Quiet Tech

The Quietest Quadcopters On The Market 2024

Quiet that Quadcopter!

Unless you’ve spent the last several years living under a large soundproof rock, you’ve probably seen (and heard), the remote controlled airborne drones known as quadcopters. These devices come in all shapes and sizes and they range in price, sophistication and carrying capacity. The smallest are no more than inexpensive toys while professional versions can sport powerful high definition cameras, precision guidance and flight controls. Before we get to the quietest quadcopters, let’s explain through the market a little bit.

 

The Quietest Quadcopters – Comparison Table

Product ImageProduct nameFeaturesStar Rating
1. DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.01. DJI Phantom 4Gimbal-Stabilized 4K / 12MP Camera

Visual Sensor for Obstacle Avoidance

Streamlined Shell / Magnesium Unibody
4.4 out of 5
2. DJI Phantom 3 Pro
2. DJI Phantom 3 ProCamera offers 4k UHD video recording

Fully stabilized 3-axis gimbal

Features 720p HD app-based monitoring
4.2 out of 5
3. Holy Stone Foldable GPS Drone
3. Holy Stone Foldable GPS Drone4K UHD Camera with Image Stabilization

GPS Assisted Intelligent Flight

Configuration Upgrade
4.4 out of 5
4. DJI Mavic Pro 4K Quadcopter
4. DJI Phantom 2GPS assisted flight features

Fly up to 25 minutes with the included intelligent battery

Live video feed gives you a 720p HD real-time view
4.3 out of 5
5. DJI Phantom 3 Advanced Quadcopter 2.7K HD
Holy Stone HS110D FPV RC DroneRecords up to 1080p resolution video

120-degree wide-angle lens

App-controlled
4.3 out of 5
6. Yuneec Q500 4K Typhoon Quadcopter Drone RTF with CGO3 Camera, ST10+ & Steady Grip
6. Yuneec Q500 4KPersonal Ground Station with built-in touchscreen, Integrated 3-axis precision gimbal camera

4K/30fps ultra high definition video, 1080p/120fps slow motion video

User controlled video resolution, white balance and light exposure
3.9 out of 5
7. BLADE 350 QX3 Quadcopter
7. BLADE 350 QX3 QuadcopterAdd style to your Blade 350 QX3

Quick and easy to apply

Protect your Blade 350 QX3 from dings and scratches
4 out of 5

 

Entry Level Quadcopters

Entry level quadcopters are fairly easy to learn to fly. With a few hours of practice even a novice can become proficient. The more sophisticated ones come with tons of features, for example the Return to Base mode causes the unit return to a specific location whenever it loses contact with its controller or is low on battery power. Professional models are also equipped with highly accurate sensors and GPS. Many can be controlled from your smart phone as well as stream live video directly to the screen.

 

Modern Quadcopters

Modern quadcopters can lift fairly heavy loads, and as anyone with half an eye on the news can attest, they are being employed by many businesses to deliver packages, drinks, medical supplies and even pizza on a daily basis. Pro models been used to shoot amazing panorama and action scenes in many of your favorite movies and online videos.

An emerging trend in this hobby-sport is use of quadcopters for nature observations. Drones would seem to be ideal devices to spot birds in flight or during migration, not to mention animals that dwell in the forest canopy or really any type of remote nature photography. The challenge that quadcopters face in these environments is noise.

Quadcopter videos that can be found online are almost always silent or have an appropriate music bed. The resulting videos are often breathtakingly beautiful. But if you were actually present when these videos were being shot you would likely have wanted to shoot the producers instead. The reason is that the copters themselves create noise, and it can be incredibly loud and annoying in some cases.

 

Large Camera Copters

Large multi-rotor camera copters (some having as many as eight individual rotors) sound like the angriest swarm of giant robot killer bees that you’ve ever heard. Most folks instinctively shy away from anything that sounds like a giant swarm of angry insects. Animals and birds are just as reactive to bee swarms as we are. Noisy quadcopters cause the animals that are being observed to act in unnatural ways.

