For those wanting to get their own camera drone but are on a budget, you may want to consider getting a selfie drone. These are drones with similar imaging features to their more expensive kin, with one drawback – their camera quality. As the name implies, these drones do their best work on selfies, or more specifically, recreational photography.
Those looking for a more serious camera for professional photography may need to spend a little more. For people wanting to take photos of their everyday activities however, a selfie drone is more than enough to get the shots you need.
Selfie Drones on the Rise
The selling point of these selfie drones is the price – they are more affordable. These drones are also very portable – perfect to bring on vacations and outings with the family. They can be readily available when the need arises.
It does not matter where you are. It does not matter whether you are exploring a foreign country’s tourist destinations or getting in touch with the luxurious side of life at a Palm Springs house rental. You could be attending a grandiose wedding, or simply running through the park and wanted a quick photo op.
Once the itch to take a picture grabs you, you need to make it happen.
Check out our List for 2018’s Best Drones Under $400.
Camera Training
Another appeal of selfie drones is that they are camera drones – although at a lesser extent. Those wanting to learn the basics of aerial photography without wanting to shell out for the truly expensive drones can test the waters with these selfie versions. Sure, the resolutions, pixels, and overall quality may not compete with those made by a true camera drone. But the perks you get with selfie drones can be quite helpful as well in the long run. For aspiring drone photographers, learning the basics with a drone that offers minimum risk (in case of crashes or damage) can help prepare when you are ready for the expensive ones. Selfie drones can teach you the basic controls, what to look for in locations, how to fly and capture, etc.
Top Selfie Drones of 2018
To help you out, we here at DroneAddicts have compiled a list of selfie drones and their selling points.
Eachine Direct E56
Our first drone on the list barely scratches $50. The main benefit for this particular selfie drone is the price. Affordability in exchange for many factors will make you think, is it really worth it? For those just wanting a selfie drone for the sake of recreational photos, this can be a great purchase. It does the job well enough, although a very limited flight time and a 720p camera may prove your photo ops to be more bothersome than beneficial. Still, this drone costs the same as one meal at some places, so what is the harm in trying it out?
Skeye Nano 2
If you think spending $50 for a drone may be too much for a first time, you are in luck. The Skeye Nano 2 drone goes as low as $19 on sales, giving you a camera drone for the price of a fast food takeout. Perks of the Nano 2 include extreme portability (it can fit inside your hand) and a 2 megapixel camera. Drawback though is that you can only fly it for a good 5 minutes before requiring a recharge. For those 5 minutes however, you get access to a great camera drone that can reach 50 meters.
Still, its main appeal is the $20 price, so for those not wanting to risk investing in a more expensive drone, this is the one for you.
Eachine 58
A more advanced cousin of the Eachine 56 mentioned above, the 58 offers good balance between price, battery, and camera quality. At $80, you get a drone with a 720p camera with 2 megapixel quality shots. It has about 10 minutes of flight time, but over an hour to recharge while also not being easy to control. Those wanting a ‘middle ground’ that is still verging on the cheaper end of the spectrum, this one is definitely for you.
Air Selfie 2
This particular drone is a great starter camera drone because of its decent combination. It seamlessly combines a great camera with a good battery life, while also being very light on the pocket. It may not be the cheapest pick in the bunch, but it ticks off most of the things people look for in a starter camera drone.
You may also be interested in our List for 2018’s Best Starter Drones.
Skydio R1
This drone made it to our list solely for its amazing user-friendly features. While it packs a hole in your wallet (a whopping $2500 price range), you get a very capable camera drone that you do not need to micromanage. The main selling point is that it follows you around on its own. All you have to do is hit a few buttons for it to start recording. Those needing both hands (bikers, climbers, swimmers) can find this drone incredibly helpful. It takes shots without your command every step of the way, making it a very hands-free drone.
If you are one of those who do not want a complicated scheme, where you simply let your drone fly and it does the rest, this is for you. It has powerful cameras and sensors at its disposal, collision-avoiding systems while flying, and a great battery life to boot. With it, you ensure you get the footage you need – unobstructed and stable.
Another perk for this one involves its app, which one can easily access through an Apple Watch. This means that the R1 can still be operated without a phone or controller at hand. A free hand opens up many potential possibilities, giving you more free time while still getting the shots you want. For those wanting a less micromanaged camera drone (for events, travels, etc), this can be a great choice.
