Top Drones With GPS, Autopilot And Camera With Low Prices

A drone with GPS and autopilot system including camera gives you plenty of aerial options.  As well as flying it’s programmed route, a drone on autopilot can take aerial photos and video much better than any pilot can.

That is especially true in difficult weather conditions.  A drone flying in autopilot mode is monitoring and adjusting it’s location thousands of times per second.  Manual  piloting will never be able to achieve this flight accuracy.

Having a drone with a GPS autopilot flight system and camera is essential for aerial photogrammetry, 3d mapping and multispectral imaging. For aerial photography, it is great to let the drone fly on autopilot on a given route, while you concentrate on capturing terrific video and photographs.  For applications such as crop monitoring and site surveying, letting the drone fly on autopilot is a great option.

The 6 top drones reviewed here are full of innovation.  They are very affordable drones which have advanced GPS, an autopilot system, cameras which are top notch along supporting software. These drones come from DJI, Yuneec Walkera and 3DR.

Drones With GPS Autopilot And Camera

Phantom 4 – GPS , 6 Autopilot Modes And 4k Camera

The Phantom 4 is the latest consumer quadcopter from DJI.  For perfect 3D imagery, your drone’s GPS, autopilot system and camera needs to work seamlessly.  You get that with the Phantom 4.

The Phantom 4 draws on up to 24 satellites to give you more accuracy and a faster connection to satellites. Using a combination of GPS and GLONASS, this quadcopter is completely aware of its starting point, location and relation to you during flight. These intelligent flight system means it knows its last position, provides return to home, shows you where it is on a map and much more.

Along with it GPS autopilot system, you have the following technologies;

• Automated obstacle avoidance
• Waypoints
• Follow me
• TapFly
• ActiveTrack
• Points Of Interest

Read more on the DJI Phantom 4 Intelligent Flight Systems.

Phantom 4 Camera

This camera allows you to shoot sharp, clean video in up to 4k at 30fps and full HD 1080p at 120 fps for slow motion. It has a newly designed lens that dramatically increases sharpness and focus.

An aspherical lens with a 94° field of view (FOV) reduces distortion by 36% and chromatic aberration by 56% when compare to the older Phantom 2.  A hyperfocal distance of one meter allows you to get closer to objects while keeping them in pin-sharp focus. Photographers can shoot images in 12 megapixel Adobe DNG RAW.

The Phantom 4 is very affordable and with the DJI summer sale now on, there are big discounts on all their drones, parts and accessories.

Here’s a great introduction video to the technologies on the Phantom 4.

Phantom 3 and Inspire 1

Both the Phantom 3 and Inspire 1 can pick up many GPS satellites, have many autopilot modes and also 4k cameras.

These autopilot features are programmed through the DJI Go App and include;

Auto-takeoff: With one tap one the DJI Go app, the quadcopter will switch on it’s motors and rise to a pre-set height. It will then hover at that point until you direct it where to go.

Auto-return Home: When GPS is available, your quadcopter remembers the exact spot which it took off from. Wherever your aircraft is flying, tap a button to have it return right back home.

Failsafe: If the drone battery is running very low, or if the quadcopter loses it’s connection with the remote controller, the drone will automatically return to the takeoff point and land safely.

Waypoints: This feature was added in the September firmware and application release.   Set waypoints and assign automatic actions for your aircraft to follow.

Points of Interest: Select a location or object to focus on, and the quadcopter will continuously face it, no matter how you fly.

Follow Me: Program and the quadcopter follow and film you like your own personal, flying film crew.

Phantom 3 Camera

Along with GPS and autopilot, the video camera has an f/2.8 lens has a 94⁰ field of view, virtually eliminating unwanted distortion that may occur when shooting wide aerial views with other cameras.

On the Professional model, you can shoot 4K video at up to 30 frames per second and photos at 12 megapixel.

The Phantom 3 has a few models and you can read further on the many great features on this Phantom 3 article.

Inspire 1 Camera

The quadcopter has retractable arms so you can film and photo with a clear 360⁰ field of view. A brand new 9-layer lens helps you capture the best aerial views possible

The rectilinear, curved lens design eliminates distortion, and the 20 mm focal length opens up your shots without that fish-eye look.

The compact camera shoots video at up to 4K at 30 fps or 1080p at 60 fps and takes clear 12 megapixel stills.

The Inspire 1 is has some of the most advanced technology ever to be seen.  To read more on these fantastic features, pop over and read our Inspire 1 review.

Here’s a terrific video showing the new intelligent flight modes on the Phantom 3.

Yuneec Typhoon H – GPS, Autopilot And 4k Camera 

This multirotor is the very latest drone from Yuneec.  This means it has all the very latest in drone innovation including 4k camera, GPS, Intel Realsense Collision Avoidance and the following many intelligent autopilot modes;

• Collision Avoidance
• Orbit
• Point of Interest
• Curve Cable Cam
• Journey
• Follow Me / Watch Me
• Dynamic Return to Home
• Auto Take Off

Typhoon H Camera

The camera is integrated into the CGO3+ gimbal.  The 3-axis anti-vibration CGO3+ gimbal camera captures ultra-stable video and vivid still images and can be rotated in an unlimited, 360-degree range of motion.