Part of this is of course just due to the physics of flight. You have a rapidly spinning propeller that is producing highly turbulent and in some cases actual cavitation. This turbulence and cavitation cause chaotic disruption of the air nearest to the prop and our ears detect these disruptions as high pitched buzzing.

In the case of a quad or multi-rotor air vehicle the problem gets worse. Not only does each of the props create additional noise but the combination of the sounds can actually add up. Multiple props cause both resonance and a set of harmonic frequencies that can be detected by our ears. This resonance and high pitched sound can be frightening to animals. Clearly you want the quietest model you can get, so here are the top seven picks gleaned from hobbyist and professional user’s experiences.

 

The Top 7 Quietest Quadcopters

The quadcopters listed below have been rated as being the quietest. Noise is subjective and they may or may not be appropriate for your specific application.

1. DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0

1. DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0

This top-of the line professional model quadcopter comes in several configurations. The Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 is a step up from the previous generation in a number of ways. One of these is in the level of noise. The manufacturer claim this model has a 60% reduction on noise level (around 4dB) to the previous model, on take off and landing. There is a popular starter kit which includes everything needed to setup a professional machine. This latest in the DJI line has Active Avoidance which allows the drone to automatically avoid obstacles when returning to its base location.

It has a great top speed of over 72 Kph (45 MPH) and provides around 30 minutes of flight time per battery charge. A full charge of the batter will take you around 58 minutes. The effective operating range is up to 8 kilometers, and the maximum flight distance is 17.7 kilometers (11 miles).  much greater than the previous model. Kits can be bought that contain additional batteries, quick chargers and a neat compact carrying case. Two sets of props are provided.

Key Features:

  • Gimbal-Stabilized 4K / 12MP Camera
  • Visual Sensor for Obstacle Avoidance
  • Streamlined Shell / Magnesium Unibody
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>

 

 

2. DJI Phantom 3 Pro

2. DJI Phantom 3 Pro

The Phantom 3 Pro is hands down the best all-around off-the-shelf quadcopter kit for the demanding professional. The unit features 4K Ultra High Definition video recording and stabilized 3 axis gimbal camera mounts and vibration damping for rock solid independently controlled videography and still shots. Both GPS and GLONASS satellite constellations are supported with precision timing and positioning for outdoor operations.

For indoor flights an ultrasonic sensor is employed to avoid walls and other obstacles. The unit provides live streaming 720p HD video with full 4K HD recorded to an onboard micro SD card. This unit has been rated quiet by several hobbyist websites.

Key Features:

  • Camera offers 4k UHD video recording
  • Fully stabilized 3-axis gimbal
  • Features 720p HD app-based monitoring
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>

 

 

3. Holy Stone Foldable GPS Drone

3. Holy Stone Foldable GPS Drone

Both kids and adults will like seeing the world through the lens of this drone. It has a 4K HD camera that captures images with one touch of a button and a holder that absorbs shocks to keep vibrations from affecting the camera. As it uses GPS, the drone remembers your location to ensure that you never lose it. Another button lets you tell the drone to return to your location. It comes with an intelligent battery that has a run time of 26 minutes and a charger to keep the battery fully charged between flights. This drone lets you use your phone as a controller and flies up to 300 feet away from your location.

Key Features:

  • 4K UHD Camera with Image Stabilization
  • GPS Assisted Intelligent Flight
  • Configuration Upgrade
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>

 

 

4. DJI Mavic Pro 4K Quadcopter

4. DJI Mavic Pro 4K Quadcopter

Built for the avid hobbyist who wants a high performance unit at an affordable price the DJI Mavic Pro is a quiet unit that comes with many of the features of its more expensive brethren. The makers proclaim this model to be 60% quieter than the others in their range, quieter even than the Mavic Pro 2. It offers a range of 4.3 miles, with speeds up to 40MPH. From a full charge you will get around 27 minutes, depending on conditions. The camera is a gimbal-stabilized 12MP camera that can film in 4K. This option comes with a ton of accessories, it’s a complete kit at a reasonable price for a professional quadcopter.

