Best Commercial Drones of 2019

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Are you in the market for the best commercial drone for your budget, but aren’t sure which one to buy? The selection of drones in the marketplace provides a lot of choice, and understanding which drone to buy means looking at the features.

Budget
Best-budget-Commercial-Drones
DJI Mavic Pro
4.6/5.0
Control range 7,000 meters
Flight time 27 minutes
Automated flight features and long range with 4K video capture.
Check Amazon
Best Value
Best-value-Commercial-Drones
DJI Phantom 4 Pro
4.7/5.0
Control range 5,000 meters
Flight time 30 minutes
4K video capture, 20MP photo and long control range.
Check Amazon
Top Pick
Top-value-Commercial-Drones
DJI INSPIRE 2
4.8/5.0
Control range 7,000 meters
Flight time 27 minutes
Top speed of 58mph and long control range.
Check DJI.com
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    If you’re buying the drone for commercial reasons then perhaps you have specific uses for the drone in mind. When that’s the case you need to ensure that the features you buy will be capable of delivering on your objectives. In this top commercial drones guide, we will educate you on the top features to look out for.

    Also you’ll learn about why a commercial drone might be of benefit to you. The advantages of drones might not be clear for companies and services that have never used them before. However, after reading this guide you might conclude that the benefits of having a drone far outweigh the cost of investment.

    We present budget commercial drones all the way up to the most expensive options on the market. This provides choices for buyers of all budgets. It also enables you to better match the drone to the specific requirements you need.











    Top 8 Commercial Drones Comparison Table

    Make and ModelControl RangeFlight TimePrice
    DJI Mavic Pro7,000 meters27 minutesCheck Price
    DJI Phantom 3 Professional5,000 meters23 minutesCheck Price
    HUBSAN H301S SPY HAWK1,000meters30minutesCheck Price
    DJI Phantom 4 Pro5,000 meters30 minutesCheck Price
    Yuneec Typhoon H Pro1,000 meters25 minutesCheck Price
    Autel Robotics X-Star Premium1,900 meters25 minutesCheck Price
    DJI INSPIRE 27,000 meters27 minutesCheck Price
    WALKERA VOYAGER 4Unlimited via 4G25 minutesCheck Price

    Top Commercial Drones By Budget:

    Click below to get detailed information on each drone by price.

    Top Commercial Drones Under $1,000

    This category is ideal for buyers that require a budget option, but need a drone worthy for commercial use. You’ll notice a selection that’s packed full of features such as a 4K camera, intelligent flight, and well-implemented obstacle avoidance.

    Drones under $1,000 are good enough to execute on the majority of commercial applications. Just pay attention to the features to see if the shortcomings are something that might be a problem for you. If that’s the case then look for a drone in one of the more expensive categories.

    1. DJI Mavic Pro

    DJI Mavic ProView on Amazon

    Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5

    For a drone that’s lightweight, under $1,000, and has exceptional features you can’t go wrong with the DJI Mavic Pro. It’s a versatile drone that’s useful for professionals and amateurs alike. The compact design and sturdy build means it’s a drone that will provide plenty of use for years to come.

    The camera of the DJI Mavic Pro can capture video at 4K operating at 30fps, or you can increase the fps to 60 and decrease the resolution to 1080p. The camera provides a field of view that’s 79 degrees, which is not competitive when compared with the other drone cameras on this list.

    The drone can be folded down to the size of a small water bottle and it only weighs 743g. This means it can be transported anywhere with ease. Also, the light nature of the drone reduces the amount of damage experienced when crashed.

    The battery is at 27 minutes, which is competitive when compared with the other top commercial drones on this list. This flight time will get you all the way to the outer distance of the impressive 7km range. The flight time and control range is very competitive and ideal for a number of commercial applications.

    The automated flight features of the DJI Mavic Pro is another reason why professionals should invest in this drone. For example, the Terrain Follow mode makes use of the Downward Vision system to maintain a specific distance above the ground. Also waypoint can be set to navigate the drone automatically through a desired route.

