**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Opinions expressed are based on the Author’s own experience.
If you plan to take up drone photography, you’re jumping into a world of consistent clients. Drone photography lets you shoot beautiful aerial moments and perfect action shots.
We’ve gone over the important steps to starting a drone photography business. Now, it’s time to find a professional drone camera for commercial use.
But you can’t just buy a cheap hunk of junk to capture images for clients. So, we created this ultimate guide to professional drone cameras for commercial use. We’ll go over what features you should look for as well as tell you our favorite drone cameras for professional photographers.
What to Look for in a Professional Drone Camera for Commercial Use
Not all drone cameras are created equal. Which is why we’re going to go over the features you need to check out before you decide on one.
1. Price
First, you need to figure out your budget for buying a drone camera by determining how much you can comfortably afford and what amount you shouldn’t go over. Not everyone has the money to spend five thousand dollars on a commercial drone with a built-in camera.
Luckily, there are a lot of options out there.
Below, we’ve listed some of our favorite affordable professional drone cameras. They’re not only budget-friendly but they’re also high-quality and able to produce amazing photos.
2. Durability
For aerial filming professional photos and videos, you want a durable drone and drone camera. Tough materials are going to make your drone camera and the drone itself more durable.
Accidents happen, particularly when you fly a drone. To be on the safe side, you should invest in a drone camera that won’t fall apart if it hits anything while flying.
3. Image Quality
The image quality is one of the most important things to consider for a drone photography businesses as the quality should surpass the average drone camera image quality.
You’re a professional photographer so you need a professional-grade drone camera with great image quality.
As you would with any other camera, pay close attention to the megapixels. The megapixels determine the quality of your photos.
Also, keep in mind that price doesn’t always determine photo quality. You don’t want to spend a big chunk of money to end up with a camera that gives you horrible photos.
4. Camera Mount and Gimbal
If you want to become a professional drone photographer, you need a drone camera with a strong camera gimbal.
A camera gimbal has two main functions. First, it promises that the photo or video is stable. When a drone is high in the air, it’s going to shake a bit. The gimbal prevents this so your photos aren’t affected by these vibrations.
The second function is controlling the position of the camera and preventing it from vibrating to enhance the photo quality.
Some drone cameras don’t offer camera gimbals but a lot of them are gimbal compatible. You just have to purchase the gimbal separate from the drone.
5. First Person View
First Person View (FPV) can be helpful and take your drone photos to the next level. We recommend you get a drone camera with FVP.
A drone with FPV allows you to see what the drone camera sees in real-time. So, you can take photos and know how they’re going to turn out.
6. GPS
Even when using a drone camera, GPS is an important tool. Believe it or not, not all drones come with GPS.
GPS allows you to set a flight plan for your drone camera. If you know exactly what area you want to photograph, you can set a flight plan and the drone will follow it exactly, taking photos as it goes.
7. Real-Time Object Detection
Real-time object detection isn’t completely necessary but for a professional drone photography business, it’s something you should look into.
Real-time object detection is just what it sounds like. It can detect objects around it in real-time for effective obstacle avoidance.
The best part of real-time object detection is automatic collision avoidance. Since the drone can detect objects, it can use this technology to avoid them, saving you from having to pay to have your drone repaired or having to buy a new drone all-together.
Our Favorite Professional Drone Cameras for Commercial Use
We’ve compiled a list of our favorite professional drone cameras for commercial use. Each item on our list is high-quality and a perfect fit for professional photography.
DJI Mavic 2 Pro
Check the price of the Mavic 2 Pro at Amazon
This is one of the pricier drone cameras on our list but it’s worth every penny. The DJI Mavic 2 Pro is a high-quality drone and produces high-quality photos plus it has 31 minutes of flight time with a charged battery.
The DJI Mavic 2 Pro uses a Hasselblad camera specifically created for it. It takes 20-megapixel photos and the three-axis gimbal ensures the perfect photo. This gimbal prevents all vibration from interfering.
It has 8 GB of internal storage and can hold an SD card with 125 GB of space.
DJI Mavic Mini-Drone FlyCam
Check the price of the Mini-Drone FlyCam at Amazon
The full-size DJI Mavic listed above is a fantastic drone camera but, as we mentioned, it’s expensive. Luckily, they have a mini-drone with some of the same amazing features.
This mini-drone only weighs in at 250 grams. It’s one of the lightest drone cameras on the market and gives you 30 minutes of flight with a full battery.
The included remote controller uses FPV. You can watch everything in HD right on the controller.
As for the camera, it takes 12-megapixel photos and 2.7K quad HD videos. It also uses a three-axis motorized gimbal.
Note that this drone camera doesn’t have internet storage and you’ll have to buy an SD card separate.
Autel Robotics EVO Foldable Drone
Check the price of the Autel Robotics EVO at Amazon
The Autel Robotics EVO foldable drone stands out for more than just the fun orange color. This drone has FPV that you can watch right on the controller to catch the action in real-time. Even the remote controller can fold up to save you space.
This drone camera takes 4k ultra HD video and 12 MP images. It has a 94-degree wide-angle lens and includes a three-axis gimbal. No vibration will interfere or stop you from taking the perfect photo.
The Bottom Line
We hope this guide helps you on your journey with drone photography. Don’t forget to check out our post on how to start a drone photography business.
