Our testing plan was developed with metrics focused on determining which consumer drone is best able to capture high-quality footage easily and reliably. In order to accomplish this, we flew a variety of popular drones on the market, ranging from toys all the way up to flagship drones popular for filming movies, professional photography, videography, and content creation.
Image Quality
To test image quality, we fly all the models in our testing lineup along similar paths at similar times of the day to ensure that lighting conditions remain fairly consistent. We make sure these flight paths include both long, smooth panning shots and some tight twists and turns. We then closely evaluate the resulting footage for several factors: how stable the camera remains through all the maneuvers, the resolution clarity, and color accuracy of the images, and if the propellers ever impede the camera's view, which is called propeller intrusion. We also pay attention to things like whether pointing the camera at the sun affects color saturation. We make all of these comparisons side by side on large, high-definition monitors that allow us to open multiple videos in the same viewing environment to best compare the footage to evaluate it.
Flight Performance
We evaluate flight performance by flying each drone extensively. We take each one on long out-and-back routes, putting them through the twisting and turning of following mountain bikers and frolicking dogs and making sure they stay steady when hovering close to the ground or in windy circumstances. This gives us a clear idea of the stability and responsiveness of each model. We pay particular close attention to how stable each model is during takeoff and landing, as these are some of the most accident-prone points in every flight. We also test each model's specific autonomous flight features. Since most of these features are designed to make capturing certain types of footage easier, we evaluate these features both in how smooth the flight appears when we use them and how good the resulting footage looks. For example, the orbit point of interest feature is meant to yield a nice circular panning shot centered around a particular point. We score these features based on how reliably and steadily the flight pattern is executed and how smooth and focused the resulting footage looks. We also make sure to evaluate the dependability of each model's automatic return to home function, though we would not recommend using such a feature unless it is a last resort (i.e., you've lost sight of or contact with the drone).
Portability
To evaluate portability, we bring the drones on as many trips as we can. This varies from roadside car camping to backcountry ski tours. In addition to subjective evaluation, we measure and weigh each drone in its form before takeoff for comparison. We note which ones are feasible for packing into a backpack and how susceptible they are to any damage they would be in a full bag. Some models can be tossed into a bag as an afterthought, while others can only be carried in large cases that are not very portable. Impressively, many new models have been designed for travel, and some of the best cameras are found on drones that fit into an average day pack.
Usability
In assessing usability, we consider the effort required from opening the box to getting the drone in the air. This includes the initial setup of the drone, attaching rotors, downloading any required applications, and pairing the drone, controller, and smart device. We also closely evaluate the user interface on each controller and any menu options that appear on the connected smart device display. We look for joysticks that feel solid and provide good tactile feedback, and on-screen menus that allow for easy navigation of in-flight functions. After many hours of flying each one of these models, our testers can make meaningful comparisons.