    To conclude the DJI Mavic Pro is a top commercial drone that’s priced reasonably for the bunch of features on offer. The mix of a great camera, intelligent flight features, and range of 7km means it’s a highly practical drone. You’ll find that this drone is a great choice for a wide variety of commercial applications.

    amazon

     

    Tech Specs
    Weight: 1.64 pounds
    Battery: Lithium metal
    Charging Time: 60 minutes
    Control range: 7,000 meters
    Flight time: 27 minutes
    The Pros
    4K video capture
    Portable
    Long range
    Automated flight features
    Competitive price
    The Cons
    Motor not powerful
    Images not perfect in low light

    2. DJI Phantom 3 Pro

    DJI Phantom 3 ProView on Amazon

    Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

    Another superb commercial drone under $1,000 is the DJI Phantom 3 Pro. It’s a drone that has been out for a few years now, but the affordable price and excellent features mean it will work well for commercial applications.

    You can view industrial processes in real time with this drone via the 720p live viewing mode. The Lightbridge digital streaming technology means you’ll get an uninterrupted view of what the drone is looking at. Also the camera can be used to record 4K UHD video, which is ideal for commercial content capture. The camera is secured via a 3-axis gimbal making it steady during flight. The photo resolution of the camera is capped at 12MP, which is what can be expected for under the $1,000 price mark.

    The controller of the Phantom 3 Pro is intuitive to use and comes with an LCD screen where you can view the live video stream. Even beginner pilots can get used to the controls of the Phantom 3 Pro relatively quickly. There is a Beginner Mode where you are basically restricted to a safe and limited area.

    The mobile app is powerful because of the wide array of functions and controls it offers. For instance, you can change the flight settings or control the camera. This can be done from a compatible smartphone, which can be more useful than carrying around a controller.

    The unit is linked up to the USA and Russian satellite systems for navigation. However, when connectivity is lost the drone makes use of the vision positioning system. This ensures the drone is able to fly in an automated fashion. In particular low to the ground and indoor flight is possible with the vision positioning system.

    To conclude, the DJI Phantom 3 Pro is one of the better commercial drones that you can buy under $1,000. You’ll notice that is has a comprehensive array of features that makes it ideal for the average commercial user. The VisionPosition system, powerful mobile app and beginner friendly mode makes this one of the more well-rounded commercial drones out there.

    amazon

     

    Tech Specs
    Weight: 9.2 pounds
    Battery: Lithium polymer
    Charging Time: 120 minutes
    Control range: 5,000 meters
    Flight time: 23 minutes
    The Pros
    Competitive price
    4K video capture
    Excellent control range
    Great controller
    The Cons
    1080p has limited fps

    3. HUBSAN H301S SPY HAWK

    HUBSAN H301S SPY HAWKView on Banggood

    Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5

    For a drone that’s a bit different to the others on this list is the HUBSAN H301S SPY HAWK, because it’s not a quadcopter. It uses a winged structure to fly, which allows the drone to reach much faster speeds. The drone enjoys a flight time of 30 minutes. The low weight reduces the amount of battery power it takes to run it.

    The wingspan is 1,000mm and the length of the drone is 750mm, which makes this a relatively small drone. Also the flying techniques used for this drone will differ from a quadcopter. You will need a bit more of a hands-on approach.

    There is a return home feature, which can be used to return the drone once you have finished flying it. However, the range of automated flight features cannot compare with the other entries on this list.

    Another highlight of this drone is the FPV and you can use it to see where the drone is going. It’s a fun and practical way of flying the drone. It can also be used to inspect things visually if that’s what your commercial application requires.

    Additionally, there is a camera that can be used to capture footage at 1080p. This is lower than what’s available on this list because most offer 4K video capture resolutions. However, if your demands are not strict then this camera should be adequate.

