Best Drone Buying Guide

Owning a drone or a quad-copter has become commonplace nowadays, these modern technology gadgets can be used for quite a number of operations ranging from delivery services, flying for fun as well as surveillance purposes.

Drones can present a fresh view of the world from a completely new perspective when used to take aerial photographs as well as videos.

There is a huge range of drones in the market to choose from and picking the best could be a daunting task. Before going to your favorite shop to buy a quadcopter, it is worth considering the following features.

This not only ensures that you get the best deal for your money but also serve your intended purpose.

Camera

If you plan to take videos and photographs with your drone, then the camera is the major determining factor to consider. Not all drones come with pre-installed cameras and may require products such as GoPro attached to them.

GoPro is considered top of the line cameras when it comes to aerial photography although it’s important to note that this comes with more cost implications. Other few considerations include the camera and video resolutions, higher resolution gives a higher quality picture and video.

Field of view of the camera is yet another consideration; the camera should be able to give you a 360 degrees field of view without being unimpeded by the drone’s parts.

Controllable range

It is important to consider the range of which you can still control your drone. Most drones available can only manage a range of 30m, this knowledge is useful especially if you want to capture aerial photographs.

Since this aircraft are required by law to be operated within a line of sight of their operators, it is therefore only practical to fly them in an open field.

The best places to operate them are in open parks where there are no trees lest you crash your drone on them and where there are no crowds for safety purposes.

Set a budget

This is one of the most important factors to consider before purchasing a drone. The prices of the drones vary considerably depending on their features and capabilities and hence you should review the best quadcopter that is within your budget.

It is important however to note that, you get more for your money when you purchase a higher priced drone which usually comes with more features.

For instance, a toy drone would trade for a price as low as $80 while a DJI Phantom 2 which is excellent for photography purposes will be retailed at about $900. At the higher end, a more sophisticated research model drone like the SkyBotix CoAx will cost you around $5000.

Flight duration

Among other features in consideration, flight duration is determined largely by the battery life. Whether the quad-copter is a toy for your child or yours, the last thing you would want is to see it going off long before you enjoy flying it. Therefore, you should keep in mind a few considerations concerning the battery life:

• Charging time – you should know how long the batteries take to charge once they are depleted. Usually, it takes about 1 to 2 hours to recharge.

• Battery life – this refers to the time your quadcopter takes to operate before the battery runs out. Most models take between 6 to 12 minutes before needing to be grounded and be charged again. You should know this before purchasing your drone.

• Replacement batteries – most companies will not supply you with spare batteries and therefore it is your responsibility to ensure you have them. This comes in handy when the batteries can no longer hold and need replacement.

Replacement options

Just like any other electrical gadget, you may be required to do a repair once in a while whenever necessary. There should be the availability of spare parts for the type of drone you choose to buy; this will not render it virtually useless when damaged.

Instead, you want to be sure that you can easily procure new parts and easily replace. Most common replacements are damaged propellers, gears that are worn out and batteries that can no longer charge.

In conclusion, it is important to adhere to the rules and regulations that govern the operation of drones in your area. Determine what you want to use your drone for and find out any laws governing your use and ensure the drone you choose is right for your intentions.