Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Monoprice.com and I did receive compensation. I have included links to where you can purchase these drones on Monoprice.com. Of course do your own research to see if they are sold elsewhere and/or to comparison shop. In my experience, Amazon occasionally did have cheaper prices, but that may be countered by the fact that Monoprice often offers coupons or other deals / promotions that Amazon or other retailers do not (see below)
The world of travel photography sure has come a long way in a short time. It wasn’t even 20 years ago that most travel photography was done with a film camera and you had to know quite a bit about photography to get good pictures. Now, most of us have a better camera in our pocket at all times than ANYONE could even dream of 20 years ago! More and more, it seems that people are using unmanned drones to take amazing travel photos from places that are inaccessible or very difficult to get. I thought I’d take a look at 5 drones in various price ranges that you might consider if you’re looking to get a drone to take travel pictures or video
WorryFree Gadgets RC Brushless Drone
The WorryFree Gadgets Brushless Drone features a 10 megapixel camera and a rechargeable 2200mAh battery. That battery is good for about 12 minutes of flying time, which is good for a bit but not great if you’re looking for extended photos
In addition to your standard up / down / left / right controls, this drone has a compass headless easy fly mode, altitude hold mode with camera holder. Retail cost is $199.99
Worry Free Gadgets – Drone 51CM
If you’re looking for something a bit more entry-level, Worry Free Gadgets also has the X15 model which retails at $59.99 but doesn’t have a camera. So you won’t be able to take pictures with this one but if you want a bit of experience flying a drone without crashing your $500 drone then it’s an option 🙂
DJI Phantom 4 Advanced+ Quadcopter
On the other end of the price spectrum, the DJI Advanced 4+ Quadcopter comes in at $1499.99. Some of its features include
- 20 Megapixel camera
- Battery that supports flights of up to 30 minutes
- Automatically takes off and returns home
- Capture 4K Ultra HD video at 60 fps – with an f/2.8 lens with a 84° field of view
On the downside… it’s $1500 (though see below for some Monoprice coupon codes)
DJI Spark Quadcopter
The DJI SparkCopter comes in 3 different varieties (green, yellow, and red), retailing at $399. It has a 12 MP camera and can take full 1080p HD video. This has a 31mph top speed and a battery that supports 16 minutes of flight time
MYEPADS FPV 51CM Large RC Quadcopter
The MYEPADS FPV 51CM Large RC Quadcopter is another more entry-level drone, retailing at $89.99. It does include a 2MP camera which would be enough for very basic shots.
Monoprice coupon codes
Like I mentioned in the intro, one advantage of shopping at Monoprice vs big box retailers like Walmart or Amazon is that they do run Monoprice promotions and Monoprice coupon codes fairly regularly. At the time of this post, Monoprice is offering 20% off using promo code SUNNY20 (good 5/18 and 5/19). That makes your $1500 drone a “mere” $1200 :-). As always, comparison shop and compare shopping portals to find the best deal for you
Do you have a drone that you use for taking travel (or other) pics? Leave your experience in the comments
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
Having used a couple of those on the list, I can say it is missing what is likely one of (if not THE) best travel drone – the DJI Mavic Air. It is my current drone and is small enough for go-anywhere-travel with some nice images and video (better video than the Mavic Pro).
Plus, it would slot in the price range you don’t have – it is $799 (for a $500-$1,000 range).
Thanks Charlie – good add
do you know how it relates to the DJI Mavic Pro? I almost bought at Sams Club for $899.
Actually owned the Mavic Pro before the Mavic Air.
The Mavic Air has a better bitrate for video so it will be able to have a bit more editing power. But, the focal length is a little wider on the Air which is not really a great thing with a drone. Since you are that high anyway, capturing a wider viewpoint can be counterproductive.
The Mavic Air can have one tough thing about it compared to the Mavic Pro if you travel in Europe (and maybe other areas) with it. It has a different range limit to it based on their newer wifi control protocol. That means you may not be able to fly it as far in Europe as you could the Mavic Pro. But, since you are supposed to keep it in sight at all times anyway, that may not matter since the Mavic Air is so small. I have flown it about a mile away before the signal started breaking up.
Overall, for travel, I would hands down go for the Mavic Air. If you want something that may have slightly better photo images, longer battery life, and a display on the controller, go for the Mavic Pro.
Thanks so much for the detailed response!