Drones are amazing. I can purchase a flying, stabilized 4K camera that slips into my pocket for a few hundred dollars. This is a technology that was the stuff of dreams a few years ago. But now, thanks to companies such as DJI and Autel, dreams have become reality. 

Also:The best surveillance drones

My top pick for the best overall drone is theDJI Mavic 3 Pro , but I've included other drones for you to consider based on 's research and my own personal experience. I'm a licensed and insured drone operator who has put in many hundreds of hours flying these drones for testing, work, and fun. 

The best drones of 2023

DJI Mavic 3 Pro

Best drone overall

Katherine Betteridge/ Pros & Cons Pros

• Fantastic camera system
• Powerful drone that is stable in high winds
• Great battery life (even if it isn't as good as advertised)

Cons

• Expensive
• A big drone that's not pocketable
• Required the RC Pro controller for the best experience

More Details

DJI Mavic 3 Pro tech specs: Camera: 1/1.3-inch CMOS, 70mm equivalent, 3x Optical Zoom, f/2.8, 48 MP and a 1/2-inch CMOS Tele Camera 166mm equivalent, 7x Optical Zoom, 28x Hybrid Zoom, f/3.4, 12 MPVideo:4K/60fpsMax flight time:43 minutesTransmission distance:up to 15km

This is DJI's flagship consumer/prosumer drone. It's big, it's mean, it's noisy, it has three cameras, and is the perfect drone to get the job done. If the conditions will let you fly a drone, the Mavic 3 Pro will deliver.

Read the review: DJI Mavic 3 Pro review

The new Mavic 3 Pro features a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor, 3x optical zoom, and is capable of 48MP/12MP photos, 4K/60fps video, and supports the new D-log M. On top of that, the wide-angle camera now also supports the new 10-bit D-Log M color mode, allowing the sensor to capture up to one billion colors. This not only makes the camera better at capturing difficult scenes such as sunrises and sunsets but also makes it easier to process the captured video.

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DJI Mini 4 Pro

Best drone for budding professionals

DJI/ Pros & Cons Pros

• Small and lightweight
• Excellent 4K camera
• Really easy to fly
• All-round sensors

Cons

• Expensive compared to the Mini 3
• Optional DJI RC smart controller adds to the price

More Details

DJI Mini 4 Pro tech specs: Camera: 1/1.3-inch 24-mm wide angle camera  Video: 4K 100fps max video recordingMax flight time:34 minutesTransmission distance: 20km

This is an upgraded version of the Mini 3 Pro, with a redesigned chassis, upgraded camera, and the addition of omni-directional obstacle avoidance sensors.

Read the review: DJI Mini 3 Pro review

The sub-250g category is important in some territories because it falls into an area where there are fewer regulation headaches. This is a big deal in places like Europe, less so in places like the US.

That said, the Mini 4 Pro is a very capable drone that you can slip into a pocket and take with you on your adventures. That's not something you could do with the Mavic 3 Pro!

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DJI Air 3

Best mid-range drone

Katherine Betteridge/ Pros & Cons Pros

• Omnidirectional obstacle avoidance sensors
• Dual cameras
• Exceptional camera quality
• Great flight time

Cons

• Quite a large drone, definitely not something that will fit into a pocket
• Not cheap

More Details

DJI Air 3 tech specs: Camera:1/1.3 inch CMOS, 48 megapixels, 1-3x digital zoom, and 1/1.3 inch CMOS, 48 megapixels, 3-9x digital zoomVideo:4K: 3840