It’s hard to remember a time before drones. These days, whenever you go to a public place, you’re bound to see someone eagerly playing pilot with a remote control or smartphone in hand.
If you’re curious about drones, you might have done some digging and seen there’s a huge range of drones on the market, from professional drones to selfie drones that are so small they can fit in your pocket.
But how do these selfie drones fare in the sky? We asked the team at Ted’s Cameras to weigh in…
- Pocket-size drones are perfect for travel
Unless you’re a professional photographer or videographer, your drone may not be your number one priority when you’re packing. But whether you’re heading down to the local park or jetting off overseas, you’ll always have space for a selfie drone.
Some drones can be stowed in your pocket as they are, while others fold up to a convenient compact size. Since they’re lightweight and portable, you have a better chance of getting ‘the shot’. Who knows when inspiration will strike!
As for plane travel, you can bring a drone on a plane. Each airline has its own rules, but usually, you’ll just need to remove the batteries and store the drone in your carry-on.
- Selfie drones offer a unique perspective
If you want to dabble in landscape photography or capture scenes the eye can’t see, consider buying a mini-drone with a camera. Also known as ‘selfie’ drones, they’re about the same size as a compact digital camera – but they can provide a new perspective on familiar sights and situations.
With a pocket drone, you can soar up in the sky to get a birds-eye view, and play around with panorama and symmetry to take epic shots. Some drones, like the DJI Spark (more on that in a minute), have a built-in panoramic mode, which cuts down on your editing time.
- The controls are easier to master
Your selfie drone might be a mainstay in your kit, or a stepping stone to working your way up to a larger, more advanced model. Either way, pocket drones generally have a simpler control system, so they’re great for polishing your skills.
Most mini-drones can be controlled using a remote or via an app on your smartphone or tablet, and many have programmed flight modes (like selfie mode!). If you’re learning how to fly, lightweight drones are easier to manoeuvre. With a bit of practice, you and your pocket drone will be wowing onlookers with your aerial acrobatics!
Mini drones are budget-friendly, and let’s be honest: the lower price makes the learning curve of flying a little less stressful. If something goes wrong, you haven’t spent a fortune.
- They can be flown indoors
Drones fly best in calm, warm weather. When it’s windy and wild outside (or you just want to squeeze in an extra practice session), you’ll still be able to get your flying fix with a selfie drone. Due to their size, they’re safe to fly indoors without worrying about wrecking anything. If you’re still building up your confidence, you can buy prop guards to protect your drone.
- The quality of selfie drones has drastically improved
Until recently, pocket drones were looked upon as fun toys we could use to test out our piloting skills. While they’re still a ton of fun, the technology has advanced. Now, the best pocket drones can capture crisp, gimbal-stabilised stills and videos.
They feature high-end flight modes and are fitted out with obstacle avoidance technology, so you can send your drone into the air, knowing it will steer in the right direction and safely return to your hands on command.
The DJI Spark is known as the ‘king of pocket drones’ – and it lives up to the nickname! The compact drone can fly for 16 minutes and reach a speed of 50kph, and it takes off within seconds of powering on thanks to facial recognition technology. The coolest part? You can control it with hand gestures! Will voice control be next? Time will only tell…
The DJI ZeroTech Dobby Drone is another top pick – and it’s lighter than most smartphones. The foldable quadcopter fits into the palm of your hand, and its built-in camera can take 4K and Full HD video and 13mp stills. Its advanced flight modes will help you to find the best vantage point of your subject, and when you’re done, you can synchronise the photos to your phone with the click of a button.
Chat to the drone experts at Ted’s Cameras
Mini drones make aerial photography easy. They may not have the same features of their larger counterparts, but the technology is impressive, and they can be carried everywhere.
Plus, the price is hard to beat, so if you’re hoping to take your photography or videography, we think it’s definitely worth having one in your kit. Ready to take the plunge?
Head to your local Ted’s Cameras store, and our experts will help you to find the perfect pocket drone for you.
This post was sponsored by Ted’s Cameras
