The top three drones this year are DJI's Mavic Pro, the Phantom 4, and DJI Phantom 3 Professional. These three are compact and offer excellent performance.

DJI Mavic Pro

The Mavic Pro is about a third of the size of a piece of paper (7.8 x 3.4 x 3.4 inches folded) and weighs 1.6 pounds. Its four rotor arms retract for transportation, as do its four landing legs. Its camera, mounted on a 3-axis stabilizer, has a 12-MP sensor (1/2-3 CMOS, f/2.2). It can shoot 4K video at up to 30 fps as well as Adobe DNG RAW still images.For $749, you get the drone. When sold with the remote, it will cost $999.

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DJI Phantom 4

The DJI Phantom 4 is perhaps the most popular drone today.The camera on the Phantom 4 is highly rated and can capture videos in 4K at 30 fps. The camera also supports a resolution of 12 megapixels. The latest version of DJI's high-end consumer drone, the Phantom 4, is an improvement on its predecessor in so many ways. It's one of best consumer drone on the market and is priced at $1399.

DJI Phantom 3 Professional

The Phantom 3 may be a prev-generation model, but it is very stable in flight and produces stunning video footage. Its range goes beyond what most consumers will need, and the only extra requirement out of the box is a compatible iOS or Android device to use with the controller. Even starters will be able to fly it, and there are excellent safety features to prevent the Phantom flying away, as well as landing when the battery is low. It costs about $800.