Drones are the hottest topic in the tech world at the moment. People all over the world have fallen in love with this new technology and want to get their hands on it. From kids to adults to business owners, everyone wants to own a drone. While drones are not that difficult to buy, one has to keep in mind that these aerial vehicles do not come cheap. You will have to make a good deal of investment if you want to purchase a high quality drone. Therefore, it is important that you don’t make a hasty decision when choosing a drone and that you take the time to find the right one.
Challenges Faced in Finding the Right Drone
Drone technology is advancing at a rapid rate. A new type of drone is introduced in the market almost every other day. With so many types and brands of drones available, it can become a challenge for a person to find a drone that is best suited to his or her needs. However, finding the right drone isn’t a difficult task if you know what you are looking for. So, the first thing you will have to do is to identify the purpose for which you want to buy the drone. How you use the drone is going to determine which type is most suitable for you.
Recreational Purposes
If you want to buy a drone only for recreational purposes then you can find the right drone quite easily. There are plenty of recreational drones available in the market that can be utilized for personal use. Such drones don’t cost much and are fairly easy to operate. You simply have to control the flight of the drone using a joystick type of controller whose functions are similar to any other type of remote controlled vehicle. So, you will get the hang of it quickly should you decide to start flying. The best thing about recreational drones is that you won’t have to break the bank for purchasing them.
Commercial Purposes
If you want to purchase a drone for commercial purposes then you will have to do some extensive research to find the drone that is best for you. Since the drone is going to be used for a particular job, you will have to find one that has the capabilities for carrying out that task. For instance, if you want to use it for the purpose of aerial photography then you will have to get a drone that has an HD camera attached to it. Such drones can be found online with great ease. However, do remember that these types of drones are quite expensive and will cost you a good deal of money.
Factors to Consider When Buying Drones
In addition to the challenges faced in finding a suitable drone, there are a number of factors that you need to consider when buying these machines too.
Design
The design of a drone is an important consideration. You would have to decide whether a quadcopter design would be suitable or whether you require a drone having more than four rotors. While a quadcopter is best for balancing and finer control, it would not be safe to use in rough weather and won’t be able to lift heavier payloads. On the other hand a hexacopter or an octocopter consumes more power, but can fly in much more severe weather.
Speed and Elevation
Speed and elevation are also factors that you need to keep in mind when it comes to buying drones. Most small drones can’t fly as high are larger drones. So, if you want to take good quality aerial photographs then you will have to get an advanced drone that is capable of reaching heights of 300 feet or more. Moreover, a smaller drone won’t be able to go as fast and would be unsuitable for drone racing. For that you would require a speedy drone for racing which can clock in high speeds.
Battery Life
Battery life matters also when making the decision of purchasing a drone. The battery life is going to determine the amount of time the drone can remain in the air. In addition to battery life, you will have to take into account the charging time required by the drone to recharge its batteries. Ideally, you should go for a drone that is capable of giving you at least 20 minutes of flight time and can be fully charged within half an hour.
Controllable Range
The controllable range is the farthest distance up to which you can remotely pilot your drone. Most drones have very limited controllable ranges, meaning that you cannot take them out for long range flights. The advanced drones however have considerable controllable range and can be flown for long distances. Controllable range is an important consideration when buying drones for aerial photography as you would have to remain within this range when taking photos.
Camera
Most people use drones for the purpose of taking photos. The drone itself doesn’t take photos but it has a built-in camera mounted on it that is responsible for taking the images. The more advanced the camera is, the more quality photos it should be able to take. However, do remember that HD cameras can be very heavy, so you will have to buy a heavier and more advanced drone if you intend to use it for the purpose of aerial photography or videography.
Replacement Parts
Drones are aircraft and can easily be involved in accidents. All it takes is a wrong turn or a slight error of judgment to cause the drone to tumble to the ground. Most lightweight drones fall a lot and thus require replacement parts like rotor blades, extra batteries, propellers and gears to get back into the air. Thus, availability of spare parts is another important consideration that you have to keep in mind when buying small drones.