    This is the cheapest commercial drone on this list and is an alternative to the other options. You’ll see that because of the way this drone handles, the good flight time and fast speed it might be the one for you.

    amazon

     

    Tech Specs
    Weight: 6.2 pounds
    Battery: Lithium polymer
    Charging Time: 60 minutes
    Control range: 1,000 meters
    Flight time: 30 minutes
    The Pros
    Competitive price
    Great flight time
    Light build
    The Cons
    More challenging to fly

    Top Commercial Drones Under $2,000

    For a mix of value and premium features you should look for a drone in this category. You’ll find some excellent options here aimed at the professional drone user. It can be argued that the drones in the under $2,000 category provide the best cost to performance for commercial users.

    The drones we have covered here have the features to perform well for demanding tasks. They are suited for daily prolonged use that you can rely on. The 4K camera, collision avoidance technology, and automated flight features is what makes the drones in this category particularly useful.

    4. DJI Phantom 4 Pro

    DJI Phantom 4 ProView on Amazon

    Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5

    One of the best professional drones on the market right now for the price is the DJI Phantom 4 Pro. There are a number of improvements here over the DJI Phantom 3 Pro that you need to understand to justify the extra cost. You’ll see that for any commercial application this drone provides the features to meet the requirements.

    A great camera is a must for any drone and the Phantom 4 Pro doesn’t disappoint in this department. You can shoot 4K video at 24, 25, 30, and 60 fps. This means you have a lot of freedom to get the format of the video that you need. Also you can capture video at the 2.7K, 1080p, and 720p resolutions.

    Note that the camera for photography provides an amazing resolution of 20MP. This ensures the quality of the end result looks spectacular. It’s especially useful for services that wish to provide industry-leading content to the client.

    It’s possible to add to the package by investing in a $300 touchscreen. This ensures that the quality of the piloting experience is greatly improved. You get a great view of what the drone can see. This is perhaps a great add-on to have if you want to inspect industrial equipment in real time.

    The DJI Phantom 4 Pro has a top speed of 45mph, which means it can get to the desired location fast. Also the 5km range should be more than enough for the majority of commercial applications. The flight time of 30 minutes is competitive in the drone marketplace. You’ll struggle to find another professional drone that provides a better flight time.

    Another impressive feature is the obstacle avoidance in 4 directions. This reduces the chances of a collision occurring, which in turn increases the lifespan of the drone. The DJI Phantom 4 Pro can detect obstacles up to 30 meters away. This gives it plenty of time to come to a stop and turn in a different direction.

    To conclude, the DJI Phantom 4 Pro is one of the best drones out there for professionals. The versatility of the camera, attention to detail and advanced obstacle avoidance means you’re getting the complete package. It will meet the toughest of commercial requirements and even exceed your expectations.

    amazon

     

    Tech Specs
    Weight: 10 pounds
    Battery: Lithium polymer
    Charging Time: 90 minutes
    Control range: 5,000 meters
    Flight time: 30 minutes
    The Pros
    Advanced obstacle avoidance technology
    Long control range
    4K video capture
    20MP photo
    Great flying time
    The Cons
    Must pay extra for touchscreen controller

    5. Yuneec Typhoon H Pro

    Yuneec Typhoon H ProView on Amazon

    Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5

    A competitive commercial drone from Yuneec is the Typhoon H Pro, which comes with IntelSense Technology. You’ll learn about the array of features to be explored in this review and how you can combine it with your commercial application.

    The Yuneec Typhoon H Pro is a bit different from the other entries on this list because it is a hexacopter. This means it has 6 rotors instead of the usual 4. This gives you more power when flying, which enables it to carry the load around more efficiently. Furthermore, it reduces the flight performance if for any reason one of the rotors were to become damaged.

    The camera is secured on a 3-axis gimbal that’s free from vibration problems. Therefore, you can rely on the video capture to be smooth. This makes it perfect for video capture professionals of event services. Additionally, you can rotate the camera a full 360 degree, which reduces the amount of turning you need to do with the drone to capture footage.

    The camera has a resolution of 4K and an impressive 98 degree field of vision. Also the photo capture is at 12MP, which for this price is not competitive. However, it might be viable for the majority of professional applications you intended to use the Yuneec Typhoon H Pro for.

