last updated 11 May 2019

Under construction

See also Drones in Recreation

Some consumer drones:
Photo Drones [ Rating x.x - score out of 5, (number of reviews)]
Model video battery
life
(min)
cost Rating Comment
Amazon Best Buy
DJI Mavic Air (new) 4K 15-21 $715 4.4 (212) 4.8 (600) 8.8 cnet
DJI Spark 1080p 16 $318 4.2 (119) 4.7 (790) 8.2 cnet
DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter 4K 28 $1,399 3.7 (37) 4.1 (16) 8.6 cnet
DJI - Phantom 3 Advanced Quadcopter 2.7K HD 20 $699 4.8 (37) 8.2 cnet
DJI - Phantom 3 Standard Quadcopter 2.7K HD 25 $500 4.3 (414) 4.6 (251) 8.0 cnet
Parrot BeBop Drone 2 with Skycontroller 1080P 25 $400 3.6 (41) 3.6 (5) 7.5 cnet
UDI U818A 2.4GHz 4 CH 6 Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter 640x480 7-9 $43 3.8 (3,596)
Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Elite Edition Quadcopter 720P ?? $200 3.4 (202) 4.1 (149)
Protocol - Dronium One RC Drone HD 7 $90 3.1 (8) 3.6 (110)
HUBSAN X4 H107C Quadcopter 720 7 $35 4.3 (74)
Propel Black 2.0 720P ?? $80 2.5 (20)
Blade Nano QX RTF no 8 $82
Hubsan H107D X4 640x480 8 $150
SYMA X5C Explorers HD 7 $41
A href='https://www.cnet.com/news/dji-spark-vs-mavic-air-vs-mavic-pro-which-drone-is-right-for-you/' TARGET="_blank">DJI Mavic Air vs. Mavic Pro vs. Spark: Which is right for you? - CNET
Propel Black 2.0 HD Sonic Drone with Camera | Costco $80

Reviews
Best drones of 2016 - CNET
Best Drones 2016 - Top Rated Quadcopters on the Market | Toms Guide
Top Drones Reviews - We Rate The BEST Quadcopters


Radios:
900 MHz (require a separate transmitter/receiver) Wi-Fi With a range up to 600 m (1,968 ft, 1/3 mi.) (Work with app on smart phone or tablet)

Sample Configurations:
RC Telemetry Video
Configuration 1 (US) 2.4 GHz 915 MHz 5.8 GHz
Configuration 2 (Europe) 2.4 GHz 433 MHz 5.8 GHz

Configuration 3 (US)

Configuration 4 (Europe)

2.4 GHz

2.4 GHz

915 MHz

433 MHz

1.3 GHz

1.3 GHz

Basics of Radio Frequencies for FPV Quadcopter Drones - Drone Flyers
WiFi and 2.4 ghz debate (posts moved from another thread) | 3D Robotics Drone Forum

Features:

See Drones: Aerial Drone Photography - B&H Photo
video - Still camera
Follow me mode - Video you while biking, skating, jogging and doing other activities.
Return Home - GPS in drone
Expert and Normal flight modes
First Person View (FPV)
  Video goggles that beam the drone's eye-view right into your peepers.
Intelligent Orientation Control (IOC) - Has to do with forward direction relative to home.
Altitude Mode
Headless Orientation Control Mode
GPS-Based Navigation System
3-Axis Electronic Image Stabilization  
GPS-Enabled Autopilot Functions
Brushless Motors
Prop guards
7-Sensor Flight Stabilization System
Perform Flips, Rolls with 1 button

Understanding How Your Drone Is Controlled - For Dummies

Guides - Ratings - where to buy
Drones for Sale: Best Camera Drones - B&H Photo
Drone Buying Guide | B&H Photo
Drones and Drone Accessories - Best Buy
Aerial Drones with Cameras: Toys, Games & Hobbies - Best Buy
Protocol Dronium One RC Drone Orange 6182-7BA - Best Buy
May 2016 Best Drones For Sale List | MyFirstDrone
May 2016
Aerial Drones with Cameras: Toys, Games & Hobbies - Best Buy

The basic rules are:
  • Fly below 400 feet and remain clear of surrounding obstacles
  • Keep the aircraft within visual line of sight at all times
  • Remain well clear of and do not interfere with manned aircraft operations
  • Don't fly within 5 miles of an airport unless you contact the airport and control tower before flying
  • Don't fly near people or stadiums
  • Don't fly an aircraft that weighs more than 55 pounds
  • Don't be careless or reckless with your unmanned aircraft; you could be fined for endangering people or other aircraft

What's the best color to see a drone:
Some drones like the DJI Spark and Mavic come in interchangeable multi color tops. reddit.com | what_are_the_best_colors_for_insky_visibility_up/
Florescent reds or oranges are the most contrasting colors. In fact there have been studies done on color science that shows the most contrasting is yellowish orange, basically a school bus color, which is apparently why they are painted that way.

sparkpilots.com/threads/best-color
The Spark is a tiny drone. I think it's going to be tough to see from a distance in any color. If you want to make it more visible, look into attaching Flytron STROBON strobe lights to the front and back.

Top shell is easily removable with just 6 screws. You can change it to any color you want for $10

Mine was meadow green, when I was looking for it in woods and yards after it flew away, keeping my eyes peeled for something bright green, I kept thinking white would standout more. I don’t know if that’s the case, but that’s what it seemed as I looked.
A lot of white sparks listed new on eBay are relatively cheap, the cheapest almost 40$s less than most colored ones, so if I get another Spark I’d probably get a white one and if I want color get a decal for the top.

I am going to apply reflective vinyl on mine on the top and bottom. If it ever gets lost and I have an idea where it landed, I can search for it at night with a good bright flashlight.

I used a paper hole punch and made dots from highly reflective D.O.T. tape used for marking trails. It really pops when the light hits it.

I chose red with the idea that it is a color not often found in nature compared to other choices. Except with fall foliage in New England.

I have the same problem as you mate. I painted my 2 forward prop guards dayglo orange and my 2 forward landing legs either side of the camera the same colour. It helps a bit.


Terms:
See Terms in Recreation

Links:
Drone Reviews - CNET
Drones in Recreation