Drones are the new in thing in today’s market for their uses in both recreation and surveillance. They vary in size from small toys that do not require registration under the new guidelines to larger commercial drones that exceed the weight limits and necessitate registration as an actual aircraft. It is hard to choose a drone with the many options currently available. Below is a list of the best spy drones of 2016 based on their stability and ease of control, ease of camera use and picture clarity, and the battery charging time as well as flight time.
Parrot AR.Drone 2.0
The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 is simply Christmas in a box ranging from its price to its control. This craft is only controlled from a mobile device, making it very easy. Some drone owners do not prefer this navigation technique, but the controls are amazingly fluid. It is also better since there is no need for a transfer as you have the HD picture and video stream straight on your mobile device. The machine comes with an in-built stabilization system as it only weighs 4 pounds to ensure even flight. Parrot have an awesome method of increasing flight time where they offer two separate batteries each with 18 minutes flight time giving the AR.drone one of the best out of the box flight times possible. From my experience the battery takes more than an hour to recharge.
DJI T600 Inspire 1 Quadcopter with 4k Video Camera
DJI is a one of the most renowned companies in the Drone community, and with good reason. Initially, it is evident that this is a stalwart machine that can handle a few crashes as you are learning the controls. The machine remote controls are very basic and allow you to move up, down, right, left and 360 degrees; however, it gets slightly more complicated when you add the mounting bracket for a mobile device that streams live views from your machine. Although the battery comes fully charged, this drone is not yet ready to fly out of the box as there is assembly required and also syncing the device with the remote.
This is a 15 pounds solid device is not easily tossed around by the wind making it easier to control, thus clearer 12 MP pictures and 4K videos. It clocks an average flight time of 13 – 18 minutes, which is pretty great for a drone its weight and size. It however takes a few hours to charge before you can get back out again. A major cool fact about the DJI 600 Inspire 1 is has a flight and a landing mode to absorb the impact of landing better.
DJI Phantom 3 Professional 4K
Another DJI model just goes to prove their prowess in creating the perfect drone for every person and situation. At 9.2 pounds it is pretty stable but it also comes with stabilizers making it stable enough to fly indoors. Its controls are pretty basic in addition to having an app and a device holder that you attach to the remote so that you can view your real time flight. The best feature of this machine is the 3-axis gimbal 4K UHD camera that is super simple to control ensuring you miss absolutely nothing. It allows you to capture both beautiful and professional images and video. In true professional fashion it charges below an hour and can fly for more than 20 minutes.
Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K
Under spy drones, the Yuneec Typhoon Q500 takes it. It is specially designed from the camera up with a 360 degree high definition view in 3 different axes. I particularly love the design and outer look, it is strong against wind and makes landing a breeze. Despite being 2.5 pounds, it can still compete with much larger models. Its light weight has added advantages in flight time, which go to an upwards of 25 minutes with a just slightly above an hour of full charge. The Q500’s uniqueness is seen where it comes standard car charger and therefore you can charge your aircraft from anywhere. Its camera takes UHD videos and photos including slow motion videos that enable one to capture all the happenings.
3DR Solo Drone Quadcopter
The 3DR Drone quadcopter shouts spy drone ranging from its sleek black design to its HD camera. At almost 12 pounds its weight is optimum in that it isn’t easily pushed around by wind, nor is it too heavy that it quickly drains the battery. It comes a multi-axis gimbal designed for taking high quality pictures at any angle. The flight time is an average of around 17 minutes and has a one hour charge time. The remote control for this device is designed to attract ‘video gamers’. The controls are basic and easy to understand. The remote an in- built screen to view your key metrics and an attachment for a mobile device for a live stream flight. Its ultimate feature is its solo mode, which allows for hands-free mode and drone can follow you solo. This is bound to come in handy in a number of situations. It can also hover in the air for you to just focus only on working the camera. Its GoPro attachments, controls, in-built computers, and extra special abilities make it the ultimate spy drone.