    Intelligent flight features have been implemented well in the Typhon H Pro model. For example, the Journey Mode will travel up to 150 feet away from the point of interest and capture a great aerial selfie. Also the orbit me mode can be selected if you wish to get the drone to fly in a circular path around you.

    The obstacle avoidance is powered by the Intel RealSense technology, which detects obstacles with great accuracy so that collisions can be avoided. The top speed at which the obstacle avoidance features works best at is 12mph. This ensures that the likelihood of collision is next to none. The technology can detect objects up to 10 meters away during daylight conditions.

    To conclude, the Yuneec Typhoon H Pro is an impressive commercial drone that doesn’t come with a premium price tag. The unique 6 rotor design is a big advantage of this drone that others cannot compete with. Also the intelligent flight features and camera stability have been implemented very well here. The accuracy of the obstacle avoidance can give you confidence about the longevity of this drone.

    amazon

     

    Tech Specs
    Weight: 12 pounds
    Battery: Lithium polymer
    Charging Time: 120 minutes
    Control range: 1,000 meters
    Flight time: 25 minutes
    The Pros
    Advanced obstacle avoidance technology
    Long control range
    4K video capture
    Decent flying time
    The Cons
    Costly
    Large in size

    6. Autel Robotics X-Star Premium

    Autel Robotics X-Star PremiumView on Amazon

    Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

    The Autel Robotics X-Star Premium is a good competitor to DJI offerings that dominates the marketplace. You can buy it in an orange color, which is not common in the drone marketplace. This makes is somewhat stand out in the sky. Therefore, if you are going for a discreet look the orange might not be the best choice.

    One of the highlights of the Autel Robotics X-Star is the controller that comes with an intuitive LCD display. Even a beginner drone pilot can learn to navigate it efficiently without much of a learning curve. The controller has two joysticks and a few buttons to control the various aspects.

    The camera is secured via a 3-axis gimbal, and you can capture video at an impressive 4K resolution. This is perfect for professional content creators that do not want to sacrifice on the quality of their footage. Furthermore, you can use other resolutions, which includes 2.7K, 1080p, and 720p. The lower the resolution the more fps you get. Also the camera can take photos at a 12MP resolution. This provides clear photos at a professional standard.

    A flight time of 25 minutes can be achieved with the Autel Robotics X-Star, and you’ll need to charge the battery for 90 minutes to obtain 100% charge. Also it has a flight distance of 1,900 meters, which is not competitive compared to the other top commercial drones on our list.

    The outstanding feature to note in the Autel Robotics X-Star is the GPS. It has been implemented exceptionally well, and with it comes an array of automated flight features. You can trust this drone to travel via waypoints or orbit a target with great accuracy.

    To conclude, the Autel Robotics X-Star Premium is a competitive drone that has an excellent array of features useful for commercial applications. The good quality camera, automated flight features, and user-friendly controller means you’re getting a well-designed product.

    amazon

     

    Tech Specs
    Weight: 3.2 pounds
    Battery: Lithium polymer
    Charging Time: 90 minutes
    Control range: 1,900 meters
    Flight time: 25 minutes
    The Pros
    4 resolution modes, including 4K
    Great GPS
    User friendly controller
    The Cons
    Unsteady during take-off and landing
    Drifts during turns

    Top Commercial Drones under $5,000

    For the commercial drone buyer that’s got a big budget, and equally big requirements the drones in this section are the ones to buy. They represent the options with the best features and most advanced build. You will be happy with the drones here regardless of what level of experience you have.

    For commercial applications where the quality of the drone determines the potential success of the operations the drones here is a no-brainer. For instance, a longer flight range, better camera, or longer control range can directly improve the performance in a given task.

    7. DJI Inspire 2

    DJI Inspire 2View on DJI.com

    Editor’s Rating: 4.8/5

    For the buyer that can afford a premium price tag the DJI Inspire 2 is an exceptional drone with industry-leading features. It was designed with the professional in mind that cannot sacrifice on the quality of the features.

