Today in the publication we will tell readers about the best DJI quadcopters of 2022: from amateur models to advanced commercial-class machines. And although the Internet is replete with such reviews, it is not often that you find the right one. Our rating is based entirely on real reviews from the Internet and industry forums, and the models below are in high demand. A brief overview of the characteristics and functions of each of the models will help determine the choice of the most suitable for a set of requirements and budget.
Unmanned technologies are so developed today that you will hardly surprise anyone with flying cars and drones that will be able to lift a person. So far, the main development of the industry is to expand the technical base of the main tools. Quadcopters are becoming smaller, but more powerful and technically filled with “smart” technologies for object recognition in the frame, territories, analysis and compilation of consolidated data maps. The industrial segment is largely moving to drones due to their ability to significantly reduce the time for survey and monitoring, as well as reduce the cost of manual methods of work.
Law
In USA, there is a law on drones, and first of all, you should familiarize yourself with the flight rules. Of the significant points of the law, it is worth noting that drones weighing 150 grams or more (rules update dated March 19, 2022; previously from 250 grams) must be registered in the air regulator. There are also a number of locations where you should not fly at all.
More information about the latest amendments to the UAV law of February 2020 can be found here and here.
Useful tips for beginners. Briefly
Do not fly the drone above 150 meters;
Do not fly near airports, military units, government buildings and other protected structures;
Do not fly with large crowds of people;
Don’t fly too fast or too far (flights must be within line of sight).
How much does a quadcopter cost
The price of a quadrocopter depends on the needs of the future user. They are suitable for the first one-time use to see if you even need a drone. Often, such models do not have a camera, which means that their overall functionality is very limited. But with them you can master the basic skills of piloting and in the future choose a more advanced model.
Such models are equipped with a simple camera up to 8 megapixels, have a better assembly, but still far from ideal. Drones in this price range may or may not have a GPS system. Also, they often do not have a remote control, which makes it difficult to control the flight of the drone.
In addition, when choosing a model from this category, you need to take into account the weight and configuration of the drone, as well as flight capabilities (speed, flight time, flight characteristics in various weather conditions). Finally, the industrial segment includes models with special characteristics and technical equipment, including payload, software for collecting, processing and analyzing information, as well as advanced control technologies.
Once you have determined what you expect from a quadcopter purchase and aerial photography, it will be much easier to choose a specific model. See below for a detailed rating.
DJI Air 2S
The third quadcopter in the Air series is capable of staying in the air for up to 31 minutes, has a maximum speed of 68.4 km/h and resistance to wind gusts up to 10.5 m/s. OcuSync 3.0 technology provides real-time image transmission in Full HD resolution at 30 fps. Flight range – up to 12 kilometers.
In flight, the drone is stable, able to avoid obstacles thanks to the built-in omnidirectional sensors and the APAS 4.0 pilot assistance system. Shooting from the drone is possible in resolutions up to 5.4K at 30 fps or 4K at 60 fps. The Dlog-M profile captures up to 1 billion shades.
Pros:
1″ CMOS sensor;
Advanced ActiveTrack 4.0 and APAS 4.0 technologies;
Recognition of obstacles in four directions.
What you should pay attention to:
Fairly high cost.
DJI Mavic 2 Pro
A classic drone from DJI that meets all user requirements. The flight time is 30 minutes, there is a technology for recognizing and flying around obstacles, the flight range is up to 5 kilometers. The Mavic 2 Pro quadcopter is equipped with a 20-megapixel video camera and supports HDR. Video recording is available in 4K at 60 fps and FullHD at 120 fps.
This drone is, perhaps, like a Harley Davidson for motorcyclists. Like Samsung in the world of phones. Or Dyson in the world of vacuum cleaners. It is suitable for all categories of users: it can be used for training, and it can be chosen as the first drone and used professionally.
Pros:
Video quality;
flight capabilities;
Effective detection and avoidance of obstacles.
What you should pay attention to:
Lack of zoom.
DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0
An improved version of the not without that unique drone. The drone has a 20-megapixel mechanical shutter camera built on a 1-inch CMOS sensor, which, coupled with high-performance electronics, allows you to shoot 4K video at 60 frames per second, recording high-quality video material at a speed of 100 Mbps. As well as one of the best OcuSync video streaming systems, a 4-way obstacle avoidance system, autonomous aerial and flight modes. Today, P4P V2.0 is the best tool in the UAV niche for realizing high-quality photo and video content from the air, the potential of which has already been appreciated not only by amateurs, but also by professionals.
Pros:
Duplication of the system for safe flight (gyrostabilizer and compass);
The quality of video recording with a regular camera;
Excellent flight capabilities;
Advanced obstacle detection system.
What you should pay attention to:
Non-replaceable wide-angle lens.
DJI Mini 3 Pro
It seems that the best small-sized drone can not be invented. It contains all the best characteristics of previous models, while in some ways it succeeds them. The Mini 3 Pro provides a maximum flight time of 47 minutes thanks to the optional Intelligent Flight Battery Plus. In the basic configuration, the flight time is 34 minutes. Of the significant additions, there is also a new DJI RC remote control with a built-in 5.5-inch display with a brightness of 700 cd / m2. It is also suitable for use with DJI Air 2S, Mavic 2 Pro and other drones.
