I’m a FAA Part 107 certified drone pilot with over two years of experience flying both the DJI Mavic Air and the DJI Mavic 2 Pro. Having a drone while living full time in an RV allows me to fly both recreationally and professionally. I use the drone to capture scenic views for personal use, as well as to provide drone pilot services for DroneBase.
Scenic vistas and unique, beautiful locations are one of the big draws of living in an RV. Every location you visit gives you the opportunity to capture new, interesting environments from the air. I’ve found taking photos and video from the air enhances my experience living full time in an RV.
A drone makes it easy to get oriented to my surroundings when I first arrive at a new location. An aerial survey can help me find spots I may want to explore on foot or in my RV.
On the road, flying a drone is a fun and convenient hobby. Assuming you’re allowed to fly where you’re located, you can pull out your drone and be flying in minutes. If you have an FAA Part 107 certification, you can supplement your income by flying drone jobs. In my case, I’m able to fly DroneBase missions almost anywhere in the US. The drone job market is quickly expanding and there will be an increasing demand for certified drone pilots in the coming years.
The best drones for people living in an RV or Van full time are made by DJI. They include the Mavic 3, the Air 2S and the Mini 2. I have always been a fan of DJI and only recommend their drones. Yes, there may be cheaper options to choose from, but the DJI design and quality of manufacturing is well worth the extra money. I am not sponsored by DJI in any way.
In this article, I’ll discuss the best DJI drones for people living full time on the road in an RV or Van. The initial investment into drone flying may be intimidating, but it’s 100% worth your time, money, and effort. Whether you intend to fly recreationally or commercially to support your lifestyle, these are the drones I recommend.
Common Features of the DJI Drones
The Mavic 3, the Air 2S and the Mini 2 all provide the following:
- Portability – compact, foldable and easy to store
- Durability – able to withstand bumps, mishaps and minor crashes
- Reliability – designed and built with quality workmanship and materials, important when traveling far away from repair centers
- Light weight – able to carry in a backpack when hiking
- High battery capacity and fast charging speed – impressive flying time on a battery and the ability to recharge the battery quickly
- Ease of flying – intuitive controls and software
- Safety – on-drone sensors and audible warnings make it easy to avoid collisions
- Popularity – DJI is the most common manufacturer of drones, making it easy to find accessories (blades, batteries, lenses, cases) at local stores such as Best Buy
- Versatility – high end hardware makes it possible to capture professional quality photos and videos for both personal and business uses
Differences Between the DJI Drones
Each drone has unique specs that set it apart from the others:
- Newest of the lineup
- Largest and heaviest
- Better able to withstand higher winds
- Built in variable aperture – very handy to change photo/video aperture in real time
- Most number of safety sensors
- Longest range
- Best camera in the group… able to take 5.4K videos
- Best value buy with professional features
- Smallest and lightest
- More portable and easier to store
- Can fly indoors
More Detailed Specifications
Recommendation
| DJI Mavic 3 | DJI Air 2S | DJI Mini 2 | |
 |  |  | |
| Still image size | 20 MP: 5280×3956 (Hasselblad) | 20 MP: 5472×3648 | 12 MP |
| Video resolution max | 5.1K: 5120×2700 @ 24/25/30/48/50 fps (H.264/H.265) | 5.4K: 5472×3078 @ 24/25/30 fps | 4K: 3840×2160 @ 24/25/30fps |
| Variable aperture | Yes | No | No |
| Takeoff weight | 895 g | 595 g | 249 g |
| Max speed | 42.5 mph | 42.5 mph | 35.8 mph |
| Max flight time | 46 min | 31 min | 31 min |
| Max range | 18.64 miles | 7.45 miles | 6.2 miles |
| Direction of safety sensors | All directions (forward, backward, upward, downward, sides) | Forward, backward, upward, downward | Downward |
| Release date | November 2021 | April 2021 | November 2020 |
Of these three, I recommend the Mavic Mini 2 for recreational drone flying while RVing. Since the Mini 2 is the lightest and smallest of the three drones, it is easy to store, more quiet, easy to fly, and can take off and land in small spaces. The drone can easily be taken on a day hike in a small pack with all accessories, including extra batteries. Although the drone is small, it is still able to take professional quality photos and video.
Start With a Beginner/Training Drone
Don’t want to spend money on a more expensive drone off the bat? Get a cheaper drone to learn how to fly and figure out if flying a drone is for you. No need to spend a lot of money on a hobby you’ll never do. If the drone crashes, it hurts the wallet much less. A beginner drone is also great for kids to learn how to fly a drone. The Holy Stone GPS Drone is a perfect starter drone for kids and adults alike.
Follow the Drone Laws
All drone pilots, including recreational flyers, must take drone laws seriously. Make sure to familiarize yourself with federal, state, country, city and park regulations for drones. Many businesses also have policies about drone flying.
Before flying in a specific location, use Google to research any laws that might be in place for that area. If such information is not available on-line, it is helpful to ask someone in charge who is on site. Don’t assume that you can fly your drone if signs about drones are not posted.
Use the Aloft app (formally Kittyhawk) to look up information about whether you are not permitted to fly due to being too close to an airport.
Conclusion
For recreational flying as an RVer, I would choose the DJI Mini 2. It is quiet, easy to fly, and can be stored in small spaces. You can take off and land it in small areas so a day hike is not out of the question; just load it up in a small pack with a couple of spare batteries. Despite its small size, the Mini 2 is still able to take professional quality photos and video.
If you plan to transition to flying commercially at some point in the near future, I recommend you purchase the Mavic 3 or the Mavic Air 2S. These two models have many of the same features and benefits of the Mini 2, but are better equipped to capture higher quality professional photos and videos. The Mavic 3 is newer than the Air 2S but is considerably more expensive. The Air 2S is what I would consider a strong value buy.
Related Questions
What’s Required by the FAA for Recreational Flying?
If you intend to fly your drone as a hobby and will not use it commercially in any way, the only FAA requirement is to register your drone at the FAA website. This is a very simple process that will take less than 10 minutes. When you register your drone, you will receive a registration certificate and a registration number.
The registration number must be affixed to your drone in a visible location. You must have the certificate with you whenever flying your drone. Drones that weigh .55 pounds or less (less than 250 grams) are not required to be registered.
What’s Required by the FAA for Professional Flying?
If you intend to fly your drone commercially (you will use the photos/videos to make money), you must register your drone at the FAA website and also obtain a Part 107 certification.
Should I Transition From Recreational to Professional Flying?
If you’ve already been flying a drone recreationally, you may want to consider transitioning to flying professionally (commercially), especially if you have a skill in capturing quality photos and videos. There is money in great photos and video of beautiful places.
Contract work is available all over the United States for licensed pilots with specific drones and equipment. You can supplement your income working as an independent contractor for companies like DroneBase. They recruit you for jobs in your local area that require drones, such as roof inspections for insurance companies, stockyard inventory, construction zone mapping, marketing photos and videos for commercial real estate, etc.