    The camera on the Inspire 2 provides an industry leading 5.2K resolution, which is unheard of on a drone. Also you can record at the 4K resolution, and at 60fps. This is an improvement over the commonly found 30 fps at this resolution. Furthermore, lower resolutions can be selected if that is your requirement.

    The camera offers a resolution of 20.8MP for images. Therefore, expect the quality of the aerial photos to be exceptionally clear. Also the camera comes with a 480GB SSD, which is great for the user. This is a fast means of storage, and it should be more than enough to get started with. Upgrades can be made if you have bigger storage needs for your commercial application.

    Another useful feature of the DJI Inspire 2 is the 7km range. The Lightbridge communication technology ensures the drone is piloted accurately – event at 6-7km away from the drone. Reaching these long distances is not problematic since you can fly at a top speed of 58mph.

    The flight time of 27 minutes is competitive, and certainly above average for the drone marketplace. Therefore, you’ll have ample time to execute on your commercial objectives before calling the drone back for charging. It takes 120 minutes to charge, which is a lengthy amount of time. However, you can buy additional batteries, which means you’ll only need to swap the batteries over before going for another run.

    The advanced obstacle sensing technology ensures the drone will not crash into objects. There are forward and downward facing sensors that detect objects at a distance of 30 meters away. The drone can travel at a maximum speed of 34mph while being able to take advantage of the obstacle avoidance feature.

    To summarize, the DJI Inspire 2 is the complete package for the premium user. For buyers with a big budget investing in the Inspire 2 is an excellent choice because of the professionally implemented features. For example, the 5.2K video camera and advanced obstacle avoidance make this drone an attractive package.

    amazon

     

    Tech Specs
    Weight: 24.2 pounds
    Battery: Lithium polymer
    Charging Time: 120 minutes
    Control range: 7,000 meters
    Flight time: 27 minutes
    The Pros
    Industry leading camera
    Top speed of 58mph
    Long control range
    Great build
    20.8MP photos and 5.2K video
    The Cons
    Costly
    Need a fast computer to process data
    Limited flight time

    8. WALKERA VOYAGER 4

    WALKERA VOYAGER 4View on Amazon

    Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5

    An industry leading drone that has a bunch of professional grade features is the WALKERA VOYAGER 4. It has potentially limitless range and a camera that offers great content capture. It’s the right drone for buyers that have a big budget for a drone that beats most of the competition.

    The drone can be controlled via the 4G network, which means it can have a range that’s significantly longer than other drones. As 4G coverage improves around the globe in future years the range of the drone can be limitless. However, the drone is still bound by the restrictions of the flight time, which is 25 minutes.

    The drone has a 18x optical zoom camera, which professionals will find extremely useful. It’s the kind of camera that movie makers can use to shoot high-quality footage. The camera sensor used is the 1/2.3 SONY IMX117 CMOS and 4K footage can be recorded at 30fps.

    The drone can be operated by using the Walkera app, which means a smartphone or tablet can be attached to the controller. You’ll have a FOV point of view as you are flying. This ensures you get a clear picture of what the drone is looking at. The feature will prove to be useful if you need to execute visual inspections in real time.

    Also the drone has an ultra-light thin carbon fiber build. This means it’s sturdy and durable, yet doesn’t require a lot of power to lift the framework. It’s part of the reason the flight time is so long.

    To summarize, the WALKERA VOYAGER 4 is an excellent drone for professionals looking for a comprehensive package. The blend of features ensures you can execute on the objectives with a minimal amount of effort. The 4G control connectivity is one of the highlights of this drone, along with the light carbon fiber build.

    amazon

     

    Tech Specs
    Weight: 33.07 pounds
    Battery: Lithium metal
    Charging Time: 60 minutes
    Control range: Unlimited via 4G
    Flight time: 25 minutes
    Video: 4K
    Photo: 12MP
    The Pros
    18x zoom
    Advanced shock absorption
    Limitless range
    Competitive price
    The Cons
    Expensive