Want to unlock the world of long-range drones? With long-range drones, you can observe and explore the world without leaving your home. Long-range drones can be consumer drones or industrial drones. Here, we will take you to the depths of the mysteries of drones and help you choose a long-range drone.
What is a long-range drone?
As the name suggests, a long-range drone can fly long distances.
For drone amateurs, a drone that can fly 5 kilometers is called a long-range drone. Due to lack of driving experience, they dare not take the drone to a farther place for adventure.
For drone professionals, the long-range flight function of a drone must meet at least 10 kilometers of long-range flight, and the image transmission must be stable, the real-time transmission must be clear, and the battery life must be long.
If you are looking for a long-range drone, the transmission system, flight distance, and flight time are all important factors to consider. Here, we will focus on both consumer long-range drones and commercial long-range drones.
How far can a drone fly?
How far a drone can fly must first understand the two concepts of the drone's control distance and image transmission distance.
The control distance refers to the maximum distance a drone can fly on a single charge. The image transmission distance refers to the maximum distance a drone can transmit real-time video images back to the remote control or mobile device. Usually the image transmission distance is shorter than the control distance.
In the actual flight of drones, we usually talk about the image transmission distance of drones. Generally speaking, the flight distance of consumer-grade drones is between a few kilometers and tens of kilometers, while professional and industrial-grade drones can fly farther, even up to hundreds of kilometers.
Best long-range drones to buy
When choosing a long-range drone, the type of drone, the model of the drone, and the performance of the drone are all crucial. But the most important thing is what kind of long-range drone you need.
According to different application requirements, long-range drones can be divided into many types, including multi-rotor drones, fixed-wing drones, vertical take-off and landing drones, etc. Each type of drone has its unique advantages and applicable scenarios, and needs to be selected according to specific needs.
Some well-known brands such as DJI, Autel, Parrot, Yuneec, etc. have launched excellent long-range drone products. Among them, models such as DJI Mavic Air 2, Autel EVO II Pro V3, and Parrot Anafi are well received. They all support 4K shooting of charming scenery, have stable flight performance, excellent image transmission system, and reliable remote control connection, suitable for various application scenarios.
Autel Robotics EVO II Pro V3 Camera Drone
$2099.00 USD
The performance of a remote drone is affected by many factors, including battery capacity, flight altitude, signal interference, weather conditions, etc. In different environments, remote drones may face different challenges and need to be adjusted and optimized accordingly.
You can also refer to this guide, Best Long-Range Drones - Challenging Long-Range Flights, to help you choose between long-range camera drones and long-range commercial drones.
| Drone | Range | Flight Time | Top Speed |
| DJI Air 2S | 7.5 mph | 31 min | 42.5 mph |
| Autel EVO Nano+ | 6.2 mph | 28 min | 33.5 mph |
| DJI Mavic Air 2 | 6.2 mph | 34 min | 42.5 mph |
| Autel Robotics EVO 2 V3 | 5.6 miles | 40 minutes | 45 mph |
| DJI Phantom 4 | 3.1 mph | 25 min | 45 mph |
How to extend the flight time of a remote drone?
Optimize battery management: Make sure the battery is fully charged before use and perform proper maintenance after each flight. Avoid excessive discharge and overcharging of the battery to extend battery life.
Reduce the weight of the drone: Remove unnecessary attachments and accessories to reduce the load of the drone and increase the flight time. For long-range commercial drones, they usually have a certain load capacity to be suitable for multiple scenarios.
Choose the right flight mode: In a stable flight mode, try to avoid high-speed and intense flight operations, which can reduce battery consumption.
Pay attention to weather conditions: Avoid flying in strong winds, high temperatures or extremely cold weather, which will increase battery consumption and shorten flight time.
Upgrade the battery: Choose a larger capacity backup battery to effectively extend the flight time. However, it should be noted that some brand drones are not compatible with some large-capacity drone batteries on the market.
Combined with remote operating system: Autel Dragonfish series large long-range drones can be combined with Dragonfish Nest, Dragonfish Repeater (optional) and Skycommand center to form Autel remote operating system. Multiple Nests can be networked to expand the operating range and allow flexible remote take-off and landing. The range between base stations can reach 10.6 miles, and the long-range range will be able to extend to 75 miles (120km).
Regulations on long-range drones
Different countries and regions have different regulations on the use of drones. Here are some common regulatory highlights:
Registration and licensing: In many countries, drone owners must register their drones and obtain flight permits. In the United States, consumer drones below 250g do not need to be registered, and drones for commercial flight purposes require pilots to obtain drone licenses.
Flight altitude restrictions: Usually limited to less than 400 feet (about 122 meters) to avoid collisions with manned aircraft.
Flight area restrictions: Flying over airports, military areas, government facilities and other sensitive areas is prohibited.
Line of sight operation: Most countries require drones to be flown within the operator's line of sight to ensure safety. Long-distance flights of long-range drones will exceed this limit. It depends on the pilot.
Privacy protection: Do not use drones to illegally monitor or film other people's private lives to avoid privacy violations.
How to choose a long-range drone?
To choose a long-range drone, you should first clarify your needs for a long-range drone!
The flight distance, flight time, carrying load, camera performance, obstacle avoidance function, control system, price of long-range drones, etc. of long-range drones are all important considerations for us when flying long-range consumer drones and long-range commercial drones. Everything needs to be selected according to the actual situation.
Summary
Long-range consumer drones help us get closer to the world, and long-range enterprise drones have gone a step further in commercial photography, mapping and agriculture. Understand the relevant regulations of long-range drones, choose a long-range drone that suits you, and reach new heights through aerial inspection and exploration.
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