The 6 Best (and Coolest) Drones Compatible with Your iPhone

DJI Mavic Air 2 Credit: Ms Pics and More / Shutterstock
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The consumer drone market has grown so much in the last few years that highly-capable drones are now within reach of – well, everyone. While bigger drones used in marketing and research tend to require some professional training to use properly, more user-friendly drones can be controlled right from an iPhone or iPad, with clever apps that simulate drone controls and tap into drone video cameras, or separate controllers that use your iPhone as a viewing screen.

They’re a lot of fun, and you also use them for hobbies or even important personal projects (just keep an eye on your local airspace laws, register your drone, and learn the no-go zones if you’re flying high). Here are our favorites for beginners who are also avid Apple users.

Potensic T25 GPS Drone ($160)

Potensic T25 GPS Drone

This drone is an excellent pick for beginners who want a high-quality drone to start with, without a huge price tag attached. The model includes a gamer-like controller with easy buttons to learn and an attachment for your iPhone so you can see what the drone sees with its 1080p Wi-Fi camera. The cam also has a 120-degree field of view and a 75-degree adjustable wide-angle lens to play with (both video and photos are supported).

Dual GPS and stabilizers keep the drone steady if there’s wind, and can guide it back home with an automated return feature when the battery gets low. There are also common drone features like a “follow me” mode if you’re moving around and want the drone to capture the action, or the ability to plan a flight path. The range limit is up to 300 meters, and the battery tends to last 7 to 8 minutes – but the kit comes with two batteries you can keep charged for a quick replacement!

Holy Stone HS100 Drone ($127)

Holy Stone HS100 Drone

Holy Stone’s drone is another great quadcopter for beginners, with a design made to help resist windier conditions and very friendly iPhone-enabled controls. The cam has a 90-degree adjustable angle and works on 5GHz Wi-Fi, which tends to have a longer range for exploring larger areas. Other important modes including return to home and follow me features. The battery is rated to last for 18 minutes before it needs a recharge.

DJI Mavic Mini ($400)

DJI Mavic Mini

If you are interested in a drone upgrade for better performance and more high-grade video capture, DJI is one of the best brands in the business and this mini quadcopter is a great place to get started. This drone only weighs around half a pound, but its cam can support 12-megapixel photos and 2.7K HD videos. The 3-axis gimbal is specifically designed for camera stability under shaky conditions so you get smooth content. That light weight also helps greatly improve battery life, which lasts up to 30 minutes. We also like the over-the-phone controller mount, which is generally safer and more stable than placing the phone on top of the controller.

Parrot Bebop 2 ($495)

Parrot Bebop 2

This clever drone is another great mid-range pick that’s fun indoors or outdoors. Its cam is equipped with a 14-megapixel fish-eye lens, and 1080p video recording is supported as well as image capture. The battery is good for up to 25 minutes of flight time, and can also power a rear flash LED for taking pics in low light conditions.

Unlike most of our picks, the Bebop does not come with its own controller, but is designed to be programmed and controlled via its own app, which is a particularly good choice for iPad users. You can upgrade the app by buying a flight plan add on that lets you plan out routes more easily.

Ryze Tech Tello ($99)

Ryze Tech Tello

Are these drone prices giving you a headache? Would you prefer to start with something far simpler and more affordable? Ryze has you covered with its mini-drone. It’s under $100 bucks and is equipped with a 5-megapixel cam for photos and videos. It also has simple video modes like circling, 360-degree capture, and “up and away” footage. The battery lasts for around 13 minutes. It’s recommended as a great start for teaching kids how to use drones. But let’s be honest: Anyone can have fun with this model.

DJI Mavic Air 2 ($800)

DJI Mavic Air 2

On the other hand, maybe you’re looking for a drone that’s ready for professional services for marketing, personal branding, guide videos, wildlife monitoring, or other important projects. The Mavic Air 2 is the drone for you, with the ability to take 4K photos and 60fps video with the HEVC codec capturing as much image information as it can, backed up by a high-quality Quad Bayer image sensor and SmartPhoto technology to optimize all content recorded.

The software also allows for more complex flight programming, spotlights, points of interest, and a variety of modes for flight patterns. Video transmission distance is up to 10km, ideal for covering broad sections of land. The battery is rated to last up to 34 minutes, and there is built-in obstacle avoidance if something goes wrong.

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