Best Drones for Architectural Photography

If you’ve tried selling a building or house in the past, you understand how important the photography of that construction is.

The idea is to show every detail of the building and how it will look from the buyer’s point of view.

Drones can assist, but which are best for architectural photography?

The DJI Mavic 3, DJI Air 2S, Autel EVO Lite Plus, DJI Mini 3 Pro, and Autel EVO Nano+ are the top drones for architectural photography.

This guide will explore these drones and provide more information for selecting the best architectural drone for real estate.

1. DJI Mavic 3 – Our top choice for architectural photography

Droneblog's Choice









DJI Mavic 3 (Fly More Combo)

Drone with 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad Camera, 5.1K Video, Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing, 46 Mins Flight, Advanced Auto Return, with DJI RC-N1, Two Extra Batteries, Gray.

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06/30/2023 02:56 am GMT

Dimensions: 13.70 x 11.14 x 4.24 in
Weight: 895 g
Max Range: 30,000 m
Max Speed: 47 mph
Max Wind Speed Resistance: 12.0 m/s (Level 6)
Max Flying Time: 46 min
Camera Sensor: 4/3’’ CMOS
Camera Still Resolution: 20 MP
Photo Format: JPEG/DNG (RAW)
Camera Shutter: Electronic
Internal Storage: 8 GB
External Max Storage: U3 512GB microSD card
GPS: Yes

✅ Pros

- It has an impressive 46-minute flight time with one battery

- It comes with a Hasselblad camera

- It takes the most accurate color photographs on the list

- OcuSync 3 ensures higher transmission stability and less video lag

- It has omnidirectional obstacle-sensing and avoidance

❌ Cons

- It’s the heaviest drone on the list

Search no further if you need the best camera drone for outstanding high-fidelity photos.

The DJI Mavic 3 is a sophisticated drone that’s perfect for the on-the-go photographer.

First, it fits any daypack, as it’s lightweight. You can carry it all day without too much effort.

This drone is also convenient to tote around, as you only need one battery to fly for up to 46 minutes.

That’s almost double the flight time of most drones on this list. This impressive flight time is helpful for a complete pre-shoot walkthrough.

This drone comes with a Hasselblad 20 MP camera with a 4/3-inch sensor to capture more light, naturally reproducing deeper contrasts.

The Mavic 3 camera incorporates Hasselblad Natural Colour Solution (HNCS), which guarantees natural and accurate color in your photos.

These two camera features translate into little to no time in post-editing.

The best part is that you can take your photos in DNG (RAW).

2. DJI Air 2S – Best drone for architectural photography for the price

DJI Air 2S Fly More Combo

Drone with 3-Axis Gimbal Camera, 5.4K Video, 1-Inch CMOS Sensor, 4 Directions of Obstacle Sensing, 31-Min Flight Time, Max 7.5-Mile Video Transmission, MasterShots, Gray

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06/29/2023 09:46 am GMT

Dimensions: 7.20 x 9.96 x 3.03 in
Weight: 595 g
Max Range: 18,500 m
Max Speed: 42.5 mph
Max Flying Time: 31 min
Max Wind Speed Resistance: 10.7 m/s (Level 5)
Camera Sensor: 1’’ CMOS
Camera Still Resolution: 20 MP
Photo Format: JPEG/DNG (RAW)
Camera Shutter: Electronic
Internal Storage: 8 GB
External Max Storage: U3 512GB microSD card
GPS: Yes

✅ Pros

- It bypasses obstacles in four directions

- It’s a small drone

- It comes with internal storage and 512 GB of external capacity

- It’s a light drone that fits any daypack

- Even as a bundle, it’s a low-cost drone compared to the others on the list

❌ Cons

- It has a fixed f/2.8 aperture

The DJI Air 2S is your top bet if you want a more affordable drone without losing too much image fidelity.

DJI released this drone in 2021, but it’s still a number-one option for photographers. Its camera is very impressive for this drone’s size and weight.

It has a 1-inch camera sensor to take gorgeous shots of houses or buildings. Even when the sun directly hits these structures, it reproduces contrast with enough accuracy, so forget about image distortion.

You can store your photos with the maximum detail and color profiles. This drone can also take DN (RAW) pictures, so rest assured your photographs will be high quality.

The Air 2S is more compact and light than the Mavic 3 and Autel EVO Lite Plus, so you can travel with it without occupying too much space in your backpack.

This form factor also allows you to carry more batteries for an increased flight time. Even when carrying an extra battery, it’s lighter than the Mavic 3 and EVO Lite Plus.

The Air 2S incorporates ADS-B IN, which captures near-aircraft signals. This feature displays an audio and visual beacon to fly on a safe path.

You won’t have to worry about interfering with commercial flights when flying your drone, as it always advises you of any possible danger.

3. Autel EVO Lite Plus – Best drone for low-light and foggy architectural photography

Autel EVO Lite Plus

Premium Bundle, NEWEST 1-Inch CMOS Drone with 6K HDR Camera, F2.8 - F11 Aperture, 6K/30fps Video, 40 Mins Flight Time, 3-Way 360° Obstacle Avoidance, 12Km (7.4 Miles)

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06/28/2023 06:51 pm GMT

Dimensions: 17.04 x 20.32 x 3.74 in
Weight: 835 g
Max Range: 24,000 m
Max Speed: 40.3 mph
Max Flying Time: 40 min
Max Wind Speed Resistance: 12.0 m/s (Level 6)
Camera Sensor: 1” CMOS
Camera Still Resolution: 20 MP
Camera Shutter: Electronic
Internal Storage: 6GB
External Max Storage: U3 256GB microSD card
GPS: Yes

✅ Pros

- It takes detailed images at night

- It automatically balances over and underexposure for clearer images

- You can take crisp footage even in foggy conditions

- It has an incredible flight time of 40 minutes with one battery

- Its camera has an adjustable aperture of f/2.8 to f/11

❌ Cons

- Autel customer service outside of the US isn’t the best

Go for the Autel EVO Lite Plus when photographing architectural buildings in low light and foggy conditions.

Autel designed this drone camera to focus on these harsh conditions while still maintaining a crisp image.

If you need to photograph at dawn when it’s foggy, this drone’s camera captures low-noise photographs. This incredible feature works thanks to its automatic capabilities that correct the exposure.

You’ll always get clear images with true colors.

Another impressive feature of this drone’s camera is the adjustable aperture. Alongside the pro camera mode, you can change its parameters to fit the photograph you want to reproduce.

This drone also comes with obstacle sensing and avoidance.

The EVO Lite Plus stops once it finds an obstacle, a nice feature when doing a pre-shoot walkthrough of a structure you want to photograph.

However, it doesn’t bypass obstacles like the Mavic 3 or Air 2S.

4. DJI Mini 3 Pro – Best mini drone for architectural photography

DJI Mini 3 Pro (DJI RC)

It’s incredible how a small drone can have powerful features, especially for aerial photography. The compact and lightweight qualities of the DJI Mini 3 Pro make it sturdy enough to withstand strong winds.

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06/30/2023 03:31 am GMT

Dimensions: 9.88 x 14.25 x 2.83 in
Weight: 249 g and 290 g
Max Range: 18,000 m and 25,000 m
Max Speed: 36 mph
Max Flying Time: 38 min and 51 min
Max Wind Speed Resistance: 10.7 m/s (Level 5)
Camera Sensor: 1/1.3’’ CMOS
Camera Still Resolution: 50 MP
Camera Shutter: Electronic
Internal Storage: No
External Max Storage: U3 512GB microSD card
GPS: Yes

✅ Pros

- It can fly for up to 51 minutes with the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus

- It bypasses obstacles in three directions

- You can fit it in any daypack or 10 Lt bag

- Its camera can rotate to take vertical shots

- It shoots in 50 MP with little to no noise

❌ Cons

- It lacks a 1-inch camera sensor

The DJI Mini 3 Pro is a top option for those who want a potent camera drone that weighs the same as a smartphone.

This drone fits any bag or even your pockets! And thanks to its lightweight profile, your back won’t suffer even if you carry the drone all day long.

The Mini 3 Pro can take photos with precision and detail thanks to its 50 MP still resolution. Photograph buildings without losing quality, even when the sun hits the camera.

The ISO dual native automatically sets the best camera parameters for the picture to be a masterpiece.

If you’re constantly on the move and need to upload pictures to social media without too much editing, the three-axis gimbal can rotate 90 degrees for true vertical shooting.

You now can take pictures of buildings in portrait mode and post them immediately on Instagram.

The Mini 3 Pro has 34 minutes of flight time, more than enough for a regular architectural photography session.

If you still need more time, use its Intelligent Flight Battery Plus. This enhanced battery allows your Mini 3 Pro up to 47 minutes of flight time.

That’s impressive for a tiny drone like this, even beating the Mavic 3. Be aware that this battery increases this drone’s weight by almost double.

5. Autel EVO Nano Plus – Best mini drone bundle for architectural photography

Autel EVO Nano Plus

Lightweight and Foldable Camera Drone with 4K/30FPS HDR Video, 50MP Photo1/1.28"(0.8") CMOS RYYB Sensor, Tri-Directional Obstacle Sensing,3-Axis Gimbal, 3-Way Obstacle Avoidance.

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06/30/2023 03:39 am GMT

Dimensions: 4.30 x 9.10 x 5.10 in
Weight: 249 g
Max Range: 10,000 m
Max Speed: 34 mph
Max Flying Time: 28 min
Max Wind Speed Resistance: 10 m/s (Level 5)
Camera Sensor: 1/1.28″ CMOS
Camera Shutter: Electronic
Camera Still Resolution: 50 MP
Live View Quality: Up to 2.7K@30FPS
Video Resolution: 4K30FPS
Video bitrate: 100Mbps
Internal Storage: No
External Max Storage: U3 256GB microSD card
GPS: Yes

✅ Pros

- Even as a bundle, it’s cheaper than the DJI Mini 3 Pro

- It bypasses obstacles in three directions

- It shoots well in low-light environments

❌ Cons

- It doesn’t have a 1-inch camera sensor

The Autel EVO Nano Plus is like the DJI Mini 3 Pro but cheaper.

This drone is very lightweight too, so it’s easy to carry.

It differs from the Mini 3 Pro in its intended use, as Autel designed this drone to take pictures in low-light conditions.

This drone camera sensor reduces unnecessary noise, achieving adequate contrast and accurate color reproduction.

With HDR on, it takes several photos at different exposures. This feature automatically stitches them to reproduce an image with perfect contrast and dynamic range.

Another excellent feature of this drone is that you can choose from four colors, any one of which makes this drone very visible at night or in low-light conditions.

https://skydanceimaging.com/best-drones-for-architectural-photography/