Top 10 Drones with the Longest Flight Time [All over 30mins] (2024)

Whether flying drones as an enthusiast or for work, limited flight time is one of the biggest annoyances that all drone pilots have in common. In this article I break down the best performing commercial, professional and budget drones with the longest flight time.

The Zephyr S HAPS hold the Guinness World Record for the longest UAV flight in the world. Zephyr flew for 25 days, 23 hours and 57 minutes in 2018.

HAPS stands for high altitude platform station. This drone is made of carbon fibre with two electric motors that are fed by solar. The UAV weighs in at 75kg.

Zephyr is capable of carrying surveylance equipment or mapping systems with a payload of up to 24kg.

Above: Zephyr by Airbus, the world’s longest UAV flight

Drone developers are striving to find new ways for more compact and efficient batteries and lighter, stronger materials that balance robustness with energy use demands.

In this article we take a look at the best drone with the longest flight time; the Autel Robotics EVO 2. This drone balances long flight time with the ability to carry out tasks producing very high quality imaging. For cheaper versions take a look at the Longest Flight Time Drones under $200.

For drones with a good transmission range also check out this article on the best long range drones.

The overall best drone with the longest flight time is the Autel Robotics EVO 2. This drone balances a long flight time with the ability to carry out tasks producing very high quality imaging. For cheaper reccommendations take a look at the Longest Flight Time Drones under $200.

For drones with a good transmission range, this article on the best long range drones might also be useful.

Autel Evo 2 Specs:

• Max flight time: 40 minutes
• Max speed : 45mph
• Camera resolution: 8k
• Thermal camera
• Zoom: 16x digital , 3x manual zoom
• Smart flight features : Obstacle avoidance, tracking mode, orbit mode, tripod tracking mode

The Autel Robotics EVO Drone can fly for up to 40 minutes. Its 8 levels of wind and breeze resistance even extend the life of its 7100 mAh batteries. The battery makes up a quarter of the weight of this model coming in at 4.4 pounds total (2kg).

Autel Robotics has included Ludacrous mode for increased speed which has a maximum of 45 mph (72.4km/h). That name might sound familiar, it’s more commonly known from Tesla as the power boost to rapidly accelerate their electric cars.

The lenses included with the Autel Evo 2 produce clear, crisp, and sharp photos and videos. Professionals love its 1” CMOS sensor, f2.8 to f11 range, up to 16x digital zoom and 3x manual zoom capabilities, 12,800 ISO. Its precision in capturing images of fast-moving subjects is also unparalleled.

Vibrant colors : You can be confident about the accuracy and quality of the photos and videos captured by this drone as it can record up to one billion different colors. This also increases the flexibility of the images and videos in the post-production phase. This ensures you get brilliant highlights for great-looking photos and deeper shadows.

Hyperlapse : That is a unique feature of Autel Robotics EVO Drone. Hyperlapse saves time and energy by eliminating the need for post-production processing. Because of this feature, you get the best images with just one click.

Obstacle Avoidance : This feature ensures smooth, safe operation. The 12 visual sensors keep the done protected from all sides and angles. The EVO 2 features technology that allows it to manage its path in various terrains, even complex ones.

Tracking Mode : Tracking mode assists in shooting a moving object like an animal, person or vehicle by focusing on the object and following at a set distance.

Orbit Mode : Fixes focus on an object and circles at the distance you choose.

Tripod Tracking Mode : Tripod mode sets the drone at specific height and location but the drone and camera rotates to stay focused on an object. This gives the effect that an object is being recorded from a set position.

Best drone with the longest flight time : Evo II Pro. Check availability & current best price.

The average flight time of most quality drones is only around 30-35 minutes. This is a pain if you’re spending an hour in the car to get to that awesome location or you want to survey a certain area all in one go.

Drones have a short flight time because of the following:

• Battery capacity : Battery design is one of the key factors in designing drones that are capable of flying for longer flight times. The bigger the battery the more energy the drone has to use but bigger batteries are also heavier which uses up stored energy faster.
• Flying resistance : Weather heavily impacts the flight duration. Most drone enthusiasts know that flying against the wind uses up the battery energy quicker but did you know high temperatures also depletes the battery faster?

• Weight : The heavier the weight of the drone the faster the battery will be depleted. The combined weight can be reduced by using light weight materials for the frame, the battery type (Li-Po v Li-Ion ) and attachments such as the camera type.

• Other factors : Certain functions shorten the drones’ flight time even more. Some of these factors are using GPS, the drone’s obstacle avoidance feature and worn parts that make the drone work harder such as damaged propellers.

Having a drone that can stay in the air for the longest period of time is useless without the tech required to carry out the job needed.

For most drone enthusiasts being in the air long enough to capture high quality video and stills is key but in industry, flexibility is paramount. The ability to change out the camera and fit one that meets your exact requirements like thermal imaging is one of the reasons the EVO 2 tops our list.

• Compact Cameras : Choosing a compact drone is not just about convenience, a smaller more compact design can also mean a lighter overall weight which helps extend flight time.
• Mini Drones : We looked at a number of drones have that have mini versions however, mini drones sacrifice many of the conventional drones’ features.

• Design : Some drones are designed with a heavy focus on aesthetics, meaning they’re designed to be attractive and marketable.

  Why is the body design of a drone important ?

  • Drone design effects aerodynamics
  • Ability to handle strong wind
  • Stability and balance

  All of these factors effect the battery usage and can be optimised for a longer flight time.

• Cost : Decent drones usually cost between $300 to more than a thousand dollars. The aim is not to find the cheapest but the most cost-effective drone that can carry out quality imaging jobs with higher than average flight time.

• Range : The range from transmitter is important to consider as a key because this can have a significant impact on the coverage of the video and images capture

Finding a good drone is easy with all the intelligent flight features, range of drone body designs, sizes, and other specifications available today. However, finding the perfect drone that also has a long flight time can be challenging.

With drone manufacturers continuous search for the improvement and innovation of drones, there is no doubt that they will become more powerful and efficient with time.

The key to finding the perfect drone for you is to carefully consider the drone capabilities and assess if it meets your needs. Flight time is a decision-making point. Therefore, you need to consider battery life and key features that help extend the drone’s flying time. The Autel Robotics EVO Drone is a well-rounded, reasonably-priced drone.