Best Follow Me Drones To Buy

Best Follow Me Drones to Buy

Besides being a certified drone pilot, I also happen to be an outdoor lover. I love hiking and riding mountain bikes. If you have watched any videos of people engaging in such activities, you can appreciate the power of documenting them with a drone.

And not just any drone, but a drone with Follow Me capabilities. This is a feature that allows the drone to autonomously follow you through your activities, recording footage. This feature has been around for a while, and drone manufacturers have been perfecting it over time.

Still, at the time of writing this, some drone manufacturers do it better than others. After using several drones, I can confirm that the Skydio 2+ is the best follow me drone thanks to the AI-powered tracking system, 360-degree obstacle avoidance, lightweight design, and decent camera.

Read on for my comprehensive list of the best follow me drones, why I picked them, and what to consider when getting one.

Best Overall

Skydio 2+

Best Runner-up

DJI Mavic 3 Classic

Best for Professionals

The Mavic 3 Pro

Best for Budget

DJI Air 3

Best for Beginners and Casual Users

Mini 4 Pro

Brief Overview of the Best Follow Me Drones

Make an informed decision using this updated best follow-me drone review, featuring five crucial parameters for fast decision-making. The buyer’s guide will help you choose a perfect match based on your preferences.

Feature	Best Overall	Best Runner-up	Best for Professionals	Best for Budget	Best for Beginners and Casual Users
Product ➡️ Criteria ⬇️	Skydio 2+	DJI Mavic 3 Classic	The Mavic 3 Pro	DJI Air 3	Mini 4 Pro
Battery Life	5/5	5/5	4/5	5/5	3/5
Camera Quality	5/5	5/5	5/5	4/5	4/5
Flight Time	4/5	5/5	4/5	5/5	3/5
Flight Range	5/5	5/5	4/5	3/5	3/5
Speed and maneuverability	4/5	3/5	3/5	4/5	3/5
Obstacle Avoidance	5/5	5/5	5/5	5/5	5/5
Ease of Use	4/5	3/5	4/5	3/5	5/5
Value for money	5/5	5/5	5/5	4/5	4/5

Best Overall: Skydio 2+

Specifications

Best for: Active individuals, adventure sports enthusiasts
Flight time: 27 minutes
Flight range: 6 km
Video resolution: 4K: 3840×2160@60fps
Takeoff weight: 775 g
Obstacle avoidance: 360° obstacle avoidance (6 navigation cameras)

Photo Credit: www.skydio.com

Battery Life

The Skydio 2+ features a 27-minute flight time, which is decent for people who engage in various outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking, skateboarding, or running.

With a 4280 mAh battery, you can rest assured that you will have enough battery capacity to capture your moments, and if you manage to get extra batteries, you can get enough footage for social media or for personal use to document your activities.

Camera Quality

The Skydio 2+ can capture video at up to 4K at 60 fps which is the standard for high-quality video for most platforms. It also comes with inbuilt AI features that help enhance the imagery you get from this drone, minimizing your input during the flight, allowing you to enjoy your activities.

Flight Range

With a 6 KM range, the Skydio 2+ is a suitable fit for most activities. Usually, you would want a drone to follow you closely, and you will be holding the controller or the beacon as the drone follows you, and this drone will perform well as it’s designed for dynamic tracking. But in cases where someone else holds the controller, the 6 KM range is not that bad.

Speed and Maneuverability

As already mentioned, the Skydio 2+ is designed for dynamic tracking. With a speed of 15 M/s, it can confidently keep up with fast-paced activities.

It’s also designed to fly autonomously, which explains the advanced AI system that helps it determine the best routes in which to follow the subject.

Obstacle Avoidance

Another feature that makes the Skydio 2+ stand out is the omnidirectional obstacle avoidance powered by the six sensors. These sensors help map out a 3D map for the drone to navigate.

Whether you are doing your activities in urban areas, forest, or areas with other types of obstacles, this drone will comfortably follow you.

Ease of Use

The Skydio 2+ has a very user-friendly interface. Whether you have used a drone before, or it’s your first time, you will not have any trouble figuring out the Follow Me mode.

