8 Best Drones With ‘Follow Me’ Mode in 2024

This guide will walk you through the best drones with Follow Me mode on the market today.

Follow Me is an excellent feature to have, as it opens up a whole range of creative possibilities for everyone from high-end filmmakers to content creators.

However, since this mode allows a drone to fly autonomously, it’s crucial that it functions flawlessly.

So, which of the drones out there will give you that peace of mind?

We’ll look at some of the best drones, let you know how Follow Me mode works, and also give you some pointers on how best to use it.

What Are the Best Drones With “Follow Me” Mode in 2024?

Skydio 2+ (Best Overall)

This is an excellent Follow Me drone, but it can be pretty difficult to get hold of. But, you can pick them up brand new (sometimes) on eBay for US$1,000-$2,000.

It shoots 4K video at up to 60 fps and 12-megapixel RAW stills.

Its range is 6.5 kilometres, and the battery life will last for 27 minutes.

It’s designed well, has a magnetic battery clip, and also boasts 360-degree obstacle avoidance.

There are three options for controlling it: from the controller, from your phone, or by using the GPS Beacon.

It’s also very easy to land, even for beginners. The drone uses the logo on its hard-shell carrying case as a homing device, which gives it astounding accuracy.

And, because you’re landing it on the case you have a guaranteed safe, flat surface to land it on.

As for its Follow Me mode, it works well. Once you’ve selected the subject on the screen, it will track it with ease.

It can also follow multiple subjects simultaneously, as long as they’re not too distant from each other.

DJI Mavic 3 Pro (Top Pick)

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is an excellent Follow Me drone with pro-level features.

Its stand-out feature is its arsenal of cameras, and the Mavic 3 Pro has three lenses, each of different focal lengths.

Its main 24mm lens has a Hasselblad sensor and a variable aperture of f/2.8 to f/11.

It shoots a maximum of 5K resolution footage at 50fps in 10-bit colour, and also 4K slow motion at 120 fps, plus 20-megapixel RAW stills.

The other lenses are a 70mm medium telephoto and a 166mm telephoto, and both can shoot RAW files and 4K video at up to 60 fps, although neither offers the 5K resolution of the main lens.

Its tracking modes work very well, plus it has a more advanced version of Follow Me, which DJI calls Active Track.

This mode uses a combination of GPS, state-of-the-art object detection, and visual sensors to accurately track anything you select on the controller.

And whatever you want to be followed, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro can do it for a long time, as it can stay in the air for up to 43 minutes.

It’s also, it has to be said, a lot easier to find than our best overall pick, the Skydio 2+.

Bwine F7MINI (Best Budget Choice)

Image source: Propelrc.com

At under US$350, this Follow Me drone is great for those on a tight budget.

It’s extremely easy to use, with limited functions, which are, however, just enough to get the most out of your drone flying experience.

There are three intelligent flight modes, one of which is Follow Me, which works very well.

The Bwine F7MINNI is compact (it fits in your palm), light (only 250g), and durable.

It has a 4K camera, can stay up to 30 minutes in the air, and can fly up to half a kilometre away.

DJI Mini 4 Pro (Best for Beginners)

Credit: Tommy Williams

The DJI Mini 4 Pro is a significant upgrade from its predecessor.

It now has omnidirectional obstacle avoidance (whereas before it was tri-directional), and its flight range has been improved from 7.5 miles (12km) to 12.4 miles (20km).

There’s also the possibility of slower motion footage in 4K – that’s now up to 100 fps – and the 48-megapixel sensor can also produce RAW stills.

Also, whereas previously only Follow Me was available, the more advanced version, Active Track, is on this drone.

Like the DJI Air 3, this drone can also shoot full-resolution vertical footage, with no cropping.

It’s ideal for beginners as it’s very to use, highly portable (at just under 250g – so you do not need special permission to fly it anywhere), and, as it has many of the features of the higher-end DJI drones, it’s an ideal model to learn on, before a potential future upgrade.

Autel Evo 2 Pro (Best for High-End Video)

At more than US$2,000, this is quite an expensive Follow Me drone, but it’s extremely high-quality.

It has a 20-megapixel sensor, smaller than many of its competitors, but still with plenty of power.

You have the capability of shooting 6K video at up to 30fps and 12-bit RAW stills.

Thanks to its maximum ISO of 44000, it has great low-light performance, plus its lens is f/2.8 at the widest end, which certainly helps.

