A foldable drone is perfect for travelling, as it is compact and fits into any backpack. Meanwhile we have tested a whole range of high quality & foldable quadrocopters for you. In the following, we will briefly introduce these aircraft to you and go into more detail about their special features, price/performance ratio and unique selling points.
DJI Mavic Pro
The DJI Mavic Pro is probably the most popular foldable quadrocopter available today. Its design is so compact that when folded it even fits into a large trouser pocket. With its wings extended, it unfolds to its full size. We already presented this multicopter in a video:
Flight time, range & technical characteristics
Thanks to extensive sensor technology, it is also very suitable for flying by beginners. With its high-quality battery, the Mavic will give you about 27 minutes of flight time. The improved version, the DJI Mavic Platinum, on the other hand, shines with 30 minutes flying time. How long you can really stay in the air, however, depends very much on your flying characteristics. In our test, we only managed to achieve a little more than 20 minutes in sports mode. But you can also reach speeds of up to 65 km/h, which is really fun!
For this drone you need a suitable mobile device, a smartphone or tablet. Apps are available for Android and IOS operating systems. The camera image is transferred to the device in Full-HD and you can fly the Mavic Pro in FPV mode. With the appropriate FPV glasses like the DJI Goggles, you can increase the fun factor enormously.
According to the manufacturer, the controller gives you a total range of up to 7 km. However, you can also use the Mavic Pro without remote control, just with your smartphone or tablet. In this case the range is only 80 meters. Please note that you are only allowed to fly the drone within sight and in FPV mode with glasses a second person must be present to keep an eye on the aircraft.
Mavic’s gimbal system is very small but very reliable. It makes sure that the camera always stays in a horizontal position to provide a wobble-free, fine picture.
Camera
Photos and videos are very sharp, smooth and contrasty with the camera of the Mavic Pro. Videos can be recorded in 4K at 30 fps and in Full HD at 96 fps. A 1/2.3-inch sensor with 12 megapixels was used for this.
Conclusion on the DJI Mavic Pro
Meanwhile you pay for the DJI Mavic only a fraction of the original price. It costs only about 900 € instead of 1.400 € and we can warmly recommend this model to you. The Mavic Pro was one of the best quadrocopters we have ever tested.
This drone is perfectly suited for travel, in a few seconds it is ready for take-off or folded up and ready for transport. Launching is also possible in a few seconds, just couple your smartphone and remote control, then the FPV image is displayed live and you can take off.
The combination of technological progress, design, features, flight functions and a top price/performance ratio make this model the perfect aircraft for beginners, advanced pilots and professionals. Here you can order the Mavic Pro on Amazon*.
Hubsan Zino foldable Drone
The Zino is the new quad copter from Hubsan. The drone has a 4k-camera and costs almost 400€. This is a clear price war announcement to all foldable drones on the market. We have tested the model extensively and show you in our video review what you can expect from the Hubsan Zino:
If Hubsan can still eliminate the little blemishes like the green and red flickering in the picture (via software update), this copter is a serious competitor and a real recommendation for all beginners and hobby pilots.
I like the videos in 4k very much, the quality of the photos is average. The flight time of 20 to 21 minutes is in a good range for this price range. The flight behaviour is very pleasant and the intelligent flight modes work well. All in all, the Zino is a good all-round model that can also be taken on holiday thanks to the foldable rotor arms.
DJI Mavic Air
The DJI Mavic Air is a further development of the DJI Mavic Pro and therefore has many of the features of its predecessor. These include the 4K camera and gimbal system. Furthermore, this drone is also foldable like the Mavic Pro. The propellers can no longer be folded, but they fit perfectly when folded
Thus the Air is also perfectly suited for travel and entrepreneurial drone pilots. You can carry it with you in any bag you like. Just like the Pro, it is ready for take-off and take-off in just a few steps. Assembly work is no longer necessary, all elements of the modern quadrocopter are installed ready to fly.
Flight time and range
The design is very sporty and this is exactly what the manufacturer DJI wanted to achieve. The appearance and construction give the impression of an enormously fast, agile and powerful aircraft and that is exactly what the Mavic Air is. It is the fastest drone in the Mavic range and can reach up to 68.4 kilometers per hour in sport mode.
