Buying Guide
10 Best Camera Drones Which Follow You 2017: Comparison of their Speeds, Flight Times and other Key Features
Oct
10 Best Camera Drones Which Follow You 2017: Comparison of their Speeds, Flight Times and other Key Features
Recently, there is a massive interest in camera drones which follow you. The primary purpose of these drones is to film you and capture the memorable moments of your life when you are doing something special. If you are driving a car or performing a fast sport and want to film yourself, then two things would be fundamental for the drone to have. First, the required speed and the second is the ability to capture the video fast enough regarding frames per second. The maximum speed of a drone as described by the company in the specifications may not be the speed in the follow-me mode, so we have to keep this in mind.
Another important consideration while selecting one of the camera drones which follow you is that some drones will try to follow you by using the shortest route. If there are some obstacles in the way, the drone may not be able to avoid it. Some drones may not have obstacle avoidance in this mode, and some may not be able to avoid it due to the speed at which the drone is trying to follow you. Also, some drones will maintain the same altitude in the follow mode, and if there is a sudden change in the altitude in your way, you should consider this limitation of the drone. In general, therefore, you must know the real follow-me capability of your drone.
Just a note for beginners that when we talk about the video frame rates, the more frame rate means smoother video. However, for normal videos, 30 fps is fine, but for fast sports, you might need 60 fps or more. It should also be noted that the maximum hovering time of most drones is less than the normal maximum flight time. The flight times shown in this article are the ones promised by the manufacturers of the drones. Also, all of the drones included in this list have a return to home safety feature which I think is essential for safety reasons. You may also wish to see the list of 5 cheap drones with camera. So, here is the list of the best camera drones which follow you:
1. DJI Inspire 2
Maximum Speed: 58 mph (94 km/h)
Maximum Flight Time: 27 minutes with X4s camera
Other Key Features:
- 2-axis stabilized fpv camera in addition to the main camera with an independently adjustable pitch and live feed to pilot
- Can avoid overhead obstacles using infrared sensors.
- Dual IMU, dual barometer and dual batteries installation.
- Video quality is 5.2K at 30fps and 4K at 60fps and can record in cinema DNG raw format.
- You can use zoom lenses on the camera
- Full HD broadcasting
- Social Media Live streaming
- Range is 5km in Europe and 7km in the US
- Drone body is not waterproof.
2. DJI Inspire 1
Maximum Speed: 49 mph (79 km/h)
Maximum Flight Time: 18 minutes
Other Key Features:
- 4K camera and 3-axis stabilized gimbal
- Live HD video transmission
- Zenmuse X3 camera
- Video quality is 4K at 30 fps and 1080p at 60 fps.
- Maximum range is 5 km
3. Yuneec Typhoon H
Maximum Speed: 43.5 mph (70 km/h)
Maximum Flight Time: 25 minutes
Other Key Features:
- It has a 6-rotor design
- Collapsible prop arms for making compact for transportation
- Beautiful look
- Video quality is 4K at 30fps
- Both Radio Controller and video transmission ranges are 1.6 km
4. DJI Phantom 4
Maximum Speed: 45 mph (72 km/hr)
Maximum Flight Time: 28 minutes
Other Key Features:
- Exact hover ability when compared to competitors in the same price range even in windy situation
- Video quality 4K at 30 fps and Full HD 1080p at 120 fps
- Intelligent flight battery
5. Autel Robotics X-Star Premium
Maximum Speed: 35 mph (56 km/h)
Maximum Flight Time: 25 minutes
Other Key Features:
- 3-axis gimbal stabilizer and 4K ultra HD camera
- You can detach the camera from the drone. This feature is not available for most drones.
- Maximum control and video transmission range is 1.24 miles
- Excellent drone case which can carry few extra batteries.
- Video quality is 4K at 30 fps, 2.7K at 60 fps and 1080p at 120 fps and 720p at 240 fps.
6. DJi Mavic Pro
Maximum Speed: 40 mph (65 km/hr)
Maximum Flight Time: 27 minutes
Other Key Features:
- Forward and downward vision systems
- Very compact size
- Video quality of 4K at 30 fps, FHD (1080p) at 96 fps and HD (720p) at 120 fps
Two Highly Affordable Camera Drones which Follow You
7.Hubsan H501S
Maximum Speed:
Maximum Flight Time: 20 minutes
Other Key Features:
- It has a headless mode which is suitable for beginners. You may also be interested in 4 best beginner drones with camera.
- Brushless motors, so less noise
- Small quadcopter (flying weight of 500 grams)
- 1080p HD Camera
- 3-inch LCD screen on controller
- 150 minutes charging time which is on the high side
8. Yuneec Breeze 4K
You can operate this drone with or without controller using your smartphone and app. Yuneec has released the controller which you can include in your order.
Maximum Speed: 11 mph (18km/hr)
Maximum Flight Time: 12 minutes
Other Key Features:
- UH 4K video
- 720p Live video streaming
- Instant Social media sharing
- Many flight modes such as Selfie, Orbit, and Journey
- This is one of the cheapest drones which follow you
Two Camera Drones Which Follow You Without a Radio Controller (Remote Control)
These two drones do not have a radio controller and do not require a pilot. You need your smartphone, and the app and the drones will follow you. These flying cameras that can shoot some awesome films for people who have no piloting skills. With no remote control, these two drones could be a deal breaker for some people.
9. Ehang Ghost Drone 2
Maximum Speed: 43 mph (70 km/h)
Maximum Flight Time: 25 min
Other Key Features:
- Video Quality is 4K at 24 fps, 2.5K at 30fps and Full HD 1080P at 60 fps
- Automatic return at low battery and lost communication
- 1 Year warranty for not-at-fault accidents is a good offer from the company
- Five flight modes
10. Hexo+
Maximum Speed: 45 mph (70 km/hr)
Maximum Flight Time: 15 minutes
Other Key Features:
- This is a Hex copter drone from Squadrone Systems
- It has a GoPro mount and a power gimbal
- Can be used to film in many ways. It can hover, make a sideways movement, can fly away and can follow you, depending on how you wish to use this drone.
- The connectivity to a smartphone could be a problem which has been reported by some people.
Table of Comparison of Maximum Speed and Flight Time of the Drones mentioned above:
| S.No | Drone | Promised Max Flight Time (minutes) | Max Horizontal Speed
Miles per hr/km per hr |
| 1 | DJI Inspire 2 | 27 | 58/94 |
| 2 | DJI Inspire 1 | 18 | 49/79 |
| 3 | Yuneec Typhoon H | 25 | 43/70 |
| 4 | DJI Phantom 4 | 28 | 45/72 |
| 5 | Autel Robotics X-Star Premium | 25 | 35/56 |
| 6 | DJI Mavic Pro | 27 | 40/65 |
| 7 | Hubsan H501 S | 20 | |
| 8 | Yuneec Breeze 4K | 12 | 11/18 |
| 9 | Ehang Ghost Drone 2 | 25 | 43/70 |
| 10 | Hexo+ by Squadrone | 15 | 45/70 |