At the longest end, the aperture is f/11.

You also get a range of shooting modes built-in, for example, Time-lapse, Burst, HDR, and the all-important Follow Me.

The Autel EVO II Pro can detect six types of subjects in real-time: pedestrians, cyclists, cars, trucks, boats, or animals. And, the function can track its subject from behind, from the side, or another fixed position that you select.

It has an excellent range (15 kilometres, or 9.3 miles) and flight time, up to 40 minutes possible on a single, full charge.

Hover Air X1 (Best for Indoor Use)

Credit: Stephan Jukic

The HOVERAir X1 is a foldable, pocket-sized drone that weighs only 125g.

It films 2.7K video at 30fps and 60fps, and the camera tilts for vertical, bird’s eye shots.

It’s also fully automated. There’s no controller; you just program the flight directly into the drone.

Take off and landing is done directly from your hand. It’s durable, and stable in the wind despite its diminutive size.

It doesn’t have obstacle avoidance, but its sensor makes it avoid large obstacles. And, as its propellers are contained inside a frame housing, if you crash it, it’ll be ok.

In that sense (and also because it’s so small), it’s great for indoor use, as there’s no shortage of obstacles around.

Its sensor, too, is what allows it to use a variety of tracking modes – Zoom Out, Orbit, and Follow – and these can be set to operate at different distances.

The tracking is simple to set up and use, and it works very well.

Unlike some of the other drones in this guide, this one only tracks people, which is one reason it’s probably the best drone here for selfies.

DJI Air 3 (Best for Everyday Use)

The DJI Air 3 is a versatile drone with two lenses, a 24mm f/1.7 and a 70mm f/2.8, paired with a 48-megapixel sensor.

You can shoot 10-bit 4K video and 48-megapixel RAW photos.

Plus, its cameras can tilt and shoot vertically at full resolution. This is not standard; most drones, to create vertical footage, crop their horizontal footage, giving you lower-resolution output.

The drone has several smart modes, like waypoints – for pre-programming each element of a flight – plus Follow Me and Active Track, the same as the Mavic 3 Pro.

So, state-of-the-art technology helps you track anything you draw a box around on the controller. And you can set, for example, the distance it tracks you from, whether that varies, the position, all that sort of thing.

It has a good flight range of 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) and can stay in the air for 46 minutes at a time.

Potensic Dreamer 4K Pro (Best for Casual Use)

This is a good, affordable drone that’s suitable for beginners and casual users.

It’s equipped with a high-quality 4K camera with a 1/3-inch CMOS sensor and a wide-angle lens.

The camera has an integrated 3-axis gimbal stabilization system, so your footage should be nice and smooth.

The drone has a decent flight time, too, of up to 31 minutes on a single battery charge, plus a range of 2 kilometres.

It has GPS and, therefore, some intelligent flight modes, including Waypoints, Orbit, and Follow Me.

These flight modes use GPS and visual recognition to create a reliable experience and are easy to set up and use.

How Does the Follow-Me Mode Work on a Drone?

It works by allowing a drone to autonomously track and follow a subject.

It’s generally activated through the drone’s controller, and once activated, the drone uses its onboard sensors, such as GPS, compass, or barometer, to locate and identify the subject.

You can often manually select the subject you want to follow, too.

The tracking itself works through a combination of visual tracking and GPS. A drone can use satellites to determine its position as well as the location of the subject being followed.

The drone can also autonomously calculate its flight path to maintain a consistent distance and angle relative to the subject.

It adjusts its altitude, speed, and orientation to follow the subject smoothly, keeping it in frame and centred in the camera’s field of view.

This is also something you can have more manual control over. You can set these distances and angles to be variable.

Some drones equipped with obstacle avoidance sensors can also detect and avoid obstacles in real-time while using tracking modes.

GPS positioning

Credit: Kal Visuals

GPS (Global Positioning System) is a satellite-based navigation system used by Follow Me drones to determine their precise location anywhere on Earth.

By receiving signals from multiple satellites, a drone’s GPS receiver calculates its latitude, longitude, and altitude through a process called trilateration.

Visual recognition

Visual recognition enables Follow Me drones to interpret visual data from their surroundings.

Drones capture images or video during flight, which are processed in real-time by onboard systems.

Advanced algorithms analyse the data to detect and classify objects, such as vehicles or people, based on their features.

