Drones have taken the world by storm! Whether you’re an aerial videographer, a land surveyor, construction site mapper, wildlife tracker, or simply a drone hobbyist, there is no better time than now to buy your first drone, or upgrade to the next level. With so many models to choose from, buying a new drone can definitely be confusing. While all drones share the same basic framework (four propellers, gyroscope, etc.), they can vary greatly in other areas. For this reason, we’ve created this guide that will help clear up any confusion that you might have about buying your first or next drone by explaining what you need to look for before making your purchase.
Skill Level- This is an important factor to consider before purchasing a drone. If you buy one that’s beyond your skill level, you’ll probably end up crashing it and wasting your money. Consider honing your skills on a cheaper model, then slowly work your way up. RC drones like the Heli Max 230SI Quadcopter come with Fail Safe for when there is either loss of signal from the controller or the battery dies. This maintains the altitude, then slowly lowers the quadcopter to the ground keeping the quadcopter from falling to the ground from high and breaking parts.
Flight time – Depending on your aircraft’s type and the size of its battery, the flight time could vary between 5 and 30 minutes. Most beginner drones have flight times of around 5-10 minutes, but their batteries are easy to swap. Many people get 3-4 extra batteries, so they simply swap them when they’re out of juice and continue the flight. However, the bigger and more expensive the drone, the more expensive their accessories become. Depending on how serious you take your new hobby, you can get an additional battery, and basically double your airtime.
Camera – The camera is an extremely common drone accessory. With cheaper drones, it often comes as an add-on part, and it’s up to you if you want to install it or not. Leaving it off helps squeezing a few more minutes of flight time out of your aircraft, due to its lower overall weight. However, if you are into aerial photography/videography drones, obviously the cameras are a must. Some drones come with their own attached-to-the-body cameras like the Ehang GhostDrone 2.0, while others are GoPro ready. Depending on your needs and budget. There are many options available allowing for you to record mind-blowing footage.
Range – The range of the aircraft will limit from how far away you can control your drone. Think about what you want to achieve with your drone before buying it. The range is very product-specific and can vary from 50-100 meters for beginner quadcopters to 5000 meters for more advanced products such as the DJI Phantom 4 from Buydig.com.
GPS Sensors- These are usually only found in expensive drone models, and are really useful. For example, GPS sensors allow you to set specific coordinates for your drone. Once programmed, the drone will automatically fly to those coordinates. GPS sensors also allow for the “Return Home” feature. At the push of a button, this feature will bring your drone back to its original starting location. This is extremely useful for when you’ve lost sight of your drone.
Controllers- The controller is what allows you to control and maneuver your drone. The majority of transmitters come with two analog sticks. Some transmitters show real-time diagnostics about your drone including height, speed, and throttle position. For FPV flying, some RC drones, like the Parrot Disco Drone with Skycontroller 2 & FPV come with built-in LCD monitors.
Hopefully this buying guide will help you sort out all of the confusion when it comes to choosing the best drone for your needs from Buydig.com.
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