GoPro cameras and action videos are directly related to each other. They work best for aerial photography and videography when mounted on a drone. GoPro cameras are attached to compatible drones using a gimbal or mount bracket. This is where the best drones for GoPro cameras come in. Ideally, if you own a quadcopter compatible with GoPro, you can capture all the action like hiking, rock-climbing, surfing, etc. A good GoPro camera drone means you’ll get the best quality images and videos without distortion.
Best Drones for GoPro: Product Reviews
1. Holy Stone HS700D FPV Drone
Holy Stone HS700D is an upgraded version of HS700. It is a perfect drone for both beginners and intermediate users. It is a smart drone with an upgraded camera. It’s a good-sized quadcopter with a durable and elegant design. Aluminum and high-quality ABS plastic is used for its rigid framework design. This drone with GoProne attachment comes with propeller guards which are good for new users. HS700D has a built-in 1-axis gimbal stabilizer. It keeps the camera stabilized so you get clear images.
This GoPro drone has landing gears that help in camera protection when landing. The total weight of the Holy Stone HS700D with the camera is almost 5 lbs. It has a detachable 4K camera that can record videos at 25 fps. You can also change the camera with GoPro Hero 7 to make this drone even better. This quadcopter with GoPro has a simple, elegant yet effective remote control with LCD. The LCD has every detail regarding range, battery life, and satellites, etc.
HS700D GoPro drone has a 2800mAh rechargeable battery. It gives you almost 22 minutes of flight time when you capture videos in 2K. It is a removable battery so you can replace it as well. It requires 7 hours for charging as fast charging option is not available. It has a great effective brushless motor which provides incredible flight performance. The maximum flight speed of HS700D is 40 miles per hour and the remote control range is almost 1000 meters.
Key Features – Holy Stone HS700D FPV Drone
- 2204 1500kV brushless motor drone.
- The remote control range is 800-1000 meters.
- Detachable 4K camera.
- 22 minutes of flight time.
- 120° wide-angle lens
- 2800mAh Lipo battery
- 4ghz remote control frequency
- 5ghz WIFI frequency
Pros
- Adjustable camera with 5G transmission
- GPS assisted flight operation
- High capacity intelligent battery
- Quick launch by pressing one key
- High-efficiency quick-release propellers
- “Headless” mode
- “Follow Me” mode
Cons
- No fast charging
2. DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter
DJI Phantom 3 has raised the bar of professional GoPro drones to an even higher level. It looks pretty much similar to other Phantom models with few minor changes. It has a stout plastic body, four rotors, and fixed landing legs. This quadcopter with GoPro has been designed to survive both bumps and crashes while flying. Its rotor blades are easily replaceable which is a good sign for beginner pilots. The controller is also elegantly designed, here are buttons for starting, stopping recording, and changing camera settings.
It is very easy to get started with this GoPro drone. You take it out of the box, charge the battery and controller, download the ‘DJI Pilot App’ on your smartphone, and follow a few simple steps on your app, now you are connected and ready to fly. DJI Phantom 3 is a very easy fly drone, even 10 minutes of casual flying will set the path for you. It is extremely responsive and can accelerate and decelerate very fast. It will adjust automatically for windy conditions so a gust of wind will not throw it off course.
DJI Phantom 3 has a 4K camera which greatly addresses the needs of videos and photo clicks. The camera has a Sony 1/2.3 inch sensor which is even great with action cameras. It has a lens with a 94° field of view which controls the distortion greatly. DJI Phantom 3 uses a GoPro Hero4 to stabilize the image and avoiding the flash-eye look. It is mounted under the aircraft body and suspended from a motorized gimbal. It generates live streaming in HD (720p) with a range of up to 1.2 miles.
DJI Phantom 3 Professional – Key Features
- 4K video resolution
- Fully stabilized 3-axis gimbal
- 2 flight batteries
- Rechargeable remote control
- 23 minutes of flight time
- HD (720p) live to stream
- 15mph maximum speed
Pros
- Easy flying
- Very stable in the air
- 20mm wide-angle lens
- “Return to home” function
- Automated flight modes
- Built-in GPS
Cons
- Some edge distortion in the wide-angle lens
3. DJI Phantom 2 Quadcopter
DJI Phantom 2 Quadcopter is a great drone with a GoPro attachment. It is the best drone for aerial acrobatics with some amazing aerial footage. It supports heavy aerial filming equipment like the GoPro camera and FPV system. It is mainly used by photographers and filmmakers but not specific to them only. The design of DJI Phantom 2 is similar to Phantom 1 which is the best. It has these great aerodynamic lines with red and green LED lights. THE whole DJI Phantom series is made of high-quality plastic so no issue of durability.
This one of the best GoPro drones doesn’t have a camera but an amazing gimbal. This gimbal makes the footages amazingly stable just like a tripod. This gimbal can handle all GoPro models like Hero 3, Hero 3+, and Hero 4 cameras. You have to buy these cameras separately. One can also use GoPro similar cameras like Xiaomi Yi Action Camera which is three times cheaper but delivers the same quality. The Phantom 2 battery is long-lasting and intelligent. It has a 5200mAh high-performance battery which allows a flying time of 25 minutes.
DJI Phantom 2 has a remote control with so many new features. This controller is equipped with a 2000mAh battery with battery level LED indicators. There is a throttle locking feature to pull down the throttle stick and lock it down. This remote control is also compatible with the Phantom 2 Vision. DJI offers great drone technology which makes its drones fly themselves. There is a GPS and ”Return to Home” feature which makes drone controls easily. The flight of DJI Phantom 2 is as stable as you expect it to be. It will fly well even in windy conditions.