The AI system is also designed to do most of the Follow Me work for you, so you can focus on other activities. You also get a KeyFrame feature that allows you to create a custom flight path for complex shots. The Skydio 2+ also comes with a controller and a beacon, both of which are easy to use.

Value for Money

If you are looking mainly for a Follow Me drone, the Skydio 2+ excels in all areas and is priced reasonably at that. Compared to other drones in its price range, it has one of the most advanced Follow Me capabilities thanks to the AI-system. However, you can still use it for other activities that don’t involve Follow Me and still get decent footage.

What Online Customers Say:

I have been building and flying a variety of drones including DJI, racing drones, sub-250 gram drones, and cinematic whoop drones for many years. The Skydio 2+ is by far the best anonymous drone I have flown with impressive obstacle avoidance. Love Peace from Amazon.

Best-in-class 360° obstacle avoidance
Autonomous tracking system powered by AI
Easy to use for beginners and professionals alike
Lightweight and portable
Stable 4K video even in fast-paced environments

Best Runner-up: DJI Mavic 3 Classic

Specifications

Best for: Professional Level shots or social media photos
Flight time: 46 minutes
Flight range: 30 km
Video resolution: 5.1K: 5120×2700@24/25/30/48/50 fps
Takeoff weight: 895 g
Obstacle avoidance: Omnidirectional binocular vision system

Photo Credit: www.dji.com

Battery Life/Flight Time

The Mavic 3 classic is great as it follows you for up to 46 minutes, giving you more time to capture exciting skiing, swimming, dancing, or running moments. With a battery capacity of 5000 mAh, you’ll have a super powerful battery.

However, your battery will need at least 96 minutes to charge fully and must be charged at a temperature of 41° to 104° F (5° to 40° C).

Camera Quality

Mavic 3 Classic is a great follow-me drone with a 5.1K camera resolution, ideal for producing top-quality videos. The 4/3 CMOS sensor is also a plus for the follow-me drone because it effectively captures distant subjects without compromising the quality of photos and videos.

Flight Range

With a 15 km maximum flight range (on a single charge), the Mavic 3 classic is a great follow-me drone for anyone who loves cycling or running long distances, swimming for extended periods, or doing other outdoor activities while taking photos or shooting videos.

Speed and Maneuverability

Featuring a maximum vertical (descent/ascent) speed of 6 m/s and 15 m/s horizontally, the Mavic 3 Classic is a good choice for a follow-me drone as it will keep up with you in your activities.

With a 12 m/s wind speed resistance, this drone won’t fly away easily in strong winds; its ability to withstand wind is excellent. Though it’s not a small drone, it stays stable while following you, making it easy to control.

Obstacle Avoidance

With an omnidirectional obstacle avoidance feature, you’re guaranteed that this drone won’t crash while following you. It also has a supplementing infrared sensor at its bottom, so you’re all covered when it’s flying right behind you!

Ease of Use

Whether you’re a professional or an entry-level pilot, you won’t have trouble controlling this drone. It’s highly responsive to commands, and the remote controller is easy to use.

If the Mavic 3 classic flies away from you, issue the ‘Return To Home’ command, and it will fly back immediately.

Value for Money

I can guarantee you that you won’t regret investing your hard-earned money in the Mavic 3 Classic because it has safety features, is highly responsive to commands, has a long flight range, has awesome camera performance, and is easy to use.

It strikes the best bargain for anyone who would like to get the Mavic 3 Pro, but can’t afford it or doesn’t need the three cameras.

What Online Customers Say:

“The DJI Mavic 3 Classic is a powerhouse drone that excels in all critical areas—camera performance, flight time, safety features, and ease of use. It’s a top choice for professionals and serious hobbyists looking to capture stunning aerial footage with reliability and precision.” – David from Amazon.

