Best Drone with HD Camera: What’s The Best Choice for You?

One of the most popular points about drones today is that you can use them to record all sorts of things. You can use a drone to record sports action from high up in the sky or you can use it to tape a scene for a movie, television show or commercial.

Drones can even be used to help you review big plots of land that you might want to plan an event or property on, and they are a great way to have lots of fun. However, when it comes to purchasing, do you know which one is the best drone with HD camera on the market?

It used to be that you would have to attach your own HD camera onto a drone and GoPro cameras have been rather useful for this occasion as they are light in weight and easy to mount on some drones.

Although they are great in recording items while moving at fast speeds, the burden of having to get a camera mounted onto a drone and making sure that it doesn’t fall off has been a real hassle. With that in mind, it has become easier for people to record HD video off of drones.

Today people can use models that have cameras that are actually built inside of them. One of these drones will use a camera on the inside to record all sorts of items in real time. The camera can be found right in the middle part of the drone in most cases and will be shielded quite well but every drone out there will be different in terms of how a camera is used.

Today you can find a variety of great drones that offer cameras inside of them. The best drone with HD camera features for your use can come with a great body that is easy to pilot while also offering a simple control feature to help you get video recorded off of the drone.

You must compare each model that is available for you so it will be easier for you to choose an option that is easy to pilot and will actually give you the best possible recording experience.

Best options with HD Cameras – 5 great choices

Holy Stone F181 RC Quadcopter Drone

The Holy Stone F181 drone offers a 1280×720 camera that can take video images at about 30 frames per second or fps. The camera is secured right in the middle of the drone to keep it protected. This drone works with a USB charging cable that will charge up the battery. The battery itself is fully secured on the inside part of the drone to keep it from being easily exposed.

The microSD card feature on the drone will allow you to record video onto a small chip. This can be removed and played back on another device so you can review the video that the drone can record. The controls on the drone will also make it easy for you to start recording video with ease.

The drone uses a four-channel transmitter and uses a 360-degree control feature that allows the drone to roll in a variety of directions. This makes the drone more agile and easier to handle and allows the user to control it at distances of about 100 meters away from your controller. It can run for about 7 to 9 minutes on a full battery charge and it only takes about 80 minutes for you to fully charge the battery too.

A key return feature will also identify the distance between the drone and the controller. It will move the drone back to the controller based on its distance to it, thus ensuring that you won’t be at risk of losing the drone if it goes too far from you.

The entire drone is about 31 inches in length at its longest parts. It is also a little less than half a pound in weight, and, if you want to get more familiar with all its features and characteristics, you can read our Holy Stone F181 in-depth review.

 

UDI U818A WiFi FPV RC Quadcopter Drone

The UDI U818A is a drone from USA Toyz that features a frame that guards all four rotors and blade setups. This also has a 2-megapixel HD camera in the middle to make recording easier to follow. The camera can work with an FPV WiFi feature that will link up to your controller. This will allow you to get a full real-time view of what’s on your camera.

You can add a smartphone, tablet or other compatible item and have it connect to the drone through a WiFi link. This will create a full-color display of what the camera sees. The app you use for reviewing the feed can also be used to record what the drone is looking at.

This all works with a six-axis gyro stability feature that allows the drone to be easy to handle even if there are wind gusts in the area. You can even complete a 360-degree flip with this if desired. There is also a button on the controller that will let you get the drone to come back to your controller. It will read the WiFi link coming from the camera feed that you take in.

A 4GB microSD card can also be used to store images that are recorded directly off of the drone’s camera. You can also use a separate bonus battery included with the drone to extend your total amount of flying time. Each battery will work for about six to nine minutes at a time.

A photo button is also included on the controller to help you take pictures. You can even turn a signal light on or off for when you need to light up the drone while in the evening sky.

If you interested in this model, you can get much more familiar with it by reading our UDI U181A in-depth review.

Cheerwing Syma X5SW FPV 2.4Ghz

It is very easy to use the Cheerwing Syma drone as this works with the Headless/IOC feature that does not put the nose direction into consideration when trying to move at a forward direction. That is, the head and tail are not actually identified as the drone is in motion. This makes it easier for you to use the drone and get used to it.

