In our compilation, there are crucial drone attachments and cool drone accessories, too. They all expand your drone camera kit and will lead to a steep increase in the quality of your work. Read on to see the best drone accessories. [ExpertPhotography is supported by readers. Product links on ExpertPhotography are referral links. If you use one of these and buy something we make a little bit of money. Need more info? See how it all works here.]
Essential Drone Accessories: Quick Questions
Before we jump to our best drone accessories, here are some questions and answers that you asked from us:
How Much Does a Good Drone Cost?
DJI’s brand new Mavic Mini retails for 399 USD, and it’s now available for purchase. We have not tested it yet, but it seems to be a promising offer for a low price. If you demand more or want an even cheaper drone, take a look at our favourite drones here.
Can You Bring a DJI Drone on a Plane?
No law regulates this. It depends on your airport and carrier. In the US, most airlines allow DJI drones on board, but you have to take the battery out and place it in a fireproof bag. In Europe, practice is a bit stricter. Some airports only allow drones in checked-in baggage.
How Do You Store a Drone?
For shorter periods and carrying, we recommend a backpack or a hardcase. These are convenient and will protect your drone. If you’re not using your drone for more extended periods, remove the battery. DJI drone batteries self-discharge after a while by slowly converting electric energy into heat. This heat is normal. Don’t worry if your battery is warm after you haven’t used it for a few weeks.
Does a DJI Phantom Have to be Registered?
In the United States, you have to register all DJI drones (except the Tello) on the FAA’s website. This process is quick and inexpensive. In other parts of the world, regulation varies. Usually, some registration is required. Check DJI’s website about the details.
Our Favourite Drone Accessories for Your Drone Camera Kit
Here are the best drone accessories that we find the most useful. Some of these drone accessories are model-specific. In the case of those products, we linked the Mavic 2 Zoom versions and indicated this. If you have a different drone, choose the right version for your drone. Note: Take extra care when choosing Mavic Pro or 2 Pro accessories. The difference between these two drones is small. But, you might not be able to fit Mavic 2 Zoom accessories onto your Mavic Pro or 2 Pro. Fortunately, you can quickly fix this problem by getting a hood that shades your remote control. It not only provides a better view but increases safety. The battery life of your smart device will also grow since you no more have to pull up the brightness to maximum. It’s especially useful when you have to take off in tall grass. Without extended legs, your drone couldn’t even start, because the grass would stop the propellers from moving. Consider it if you often take off from the wet or dirty ground. You can detach these and clean them, and won’t have to clean the drone itself tediously. This trick introduces a mild motion blur that blends the frames. The result is much smoother footage. Videographers have long been using ND filters to get longer shutter speeds, so why couldn’t you do this on your drone? Luckily, you can. Various brands offer filter kits for drones, but we especially like Tiffen. Their filters don’t compromise on quality but also come at a reasonable price. This kit comprises of three ND + Circular Polariser combined filters which come at 4, 8, and 16 strengths. The polariser helps with filtering out unwanted reflections from water or the sky. To not take any chances, we advise buying a fireproof bag for your drone batteries. On many airlines it’s compulsory. It also protects your drone from excessive temperatures. You can also avoid accidental short circuits if you only store one battery per bag. Attach it to your drone, and if you accidentally lose track of it, look at the map on your phone. This gadget also has a Bluetooth connection. If you’re up to 200ft from your drone, you can ring and find it. If you accidentally lose the original cover, your gimbal will sit unprotected for the rest of the trip. The gimbal is the most expensive and sensitive part of a drone, so you shouldn’t risk leaving it exposed. It is not only annoying but can also cause damage. So, having something that fixes their position is a great idea. This product solves the problem perfectly while remaining cheap. Still, if you want to be even more economical, use an elastic band. A pad helps with dirty or uneven surfaces. You can see it clearly on the camera from far away, so you can get back easier. But be careful, always nail it to the ground otherwise the wind will blow it away. In DJI Mavic drones, there’s an automatic option for more precise landings. When taking off, the drone takes an image of the ground to find that exact spot later. Placing a landing pad of a protrusive color below it can significantly improve its accuracy. In that case, a charging hub is handy. Plug all your batteries in it, at it will charge them one by one. It starts with the battery that’s closest to full so that you can use it as soon as possible. You can recharge four batteries at once, and it takes about six hours to finish all of them. That means you can plug them in for the night and have two hours of total flight time next day. This hub comes with the Mavic 2 Zoom and DJI Mavic Pro Fly More Combos. If you’re building a DIY drone kit, you can buy it separately. This accessory attaches to the remote control phone holder and extends an arm above that. So, you can put much larger screens in there, allowing for the use of iPads and other tablets. It protects against shocks, water, and extreme temperatures. You can also lock it on two sides for even more safety. We find this case extremely helpful when carrying our Mavic. Check out or tips on running a drone photography business, or shooting drone wedding or real estate photos next!
