How to select a new camera drone?

Now all kinds of drone camera are hitting the market,Some are incredibly well-engineered flying camera platforms that come complete & ready-to-fly with camera, gimbal & software integrated and tested.Others are outdated junk you should avoid at all costs.So you need to learn about the features that really matter when selecting a new camera drone.

A camera drone is a radio-controlled aerial flying platform (fixed-wing or multi-rotor configuration) designed to carry an HD camera that shoots high-quality videos and still photography,vibration-free.

Most camera drone today are multi-rotors like quadcopters, because multi-rotors are exceptionally stable and maneuverable flying platforms.

The most popular camera drones today either come ready-to-fly – with an HD or 4K camera installed – or, they can be easily fitted with a popular 2-axis or 3-axis gimbal capable of carrying a camera of your choice.

Many leading camera drone also come equipped with advanced software-driven features that simplify the planning and production of a video shoot, for example:

• pre-flight planning software: create your flight plan by drawing waypoints on a map using a tablet or touchscreen interface
• GPS autopilot: execute your flight plan hands-off, via autopilot, so you can focus on getting a great shot
• automated trick camera shots:  follow-me (3PV), region of interest (ROI) targeting and circle-me are some of the newer automated camera modes making life easier for film makers
• safety features: Auto Return Home (RTL), Low Battery Return, and Pause-and-Hover modes are now available in many models. These will help you avoid damage to your aircraft and injury to others.
• flight simulator: learn how to fly before risking your equipment
• video editing and publishing software
• and more

While it may take a little time to master all of the features of your camera drone, today’s best-selling drones are exceptionally easy to fly and take crisp, stutter-free HD video and still shots.

For most amateurs and professionals just starting out, a ready to fly(RTF) camera drone is by far your best option.

RTF camera drone like the ones made by DJI and Yuneec have worked-out the bugs and inconsistencies among their onboard and ground station systems. This integration makes taking high quality shots on every flight as easy and stress-free as possible.

RTF camera drone do sacrifice some flexibility in camera & payload choices, but most amateurs and semi-pro film makers won’t notice.

Building your own camera drone from scratch is another option, but it isn’t realistic for most people. Instead, most hobbyists prefer to mount a camera and gimbal of their choice to a proven commercial-grade flying platform like the DJI Matrice 600 that meets the minimum requirement for film making and photography – features such as:

• accepts professional gimbals and cameras (mounting space and payload capacity)
• includes an onboard GPS with an integrated flight controller and autopilot
• comes with integrated flight planning & control software
• has been proven in the field for camera work.

Custom-mounting a gimbal and camera to a drone requires care due to center-of-gravity and possible equipment interference issues.

In addition, custom-built camera drone may lack advanced camera control and direction such as follow-me (3PV) and region of interest (ROI) targeting.

Finally, warranties may not cover a DIY flying camera.

If you need a camera drone for specialized jobs such as data acquisition, agriculture or surveillance, then you may want to consider purchasing a special-purpose work drone, instead.

Industry-specific drones tend to be more expensive and more complex to operate, however. This is why many professionals opt for “prosumer” drones like the Inspire 2 or Phantom 4 Pro, whenever they can.

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