It’s fast
Has an excellent battery life
Has a propeller guard
Produces awesome video and image quality
It’s highly responsive, and the remote controller works fine
Has 12 m/s wind speed resistance

Best for Professionals: The Mavic 3 Pro

Specifications

Best for: Professional Aerial videography and photography
Flight time: 43 minutes max.
Flight range: 28 km
Video resolution: 5.1K: 5120×2700@24/25/30/48/50fps
Takeoff weight: 958 g
Obstacle avoidance: Omnidirectional obstacle sensing

Photo Credit: www.dji.com

Battery Life

Take advantage of the Mavic 3 Pro’s 43-minute flight time to capture exciting swimming, running, or playing memories before the battery drains.

If you want to stay in one place, play with family members, or plan your next shot without having to land, you should never fret; the Mavic 3 Pro can hover for up to 34 minutes in favorable weather conditions (no fog, rain, hailstorms, snow, or wind).

Camera Quality

The Mavic 3 Pro is the holy grail of prosumer drones. If you are a professional photographer or videographer and can’t afford the Inspire 3, the Mavic 3 Pro will get you shots worthy of Hollywood.

This is thanks to the triple camera system, each camera featuring a different aperture. However, you are only able to use the 1X and 3X zoom cameras (2 of the 3) for ActiveTrack, which is adequate.

The 7X zoom is ideal for taking photos of objects that are too far away. You can shoot videos up to 5.1K resolution, though the 4K 60fps is the maximum available for ActiveTrack.

Still, it works great and is compatible with most devices. The larger sensor (4/3 Hasselblad) makes it ideal even in areas with low light.

And the different color profiles (Normal, HLG, and D-Log M) give you flexibility depending on how much time you have for editing.

Flight Range

Mavic 3 Pro’s maximum flight range is 15 km. Hence, it is an excellent drone for commercial service, where you must follow the subjects while they are in action.

The OcuSync 03+ also offers great performance even in areas with obstructions that would normally block the signal. However, it’s still advisable to always fly the drone from an area with little to no obstructions.

Speed and maneuverability

In an environment free of wind, the Mavic 3 Pro can descend at 6 m/s and ascend at 8 m/s. Just like the Mavic 3 Classic, this drone will follow you even in high-speed activities.

And if you do move too fast, the system is designed to re-establish tracking. The MAvic 3 Pro also allows you to choose the direction the drone can follow you in while in ActiveTrack.

This could be the front, side, back, or diagonally, giving you different shots of the subject.

Obstacle Avoidance

The Mavic 3 Pro comes with a 360-degree obstacle avoidance feature, which allows you to record yourself while engaging in activities such as swimming, cycling, running, and dancing.

So, you don’t have to worry about your drone hitting a tree, building, or colliding with another drone (if it ever comes to that) while it follows you.

Ease of Use

While the Mavic 3 Pro is not a beginner-level drone, it’s easy for experts to operate. This drone has a Return To Home (RTH) feature that helps it fly home if it loses connection with the pilot.

It also has a dedicated smart controller, which helps the pilot control the drone’s movements seamlessly without worrying about the issues that some smartphones face.

The obstacle-sensing features make maneuvers easy, so the pilot doesn’t have to constantly control the drone to evade obstacles. The controller has a clear screen with various customization options, making drone control and operation much easier.

To simplify complicated maneuvers, you can pre-program flights so that the software handles them perfectly.

Value for money

The Mavic 3 Pro is not a cheap drone, but it’s worth every penny! First, the Follow Me drone doesn’t lose track of the object, which most low-end drones do.

Of course, unless you move too fast or make large movement changes such as quick flips.

So, if you’re looking for a value-packed follow-me drone with an obstacle detection system, professional-grade camera quality, a long flight range, a long flight time, and a long-life battery, let Mavic 3 Pro be your go-to drone.

What Online Customers Say:

“ The Hasselblad camera with three lenses is spectacular with both auto and pro (manual) settings. The photo quality is incredible. The controller is the top of the line with a crystal clear screen and various customization options. Best of all this is a professional level aircraft with way too many options to list.” – Catfish Jeff from Amazon.

Has a pre-programming feature that makes complex flights easy
Three cameras offer a wide range of shots
Has a reliable ActiveTrack up to a resolution of 4K
Has an omnidirectional obstacle avoidance and Return to Home features
A remote control is available and with a clear screen
Lightweight, hence great for traveling

Best for Budget: DJI Air 3

Specifications

Best for: ‎Mid-level and expert pilots
Flight time: 46 minutes
Flight range: Maximum 20 km (low Interference)
Video resolution: 4K: 3840×2160@24/25/30/48/50/60/100*fps
Takeoff weight: 720 g
Obstacle avoidance: Omnidirectional obstacle sensing

Photo Credit: www.dji.com

Battery Life and Flight Time

With a capacity of 4241 mAh and a Li-ion 4S type battery, the Air 3 drone’s battery life lasts up to 46 minutes. That’s nearly one hour of the drones constantly following you, hands-free!

Camera Quality

The DJi Air 3 features a dual camera system featuring the 1/1.3-inch CMOS camera and different aperture, giving you flexibility and different types of shots. It also shoots in 4K camera resolution, giving you high quality follow-me videos.

It also features 2.7K vertical shooting, which is ideal for social media photos or professional use shots as they’re well-detailed even when taken at a long range.

Flight Range

Take a ride, swim, or go skiing up to 20 km, and the drone will still follow closely by your side or behind you with a single, well-charged battery.

Speed and Maneuverability

At sea level and wind speed not exceeding 12 m/s, your drone constantly stays by your side or behind you at a horizontal speed of 21 m/s.

This speed means that it will keep up with a car, motorcycle, or even boat, regardless of the direction it is following the object in.

The maximum ascent and descent speed under favorable weather conditions is 10 m/s, allowing you to get out of emergency situations swiftly.

Obstacle Avoidance

With the Air 3 DJI drone, you can initiate the FocusTrack mode and fly it worry-free and hands-free. Its omnidirectional sensor helps it closely follow you constantly without colliding with birds, people, trees, and other objects.

Ease of Use

Whether you’re an expert or a beginner who wants to fly your drone while you enjoy fun-filled activities such as riding or cycling, this drone will be easy to operate because it has beginner-friendly features.

For example, you can activate the APAS Bypass 5.0 feature, which lowers the drone’s speed but helps it plan the bypassing trajectory depending on its environment and your operations.

With this ability, your drone can easily follow you while bypassing obstacles, giving you a beginner-friendly flight experience.

Value for money

Most DJI drones have the ActiveTrack feature, making it easy to fly the drone hands-free, and Air 3 is no exception. With a flight time exceeding 40 minutes, this could be a great deal for professional ‘Follow Me’ aerial videography and photography.

The all-direction sensors give you peace of mind. At the same time, the drone closely follows you or is by your side without hitting any obstacles as you focus on the shooting.

The upgraded sensors enable professional-level shots and photos, which is great for a filmmaker who wants quality even when subjects are constantly in action. The drone remains stable even when hovering for 42 minutes at a wind speed of 12 m/s or lower.

What Online Customers Say:

“Drone Performance: The DJI Air 3 itself is a marvel of modern drone technology. With its advanced camera system, including dual lenses that offer both wide and telephoto capabilities, it delivers stunning 4K video and high-resolution photos. The drone’s enhanced obstacle avoidance, improved flight stability, and extended battery life ensure a smooth and safe flying experience. The intuitive controls and responsive flight performance make it suitable for both seasoned pilots and beginners.”

– Bryce l. Fawber from Amazon.

In the ActiveTrack mode, the Air 3 follows you in any direction
Stable during hovering or critical weather conditions
Safety features favor both professional and entry-level pilots
More flight time than its predecessor
4K video resolution and dual lenses offer exceptional professional-quality level images and videos
Highly stable in wind speed levels not exceeding 12 m/s

Best for Beginners: Mini 4 Pro

Specifications

Best for: Entry-level ‘Follow me’ user
Flight time: 34 minutes
Flight range: Approximately 20 km
Video resolution: 4K
Takeoff Weight: < 249 g
Obstacle avoidance: 360°

Photo Credit: www.dji.com

Battery Life

The DJI Mini 4 Pro’s battery life is about 34 minutes. Since a good follow-me drone should have a battery life of at least 15 to 30 minutes, the DJI Mini 4 Pro ticks this box, especially if you spend a lot of time traveling, skiing, running, or snowboarding.