This works with a six-axis control system as well. It offers a control setup for both left and right-handed users alike. This is ideal for newer drone users to handle.

The drone, which is about 0.26 pounds in weight, uses a 3.7V 500 mAh Li-polymer battery that works for about six minutes at a time. It can be charged in about 90 to 120 minutes through the USB charger. It also has a control distance of about 50 meters. This is also about 31.5cm in length at its longest point, thus making it a very compact and easy to use model.

This device works with a two-megapixel HD camera that offers a beautiful look at anything you might see in an area. You can use the WiFi connection feature to link to an Android smartphone or an iPhone. This allows you to control the camera features on the drone and to see what it is reading in real time. You can record videos in real time off of a smartphone too.

If you interested you can check its price here.

Syma X5SW 4 Channel Remote Controlled Quadcopter

This next drone option features a built-in HD camera with its own electronic compass added into it. This uses a WiFi link to help with making it easier for you to read what’s on the camera in real time. This works well when you attach a compatible smartphone or other WiFi-powered device on the top of the control. A program is available for installation on your device to help you get your phone ready.

The camera can record about thirty minutes of video at a time. You can get the camera to start working by using a simple control on the drone’s body. A microSD card will also be used to take in whatever you record. The amount of data that you can get recorded onto the microSD card will vary based on its capacity.

A USB cord can be used for when you need to power up your drone. The X5SW can be charged in about two hours through a USB connection. It flies for a little less than ten minutes at a time when a full charge has been set up.

It is very easy to change the battery as well. You can power up a separate battery away from the drone and have it ready for use when the old one runs out, for instance. It only takes a few moments for you to swap out the battery.

This all works at a frequency of 2.4 GHz. There are also guards around the rotors to keep them from being easily exposed.

Like this amazing product? Then you can purchase it on Amazon.

QCopter QC1

The QCopter QC1 quadcopter drone is popular for having a series of LED lights installed around the outside parts of four-axis stabilizer blade. These four lights will light up in the night sky with one light blinking to indicate the direction that the drone is headed in.

As for the camera, this particular drone has a two-megapixel camera that can take videos and photos alike. By pressing a simple button on the drone, you can use it to start recording whatever is out in the air. The battery capacity on this quadcopter is rather strong.

The drone can fly for about ten to fifteen minutes at a time off of a full battery charge. This is thanks to the 3.7V battery offering 1100mAh in power capacity. This offers an extra amount of flight time for any purpose.

The one-press automatic return button will allow the drone to fly back to you in the event that you might get too far from it. It also uses a six-axis control feature to make it easier for you to handle the drone while in air. This six-axis control can also work with a 360-degree rollover feature to complete full flips even when the camera is active.

This is also a very compact model that is only 31cm in length on each side. It is also less than a pound in weight, thus making it easy for you to get it up in the sky.

If you interested you can check its price on Amazon.

Who should use this?

A drone with an HD camera on the inside is best for those who are new to the world of drones. In particular, this is ideal for those who want to get a great drone that can record things without having to worry about getting a camera added.

This is also great for people who want to get a one-piece item that will not require you to buy anything outside of the drone. It is also perfect for people who want to get into the world of personal drones without spending far too much money.

Considering how it can cost hundreds of dollars to get an HD camera that is separate from the drone, a drone with a camera inside it already might be best. You could actually find a drone with a built-in camera for less than a hundred dollars in a number of cases.

These drones are not too big as well. This means that a newcomer can easily fly one of these without being at a risk of possibly losing control of it.

How can you power it?

The power source for one of these drones will come from a battery that you can connect directly onto its body. The power source will typically be included with the drone itself and, sometimes, the battery might be built within the unit itself.

The battery will be fully rechargeable. In most cases a USB cable can be used to power up the battery. The cable will work effectively to get the power to come about naturally and with ease.

The capacity of the battery will also vary depending on the model you get. The QCopter model mentioned earlier offers an 1100mAh battery that will last for more than ten minutes in many cases. However, that is a much larger battery than what you might find in most other instances.