The 3-axis stabilizer allows the DJI Mini 3 Pro’s lens to rotate vertically, which is useful for creating selfies or posts on TikTok and Instagram. No wonder the Mavic Mini has always been positioned as a selfie drone. The follower of the most famous portable drone did not stand aside in this regard. Shooting quality includes 4K video at up to 60 fps or 4K HDR at 30 fps, with 2x and 4x zoom for 4K and Full HD, respectively. Clips can be recorded in H.264 and H.265 at 150 Mbps.
Pros:
Lightweight 249g;
4K shooting and powerful image stabilizer;
Increased flight time;
Built-in bright control panel;
What you should pay attention to:
Fixed aperture f/1.7.
DJI Mavic 3
This device is undeniably top of the line. It is suitable for both professional aerial photography and auxiliary industrial use. The weight of the device is 895 grams, which means it is lighter than the second drone in the Mavic series.
The drone carries two lenses on board. This is a Hasselblad with a 4/3 CMOS sensor that supports video shooting up to 5.1K, resolution for still images 20 MP, bit rate up to 200 Mbps. And a 1/2″ CMOS camera with 12MP photo, 4K video at 30fps and Full HD at 30fps, f/2.8-11 adjustable aperture, 24mm EGF and 28x zoom thanks to hybrid zoom. The drone camera is able to capture up to 1 billion colors due to the 10-bit D-Log color profile.
Importantly, the DJI Mavic 3 Cine Extended Version supports Apple ProRes 422 HQ and H.264 / H.265 encoding, and it also has a built-in 1 terabyte storage and a cable for fast data transfer to external media. This allows you to share, process and shoot like never before. The Mavic 3 has a flight time of 46 minutes and features omnidirectional detection and obstacle avoidance technology. Enhanced OcuSync3+ technology delivers a range of up to 15 kilometers.
Pros:
Powerful camera sensor;
Two lenses in one: Hasselblad 4/3-inch sensor and 1/2-inch TV camera;
Intelligence mode for remote object detection;
ActiveTrack 5.0 and improved Return Home.
What you should pay attention to:
It is not possible to use third-party suspensions.
DJI Mavic 2 Advanced
It is the most portable industrial drone that combines shooting up to 48MP with 1/2 CMOS sensor, 32x zoom and high-definition 4K video at 100Mbps. The second camera is a thermal imaging camera with a resolution of 640 × 512 at a frequency of 30 Hz and a 16x digital zoom. On board the drone carries an RTK module, a loudspeaker and a bright spotlight can also be used. This is especially true for rescue services and during inspections in hard-to-reach areas.
Included with the quadcopter is the DJI Smart Controller with a bright LCD display, which carries a maximum of useful information for the pilot to control the flight and actions of the drone. The screen can be split for simultaneous viewing from a visual camera and a thermal imager. The data transmission range is up to 6 kilometers. The maximum flight time is up to 30 minutes.
Pros:
Light weight, fast deployment;
Two cameras on board: visual and thermal imager;
Flight time 30 minutes;
Convenient navigation and flight control.
What you should pay attention to:
The drone does not have a degree of protection against external weather conditions.
DJI Matrice 300 RTK
This is a universal industrial drone for various kinds of work. It is designed for inspection and monitoring of pipelines, power lines, wells, railways, search and rescue, law enforcement and security.
The device combines two batteries with a self-heating system, duplicating the main control systems, the ability to carry up to three payloads at the same time. All-round surveillance sensors allow the drone to maneuver confidently without fear of obstacles. Auxiliary built-in lighting is automatically activated when working in low light conditions. There is a built-in DJI AirSense technology, as well as a data protection system like the M2EA. All data is encrypted and cannot be intercepted or stolen.
Pros:
Powerful ready-made turnkey platform;
Lens interchangeability and support for third-party lenses;
AirSense technology and emergency landing;
Backup systems for safe flight.
What you should pay attention to:
The IP45 rating prevents the drone from operating in heavy rain;
Short flight time with a maximum load of 2.7 kg.
DJI Matrix 30
This new unmanned aerial vehicle combines the capabilities of the M2EA and the M300RTK. It has become portable, yet equipped with all the features for continuous industrial inspections in the most difficult conditions. If the Matrice 300 has a removable payload, here it is built-in. The quadcopter has a 12MP wide-angle camera that supports video resolution up to 4K, a 1/2-inch CMOS camera with up to 200x magnification, a laser rangefinder with a working range of 3m – 1200m, and a thermal imager with a resolution of 640 × 512.
The M30 is expected to become even more versatile in the future, including the ability to integrate PSDK and support for third-party payloads, including searchlights, loudspeakers, parachutes, gas detectors and other equipment. They will connect to the drone through the top payload port.
The new DJI RC controller for the Matrice 30 series is designed specifically for industrial inspections and features more ergonomic controls. In addition to the drone, the remote control is also protected from water and dust, the operating temperature range is from -20°C to +50°C.
Pros:
Wide-angle sensor;
Laser rangefinder;
Thermal imaging camera;
New RC Plus remote control and transmission distance up to 8 km;
DJI 4G cellular module integration;
Quick charge in 30 minutes.
What you should pay attention to:
There is no way to use third-party suspensions at the moment.
More news and useful information can be found on our social media pages:
In contact with
Telegram
The post Best DJI Drones 2022: Review Rankings and Review appeared first on DJI Buyer’s Guide.