There’s a misconception that pint-size drones are toy-grade quadcopters. But such is not really the case with the recent development in the commercial drone market. In fact, pocket drones are now considered high-end selfie quadcopters.

Just because they’re smaller than normal drones does not mean they are not packed with great features. Contrary to that myth, pocket drones are even easier to fly and more capable than ever!

But remember that there are still small drones with toy-grade features. Being smaller, they remain less feature-filled. How then will you know that what you’re buying is a premium pocket-sized drone? Well, worry not!

We, at UVS-Info.com, provide you a list of the true compact monsters which offer the best value for your money. We consider these as upgraded models in the market that have the best features in a small drone.

So, let’s take a look at some of the best pocket drones with cameras in the market today!

Top 5 Pocket Drones with Camera

Review Roundup

	1. DJI Mavic Mini	2. DJI Mavic Air	3. DJI Spark	4. Hover Camera Passport Self-Flying Drone	5. Zerotech Dobby Pocket Selfie Drone
Camera	Sensor: 1/2.3-inch CMOS, 12MP	4k 30 FPS	1/2.3″ CMOS Effective pixels: 12 MP	13MP + 4K video	13 Megapixel Photo / 1080p FHD Video / 75° lens
Operating Range/ Maximum Distance	4km	2 miles or 3.2km.	2km with remote, height limit: 500ft	20m	30m
Flight Time	30 minutes	21 minutes	12–15 minutes of flight time (in our testing)	9 minutes and 12 seconds	9 minutes
Foldable	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Size	Folded: 140x81x57 mm	180x97x84 mm	143×143×55 mm	7.2 x 5.2 x 1.3 inches	5.3 x 2.6 x 1.4″ / 135 x 67 x 36.8 mm when folded;  No bigger than a smartphone
Weight	249g	430g or 15 ounces	300 g	8.54 oz / 242 g (Including Battery)	199g

 

1. DJI Mavic Mini

Product Description

The DJI Mavic Mini is an ideal drone for backpacking, travel, or hiking. At takeoff, the exact weight of this palm-sized drone is only 249 grams, which we believe is a lightweight number compared to other drones in the world.

User Experience

When it comes to the user experience when we tested the DJI Mavic, we believe that we have one of the exhilarating drone flying experiences. No, that’s not even an exaggeration. The drone is responsive and pretty nimble.

Although one thing we notice is that the Fly app is not as nice when you’re using other drones from DJI, it still works pretty decently. We just hope that switching different flight modes – between Sport, Regular, or Cinesmooth, in this pocket drone requires only one switch on the controller like other DJI models.

Design

This folding drone is compact. It may be small and don’t have a headless mode feature but it is more than capable when up in the air. 

What Makes it Stand Out

This is the best pocket drone in terms of camera. Although it has no 4k video capability, the Mini can record in 2.7K/30 as well as FHD for up to 60fps at 40Mbps. 

Best For:

Beginners and drone hobbyists alike. We think it’s the drone “that grows with you.” 

Pros

• Solid camera performance
• Excellent battery life
• Enhanced safety features
• Quieter motors compared to their predecessors
• Easy and convenient to transport
• Good value for money

Cons

• Lack of 4K video
• Captures only JPEG files
• Less smart modes than other DJI models
• Video link is a little flaky sometimes

Don’t let the small size fool you. Grab this pocket drone here!

2. DJI Mavic Air

Product Description

The DJI Mavic Air is a marvel of design and engineering and was created to go wherever adventure takes the drone pilot.

User Experience

Considering that the DJI Mavic Air inherits some of the best features of the Mavic series, this model is easy to use. Thanks to its travel-friendly size, powerful automated flight mode, as well as obstacle avoidance system.

It features a 3-axis gimbal gyro stabilization system, which means that the drone compensates for yaw.  It can just rotate in three different dimensions: yaw, pitch, and roll.

This pocket drone likewise uses OcuSync or Lightbridge transmission system, allowing users to see what the camera drone sees in real-time on a monitor or an Android smart device.

Design

As for its design, we believe that it has a smaller footprint compared to Spark when in travel mode or its legs are folded.

What Makes it Stand Out

This drone with a camera shoots an excellent video quality for up to 4k/30p, although not without little compromises.

Best For:

Aerial storytellers. This pocket drone boasts impressive video capabilities, like the 4K/30p capture. 

