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10 Best Silent Drones 2024 – Buyer’s Guide & Reviews

10 Best Silent Drones 2020 - Buyer’s Guide & Reviews

In recent years, drones have become widely used in various fields: from professional photography, extinguishing fires, surveillance to the delivery from online stores. However, the sound that drones make are reminiscent of the buzzing sound of an insect, which can make flying a drone annoying. As long as the drones have moving parts by which they fly, they will always make some kind of noise. The propellers and motors are those that make the buzzing sound during the flight.  Also, the study showed that the results of buzzing noise is annoying.

Manufacturers always have noise in mind when they are designing their drones, so they try to reduce it. However, there are some drones that are designed a little differently and have better motors and propellers, which makes them quieter. For that reason, more and more buyers are interested in silent drones. Here we present you the 10 best silent drones that you can buy.

Here are the 10 most quiet and silent drones that you can buy today:

Model:Camera:Flight Time:Range:Noise:Available:
1. Funsky 9135 MP15 min300 m66 dB Check Price
2. Mavic Pro Platinum12 MP30 min7 km68 dB Check Price
3. Yuneec Q50012 MP25 min800 m72 dBCheck Price
4. Eachine E511S1080p HD16 min300 m74 dBCheck Price
5. Parrot Mambo0.3 MP9 min60 m74 dBCheck Price
6. DJI Spark12 MP16 min2 km74 dBCheck Price
7. Force1 F100/BUGS312 MP20 min500 m74 dBCheck Price
8. DJI Mavic 2 Pro20 MP31 min8 km75 dbCheck Price
9. Altair Aerial Outlaw1080p HD20 min1 km75 dBCheck Price
10. DJI Phantom 3 Pro12 MP23 min5 km76 dBCheck Price

(Below is a detailed list and reviews of all these drones)

Why Are Drones So Noisy? Main Reasons

  • Propellers

The noise that a drone produces mostly depends on the type of propeller that drone has. The main factors considered on the propeller are: size, shape, prop pitch and if the ends of the props are tipped. Smaller propellers usually spin faster, and thus creating a buzzing noise.

  • Motors

Drones have two types of motors: brushed and brushless motors. The mostly common used motors today on drones are the brushless motors, because they are quiet and have the better quality. Also these types of motors can generate much more torque which is also important.

  • Speed of Rotation

If the drone has small propellers and they spin faster, the buzzing noise will be higher. The goal is to have larger propellers that spin more slowly, making the drone quieter. The speed at which a blades cuts through air are the ones that produces noise and vibration.

Buying Guide: How to Choose Best Silent Drone

Before buying, you first need to know for what kind of purpose you will be using your drone. Will it be for fun or for professional use? There are some things to consider in order to choose a quality and quiet drone. In this guide we will help you to pay attention to only those essential things you need. Therefore, to get a silent and quality drone, these are the features you want your drone to have:

  • Propeller Design

We all know that propellers are the main cause of the drone noise. Models that have large propellers spin more slowly and therefore they produce less noise. There are various designs of drones such as quadcopters that have four sets of propellers, we have hexacopters with six sets of propellers and so on. Models like the DJI Mavic Pro Platinum are among the quietest drones on the market today. We also have „silent propellers“ which are specially designed to reduce the noise for a few decibels on your drone.

  • Type of Motors

Drones most commonly come with two types of motors: brushed motors and brushless motors. We only recommended brushless motors if you want to reduce the noise. Brushless motors are the ones that are most commonly used because they are generally quieter, more powerful and energy efficient. But if you have the combination of right propellers with motors, you can make the drone even quieter. Therefore, when choosing a drone, pay attention to the motor. Brushless motors do not require maintenance.

  • Propeller Shrouds

The drone produces the most noise by the propellers. The way that drone noise can be reduced by a couple of decibels is by adding propeller shrouds. The propeller shrouds reduce the noise in a way that the sound is diverted upwards, thus reducing the buzzing noise of the drone drastically. Note: Not all drones can  add propeller shrouds, but those who can have an advantage in terms of reducing that buzzing noise. This does not come with the drone, but must be purchased separately and installed.

  • Body Design

Body design is important factor that highly determine the noises of your drone. If you want your drone to be quiet, it must have a thick and sturdy body. This applies when the drone flies, its internal components such as: motors, battery, electric boards and other components, need to be less exposed to a spaces where noises will escape through. So this is also a thing you need to pay attention to when choosing your drone. If you are in a store, feel free to take the drone in your hand and slowly shake it. If you are ordering online, try to find a review video on youtube and see how much noise it produces.

Top 10 Silent Drones For Sale

1. Funsky 913

      DRONE SPECS:

  • Dimensions: 205 x 185 x 55 mm
  • Flight time: 15 min
  • Flight range: 0.18mi (300m)
  • Max Speed: Up to 28 mph
  • Camera resolution:  5 MP
  • Video resolution: 1080p 30fps
  • Weight: 0.24 pounds / 110 g
  • Noise: 66 dB



Check the price on Amazon

The Funsky 913 is much more than just a toy drone. This is the most silent drone in the World. Funsky 913 offers exceptional flight features that will truly delight you. So if you are looking for a good well rounded drone that will serve you for fun with your family and also for taking some good photos and videos, this is a great choice. This drone comes with a 5MP camera that can record videos at 1080p resolution. Camera quality is 1920×1080 (30fps). Unfortunately, this drone does not have a stabilizer, so you must watch out for the wind outside while trying to capture some footage.

This model offers FPV feature, so you can see what your camera sees during the flight. However, the maximum distance at which the FPV works is only 250 meters. The Funsky 913 has a 7.7V Li-Po battery, and a flight time of around 15 minutes. What will win you by this drone is how quiet it is due to its brushless motors. Charging time is 90 minutes. This drone is made of high quality materials, so you don’t have to doubt its quality. When you fly in sport mode, you can use GPS (the vast majority of drones do not have this capability).

      PROS:

  • Brushless motors
  • 1080p Camera
  • Fun and easy to fly
  • Super silent drone

      CONS:

  • Short flight time

2. DJI Mavic Pro Platinum

      DRONE SPECS:

  • Dimensions: 168 x 184 x 64 mm
  • Flight time: 30 min
  • Flight range: 4.3mi (7 km)
  • Max Speed: Up to 40mph
  • Camera resolution: 12 MP
  • Video resolution: 4K at 30fps
  • Weight: 1.62 pounds / 734 g
  • