NOTE FROM THE EDITOR (2024): When considering a camera drone, it's worth exploring DJI's offerings. For the average flyer looking to capture footage, the Mavic Air 2 (4k 30 fps) is a solid choice, while professionals may opt for the Mavic 2 Pro (fast and films at 4k 30 fps). While these drones might seem initially expensive, they are a cost-effective alternative when compared to purchasing a GoPro Hero 8 or a Hero 7 along with a cheaper drone to get it airborne.
If you own a GoPro already, or need a drone that supports (can carry) a GoPro the Potensic D85 FPV is the best drone for GoPro in terms of price vs performance.
Alternative GoPro Drones:
The Best GoPro Drones:
The Potensic D85 FPV is the holy grail of GoPro drones. This amazing drone already has a built-in camera but can still hold a GoPro Hero camera.
The Altair Aerial Blackhawk is a strong and long-lasting affordable drone that you should not miss. It supports the GoPro Hero 3 and 4 and can travel up to a maximum of 500m. This thing is quite heavy too but the clamp for the GoPro ensures that it will stick onto the saucer without any problems. Based on its name, the Altair Aerial Blackhawk does amazing aerobatics too, capturing rad clips that only drones can do. Its value is worth more than its price which is why it is just to buy this if you want something affordable and fun to toy with.
The DROCON Blue Bugs 3 is a mount-only GoPro drone that is easy on the money and easy on the learning curve. This affordable drone serves as a good entry-level drone for the beginners yet complex enough for the seasoned veteran drone pilots. Swift, agile, and light, the DROCON Blue Bugs 3 can last up to 18 minutes tops and a maximum range of 300 m. It also flaunts weak signal alarms and low power consumption, which results in a long-lasting drone. Best of all, the DROCON Blue Bugs 3 can do all sorts of 3D aerobatics because of its light structure. It’s a bargain buy and a must if you wish to join the drone experience. It supports GoPro Hero 3 and 4.
The Force1 F100 Ghost is not only good for beginners, but it also makes a great racer type. It has a long battery life of up to 15 minutes plus a spare if you ever want to keep on flying. The easy controls and ready-to-use build makes this very welcome to new drone pilots as well as inexperienced ones who want to test it out. The Force1 F100 Ghost also includes two types of speeds: one for leisure usage and one for competition. The name and design may seem pricey but as it turns out, it is one of the most affordable drones that you could ever buy. Make sure your GoPro Hero is either 3 or 4.
The DJI Phantom 2 V2.0 is a top choice for the serious drone enthusiast. DJI keeps its reputation with its lineup of amazing designs that no other brand can outdo. Sure, it may be expensive but it makes a great investment for drone experts. This sophisticated drone can only support the Hero 4 though but some users have claimed they are able to use it on a Hero 3. The battery life is amazing: up to 20 to 25 minutes. Charging also takes a short time of around 1 hour and it can go as far as 1000m. It is a high-grade GoPro drone that you should dare not to miss out on.
Top 5 Drones for GoPro:
While there are so many great drones to choose from, I’d be more than happy to settle with the Holy Stone HS700 as the best drone for GoPro. Sure, the DJI may seem like a better option but I wouldn’t need to pay top Dollars just to enjoy my time with the GoPro and the flying experience. But if you do prefer something cheaper, you are already good with the Altair Aerial Blackhawk and DROCON Blue Bugs 3: two awesome drones that can do stellar aerobatics that you never thought were possible. Meanwhile, the Force1 F100 Ghost is a good choice for when you want something that is built for racing and for beginners. And, of course, let’s not forget about the DJI Phantom 2 V2.0, which is a priority choice if you want the top professional drone for your GoPro Hero 4 this drone is a great choice.
If you are carrying around a GoPro HERO 3 or 4, you’re in luck. Most of the GoPro drones these days can support those two models. Name any modern drone and for sure the back cover will say it supports HERO 3 and 4. However, there are some models that are still generous enough to let you use an older HERO 2 such as the Holy Stone HS700 and the Altair Aerial Blackhawk.
You might observe that some drones like the Holy Stone and the Force1 are GoPro compatible while the Altair, DROCON and DJI are GoPro mounts. Compatible means you are able to control the GoPro options using the drone’s controller while the mount is nothing more than just attaching your GoPro on it and hoping it is recording in the air. Obviously, the compatible ones are more expensive than mount types.
If you prefer a drone that focuses more on steady captures and cinematic photography, get a heavy type of drone. But if you like to record high-speed and fast-paced shots, get the lighter version instead.
Make sure that the drone you buy is from a trusted brand to guarantee safety for your camera. Otherwise, it may just malfunction in mid-air.
This will depend upon your preference. However, do check out the ones listed above in order to know what you want to buy. Of course, you may choose to follow my opinion - which is the Holy Stone HS700 - or go with what your gut tells you which is the best of the bunch.
Yes you can, as long as you know how to configure and customize the FPV drone. However, FPVs are much better to work with their built-in cameras than the GoPro (which is debatable). Your safest approach is to buy a drone made for GoPro support such as the drones listed on this article.
These days, a lot of drones already have a built-in camera but are usually very costly. However, if you happen to have a GoPro with you and wish to see aerial shots, this type of drone is more than good. In fact, some drone enthusiasts encourage you to buy this instead of the drones with built-in cameras.
For better or for worse, GoPro was wasting too much precious resources on making their own drones. Instead, they let 3rd party brands do it for them. After all, not a lot of drone fans were even happy with how official GoPro drones work since the competition is always better and have better HERO support.