The moment I found out about the existence of drones for leisure (about a lifetime ago), and the epic footage you can create with it, I wanted to have one. Eventually it took me a few years to finally buy one, and it wasn’t even for myself. I gave it as a gift to my boyfriend so I can still enjoy the benefits, but he can be the captain. I’m quite sure there are more people like me doubting whether to buy a drone or not, so I’ve written down some pros and cons. As I prefer to end on a positive note, I’ll start with the cons.

Cons of a drone

It’s another addition to your collection of gadgets to bring with you on a trip, meaning extra weight, extra space and extra hassle while traveling. Oh and don’t forget about the extra items you need to charge.
Not every country accepts drones and there are quite strict limitations in certain areas, giving you less freedom on where to fly. Always make sure to do your research on the area you are planning to fly. There are some serious drone haters out there that would actually “shoot” your drone out of the air.
If you want to have a drone with proper photo/video quality, prices go up quite quickly. Let’s say it’s an investment 🙂
Drones are quite delicate, so you must be very careful and weather conditions do have an impact on whether you can fly or not. Perfect weather conditions are rare, so you’ll often have to deal with warnings of too much wind. Flying a drone is not always an easy task. I don’t fly very often but I’m always a little scared to crash or lose it.

Pros of a drone

A drone gives you the chance to see the world from a different perspective, which is really interesting and gives you the most incredible shots.
You can fly over places like the ocean to capture the coastline or sea-life from above. There are endless of unique spots to record or photograph, giving you the opportunity to make really unique content.
There are various brands, sizes and prices available nowadays, so you will definitely be able to find one that suits you! The most popular brand out there is DJI but there are also more affordable options available.
If you buy a drone weighing below 250gram you don’t need to have a license. Examples of decent ones under 250 gram are the DJI Mavic Mini and DJI Mini 2. This is actually the perfect drone for starters as they are smaller and quite easy to fly, with a pretty decent camera for the price.

Are you up for a bit more challenge and want to create the best quality content?

DJI Air 2S drone & DJI Mavic 3 are good options nowadays. I don’t have experience with these, but they’ve both got good reviews. These are a bit larger, so you will likely need a license for these drones. Check what the options are and which license is most relevant to you.