To help you choose, here is a comparison of the best drones.

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Michaelspb

The editorial staff of 20 Minutes did not participate in the production of this article.

Small remotely piloted aircraft, the drone - which means drone among our Anglo-Saxon friends - is an idea whose origins date back a century.

But it is only in recent years that its commercial and leisure use has emerged and allows everyone to take advantage of it, in particular to photograph landscapes from inaccessible positions or for the pleasure of piloting.

How to best choose a drone?

A heavy or light drone?

Depending on what you are looking for in flight experience (speed, stability, range, mobility, etc.), the weight of the drone is an important indicator.

A heavy model will, for example, be more bulky to transport.

In contrast, a light aircraft will have the advantage of being very easy to take with you, but will be much more sensitive to the wind.

It is necessary to clarify that a model of more than 800 grams requires registration on the civil aviation site AlphaTango.

The importance of the autonomy of a drone

The majority of models use replaceable batteries made from lithium.

Currently, the best drones on the market flirt near the 40-minute maximum flight time, which is a big step forward from the first devices.

However, be careful: a large capacity battery (in mAh) is not necessarily the sign of a long autonomy.

In addition to the size of the battery, the range also depends on the power of the motors and the weight of the drone.

Integrated or interchangeable camera?

Depending on your needs, the choice of on-board camera can be an important criterion to remember.

Some drones indeed offer an irremovable camera, which makes it possible to make an optimal all-in-one purchase.

But if you want a better rendering for your images, by equipping the best cameras available, the interchangeable models are to be preferred.

The selection of the best drones of the moment

DJI Mavic 2 Pro: the professional quality drone

DJI Mavic 2 Pro.

- DR

Heir to the Mavic Pro, the DJI Mavic Pro 2 offers improved performance in most areas, reaffirming the Chinese manufacturer's expertise in the design of recreational drones.

With a very safe stabilized flight and optimal image quality thanks to a camera mounted on a gondola, this drone is very effective in taking beautiful shots.

Its real autonomy of 25 minutes is very respectable, especially with regard to video and in-flight performance.

Its weight of more than 900 grams, however, requires it to be declared to civil aviation.

The pros and cons of the DJI Mavic 2 Pro drone:

Most :

  • A stable flight that is easy to handle.

  • Very good image quality.

  • Robust and well designed.

  • Comfortable autonomy.

The lessers :

  • Its very high price.

  • No optical zoom.

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DJI Mavic Air 2: the compact 4K drone

DJI Mavic Air 2. - DR

The DJI Mavic Air 2, successor to the first Mavic Air, is presented as a general public model with features and characteristics worthy of high-end devices.

In particular, it offers 4K video recording at 60 fps, with highly flexible mechanical stabilization.

Its piloting is surprisingly easy and its real autonomy of 30 minutes makes it a very enduring model.

However, all these advances hide a real weight gain, going from 430 to 570 grams.

The pros and cons of the DJI Mavic 2 Pro drone:

Most :

  • Easy to learn.

  • A very stable flight.

  • Excellent image quality.

  • A very comfortable autonomy.

The lessers :

  • Substantial weight gain compared to the Mavic Air.

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GoPro Karma: the drone for action cams

GoPro Karma.

- DR

Well aware that DJI largely dominates the segment of drones with integrated cameras, GoPro offers its GoPro Karma model, intended to integrate the action-cam Hero 4 or 5 of the same brand.

A modular system above all dedicated to lovers of beautiful sports images and thrills that the GoPro Hero 5 can afford, especially with a 4K of satisfactory quality.

The stabilization of the gondola also allows a clear image of the landscape.

Its autonomy is however quite limited, offering only 18 minutes of flight with 4K activated in the best conditions.

The pros and cons of the GoPro Karma drone:

Most :

  • Easy to learn.

  • Compatible with GoPro Hero 4 and 5.

  • The stabilization of the basket.

  • Free editing software included.

The lessers :

  • Limited autonomy.

  • High price of the all-in-one package.

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Parrot Anafi: the compact drone made in France

Parrot Anafi.

- DR

If the French manufacturer Parrot can boast of one thing, it is to face DJI in the mid-range segment with a good model: the Parrot Anafi.

Very easy to use and transport, this small drone offers very satisfactory image quality, guaranteed by a mechanically and digitally stabilized sensor.

More remarkable still, it is its autonomy: almost 25 minutes of flight in the best conditions, which is a very good score if one keeps in mind its weight of only 320 grams.

The pros and cons of the Parrot Anafi drone:

Most :

  • Very good quality and image stability.

  • Stable and easy to handle flight.

  • USB-C rechargeable battery.

  • Good autonomy.

The lessers :

  • Limited flight range.

  • No obstacle detection.

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DJI Mavic Mini: the quality drone at a low price

DJI Mavic Mini.

- DR

If some people are looking for a drone of excellent quality, but at a price contained under 400 euros, then DJI Mavic Mini is ideal.

Although not offering 4K recording like its big brothers Mavic Pro 2 or Air 2, it can boast excellent image quality in 2.7K or Full HD.

Its handling is quick and easy, and its autonomy can reach 25 minutes in the best possible conditions.

And all in a compact size of less than 250 grams.

The pros and cons of the Parrot Anafi drone:

Most :

  • Good picture quality.

  • Easy to learn.

  • Very good autonomy.

  • Space-saving and light.

The lessers :

  • Not followed by person or object.

  • No obstacle detection.

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While the leisure drone market is certainly largely dominated by DJI, a few manufacturers such as Parrot or GoPro manage to offer models that are just as interesting.

Between the new generation of DJI drones, the Parrot Anafi or the modular Karma signed GoPro, everyone can enjoy a good quality model at the best price.

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The prices mentioned in this article are indicative and are subject to change.

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