What Is the Difference Between Drone Active Track and Follow Me?

They are both intelligent flight modes that allow drones to autonomously track and follow a subject, but Active Track is a more advanced mode than Follow Me.

Active Track uses a combination of advanced algorithms and sensors, including GPS, visual recognition, and obstacle avoidance, to track and follow a subject.

You can normally select the subject you want the drone to follow by drawing a bounding box around the subject on the controller’s screen or companion app.

Follow Me typically relies solely on GPS tracking to follow the pilot or another designated subject, using the GPS signal emitted by either the pilot’s smartphone or a dedicated tracker device.

What to Consider When Choosing a Drone with Follow-Me Mode

Figure out your budget and compare Follow Me drones within your price range that offer this mode.

Consider the features, performance, and overall value offered by each drone to ensure you get the best bang for your buck.

Look into the range and signal strength of the drone’s remote control and communication system.

A drone with a longer range and good transmission signal will allow you to use the Follow Me mode over greater distances.

Also, take into account the drone’s battery life and flight time.

The better these are, the longer you’ll be able to track for, and the less need you’ll have for spare batteries or recharging.

Check if the drone has obstacle avoidance. Some do, some don’t, but if your drone does, it’ll give you peace of mind, especially since, in Follow Me mode, you’ll be allowing it to fly autonomously.

Also, look into how easy to fly the drone is. An intuitive interface makes it easier to activate Follow-Me mode at the outset, and then to adjust tracking settings and monitor the drone’s status during flight.

You should also read reviews online, to get insight into how current users of particular Follow Me drones are finding their experiences.

How Do I Activate Follow-Me Mode on My Drone?

It’s pretty simple, although the exact process will vary depending on the make and model of your drone.

1. Make sure your GPS Signal is strong
2. Open the Companion App
3. Select Follow Me mode (or Active Track)
4. Select Subject
5. Confirm Follow Me mode settings
6. Activate mode
7. Fly drone and monitor flight

How Do I Get My DJI Drone to Follow Me?

To get your DJI drone to follow you, you can activate the Follow Me mode through the DJI Fly app.

Follow the steps outlined in the section above.

8 Tips on Using Follow-Me Mode On a Drone

Credit: Peter Fazekas

If you’re going to use your drone’s Follow Me mode, there are some things you’ll need to keep in mind.

1. Choose an open area

Avoid flying near tall buildings, dense trees, or other structures that could obstruct the drone’s path or interfere with GPS signals.

2. Check your GPS signal

Wait until your drone has acquired a strong GPS signal before activating Follow Me mode.

3. Select a suitable subject

Choose a subject that stands out visually and can then maintain a consistent speed and direction.

4. Set proper altitude

Make sure there’s a clear line of sight between the drone and the subject. Don’t fly too low as you risk hitting obstacles, nor too high, as your images and footage will suffer.

5. Monitor battery life

Keep an eye on this. Get the drone to fly back before the battery runs out. Some drones will do this automatically.

6. Stay within range

Similar to the above. If you fly out of range, you could lose connection with your drone.

7. Follow safety guidelines

Maintain a visual line of sight with the drone, avoiding flying over people or property without permission, and respect any local privacy laws.

8. Be mindful of your surroundings

Watch out for obstacles, changing weather conditions, and other aircraft in the area.

FAQs About Follow-Me Drones

What is follow mode on a drone?

This mode is a smart tracking mode that allows a drone to autonomously follow a subject.

What is the best drone with follow me and obstacle avoidance?

Our top two drones, the Skydio 2+ and the DJI Mavic 3 Pro are the best drones with those features.

What is the best budget drone with follow me and obstacle avoidance?

The most affordable drone with this feature is the DJI Mini 4 Pro.

Which 4k drones have follow-me mode?

All of the Follow Me drones in this guide, except for the HoverAir X1, shoot 4K and have a tracking mode.

What is the best foldable drone with follow me?

Out of the drones in this guide, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro, DJI Air 3, Hover Air X1, Autel Evo 2 Pro, DJI Mini 4 Pro, and Bwine F7MINI, are all foldable and have a tracking mode.

Does the QuadAir drone have follow me?

It doesn’t. It’s a simple, budget drone.

Does DJI Mini 2 SE have Follow Me mode?

No, it doesn’t.

The DJI Mini 2 SE, while a great drone, is more at the affordable, compact end of the market. A tracking mode is a feature normally found on higher-end drones.