To find the best travel drones 2020, you’ll need to determine the right features for you while you’re on your trip. We recommend that you favor drones with longer battery life, powerful cameras, multiple assisted flight modes, and durability. Make sure to consider travel drones with quick setup times. When buying a drone for travel, always look for the number of axis points on its gimbal, which can provide smoother video footage while exercising its incredible maneuverability. These are also some of the other features you will find in a top-rated drone.
After analyzing hundreds of reviews amongst many products with varying price points and sets of features, we’ve determined that the DJI Mavic Air 2 is the best of all of the travel drones on the market today. Keep reading about this and our other top picks about the best drones available.
Top Best Drones for Travelling
#1 DJI Mavic Pro 2 Drone for Travelling
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Mavic Pro 2 is a drone that seems to be loved by all professionals and hobbyists. It boasts robust assisted camera and flight features but doesn’t require a very long time to learn your way around it.
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- Broad flight range and extended flight time
- 1″ CMOS Hasselblad 20MP Camera
- Omnidirectional obstacle sensing
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- Relatively high price point
- App is overcrowded visually
- Lack of changeable lenses
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What makes the DJI Mavic 2 Pro a drone of legend is the 1-inch Hasselblad camera. It produces higher-quality images with less grain while performing better in low-light conditions. It has an adjustable aperture that can make it perfect for shooting sunsets or sunrises while being protected from your shots being overexposed.
8GB of internal storage is included in case the micro sd card becomes full. This backup is another useful safety net for when you’re traveling. The DJI Mavic 2 has sensors on each side that help avoid obstacles, preventing crashes that were previously an inevitable part of drone ownership. Compare this with the omnidirectional obstacle detection found in the best professional drone.
#2 Autel Evo II Drone for Travelling
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Autel Evo II is a highly advanced professional quadcopter with exceptional flight stability, excellent camera options, and many sensors for superior object avoidance. It makes producing gorgeous 8K blog content almost effortless.
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- Flies at speeds up to 45 mph
- Controller with built-in color screen
- 40 minute flight time
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- Awkward ergonomics on the controller
- Two poorly placed buttons on the back of the controller
- Propellers do not collapse or fold and then stick out
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The EVO II features 12 sensors located on the front, rear, top, bottom, left, and right sides of the aircraft for omnidirectional obstacle avoidance. There are also two ultrasonic sensors located on the bottom of the drone for precision hovering. The Evo II uses both GPS and GLONASS so the quadcopter can connect to quite a few satellites. The GPS is essential for flight navigation, smooth hovering, and aerial photographs’ geographical tagging. With all these features, it might be a contender for the leading drone for fishing.
With a maximum speed of 45 mph and a flight time of 40 minutes, the Autel Evo II is not going to leave you wishing that you had brought a more expensive drone on vacation with you. The only real gripe with the Evo II is that it doesn’t fold down into a minimal form. While it’s not large by any means, the copter arms still slightly stick out, even when they’re collapsed. Try the best foldable drone that also offers an excellent drone piloting experience and fast operating speeds.
#3 DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone for Travelling
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: The DJI Mavic Air 2 is an incredibly feature-rich and compact drone that would be a great choice to travel with. It has a half-inch image sensor that can record 4K video at 60 frames per second. This means that you can create smooth HD footage or slow motion in 4K, a feature previously reserved for higher-end drones.
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- Shoots slow-motion sequences in 4K
- Front and rear obstacle avoidance sensors
- HDR video and Raw imaging capabilities
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- Bulky controller that lacks an LCD screen
- App-based editing limited to 1080p output
- Not easy to get Raw images to your tablet or smartphone
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The DJI Mavic Air 2 records beautifully smooth video; even when its obstacle avoidance sensors swiftly redirect it around a tree, it is so smooth that you would assume that the move was choreographed. This feature can be significant when you’re shooting stills or videos in unfamiliar environments. Just make sure to keep the drone firmware updated, so it’ll keep responding amicably.
The Mavic Air 2 is the perfect balance between price and performance. A drone novice could quickly learn their way around it, and a drone pro would have a ton of fun exploring the Auto shot settings and seven or more flight modes. The sensor’s quality and protective gimbal help it capture dense content enriched by the HDR settings and can be easily editable on the DJI app. Another drone with a DJI smartphone-based control scheme is the best indoor drone.
#4 DJI Mavic Mini Drone for Travelling
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: The DJI Mavic Mini Packs many useful features into a very small, reliable, and affordable form. Some of the camera specs that don’t look impressive on paper suddenly appear very favorable when you feel the Mavic Mini’s size and build quality in the palm of your hand.
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- Compact and light form factor
- 30 minute flight time
- Three-axis gimbal for image stabilization
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- Lacks obstacle avoidance sensors
- Unable to shoot 4K video
- Does not have flight features such as “follow me”
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While it might not have the most powerful camera out of all of the drones on the market, you have to sacrifice some quality for portability and price. The Mavic Mini is so compact that it gets challenging to keep track of by sightline alone while it’s in the air. The Mavic Mini’s ½ inch CMOS 12MP camera should be an excellent fit for most users unless you are a professional videographer that will need your drone footage to match other land-based 4K footage. It might just be a great drone for agriculture.
