Drones under $1000 are already in a price category that leaves room for a lot of quality and more advanced technology.
I'm talking about obstacle avoidance sensors, zoom lenses, better GPS accuracy, better builds, and so on.
The drones on this list are the best I could find between $500 and $1000 mainly. There are also DJI alternatives on this list that are very capable quadcopters and that you shouldn't overlook just because DJI has a monopoly on the market.
In a hurry? Just pick my best recommended drone in this price category and you can't really go wrong!
This table is made for the purpose of quickly choosing in case you don't have the time or energy to go though the rest of the article.
| Mavic Air 2 | Skydio 2 | Autel Evo | Hubsan Zino 2 | Parrot Anafi | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |  |  |
 | 4k 60p | 4k 60p | 4k 60p | 4k 60p | 4k |
 | 34min | 30min | 30min | 32min | 25min |
 | 9km | 4km | 7km | 8km | 4km |
 | Obstacle Avoidance | Best Obstacle Avoidance | Obstacle Avodiance | No Obstacle Avoidance | No Obstacle Avoidance |
 | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ | $$ | $$ |
| Check Price | Check price | Check price | Check price | Check price |
In this section we'll dive more in depth for each of the drones mentioned in the table and cover their advantages and disadvantages, along with my personal experience with each of them
4k 60p
34min
9km
1km
Obstacle Avoidance
No image stabilization
The DJI Mavic Air 2 has just made it as the top drone on this list thanks to its low price compared to its specs and amazing specs. It's my personal favorite drone and one of the longest ranges on this list.
The new transmitter is easier to use than with the other mavics from DJI and I feel like it has a better overall grip.
One battery lasts for A LOT (over 30 min) and I haven't even started to talk about the amazing obstacle avoidance system and HDR recording.
If you want to compare it in more detail to the other mavics, I recommend checking this DJI comparison sheet.
4k
30 min
4km
Awesome Obstacle Avoidance
The Skydio 2 is probably the most expected follow me drone for sports.
The footage is absolutely great, don't get me wrong, it's just not as suited for things like weddings and making money out of your drone as the others are.
The range for this drone is about 1km, and you'll also have to pay extra for the type of controller you want if you don't want to stick with just your phone all the time. So that's one of the reasons it didn't make it higher on the list.
The Skydio has 6 sensor cameras all over so it will avoid obstacles like no other drone, if obstacle avoidance and close proximity flying are what you're looking for, then don't look further, there's nothing that gets even close to this.
The camera records in 4k 60p but it's only stabilized with a2 axis gimbal and electronic image stabilization, however, it produces quite smooth results.
4k 60p
30 min
7km
1km
Obstacle Avoidance
No image stabilization
4k 60p
32min
8km
No obstacle avoidance
4k
25min
4km
No obstacle avoidance
The parrot Anafi is in my opinion the best drone you can get for actually under $600 because of it's very high-quality build, awesome zoom features, and overall very capable camera.
Considering Parrot is one of the main competitors for DJI and has a strong history of high product quality and drone manufacturing, it's safe to say the quality level of the product is something that becomes a big advantage.
4k
20min
3km
No obstacle avoidance
The Karma is the best gopro drone under $100 and the only one on this list, as it simply doesn't have split competition on the market. A go pro drone like the Karma makes for a lot of versatility, as you'll be using an action cam that can be stripped down and used for other purposes, maybe with a handheld gimbal or other accessories.
Although bulkier than some of the other drones on this list, thanks to its versatility it can make for a great travel companion
The fact that you don't have to connect your phone and it comes with an included on-screen display is a big plus in my book.
The fact that you can remove the gimbal and use it on a handheld device for super stable footage is probably the biggest plus I can think of.
This is going to be a guide on what to look in a drone that's priced under $1000 and what are the features you should care most about when choosing such a quadcopter.
Battery life in this price range should definitely be over 20 minutes at least, the more the better. I feel most comfortable with whatever is 25 minutes or more.
From what you can see on the list I picked for you, the average was at a high of 30 minutes, which is really great.
You should not expect this exact amount in real life, as it is estimated by the producers in perfect environments.
Not taking account of wind or such.
First of all, the drones I mention are all GPS ones, with high accuracy and the ability to return to home.
The average range of these drones is somewhere between 4 and 5km and I think that's plenty to do anything you want with it.
Especially considering that most country laws don't allow you to fly further than the line of sight.
Hi, I'm a long-time drone reviewer and I hope my articles and comparisons on this site as well as Dronesgator's youtube channel are of as much help as possible.
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