The Ultimate Drone Buying Guide

Drones are the miniature, non-lethal younger brother of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). These remote-controlled flying machines are equipped with sensors that detect their surroundings, using sophisticated technology to keep them level during flight. 

Drones have hundreds of uses, from carrying cargo to tracking wildlife and military reconnaissance. However, aerial photography drones are gaining the most notoriety. Several drone cameras hit the market following the unveiling of the Parrot AR Drone in 2010, considered the first camera drone controlled by a smartphone.

Followed closely by the release of the DJI Phantom and the Phantom 2, the world of drones quickly gained popularity, introducing a whole new world of photography, previously restricted by aerial access.

Most drones are ‘multi-rotors,’ which means they have more than two blades, with the most popular type being quadcopters. As the name suggests, they have four propellers, similar to a helicopter. As the pilot, you manually control where and how fast your drone flies using a remote control or sometimes your smartphone. Quadcopters are easy to manoeuvre and ideal for aerial photography and videography.

Fixed-wing drones, however, lift straight up into the air, using kinetic energy to move forward. Although they’re great for covering large distances (even with limited battery life), their most significant drawback is the inability to hover, an essential feature for landscape photography.

Indoor or toy drones

These are great entry-level drones. They’re affordable, durable, and ideal for learning how to fly without worrying about wrecking your new purchase. Plus, they’re safe to fly indoors. We like the DJI Tello Drone.

Selfie drones

Lightweight and portable, selfie drones such as the DJI Mini 4K Drone can be folded up or stored in your pocket as they are. Mini drones are about the same size as a digital camera, but they can offer you a birdseye perspective on every scene.

#1 Battery life

Battery life equals flight time, i.e. the larger the battery, the longer the flight. So make sure you select a drone with good battery life. However, because battery capacity varies from drone to drone, the most straightforward way to fly without too many interruptions is to invest in spare batteries.

#2 Range

Drones can’t fly forever. Beyond battery life, your drone only has a finite distance it can travel before losing connection from the remote control. Be sure to check the flight distance of your drone before flying.

#3 Weight

Make sure you check the drone’s weight. Thanks to their manoeuvrability, lightweight drones are ideal for learning how to fly. However, this comes at the expense of stability in windy weather. While heavier drones are harder to control, they often come fitted with additional features, offering better image quality.

#4 Your drone’s camera type

Not every drone comes with a camera. While we recommend buying a drone with a built-in camera, drones without will allow you to mount any type of camera you want, providing the drone can still fly.

If you're buying a drone, compare the number of megapixels, video resolution, and whether you can control the camera angle. If you’re a professional or budding photographer, you may want to spend a little more on a drone with superior image quality.

The DJI Mavic 3 Drone, for example, features a Hasselblad camera that uses a high-quality 4/3 CMOS sensor, capable of producing brilliant 20MP stills and videos in up to 5.1K resolution and 4K 120FPS Video. The DJI Mavic 3 Cine also supports Apple ProRes 422 HQ encoding, a 10-bit D-Log Colour profile, and a 1TB SSD for high-speed storage.

#5 Replacement options

To make your life easier, choose a drone with parts that can be repaired or replaced. That way, if something happens to the propellers, batteries or gears, you know your drone will be back in action soon.

#6 RAW/DNG format

Do you edit your photos in Lightroom or Photoshop? You’ll want a drone camera that can shoot RAW/DNG images. These file formats record all the data received by the camera’s sensor, giving you more to work with in post-production.

#7 Your drone’s steadiness

If the drone can’t hover, it’ll rise, fall and drift - leaving you with blurry images. Look for a drone with an advanced flight control system and onboard sensors. We recommend a mounted gimbal drone if you plan to record video.

#8 Intelligent functions

Some drone cameras can send a live feed to your controller, tablet or smartphone; others offer zoom controls, and some offer the ability to take selfies with a wave of your hand. With drone technology constantly improving, who knows what intelligent function will be introduced next.

#9 Drone Accessories

Fresh out of the box, the best drones are high-achievers. However, if you want to unleash their full potential, you’ll need a guide to the essential accessories for your drone. There are several handy drone accessories all drone lovers should add to their kit.

Top Tip: The Australian sun can be pretty harsh, so consider adding ND filters to your kit. They cut out glare and reduce the amount of light coming into your lens. We like the DJI Mavic PT47 ND Filter Set.

Using a drone varies depending on the model you have. However, for all aircraft, no matter their size, there are three rotation controls to consider:

Roll: Left or right rotation around the front-to-back axis of the drone.

Pitch: Rotation forwards or backwards around the side-to-side axis of the drone.

Yaw: Clockwise or counterclockwise rotation around the vertical axis. Use yaw to draw circles in the air or change directions while flying.

And then there’s the throttle. Like the accelerator in a car, the throttle powers up the propellers for take-off, flight and landing. Increasing or decreasing the throttle will adjust the height up or down.

Although more affordable drones offer simple controls for beginner pilots, higher-end models will give more skilled operators more manoeuvrability and functionality.

Flying a drone in Australia is legal but highly regulated. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) lays out the drone laws in Australia, and if you breach them, you may end up with a fine. The good news is that Australian drone laws for recreational drone operators are pretty reasonable. You can find all of the drone laws in Australia on their website here.

Each state also has its own set of laws on top of these federal regulations. For example, drone laws in NSW require permission from national park managers before flying a drone. Plus, the whole of Sydney Harbour is a no-fly zone.

If you’re using your drone for commercial reasons, you may need to apply for a drone license or fly with a certified operator. You can read up on the rules online or through CASA’s handy app, Can I Fly There?

Drones are a lot of fun to fly, but they can be dangerous if misused. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pilot, follow these drone safety tips to protect you and your drone from danger.

#1 Fly in ideal conditions

Wind and rain are your drone’s enemies. Fly on a day with good weather and stick to large, open spaces away from people, property and animals. Any crashes can cause serious injury.

#2 Stay low

Keep a line of sight to make sure you can see your drone to guide it easily.

#3 Avoiding obstacles

Trees and power lines are the main culprits. If you see another aircraft landing nearby, come back to the ground.

#4 Read the manual

It will list all your drone’s safety features and tips and tricks for getting the most out of your drone.

#5 Maintenance, Testing

Take the time to learn how to clean and care for your drone to ensure it’s ready to fly whenever you want. Do a pre-flight check, charge your batteries before flying, remove your propellers after each flight and store your drone in a protective case.

Finally, drones can be distracting and noisy, so please respect the privacy of the people around you, and be mindful of the local culture and wildlife.

Drones are here to stay! No longer a novelty, drones are necessary to any aerial photographer's tool kit. Whether mastering real estate drone photography or landscape photography, buying a drone will launch your photography arsenal to new heights.

Ready to see photography from a whole new point of view? Get advice on the best drone to suit your photography style, and learn about our Total Care Packages for Drones/Gimbals by dropping into your local Ted’s Cameras store today!