The DJI Mavic Mini also has a 30-minute flight time and a video transmission range of 2.28 miles. On a day with minimal wind, this drone has an impressive height range of 3.1 miles above sea level. The DJI designers engineered the Mavic Mini to weigh just under 250 grams, which is the limit in the United States before you are required to register a drone with the FAA. One drone that requires registration with the FAA to legally fly is the best drone for GoPro.
#5 Ruko F11 Drone for Travelling
Award: BEST FOR INTERMEDIATE PILOTS
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Ruko F11 Pro is a great “all-arounder” model that features high-quality aluminum construction that gives it superior durability and protection against possible mid-air impacts. The F11 drone does have a slight learning curve due to its sensitive controls and potential to go fast, making it the best Travel Drone for Intermediate Pilots.
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- 120-degree field of view
- Multiple GPS Assisted Intelligent Flight function
- 2nd battery included
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- Lacks gimbal stabilization
- No obstacle avoidance tech
- Poor color reproduction
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The Ruko F11 Pro is an excellent drone for content creation on your travels. The controls have been laid out to make piloting the quadcopter easy, even for novice enthusiasts. This simplicity is reinforced by the GPS-assisted intelligent flight functions that make flying easy and exciting. Features like “headless mode,” “one key landing/takeoff,” “return to home,” as well as “follow me” mode makes for a much more carefree piloting experience.
The 4K UHD camera can record high-resolution videos and shoot clear stills during your travels. While the GPS module does a great job of stabilizing the drone when it is in a hovering position, it does not have any obstacle avoidance sensors. Another shortcoming is that the F11’s camera doesn’t have a gimbal stabilizer, making your footage a little bit shaky. A 3-axis gimbal found in one of the best drones makes it the best drone for photography.
#6 DJI Phantom 3 Drone for Travelling
Award: BEST FOR AERIAL CINEMATOGRAPHY
WHY WE LIKE IT: The DJI Phantom 3 is packed with several advanced features and specs. It has flight modes for everyone, from absolute beginners to experienced drone pilots. This is a great travel drone for any purpose but especially for aerial photography.
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- Point of Interest and Automatic Hover Flight modes
- 1″ 20MP CMOS sensor
- Intuitive controller that can charge your smartphone
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- Unable to fold up
- The camera cannot be removed or upgraded
- No built-in screen on the controller
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The camera has a 1″ 20MP CMOS sensor plus 4K/60p video, along with five directional obstacle sensing and four directional obstacle avoidance. The new Phantom 4 PRO is also equipped with dual-mode GPS and GLONASS receivers for much better hovering capability and flight accuracy. This terrific camera uses a 1-inch image CMOS sensor, which will make your photographs and video far more crisp and detailed.
The remote controller fits in well with the whole elegant design and all-white finish of the drone. It fits perfectly into your hands, and all the controls are within easy reach. Remote controller ergonomics often seem to be an afterthought by drone designers, so this feels like a luxury. The best fixed-wing drones even have controller options with an automatic takeoff and landing feature that make it easy to ensure a smooth experience at each end.
#7 Holy Stone HS720 Drone for Travelling
Award: BEST QUIET OPERATION
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Holystone HS720 has become a favorite among amateur filmmakers because of its portability, simple operation, and excellent camera. It has built-in shock absorption to reduce camera vibration when shooting. Like most of the other drone controllers, the video is sent to your smartphone that attaches to the controller’s cradle showing the first-person video being captured by the unit.
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- Folds into a nice and compact size
- Brushless motors for quiet operation
- Several Assisted Flight Modes
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- Only 2K camera capabilities
- Charging time is up to 5 hours.
- Not the best drone for beginners
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Another nice safety feature is that if the HS720 were to lose power or signal, it would return home to the place where it was launched. The “Flight Path” function allows you to draw a flight route on the map displayed on your smartphone, and it will follow that path. One-touch return, and the drone will make the HS720 turn back and return to you immediately. It has a “headless” mode, which automatically aligns the drone with flying forward instead of spinning aimlessly.
The brushless motors use less energy, which makes the HS720 capable of a 26-minute flight time. It captures incredible color detail and has excellent clarity. You will have to download the App to your smartphone to enjoy FPV. The biggest negative is that each battery has a charging time of up to 5 hours. Compare this with the best FPV racing drones that offer a great flight time of up to nine minutes.
#8 JJRC H37 Pocket Selfie Drone for Travelling
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Award: BEST SOCIAL MEDIA DRONE FOR TRAVEL
WHY WE LIKE IT: The JJRC H37 is often referred to as a “selfie drone,” but that does not make it any less of a powerful, stylish, and well-built foldable quadcopter that makes for a reliable travel companion. The JJRC was designed to be portable and practical. It is controlled by a smartphone app, which helps to keep the cost down.