Pros

• 3-axis stabilized gimbal
• DNG raw support
• Top speed of 68 km/h (42 mph) when used in sport mode
• Lightweight (430 grams or 15 ounces)
• 100 Mbps 4K video up to 30 fps
• 21-minute flight time
• Rear-facing and forward APAS obstacle avoidance
• 8GB internal storage 
• Comes with intelligent flight modes

Cons

• Very few users experience connection failures between the remote and the drone
• You may experience losing signal at 200 feet altitude
• Slightly heavier than DJI predecessor
• Not all video modes of this DJI drone support 8k time-lapse at launch

If you want to try it out, here’s where you can buy it! 

3. DJI Spark

Product Description

We think this is one of the most accessible drones in the market today.

User Experience

After spending time of about a week and a half using this selfie pocket drone model, we can say that the DJI Spark delivers a great experience to users. It makes capturing video and photos so easy in a way that no other pocket-sized drones have managed before.

Design

It comes in an Alpine White design, which looks attractive.

What Makes it Stand Out

It takes only about 10 seconds to pull this drone out of your pocket, turn it one, and then launch it from your palm. This is what stands out in this model and it can even automatically go into gesture control mode quickly.

Best For:

This is best for drone hobbyists who are looking for a drone with a three-axis gimbal and is easier to transport.

Pros

• Lightweight and small
• Great gesture control
• Powerful autonomous features

Cons

• Spotty Wi-Fi connectivity
• Limited range and battery life

Here’s a quick link to where you can buy it!

4. Hover Camera Passport Self-Flying Drone

Product Description

If you’re looking for a drone with easy-to-use controls, has a great video quality, and comes with a compact design, then Hover Camera Passport Self-Flying Drone should be one of your top picks.

User Experience

We like the fact that this drone maintains the same distance from the pilot all the time. So, if you have to suddenly stop, it will halt midair and back up slowly to your original distance.

Its camera (13mp) can record video at 30 frames and 4k per second, which is way better than the Bebop 2. The video recorded at this quadcopter is color-rich and well-detailed.

However, we just observed that this hand-operated drone does not have its dedicated physical controller so you have to use an app on your Android or iOS device and link it to Hover.

Design

This pocket drone is so small that you may worry if it would be taken out by a hawk midair. It’s just as small as a paperback book. But because it only folds up to 7.2 x 5.2 x 1.3 inches, it means that it is more compact than the Mavic Pro.

What Makes it Stand Out

The drone consists largely of carbon fiber and, even with its battery, it is still very light. That means that you won’t have to register it to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Best For:

Beginner in drone flying who’s looking for a drone with gesture control and is capable of tracking people, by detecting their body or face as they walk around.

Pros

• Target tracking and face recognition
• Very stable
• Portable
• Easy to launch and fly
• Automatic self-editing
• Auto-follow
• Gesture control plus owner mode
• Grab and go

Cons

• Short battery life for its price
• No image stabilization for 4k video

Interested? Here’s where you can buy it! 

5. Zerotech Dobby Pocket Selfie Drone

Product Description

This quadcopter is just the size of the palm of your hand but has a video capture resolution of 2160p, taking your selfie game to new heights!

User Experience

While Zerotech Dobby is not a racing drone, it has great flight features. It even was the first to use the Qualcomm processors to be able to achieve autonomous flight.

When hovering in place, it has an internal compass and GPS for stability. We notice, however, that the drone is lumbering. So, we think it needs more improvement in its power. That way, it can move through the air better.

Design

Being produced by a pioneering brand in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), this Zerotech Dobby is one of the best selfie drones you can ever find. It has four routers and each of these is mounted on the swing-out arm.

What Makes it Stand Out

This is the best pocket drone in terms of taking selfies from an aerial perspective.

Best For:

People who are looking for folding selfie drones with Glonass and GPS to provide you reliable navigation, timing, and positioning.

Pros

• User-friendly 
• The app is easy to use
• Pocket size
• Rechargeable drone
• Intelligent flying
• Synchronize photos to phones in a single click
• Has LED to inform of charge status
• Ultrasonic sensors
• 3-axis accelerometer
•  Palm take-off and landing 

Cons

• Limited battery life compared to other selfie drones
• Expensive

Convinced? You can buy the product here! 

Final Verdict: Which One Should You Buy?

The best pocket-size drone for us in this list of quadcopters would be the DJI Mavic Mini. Weighing just 249g, this versatile little machine is so convenient to transport and easy to use as well.

We also like that it has a LED light indicator to know the battery percentage. Even if we consider its different speed modes (near sea level with no wind or just its normal maximum ascent and descent speed), we think this quadcopter is really a good buy!

Even the tech company DJI that produced it has been around for ages, giving it a competitive edge in the drone market.

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