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In 1909, a German apothecary named Julius Neubronner strapped cameras to pigeons that he was using to deliver prescriptions, out of curiosity about their flight routes and to track their whereabouts. Neubronner also used the pigeons to photograph an international exhibition in Dresden. The cameras on the pigeons produced stunning aerial photographs of the city.

Nowadays, no birds are necessary to take pictures from the sky. Aerial photography has evolved from pigeons with cameras to remote-controlled photography drones.

Drone photography has attracted increasing numbers of enthusiasts in recent years. Hobby photographers like drones because these give them the capability to take photos from striking vantage points. Professional photographers, meanwhile, value drones for giving them the opportunity to offer additional services to a wider clientele.

An emerging niche in this line is night photography, as night photography drones gain more applications – from safety and law enforcement to entertainment.

The best drones for night photography available for sourcing from manufacturers, particularly in China, have varying price points relative to their features and functions, designs, and materials.

There are night photography drone models for those who are just beginning a career in the field as well as for those who are more experienced and are upgrading their equipment.

Novice or veteran, among the key specifications that professional drone photographers look for in a drone that can be used for night photography is the quality of the camera and the resolution offered. A 4K camera, offering image resolution of 4096×2160 pixels (4K/UHD resolution) and that can shoot 4K videos, is considered the starting point, or one that practitioners in the field need to have at minimum.

In addition, for night photography, the camera lens should ideally be wide-angle, with a focal length range at least 16 to 24mm, while the lens aperture should be f/2.8 or greater.

Flight range and flying time are also important considerations for those who would like to take photographs or videos with a drone at night.

Flight range or remote-control distance is typically 100m, but more advanced models have a longer range, including up to 8km for the most advanced units. Camera drones are bound to fly only within limits set by a country’s aviation rules for unmanned aerial vehicles.

Flying time is another key specification that drone photographers look at. Drones can fly only for as long as their battery life lasts, and this is typically between 15 and 30 minutes for current models. An extra battery for longer photoshoots is in a typical equipment list for professional drone photographers.

A drone’s flying speed may be less important in a camera drone than a racing drone, but it is worthwhile to know that the top speed for consumer drones is between 63 and 96kph. Drone speeds are affected by their design and materials. By design, aerial drones are of two types, fixed-wing and rotary-wing. In general, fixed-wing models are faster than rotary-wing ones, among which are quadcopters.

Photographers who may be thinking of venturing into drone photography for business have to be aware of various cost considerations.

Besides the cost of the drone itself, entrepreneurs who want to go into drone photography must consider associated business costs like industry-standard editing software for photos and videos, and other support equipment like filters and other drone accessories. In addition, there will be costs related to registering the drone, getting a drone pilot’s license, as well as obtaining a license to use a drone for commercial photography.

There is also the matter of what professional fees to charge. How much to charge for drone photography depends on several things, including the length of the shoot, the required resolution of images and video, and related services provided (e.g., services will be different for weddings and real estate shoots). On average, however, for a shoot length of 90 minutes, the price range is $250 to $350. A longer photoshoot may add from $50 to $70 per additional hour.

Pricing options for specialized applications such as night drone photography in security, firefighting and search and rescue may be higher due to the risks involved.

The emergence of varied uses for drone photography is fueling the growth of camera drones.

Globally, the market for photography drones reached $5.03 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 32 percent to reach $25.39 billion in 2027, according to a report by Research and Markets.

Among the market’s primary growth drivers are the increasing application of drones in mapping services, growing defense budgets, the emergence of companies offering deliveries by drone, and the rise of drone professionals, including photographers, offering customized services for various consumer needs.

Based on a report by Statista, most of the world’s consumer drones are manufactured in China, with one company, DJI, having a market share of 76 percent.

The products in this gallery have been handpicked by our market analyst for representing current trends in camera drones.

Foldable, with fixed-altitude hovering feature

Company: Xiamen Yi Easy Buy Import and Export Trade Group Co.

Model E99 from Xiamen Yi Easy Buy is a foldable drone with a dual camera setup, 15-minute flight time, and a 100m remote control range. Functions include headless mode flight, fixed-altitude hovering, 360-degree roll and automatic recording of programmed gestures. The drone has LED lights and a Wi-Fi signal. The unit measures 30x25x15 cm and weighs 0.2kg. MOQ is 100 units and lead time is five to seven days.

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Quadcopter, 1080p resolution

Company: Shantou Skynor Technologies Co. Ltd

The TXD-9S from Shantou Skynor has a Wi-Fi-enabled wide-angle FPV camera with 1080p resolution and features 2.4GHz bidirectional radio control and an anti-shake gimbal. Flying time is 30min on a two-hour charge and remote-control range is 100m to 200m. App-controlled functions include headless mode, altitude hold, three-speed control, 360-degree flip, and multi-point flight planning. The unit measures 34x34x13cm. MOQ is 18 units and the lead time for mass production is three to 15 days.

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Brushless, GPS positioning

Company: IMG Electronics Co. Ltd

Model X46 from IMG is a brushless drone with GPS positioning, 1080p camera resolution, 25min flying time and remote-control range of 500m. App-controlled functions include 3D view, headless mode, and altitude hold. The unit is made of aluminum alloy and plastic and measures 17.4x8.4x7cm. It weighs 500g. The minimum order for this model is 100 units and the production lead time is 25 to 30 days.

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3-axis gimbal, UHD resolution

Company: Shenzhen Fusoon Technology Co. Ltd

The B16pro from Shenzhen Fusoon is a foldable drone with a three-axis gimbal and a camera whose lens has a 120-degree viewing angle. Picture resolution is 3840x2160 pixels while its video resolution is 3840x2160 pixels. Its maximum video transmission rate is 720p at 30 fps. The drone’s flying time is 28 minutes on a 5.5-hour charging time. It can be controlled remotely up to 600m. The product is made of plastic and measures 29.5x8x9cm when folded and 39.5x39.5x9cm when unfolded. The minimum order quantity is 10 units and the lead time is three to five days.

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Brushless, dual camera

Company: Hebei Leader Imports & Exports Co. Ltd

The LDG-S89 from Hebei Leader is a dual-camera foldable quadcopter with a brushless motor. Its flying time is 28 minutes on a two-hour charge and it can be controlled remotely via 5GHz up to 4,000m. Its front camera has a photo resolution of 4096x2160 pixels and video resolution of 2048x1080 pixels. Its bottom camera has a photo resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. App-controlled functions include 3D view, altitude hold and headless mode. The unit is made of ABS and measures 14.5x 8.5x5cm folded and 5x5cm unfolded. The MOQ is 90 units and mass production lead time is 15 to 20 days.

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Obstacle avoidance, UHD camera

Company: Shenzhen Baitong Technology Co. Ltd

The Kai One Max from Shenzhen Baitong has a dual camera and can be remotely controlled up to 1,200m via 5GHz. Its front camera offers a resolution of 7680×4320 pixels, while that of its bottom camera is 1080p. Functions include obstacle avoidance, three-axis mechanical stabilized pan-tilt, optical flow positioning, GPS positioning, and out-of-control return. The unit measures 30x30x8cm and weighs 0.5kg. The minimum order is 18 units and the production lead time is 15 to 25 days.