Best Long Flight Time Drones

How long is a long flight time? That question really depends on what price range of drone you are looking to purchase.

5-9 Minute Flight Times: Drones Under $400

In the under $400 price range, flight times tend to range from 5–9 minutes with the average, as one might expect, around 7 minutes. The UDI U818A drone, priced in the $50-$100 range, offers flights from 7–9 minutes. The 600 mAh battery does take two hours to charge, but the drone is sold with a spare, meaning you can have one charged and ready to go, thereby doubling your flying experience.

It is a fairly large quadcopter for this price point, measuring 13 in. x 2.2 in. x 13.3 in. and weighing 4.2 ounces, but it has some fun extras such as being able to do 360° flips. It also comes with a camera that can take both photographs and record video. You won’t be able to get professional results from this camera. It only records at 640 x 480 pixels, but you do get the enjoyment of seeing where the drone has flown and being able to share those images once you have uploaded them via the Micro SD card.

Drones with 12-25 Minute Flight Times: $400-$959

In the $400-$959 price range, length of flight time varies widely from a low of 12–15 minutes to a high of 25 minutes. Keep in mind that those readings are under ideal conditions. Wind and flying at a high speed will reduce the amount of flight. With all drones, it is a good idea to purchase an extra battery to increase your flight experience.

The DJI Phantom 3 Standard drone, currently priced at $499, can fly up to 25 minutes on a single charge. This is a quality drone at an attractive price. It comes standard with GPS and a return to home button so you won’t lose track of your drone. In addition, the battery sends you a reminder when the power is low so that you can get your drone back to you before it loses power.

This quadcopter comes with a 5.8 GHz controller which can work up to a 1 km distance. Letting go of the control sticks causes the DJI Phantom 3 Standard to auto-hover. This is a helpful feature which allows you to plan your next move or take a photo without worrying about the drone flying away on you. The camera included is able to record 2.7 video at 30 frames per second or take still 12 MP photos.

23+ Minute Flight Times: Drones Over $959

Looking for something a bit more professional? One would think that at the $959+ price point, the drones would automatically fly longer, but that is not the case. Drones in this class are large and heavy and can’t stay in the air as long even with strong battery power. The DJI Phantom 3 Professional, priced at $995, offers a long flight-time at 23 minutes under ideal conditions.

The DJI Phantom Professional drone offers several attractive features, including both GPS and GLONASS tracking, a camera that can take professional quality photos including 4k video and 12 MP still images, and a remote control that provides control up to 3.1 mi. The DJI Go App also gives you a live HD video feed, allowing you to edit video and share it on social media. The App can also be used as a training tool so that you can practice flying without damaging your drone.

Depending on your budget and what you are looking for from a drone, the definition of a long flight time will differ, but you can definitely get the most for your money.

Author: Stacey Miller
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