Parrot Anafi

Portable, lightweight design ; Solid camera with HDR ; 180-degree gimbal ; Lossless zoom

Mild control lag ; No obstacle avoidance

This is unquestionably the best drone that Parrot has ever made — but there are a few things holding it back. Most notably, the sluggish controls and lack of obstacle avoidance detract from the flying experience, and ultimately force you to fly more...

Very small. Charges via USB-C. 4K video with HDR. 3x digital zoom lens. Upward gimbal tilt. Big battery for 25-minute flights.

No obstacle detection. Digital zoom cuts into 4K quality. Requires smartphone. Construction feels a little flimsy.

Bottom Line: The Parrot Anafi puts all emphasis on size—the small, folding drone is ideal for travel, thanks to 4K video capture, a small airframe, and USB charging.

Excellent 4K/21-meg camera with zoom ; Light and portable ; Impressive flight time

No obstacle avoidance ; Awkward gimbal control ; Slow battery charging

4K UHD video at 30 fps ; 21MP HDR stills ; 180-degree vertical camera ; 23-minute battery life ; Slim, durable frame

Zero obstacle avoidance ; Many flight modes behind a paywall ; No backup battery ; Tendency to drift randomly

This thin, bug-like drone is an excellent choice for flight experts and filmmakers. Its incredible vertical range camera captures 4K UHD films and 21MP photos, plus sports 2.8x lossless zoom. Its lightweight, slim frame won’t take up much room in your...

Unique lens and camera features not found elsewhere ; Adequate battery life ; Solid connectivity

Poor design ; Difficult to fly ; Autonomous features require extra purchase, don’t work well

Correction, 1:00PM, July 2nd, 2018: An earlier version of this review said that 3D Robotics no longer existed. The company still exists, but it no longer makes consumer drones. We’ve updated the article and regret the error.

Compact, lightweight build ; Excellent image quality ; Solid battery life ; Easy to fly

Still no collision detection ; Shorter range than DJI’s Mavic Air

DJI’s flyers still lead the way, but if you’re looking for a compact, (relatively) affordable drone that produces great 4K video, the Anafi makes a convincing case.

Compact, portable package ; Easy to unpack and fly ; Excellent video ; Quiet

No collision detection ; More vulnerable to wind and buffeting than larger drones

Hikers, bikers and outdoor lovers will like the portability and image quality of the Parrot Anafi drone.

Though this is the first compelling, non-DJI offering to pop up in the drone market in quite some time, we don't think the offers good enough performance or value to make it a top recommendation for any use.