The holidays are coming, and if you're looking for a drone on Black Friday the chances are you're looking for a good gift. If you're looking for a genuinely good drone, with a capable camera, the drone I would usually point to would be the DJI Mini 2 SE, which produces some of the best video possible from a drone in the price bracket thanks to the stabilized camera. It uses a 3-axis gimbal which is smart enough to keep the camera steady as the drone wobbles, unlike most of the cheaper competition. It also comes from the reliable market leader. No competition, right?
This year, there are two alternative choices from a company which used to concentrate slightly more on toy drones: Potensic. They have produced a folding drone called the Potensic Atom – which also boasts a 3-axis gimbal and a 4K camera – and a cheaper Atom SE, which relies on electronics to stabilize the image. The later compromises image stability, but also offers a lower price of entry, something DJI doesn't do. Given that – with Black Friday discounts – we're looking at a the Atom SE starting at under $200 it feels like plenty would benefit if DJI would be a little more competitive, especially as – when I tested in, admittedly, low wind, the video wasn't too bad.