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- 6-axis gyro for stability
- Easy for beginners to use
- Aerobatic Flight – 3D flips and rolls
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- Very short flight distance
- 10-minute battery life
- Unable to handle any wind
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To make it easy to fly, The JJRC H37 is equipped with several features that are standard with beginner drones that are designed to do the heavy lifting themselves to make the user experience carefree. There are several helpful assisted flight modes included, like “Altitude Hold” Mode, “Headless” Mode, and a “one-touch return-to-home” button that will keep this JJRC drone from getting lost in the wind.
The WIFI-enabled FPV camera is mounted on the aircraft to broadcast the live video to the pilot on the ground. The pilot is flying the plane as if they are on board the aircraft instead of looking at it from the pilot’s actual ground position. It’s very different than bringing a drone on a plane. Its camera quality isn’t the best, but that’s to be expected with a travel drone available at such a low price point. A better camera would be found in the best selfie drone that has an integrated 1080p camera, which excels at live streaming.
#9 Parrot Anafi Drone for Travelling
Award: BEST FOR VIVID PHOTOGRAPHY
WHY WE LIKE IT: The built-in HDR option minimizes harsh brights and darks while adding rich contrast to the images that it captures. What’s notable about the Anafi is that it is the first drone to feature a 180° tilt gimbal.
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- Multiple assisted flight options
- 21MP 1/2.4-inch CMOS sensor from Sony
- Lossless 2.8X zoom
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- Lacks obstacle avoidance sensors
- Only 25 minutes of flight time
- Large and heavy controller
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Hyperlapse video can be recorded and played back at 15x to 240x the speed, while slow-motion shots can be captured at 720p/124p. Each of the four drone legs contains a dual-band antenna (2.4GHz & 5GHz), enabling HD video streaming up to 2.5 miles.
Parrot Anafi is also an ideal drone for casual consumers who want to experiment with various special effects without spending a great deal of money. It offers up features not found in other models with similar price points, and its ability to point the camera 90° upward means you can capture shots that simply aren’t possible with other drones. Compare that with the best VR drones that have a superior image and HD video quality.
#10 Hubsan Zino Pro Drone for Travelling
Award: BEST FOR BEGINNERS
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Hubsan Zino Pro delivers a comfortable flying experience and captures beautiful content.
This transmission gives the drone FPV capabilities, allowing you to see a live stream of its footage directly on your phone.
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- Can shoot 360-degree panoramas
- 4K camera at 30FPS
- 4 km flight range
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- No obstacle avoidance technology
- Lacks any down-facing sensors for landing and hovering
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The Zino Pro has folding arms and folding blades which allows it to collapse into a very small shape. It does lack any downward-facing landing sensors for obstacle avoidance.
The footage that it captures is beautiful, and the price is competitive. The Zino Pro is an excellent solution for beginners and first-time fliers looking for an affordable option that provides professional-level photo and video capabilities. Compare that with the best follow-me drone that can transmit a live video stream with a transmission range of up to 4.3 miles away from you.
Related: You may want to check out the best drone for kids if you want your kids to become great at flying drones.
How We Decided
We scoured hundreds of reviews to find which drones are the ten best for travel. Breaking down the essential elements can be confusing, with so many drones on the market claiming to be packed with shiny bells and whistles. To help clear up the field, these are the main factors that we considered:
How fast, how far, and for how long are three crucial elements that need to be considered when choosing a drone to travel. Ideally, you want to select a drone that comes with more than one battery and can recharge quickly. Distance and speed aren’t as critical as other factors for a travel drone, but they still can come in very handy.
Physical camera features, as well as digital, are very important. The sensor’s size and the number of axis points on its gimbal are significant, as are the internal HDR, digital image stabilization, f stop, and auto iso. All of the above factors are considered and then compared to their physical size and price.
Best Drones for Travelling Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Camera features
It can be very disappointing to get your HD footage transferred to your computer only to discover that it’s out of focus or any of the other negatives that an inferior image sensor can cause. With incredibly capable and impossibly small cameras becoming cheaper and almost all drones now, including at least one helpful photo and video mode, it’s challenging to find the right one for you. - Flight Time and Flight Features
When you are traveling with a drone, one of the last things you want to happen is for your batteries to be empty. Finding gorgeous locations for your travel vlog or your home movies can take longer than expected. Location scouting usually entails more time in flight, looking for the perfect angle, lighting, or altitude. Finding which drones have the most extended flight times is a significant factor when searching for the right drone. When you’re filming in foreign locations, you spend equally as much time looking around you on earth as you do at your drone above it. A drone with assisted flight modes like “return to home,” “Self Orbit,” “Fly on a Path,” and the like makes for fewer accidents. - Durability and Price
If you travel often or are the type to take your drone with you wherever you go, you’re going to need a drone that will survive at least a few unfortunate collisions or crashes. The compact drones on the market currently can be known to use lower quality parts to keep the model and the price lighter. While you’re piloting your quadcopter away from home, many unexpected factors can quickly come into play, whether it be a sudden change in weather, foreign terrain, or international drone laws.
