Drones have experienced a surge in popularity, serving as sources of amusement and valuable assets across multiple sectors. They have significantly transformed how we undertake specific activities, including aerial photography, videography, surveying, and delivery services. But many users wonder which is the most expensive drone in the world.
While drones are available in a diverse price range, a few exceptional models draw attention due to their extravagant features and substantial costs. Also, being expensive is more of a subjective topic. One thing may be expensive for someone and not for the other.
However, the price range of these drones differs drastically based on their work. Drones are used for many professions, like photography, movie making, and vlogging.
Other than these, some military drones are made by the government and unavailable to the general public. And they are far more costly than user-oriented drones. The article will be about consumer drones and not military ones.
In this article, we’ll tell you the world’s top 12 most expensive drones.
12 Most Expensive Drones In The World:
The drones are used for many different purposes and are priced based on the purpose. Based on their work, let’s look at the top 12 most expensive drones.
1. EHang 184:
- Price: $300,000
- Flight time: 23 minutes
- Range: 350 mile
- Speed: 100 km/h
With an impressive flight time of 23 minutes and a top speed of 63 mph, this drone stands out as the most expensive in the current market. You can operate this drone through a mobile app. Also, this drone can go up to 11,482 feet above sea level.
However, what truly sets it apart is its astonishing carrying capacity. Weighing a substantial 440 lb, the EHang 184 can transport an additional weight of up to 220 lb.
You might find the specifications of this drone quite remarkable The EHang 184 is a special drone designed so you can get inside the cockpit. This might astonish you; however, this is completely safe. The producers ensure the presence of multiple redundant systems, prioritizing safety.
However, this exceptional experience comes at a considerable cost of $300,000, leaving a significant dent in your finances.
2. AEE F100:
- Price: $58,000
- Flight time: Up to 70 minutes
- Range: 10Km
- Speed: 27.7 m/s
Priced at $58,000, this drone is an excellent choice for various purposes, such as filming, photography, and emergency survey operations. Thanks to its replaceable task board equipment, it offers remarkable adaptability to new challenges, allowing for quick adjustments.
The developers have integrated a 16-MP camera and an airborne 3D camera with a uniaxial holder capable of rotating from 0 to 105 degrees upward and downward.
When tackling extreme conditions, this drone stands out as one of the top contenders in the higher price range. Typically, the AEE F100 is mostly used in advertising, capturing sports events, and similar scenarios.
3. Freefly Systems Alta X:
- Price: $18,200
- Flight time: 41.7 minutes
- Range: 10Km
- Speed: 137 km/h
Although it may not be the most expensive drone available on the market, with a price tag of $18,200, this drone offers remarkable features specifically tailored for professional filming purposes and boasts an impressive flight duration. The model is equipped with four motors, each capable of delivering an impressive 100A Max Continuous Power Output. This power output is sufficient for lifting and stabilizing a heavy-duty cinema camera attached to a drone gimbal, even when paired with a lens.
However, professionals actively involved in filming acknowledge that one of the major challenges with drones is their battery life. Constantly changing batteries every few minutes can be quite inconvenient. Fortunately, the Freefly Systems Alta X addresses this concern by providing a smooth recording experience lasting between 20 to 40 minutes.
4. DJI Inspire 2:
- Price: $10,000
- Flight time: 25 minutes
- Range: 7 Km
- Speed: 94 kph
The Inspire 2 is an exceptional drone designed specifically for professional cinematic filming. This particular edition of the Inspire 2 comes with preinstalled licenses for CinemaDNG RAW and Apple ProRes codecs, enabling you to record high-quality 4K and 5.2K videos in formats ideal for post-processing due to their low compression.
The dual battery system also enhances the flight time, allowing for approximately 25 minutes of uninterrupted filming.
The quadcopter has impressive performance capabilities, with a maximum speed of 58 mph and a control range of 4.3 miles. It even operates in challenging conditions, as it can withstand temperatures as low as -4°F by utilizing self-heating Intelligent Flight Batteries.
Control of the Inspire 2 is facilitated through a bundled remote that can be connected to your smartphone or tablet using DJI’s GO 4 app.
For experienced photographers and video creators, the Inspire 2 is an excellent choice, offering many features and capabilities to enhance your creative endeavors.
5. DJI Matrice 600 Pro:
- Price: $6,999.95
- Flight time: 35 minutes
- Range: 15.5 kg
- Speed: 5 meters per second
The Matrice 600 Pro is designed for professional cinematographers. This drone also has a six-rotor setup, ensuring flight stability even if a propeller, motor, or ESC fails, as it can still fly on five of the six motors.
Additionally, the Matrice 600 Pro operates on six separate batteries, providing an added layer of reliability, as the drone can continue flying even if one battery becomes damaged during the flight.
The versatility of the Matrice 600 Pro shines through its support for the full DJI Zenmuse line of cameras and gimbals, allowing you to customize it according to your specific needs and preferences.
Its lightweight design, coupled with the six-battery configuration, provides an impressive flight time of up to 35 minutes when equipped with the Zenmuse X5 or XT camera. With heavier payloads, the flight time reduces to approximately 16 minutes, still offering ample time for capturing your footage.
6. DJI Phantom 4 RTK:
- Price: $6,500
- Flight time: 35 minutes
- Range: 7 Km
- Speed: 50 kph
The Phantom 4 RTK is DJI’s first drone catering to serious cinematographers looking for a good camera drone. This quadcopter stands out with its six rotors, providing enhanced balance and redundancy, along with six batteries for extended flight time and heightened safety in the air.
