tell at the time of writing. It’s set to be a huge hit if it delivers as the Autel Robotics X-Star Premium did. The other downside is the lack of real user feedback. Maybe you’d like to be among the first to invest in this bird and have your say?