Unfortunately the Mavic Air has a slightly shorter flight time than the Pro version. However, we found out in practical tests that the maximum flight time depends on the pilot’s control behaviour. If you are constantly flying risky maneuvers, you might even get less than 20 minutes, if you are flying calmly you might even get well over 21 minutes.
With the Mavic Air and the included controller, you will have a total range of up to 4 kilometers. To control the drone, you need the DJI-GO app, which is available for both IOS and Android operating systems.
Conclusion on Mavic Air
Considered by many drone experts as the best drone of 2018, Mavic Air has been improved in many ways, such as the landing gear extensions, the removable joysticks on the controller and the higher maximum speed in sport mode.
The Mavic Air is available here on Amazon*
Parrot Anafi
The French manufacturer Parrot has also recently ventured into a foldable drone design. After the successful marketing of the Parrot Bebop 1 and 2 models, the Parrot Anafi was launched in July 2018.
Looks and design are strongly reminiscent of the DJI Mavic. When folded, it is about half the size of when unfolded. Perfect for travel and comfortable transport.
Range, speed and flight time
Due to its light weight and strong brushless motors, the Anafi drone can reach top speeds of up to 53 kilometers per hour. The intelligent flight battery also enables enormous flight times of up to about 25 minutes. The battery has 2,700 mAh and is replaceable. Further flight batteries can be purchased at a favourable price.
The controller design reminds a bit of the Skycontroller of the Bebop series. In fact the remote control of the Anafi drone is the improved version and represents the Skycontroller 3. It lies well in the hand, has a holder for mobile devices (smartphone or tablet) and thanks to the dual band operating frequencies of 2.4 and 5.8 Ghz, ranges of up to 4 kilometers are possible. Keep in mind, however, that certain laws apply in Germany regarding drone flight. You are only allowed to fly the Anafi within visual range!
Camera sensor
A strong camera with 21 megapixels is installed, with it you can take pictures in resolutions up to 4K. The pictures and videos have an enormous depth of field and look very modern. The manufacturer has done a great job with the drone’s photo sensor compared to other models from Parrot, where the camera systems were often a point of criticism.
The live FPV image is transmitted to your mobile device, smartphone or tablet and you can see in real time what the drone’s camera is currently seeing.
Differences to DJI Mavic Air and Pro
You may ask yourself: “If the Anafi’s camera sensor seems to be better, why did the DJI Mavic Pro and Air models cost much more? Well, for one thing, that’s because DJI is the most recognized brand in the drones market and is leading the way.
On the other hand, there are also some features the Parrot does not have. The Mavic models have considerably more flight modes than the Parrot drones. They also have snier engines and a higher top speed. In comparison, the DJI Mavic Air can fly over 68 km/h in sport mode, while the Parrot Anafi can only reach 53 km/h.
Overall, DJI’s models also seem more sophisticated and modern than Parrot’s. We suspect that Parrot took the DJI Mavic Pro as a model in terms of design to create the Anafi.
Conclusion about the Parrot Anafi
Here you get a very modern quadrocopter with all the refinements and technical features you would wish for in such an aircraft. We are critical of the built-in pay-wall for advanced functions such as follow-me mode. You can unlock this in the app for a certain amount of money, which was already the case with the previous model.
Nevertheless, the Parrot Anafi is definitely worthwhile. The price/performance ratio is already very good and this despite the high entry price of about 700€. We therefore recommend you to wait a few more months until the price has dropped, as the Anafi has only been on the market since July 01, 2018.
You can check out the current price here on Amazon!
LBKR Drone
A rather unusual quadrocopter, is the LBKR Tech FPV. When folded, the design reminds you of a sphere. The wings are then located inside.
This is more of a mini or toy drone than a state-of-the-art quadrocopter. The flight time is just 7 minutes with a loading time of 50-70 minutes. With the remote control you will have a range of about 50-70 meters. You can get the model for a price in the lower 2-digit range. The camera has only 0.3 MP, but for a little fun on vacation it is definitely suitable.
Click here to go to the LBKR drone on Amazon*.
You can find more drones for beginners here.
Which foldable drone is the best?
Usually we always tend to the DJI models. We’ve tested quite a few of them so far and are completely convinced by the brand. You can order them directly from the manufacturer or on Amazon. Click here for the DJI Mavic Pro* and Mavic Air*.
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