The CGO3+ gimbal camera features an improved 115-degree wide-angle fixed focus lens, and integrated video downlink module that delivers 720p real image transmission of your flight as well as the option of manual camera settings.  Below are the camera resolutions;

• 4K UHD 30fps, HD 1080p 120fps video / 12 Megapixel still camera

You will never regret buying the Yuneec Typhoon H especially the Pro model which uses the Intel Real Sense Collision Avoidance technology.  View the Typhoon H Hexacopter with collision avoidance technology on Amazon.

Here a look at this beautiful Typhoon H.  This is another drone which has everything.  It has strong GPS technology, great autopilot flights modes and a top camera to film with.

Walkera Scout X4 – GPS, Autopilot And 4k Camera 

The Scout X4 from Walkera Technology features a new advanced GPS flight control system which allows for a more accurate flight along with terrific GPS position holding.  The Failsafe Return To Home feature is part of this GPS flight control system.  The GPS mode allows for 1 button start and hold feature.

Autopilot With Ground Station 

The Walkera Scout X4 features waypoint mission planning.  You can program an incredible 128 waypoints including flight designation through your touch screen tablet or phone and using the Bluetooth ground station device which is part of the package.  Another terrific feature is the ability to circle a GPS  waypoint.

Packed With Features

All Walkera drones are packed with innovation and features. The Scout X4 has built in “Follow Me” mode and flies for longer than most drones up to 25 minutes.  It can change from a quadcopter with 4 motors into an multirotor with 8 motors for even more power. The legs or landing gear are also retractable which is terrific for filming.

Scout X4 Camera 

This comes with an integrated 3 axis, G-3D brushless gimbal.  The camera is the iLook+  which shoots film at HD 1080p video and at 30 fps.  The X4 also has the built in 5.8ghz transmission system for seamless uplink to the Devo F12E Transmitter, a wide angle lens, and the ability to take high quality photographs, all controllable from the transmitter.  Other cameras equipment can be used with the X4 including the GoPro Hero3 or Hero4 action cameras.

The Walkera Scout X4 price on Amazon starts at about the $850 up to the $1400 for a full package.

Here’s a terrific video showing you the Scout X4 Autopilot Ground Station along with all many more terrific features.

3DR SOLO – GPS, Autopilot And Camera

The SOLO drone was developed to make aerial photography and cinematography exceptionally easy.  This drone can fly on its own while you concentrate on the photograph or filming.  The below modes are all autopilot modes but not full autopilot. The SOLO drone uses the following autopilots features:

Cable Cam: Program in a virtual 2 point cable.  The quadcopter flies along this virtual cable while you concentrate on getting the perfect shot.

Orbit: Circle an GPS waypoint object to photograph  and video a terrific “wrap-around” shot. This quadcopter will fly around the circle in either direction and keep the camera locked on the subject. You can also adjust altitude and flight speed to create the best of aerial shots.

Selfie: This is pretty cool.  Place the drone on the ground in front of you with the camera facing you.  Then tap Selfie and press Fly.  Next the drone will take off with the camera always pointed at you.  The SOLO will then fly back, up and even around you.  The Solo is programmed to return and land right where it took off, getting an aerial zoom shot of you on the way back down.

Follow: 2015 is definitely the year of the “Follow Me” technology.  With the this quadcopter all you have to do is launch it and choose Follow. The Solo quadcopter is now locked onto your mobile device.  The SOLO is now ready to film all the action.  In “Follow” mode, flight and camera control are fully automated so you are now hands-free to focus on the activities you love as Solo captures it all.

Full GPS Autopilot With DroidPlanner 3

The DroidPlanner 3 App now called “Tower” is the software which turns the SOLO into a GPS autopilot drone.  Tower can be used with any of 3DR’s drones. It provides everything you need to plan, fly and track any 3DR-powered drone.

Tower features: You can read and download the Tower App on Google Play.  I don’t see a version for the iPhone at the moment.

• Create flights by drawing the paths on your tablet or dropping waypoints.
• 10 different waypoint types or templates to choose from, you can create flights that suit your specific purpose:
• Fly in smooth curves with spline waypoints.
• Circle waypoints allow you to orbit an object and keep the camera pointed at it.
• Region of Interest (ROI) points allow you to keep the camera centered on a subject regardless of the path you’re flying.
• Survey” will automatically generate the flight pattern you need to fully cover a region of the map.
• 3PV™ Follow Me keeps the camera centered on you while the copter follows you as you move.
• Easily make 3D scans of large structures with the automated building mapper.
• The one-button Dronie lets you quickly capture a one-of-a-kind selfie that reveals the scenery around you as the copter flies up and back.

3DR SOLO Camera

The SOLO drone and it’s gimbal was designed and built specifically with the GoPro Hero 4 in mind.  The 3-axis gimbal ensures solid GoPro performance. Capture smooth and fluid HD footage every flight, stabilized to within 0.1 degrees of pointing accuracy.  With the GoPro Hero 4, you can capture video up to 4k and shoot 12 megapixel stills.

The 3DR Solo price starts at about the $949 which includes the gimbal.  However, prices are reducing all the time with so much competition in the drone sector.

This video shows you Cable Cam, Orbit and Selfie autopilot modes.

Here is a nice tutorial video showing you how to configure a mission in the Droid Planner 3 Tower app.