Daniel How to Choose a Mountain Biking Drone?
You’ve got your mountain bike equipped specifically for your needs. You have your route planned. You have your action camera mounted on your bike or yourself. How do you take it to the next level?
One way is to capture some drone footage.
Drone footage can add an entirely different perspective to your footage and give you a film-grade footage of your ride if done right.
Don’t worry – we will help you with that!
Mavic 2 Pro
The Best Mountain Biking Drone
The best drone for nature that features a standard RGB visual light camera is the Mavic 2 Pro. This aircraft includes:
- A 20-megapixel sensor that creates a still image size of 5472 x 3648. It can also shoot video in 4K, which makes it one of the best cameras on the drone market.
- Temperature operation is between 14deg F to 104deg F.
But what makes this an ideal mountain biking drone?
It has an Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing system, which allows it to swiftly avoid the many obstacles along the trail. Whether it is forward, backward, up, down, left or right, this system makes the Mavic 2 Pro perfect for forests.
Currently, no other drone on the market avoids obstacles in every direction while taking stills with a 20-megapixel sensor.
It is lightweight, just under 2lbs, and foldable so that it can fit in your cargo pocket or a small hard case.
- TIP: Add the DJI Goggles to get a first person view of what your drone sees, and you will have a solid system for filming nature. What ties it all together is that having these features don’t bump up the price considerably.
Contributor: Army Lt. Col. Jeremy Latchaw from Macatawa Unmanned Systems
DJI Mavic Air
The Best Cheap Mountain Biking Drone
The DJI Mavic Air aims to give you a similar, high quality experience found on the Mavic Pro 2, with a more affordable pricetag.
So what can it offer in terms of video?
Like the Pro 2, the drone:
- Shoots in 4K, capturing detailed, smooth video thanks to its 3-Axis Gimbal Stabilization.
- Has additional features like slow motion at 120 fps 1080p, to give a dramatic effect that will remind your audience of an intense, high-speed chase film.
Very important for mountain biking is that this drone retains the tracking feature and the Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing system, which allows you to ride and film at the same time, allowing you to ditch your camera-man.
The sacrifices you make for choosing this lower price option are few such as the slower flying speeds;
- 18 mph in auto mode
- 42 mph in sport mode,
- Lower transmission range
- Less sturdy but lighter frame.
- It is also controlled with a smartphone, through an app, instead of a dedicated controller. But you might prefer that.
Other benefits over the Mavic Pro 2 are that it is smaller and lighter, allowing it to be transported easily in a case, which is a must when you don’t have extra space to spare on your bike or in your pack.
I have used this compact drone for many videos of walks and rides. All in all, the imagery is stunning, the operation is simple, and the drone and remote control can fit into a large pocket.
For those who understand you don’t necessarily need a flagship product, and Mavic Air is a perfect example of a drone that hits the sweet-spot between value and quality.
Contributor: Ron Humes from Post Modern Marketing
The Best Mountain Biking Cameras
If you’re after a high-quality first person video capturing your trail, look no further.
GoPro Hero7 Black
The Best Mountain Biking Action Camera
GoPro’s latest camera takes hyperstabilization to the next level. When you’re riding rough tough trails, getting airbourne or this feature will smooth out the shot without the hassle of using gimbal.
This action camera offers:
- 4K/60. Previous cameras only had 4K/30 which is fine for the average GoPro user but if you’re into action sports, you’re going to appreciate this new feature.
- Includes TimeWarp, also known as Hyperlapse, but this camera takes time-lapse video instead of photographs, ultimately creating smoother footage.
The pain point of all previous GoPro cameras has been the user experience and GoPro has finally taken care of that with their new screen design. They have simplified the options, menus, and modes which now display clearly, letting you know exactly what setting you’re on.
Best Action Cameras for Moutain Biking – GoPro Fusion
The Best Value GoPro for Mountain Biking
When the GoPro Fusion was released the initial reviews were less than stellar and users felt that its release was premature because the software had some catching up to do. But after a few updates and tweaks, we feel that it’s fair to give this 360-degree action camera a review.
One of our favorite features of this palm-sized camera is the rubbery finish to the exterior. This finish is very durable and it will survive even the bumpiest bike rides.
Other interesting features include:
- You can also change the mode settings manually and the camera face will let you know exactly what mode you’re shooting in.
- This camera does include time-lapse features like the Hero7 but they are not as advanced and refined.
- This camera is also compatible with GoPro’s accessories and you can mount it on everything from a bike to a surfboard.
The best accessory to use with this camera is the mono/tri-pod/selfie-stick and it comes with the Fusion for FREE! Lucky you!
Contributor: Ryan Tolbert from Boutique Film Lab
The Best Budget Action Cameras for Mountain Biking
Akaso Action Sports Camera
When it comes to action cameras, most like to stick with big names like GoPro. But you should know there are plenty of other more affordable options which easily give GoPro a run for their money.
The Akaso Action Sports Camera is one such example that offers the following:
- Remote control operation
- Built-in WIFI and HDMI
- 170-degree wide angle shots.
- It records 30 frames per second and takes 12MP photos to give you professional quality footage every time.
Finally the 90-minute battery life and solid waterproof durable construction ensure that it can handle even your most extreme adventures.
Contributor: Sam Maizlech from Glacier Wellness
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links from which Radnut may collect a share of sales revenue.