Camera Quality

The Mini 4 Pro features a 1/1.3 CMOS sensor capable of capturing 4K/60fps videos with great detail.

Besides, the mini 4 Pro has a wide-angle lens, expanding your view from 75° to 100° when recording videos and 82.1° to 114° when taking photos.

The camera can also change to a portrait position at the click of a button, and without compromising resolution, allowing you to take social media ready content. However, this feature does not work when in ActiveTrack, but you can use it for other shots.

Flight Range

Keep going up to about 20 km as the drone takes care of shots hands-free. You can record many videos and take photos with such a long flight range.

This speed is only achievable if you fly 20 meters above sea level at about 40.7 kph in wind-free conditions.

For a higher range and have the drone following you, use the intelligent flight battery plus, which, at 20 meters above sea level, can go up to 25 km when flying at 44.3 kph in wind-free conditions.

Speed and Maneuverability

This small drone can withstand wind up to 24 mph and will amaze you with its high speed of up to 35 mph (sport mode).

Whether skiing, running, cycling, surfing, or snowboarding, the Mini 4 Pro will keep up with your pace and excellently capture professional photos.

Its small size makes maneuvers easy, lowering the risk of crashing or colliding with aircraft.

Obstacle Avoidance

The DJI Mini 4 Pro features an obstacle avoidance system, making it beginner-friendly. Consequently, your drone can follow while successfully evading obstacles, collisions, or crashes.

What’s more, it detects obstacles in all directions, making the drone’s every move safe.

Ease of Use

DJI built Mini 4 Pro with beginners in mind. Its lightweight means it doesn’t need registration, maneuvers quickly, and is easy to learn and operate.

Value for money

The DJI Mini 4 Pro is currently one of the best mini drones in the market and is becoming useful for beginners and experts alike.

Its advanced features, such as obstacle avoidance sensors, make skiing, running, or cycling stress-free as the drone evades every obstacle standing in its way.

It’s lightweight, making it easy to carry and maneuver the drone during flights. The high-resolution camera and large lens give you quality images with more details.

The long-range and flight time will keep you going for as long as you want while still capturing exciting memories without stopping to replace the battery.

What Online Customers Say:

“Its tracking, object recognition, and obstacle avoidance features are great tools that not many other drones its size and price have.”

– Julian from Amazon.

Longer range and flight time keep you on the move longer.
Maneuvers easily, keeping you stress-free when faced with objects
Large lenses give you detailed photos
4k resolution, meaning you can edit the photos without tampering with the quality of images and videos.

Factors to consider when buying the best follow-me drone

Camera quality: Follow me drones are meant to capture exceptional aerial footage; hence, they must have a great camera resolution, such as 4K or higher. Larger lenses are also better because you get highly detailed videos and photos.
Obstacle sensing feature: A good ‘Follow Me Drone’ should have omnidirectional sensors to help detect and evade obstacles.
Follow Me Technology, ActiveTrack or GPS Tracking: If you’ll be using your drone in an environment where the GPS signals may be obstructed or weak, such as dense urban areas or indoor flights, check the Follow Me technology in place.

Some drones use GPS to lock on the subject where the user holds the receiver, but this will not work in areas with poor GPS signals.

However, drones designed to identify the object to track will work great regardless of GPS signals, though you will still need GPS for stable flight.
Flight time: Since you want a drone that can follow you while capturing an amazing action-packed moment, buy one that can stay in the air for at least 30 minutes.

Parting Shot

Whether you’re a filmmaker, outdoor enthusiast, traveler, or athlete, Follow Me drones are great for hands-free aerial videography and photography.

Based on our list, the Skydio 2+ is perfect as a dedicated Follow Me drone, the Mavic 3 Classic offers the best bargain based on camera features, and the Mavic 3 Pro is a high-end 3-lens camera drone with tracking as an additional feature.

The DJI Air 3 and Mini 4 Pro are also great options with additional features like dual cameras and portrait shooting respectively.

Author

Peter Karanja

Peter is a licensed drone pilot and drone fanatic. He owns a DJI Air 2S that he uses to shoot videos for fun, enjoyment and for clients.