When equipped with the Zenmuse X5 or XT camera, the Phantom 4 RTK can remain airborne for approximately 35 minutes, while carrying a heavier payload such as the Ronin-MX reduces the flight time to around 18 minutes.
The Phantom 4 RTK has an A3 controller and the Lightbridge 2 system, enabling seamless streaming of 1080p live video and supporting dual video insight and operator setups. This setup allows one operator to control the drone during flight while the other manages the camera.
The drone provides impressive performance capabilities with a maximum speed of 40 mph under optimal conditions and a maximum altitude of 8,200 feet above sea level.
7. DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0:
- Price: $3,329
- Flight time: 30 minutes
- Range: 8 Km
- Speed: 45 mph
For a relatively affordable price of $3,329, the DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 offers remarkable features, especially compared to other expensive camera drones mentioned in the article.
It enables you to capture breathtaking aerial landscape photos from impressive heights and record stunning 4K Ultra HD videos at 60 frames per second. The camera’s enhanced mechanic shutter reduces distortion levels, producing high-quality imagery.
In my opinion, the standout feature of this drone for filming purposes is its crash-proof design. Equipped with obstacle detection and avoidance sensors, it diligently scans the surrounding environment.
It triggers an emergency stop if it detects an imminent collision with a wall, tree, or even a person. This feature ensures added safety and peace of mind during flights.
8. Yuneec Typhoon H3:
- Price: $3,329
- Flight time: 25 minutes
- Range: 1.6Km
- Speed: 20 meters per second
The Yuneec Typhoon H3 stands among the top-tier drones with integrated cameras catering to professional photographers and operators. Priced at $2,899.95, it falls into the higher price range, making it less accessible for beginner users.
This drone has six motors, with five dedicated to takeoff and flight, while the sixth serves as a backup in case of any unexpected incidents during a flight.
One notable advantage of the Yuneec Typhoon H3 is its inclusion of a universal ground station. This eliminates the need to connect the drone to a tablet or phone, as the ground station provides comprehensive control and functionality.
Additionally, with a stabilized 3-axis gimbal, the drone ensures the capture of sharp, detailed images and the ability to record 4K videos with impressive clarity.
9. Autel Robotics EVO 2 Pro:
- Price: $3,329
- Flight time: 25 minutes
- Range: 1.6Km
- Speed: 20 meters per second
Priced at $2,399, this aerial photography drone offers excellent value for the range of impressive features it provides. One standout feature is its enhanced transmission stability, ensuring reliable performance for even the most experienced photographers.
Equipped with a built-in camera, this drone can capture stunning images with a resolution of 5472×3648 pixels. It also excels at video recording, offering the ability to shoot breathtaking 5.5K videos at 60 frames per second or record 4K content at 120 frames per second with a bit rate of up to 120 Mbps.
Furthermore, this drone possesses advanced target modeling capabilities, enabling it to track and predict the location and speed of targets. It can even track up to 64 objects simultaneously, adding to its versatility and effectiveness in various scenarios.
Overall, this drone balances affordability and advanced functionality, making it a compelling choice for photographers and filmmakers seeking impressive results without breaking the bank.
10. Walkera Voyager 3:
- Price: $1,838
- Flight time: 20-25 mins
- Range: 10 Km
- Speed: 22 meters per second
The Voyager 3 is a versatile drone designed for both amateurs and pros, offering a fantastic flying experience and the capacity to shoot beautiful HD aerial films and still photographs. The camera, which excels in recording high-quality film, is one of its notable features. It can capture 4K video at 30 and 1080p at 60 frames per second, producing images with rich colors and fine details.
The Voyager 3 has retractable landing gear and a 3D stabilization gimbal, which allows for capturing a steady and smooth 360-degree film with no blind spots. Furthermore, thanks to its large-capacity 3000mAh lithium polymer battery, the drone has an excellent flying time of up to 25 minutes.
11. DJI Mavic 3:
- Price: $1,599
- Flight time: 46 min
- Range: 30 Km
- Speed: 19 meters per second
The next on our list is DJI Mavic 3, available for $1,599. One of this drone’s main features is that it includes a micro 4/3 Hasselblad sensor camera, which gives a remarkable performance, particularly in low-light surroundings, while keeping vivid colors.
The Mavic 3 is primarily intended for indoor usage. And extensive outside use is not recommended as it diminishes its life. Overall, the DJI Mavic 3 offers impressive camera capabilities and portability, making it a compelling choice for photographers and videographers who seek high-quality aerial imaging and require a convenient and efficient drone for their creative pursuits.
12. Yuneec Typhoon H:
- Price: $450
- Flight time: 28 Minutes
- Range: 12 Km
- Speed: 4 meters per second
The Typhoon H is a feature-packed and powerful drone designed specifically for drone enthusiasts. It boasts a unique design compared to other popular flagship models. It is a hexacopter with six rotors, yet it only needs five to fly. This implies that even if one of the rotors or propellers is destroyed, the drone may still safely land.
Typhoon H’s all-in-one ground station is a fantastic feature that eliminates the need to link the drone to a tablet or smartphone for maximum operation. It has a front-facing sonar built for close-range object recognition and visual collision avoidance, assuring high safety during flight.
The Typhoon H has a generous flying time of roughly 25 minutes thanks to its 5400mAh battery. This drone is ready to fly right out of the box, allowing users to easily record stunning movies and still photographs.
Conclusion:
That’s our list of the 12 most expensive drones in the world. The list includes the most expensive as well as consumer-friendly drones. Each has its features, making it suitable for different genres.
Whether you’re a professional filmmaker, a surveyor, or a researcher, these high-end drones provide cutting-edge capabilities to elevate your work to new heights. Check them out and tell us your favorite in the comment section below.