DJI Phantom 2 – Key Features
- New propulsion system
- FHD 1080p video resolution
- 25 minutes of flight time
- 5200mAh high-performance battery
- AVI video capture format
- 2 spare rotor blades
- 14MP still resolution
Pros
- 1080 video capture
- Easy to fly
- Highly durable
- Best for photos and videos
- Shoots JPG and Raw stills
- New propulsion system
- Zen muse H4-3D gimbal included
Cons
- GoPro camera not included
4. 3DR Solo Quadcopter with 3-Axis Gimbal
3D Robotics launched their “Solo” drone which is a great choice for gimbal drones. It specializes in providing smooth, fluid HD footages. Some say that Solo’s software is even more developed than DJI’s Phantom series. 3DR Solo Quadcopter has a design with minimal complications. It offers a lifeless matte black plastic body which is unique. It weighs almost 3.5 lbs. with 19 inches in height so a good enough GoPro drone. Under each motor, there are LED lights and as soon as the bird goes in the air, the quadcopter gets more colorful.
The controller of this quadcopter with GoPro is again pure black matte plastic. There are control buttons with an OLED display in the middle. Its shows the status of the drone, battery life, GPS positioning, and flight modes. You can have the live video preview on your smartphones but not on the controller. It is simple to fly a drone with automated takeoff and landing. It’s just a matter of a few buttons you need to press. There are many flight modes offered by 3DR Solo Quadcopter. These are automated flight modes that control the speed and movements of the drone.
Solo needs an added device for capturing photos and videos. It works best with GoPro cameras like Hero 3 and Hero 4. With Hero 4, it can shoot 4K video at 60 frames per second. Here 4 users can control the resolution and frame rate of the video. Solo has a heavy 5200mAh Lithium Polymer battery which powers the drone for 22 minutes of flying time. It takes 70 minutes for the battery to recharge. Besides, the included transmitter has a battery. No third-party batteries can be used for this drone.
3DR Solo Quadcopter – Key Features
- 4 Replaceable rotors
- 22 minutes of battery life
- GoPro Hero 4 resolution camera
- Linear tracking and cable cam mode
- The HDMI output on the transmitter
- 5200mAh Li-Po battery
Pros
- Gimbal is the easiest to manage.
- User-friendly app.
- Best aerial photography experience
- Capable of memorizing shots.
- All-in-one drone
Cons
- The price is a little high.
5. Blade 350 QX2 RTF Quadcopter
Blade 350 QX2 is great for people who want to fly a safe and reliable drone around their homes or yards. It has four rotors, i.e. two red and two black, and a long white GPS antenna on its roof. You have to add the camera separately. It is ready to fly GoPro drone once you remove it from the box. Blade 350 QX2 is a complete photography package that has a 350 QX2 quadcopter, 2-axis brushless gimbal, and a C-GO1 camera that can capture 1080p video. The antenna on top improves GPS performance between the radio controller and drone.
This quadcopter with GoPro has a “SAFE Technology” which stands for “Sensor Assisted Flight Envelope”. This technology allows you to choose between three different flight modes according to your style and skill level. This “SAFE Technology” allows a great breathing space for new users as it helps from crashing. The package includes some other important things like a Spektrum DX4 transmitter, 3S 3000mAh Li-Po battery, and a charger. The Blade 350 QX2 is a highly stabilized drone that can keep itself smooth and stable in the air even if you are fumbling with controls.
Blade 350 QX2 has a new RF chipset with an external antenna. This RF chipset has a visual compass error detection to alert you when the calibration is off. It also provides a 5.8 GHz Wi-Fi video downlink, capable of sending 720p30 video from the C-GO1 camera to supported devices. There are all the required Spektrum radios to let you control the quadcopter with the DX4 channel transmitter or any other transmitter your device has. It has been optimized with Firmware 2.0 and a more robust RF link for improved reliability.
Blade 350 QX2 – Key Features
- 2-axis brushless gimbal
- 8 GHz Wi-Fi video downlink
- Smart Mode
- Stability Mode
- Greater reliability
- Optimized with Firmware 2.0
- 3S 3000mAh Li-Po battery
- C-GO1 1080p30 camera
Pros
- SAFE Technology
- Visual compass error detection
- New receiver for improved range
- Aerial photography mode
- Compatible with All Spektrum Radios
- DX4 channel transmitter
- New RF chipset with external antenna
Cons
- Some vendors don’t include a camera
Best Drones for GoPro: Buyer’s Guide
Before having a go at GoPro drone one needs to consider some important factors. Usually, you will find all of them in the best drones for GoPro. Let us check out the important points…
1. Size and Weight
Weight and size is an essential factor whenever you choose a quadcopter with GoPro. Most of the present GoPro drones are 5-10 inches tall and 15-25 inches in diameter. The weight of GoPro drones is usually between 3-10 lbs. It depends on what you ought to have in the drone. If you want to film with a GoPro drone and want to reach some difficult places and altitudes, you want to have a smaller quadcopter.
2. Gimbal
When you are getting a GoPro camera drone, make sure to know about either the camera gimbal is provided or not. Gimbal guarantees the balance of your camera, it makes sure the vibrations and shakes do not destroy the camera footage. It has several benefits for camera balance compared to other stabilizers.
3. Camera
GoPro drones have a unique miniature camera attached to a quadrature. There are numerous GoPro devices available with different ranges. You must choose the one best suited with your GoPro drone mount. GoPro drones are great for commercial applications. They offer top-quality images and also the opportunity to go for top cam to your drone.
4. Flight Time and Range
Flight time and range are probably the most basic things people usually consider in a drone. Flight time depends on the battery life and generally, it is from 10-30 minutes. The flight range varies from 150-300 meters. There is an option of extra battery to increase flight time and range in many drones. It is always better to choose a drone with a longer flight time and range.
