What Are the Best Drones to Take on an Adventure?

Ask any pilot and most will tell you that the act of flying a drone is an adventure in itself. However, to make our list of best adventure drones, we came up with some added criteria. First, it has to be portable. Adventuring often involves travel, so you want something that is easy to carry. Second, it should feature strong target tracking technology. Third, the drone should be built to withstand the rigors of whatever adventure you throw at it. Using those criteria as a guide, here is the list of our favorite adventure drones.

DJI Mavic 2 Pro

Not only is the DJI Mavic 2 Pro one of the greatest all-around consumer drones ever built, it’s also one of the most capable adventure drones on the market. Though not the most compact flyer in DJI’s lineup, the Mavic 2 Pro does feature a foldable design that makes it easy to carry along on any adventure. In addition to its travel-friendly size, DJI outfitted the Mavic 2 Pro with its most ambitious tracking technology to date. Oh, and did we mention the camera? The Mavic 2 Pro comes equipped with a Hasselblad camera that’s capable of shooting UHD 4K video and 20MP stills, so you’ll be able to capture all your adventures in glorious detail. Check out our trip to Iceland to see just how well the Mavic 2 performs!

DJI Mavic Air

The other DJI drone on our list is the adventure-ready Mavic Air. The Air’s inclusion in our list should come as no surprise; DJI literally unveiled it with the tagline “MAVIC AIR: Adventure Unfolds.” And you know what? It’s totally warranted. Because the Mavic Air is one of the the top adventure drones ever made. Combining the travel-friendly design of the Spark, the prosumer-grade specs of the Mavic Pro, and featuring incredibly sophisticated target-tracking tech, the Mavic Air emphatically checks all the boxes on our list, and then some.

Parrot Anafi

Parrot’s answer to the Mavic Air is the Anafi. With an HDR camera that shoots 4K video and 21MP stills, a lightweight, collapsible design, and autonomous tracking features that are just as sophisticated and versatile as the Mavic Air’s, the Anafi is definitely one of the better adventure drones on the market. We took it to Coney Island for a full hands-on review and were very impressed with this flyer.

Hubsan H501S

Something you might have noticed about these drones is that they aren't exactly cheap. Even the Anafi, which is the most affordable of the bunch, will set you back more than a couple of hundred. So, what’s a cost-conscious adventure enthusiast to do? My friends, say hello to the HUBSAN H501S X4 FPV Quadcopter High Edition. Priced around the $200 mark, the H501S lets you adventure for a more reasonable cost. The H501S locks onto the radio controller and tracks its movement via signal tether. Its onboard camera isn't as sophisticated as some of the other flyers on this list, but it's still capable of capturing solid action footage in 1080p. Those features, coupled with the low cost and solid build, make the H501S an ideal choice for adventurers just starting out with drones.

Power Vision PowerRay

OK, so the last drone on our list is a bit of cheat. The PowerRay does not have strong tracking technology. And, at 18" long and 14 lb, it doesn’t exactly “travel easy.” But here’s the thing: Of all the drones on this list, the PowerRay is the only one that can go underwater. That’s right. It’s an “underwater” drone (also known as an ROV). And, thanks to the PowerRay’s 4K camera, 210' tether, and live-streaming functionality, you can now take your adventures into (and beneath) the water and capture everything below.

These are just some of our favorite drones to take on an adventure. What do you think of our list? Leave us a comment or question, below!

Be sure to check back on B&H Explora for more of Adventure Week—and don't forget to follow B&H on Twitter @BHPhotoVideo for up-to-the-minute #adventureweek news.