Key Features:

  • GPS assisted flight features
  • Fly up to 25 minutes with the included intelligent battery
  • Live video feed gives you a 720p HD real-time view
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>

 

 

5. DJI Phantom 3 Advanced Quadcopter 2.7K HD

5. DJI Phantom 3 Advanced Quadcopter 2.7K HD

The successor to the Phantom 2 model that made DJI a household name, the Phantom 3 Quadcopter is also no rookie on the scene, but is still a fantastic machine. Available from many sources including Amazon. Featuring agreat flight range of up to 5KM, and a flight time of around 23 minutes. There are offers available that also include an extra battery. The DJI Phantom 3 Advanced also features live first-person view streaming over WiFi and it is fully supported on both iOS and Android based devices.

This is a great quadcopter for noobs, with tons of safety features imbedded to allow you to find your feet and confidence, without the fear of catastrophe.

Key Features:

  • Super smooth video thanks to the 3-axis gimbal
  • Crystal clear stills and live streaming video
  • Extra-long flight times of up to 25 minutes from the intelligent 5,200-mAh battery
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>

 

 

6. Yuneec Q500 4K Typhoon Quadcopter Drone RTF with CGO3 Camera, ST10+ & Steady Grip

6. Yuneec Q500 4K Typhoon Quadcopter Drone RTF with CGO3 Camera, ST10+ & Steady Grip

Another all-in-one professional model, this quadcopter unit is comparable in price to the DJI 3 pro. The Yuneec Q500 has be expressly designed for both aerial videography and still shots – providing beautiful 4K / 1080p120 video resolution captured to its on-board SD storage card. The unit also streams video to its touchscreen equipped base station and allows fingertip flight control.

The unit is factory assembled, and loaded with an updateable no-fly database for safe and hassle-free operation in crowded areas. Six 6 CW and CCW balanced propeller pairs are included for reliable and quiet flight. Flight time on a fully charged batter is approximately 25 minutes.

Key Features:

  • Personal Ground Station with built-in touchscreen, Integrated 3-axis precision gimbal camera
  • 4K/30fps ultra high definition video, 1080p/120fps slow motion video
  • User controlled video resolution, white balance and light exposure
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>

 

 

7. BLADE 350 QX3 Quadcopter

7. BLADE 350 QX3 Quadcopter

The QX3 from Blade is another great hobbyist grade quadcopter. This unit does not come with a built in camera but it is compatible with the most popular models of aftermarket cameras available today. The 350 QX3 is very easy to fly and is suitable for an intermediate or novice who wants to learn on a powerful and sophisticated machine. The unit has GPS for fine position sensing and great hovering ability.

Blade’s SAFE (Sensor Assisted Flight Envelope), feature allows a novice to be guided by the units built in software such that flights are both efficient and well setup for capturing great video images with only a few clicks. Maximum range is about 500 meters and the unit will fly for fifteen minutes on a full charge

Key Features:

  • Add style to your Blade 350 QX3
  • Quick and easy to apply
  • Protect your Blade 350 QX3 from dings and scratches
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>

 

 

Last word:

Almost all the hobby and professional sites recommend that drone users experiment with different types of aftermarket props to find the quietest combination that will still provide adequate performance and lift capability. Almost all of the noise created by any drone is due to prop balance, vibration and cavitation. Minimizing these sources of noise by properly balancing your props, ensuring the props are extremely smooth and clean and that they are made out of high-quality materials, (such as carbon fiber) will provide the best experience and lowest noise profile. Happy flying!

2 Comments

  1. Tom Legrady November 21, 2016
  2. Bo Randers May 7, 2017

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