Is it legal to use one?

The drones that you have read about here are small enough to where you can easily operate one without having to get a separate FAA license. These drones are also small enough to where they will not fly too high up or far away from you.

The Cheerwing model can fly at a range of 50 meters away from your controller, for instance. Therefore, it will not get near the height limit that the FAA has stipulated for drone use.

Buying guide

There are plenty of great drones that come with their own built-in HD cameras. The selection is rather varied and as a result you need to look carefully to see what might be available for you to use. You should use these parameters to help you out with finding one that you will enjoy using.

How can you review the camera?

The best drones with HD cameras will make it easy for you to see what’s on the camera in real time. In particular, a controller for one of these drones can easily link up to a device through a WiFi connection to display what is being used. This is important as you are not likely to find a controller that features a build-in video display right on it.

In many cases you can adjust the camera by touching a proper button on the drone to help you get it to start or stop recording. You can always edit the video that you record off of it later as the file you record will be easy to read through a microSD card.

However, you might also come across cases where you can adjust when the camera starts working and other features if you have a smartphone or tablet that can link to the drone in real time.

How will the recording work?

You will more than likely work with a microSD card on the inside of your drone to get anything you record ready. The file format for the video will also vary but in most cases you can work with a more universal format like the AVI format. A universal format will allow you to play back a file on a variety of devices.

As for the still frames, a JPEG format can be used to take individual pictures. This allows you to get a beautiful shot that can be read on a variety of computers. The same resolution that works on the moving camera will typically be the same for your still images.

Can you keep it near you?

There are always times when the drone might be at risk of blowing away from you due to something like heavy wind gusts. Controller error might be a threat to some people as well.

Therefore, you have to look for a drone that can fly back to you in the event that it loses a connection or gets too far away from you. Anything that can read a WiFi connection or other signal that will get it back to your controller will always be worthwhile as it will make it easier for you to get the drone to keep working.

What is it made of?

A great drone will be made of rather lightweight materials to keep the drone slim and easy to carry around. In fact, you can typically find drones that are about half a pound in weight or less in most cases.

Light plastic components are often added to make it easier for you to get this ready for flight. These can come with some guards around the individual blades to keep them from being hurt if they get in touch with anything. These guards may also help to keep wind conditions from influencing those blades by far too much.

Can you see it well?

One thing you might notice when flying a drone is that it easily stands out in the sky. This is thanks to black being a standby color choice for drones. The drones from Holy Stone and Cheerwing listed earlier are good examples of drones that are painted with black colors.

These colors are typically easier to spot in most situations. You need to ensure that your drone can be easy to see while in the air. This way you won’t be at risk of losing track of it.

It is typically best to use one of these drones during the daytime hours. This is due to the drone being much easier to see while in the daytime. Some LED lights can be used on some drones although it is typically best to use one of these in the daytime just to be safe with it.

Not sure what model to buy?

There are plenty of great options for you to look for when finding a drone that comes with an HD camera on the inside. These options are all useful in that they are small and easy to pilot. The fact that you don’t have to get a separate camera ready for your drone will certainly be to your advantage as well.

However, you have to be careful when finding a choice that will suit your needs when trying to get something up in the air.

There are a number of positive and negative aspects of these drones that you should be looking into when finding a model that fits your needs:

Pros:

• A drone with an HD camera is perfect as everything is built right inside of it. There’s no need to get anything attached.
• Such a drone can be very easy to pilot.
• The multiple axes on the controller ensure that you will have enough control over the drone in a variety of situations.
• The camera will be housed in a secure space where the lens will not be at any real risks of damages.
• You can get the camera to turn on or off through a controller or right on the drone’s body. You can even use this to take pictures of whatever is in an area.

Cons:

• The camera on one of these drones won’t be as powerful as what you’d get on a bigger GoPro camera that can be added outside of some models.
• The camera won’t be able to pivot or move around separately from the rest of the drone. You’d have to adjust the drone while in the air to make it fit within a particular direction.

You can enjoy using a great drone with an HD camera on the inside for all kinds of purposes. It has never been easier to record all sorts of items with a drone like this.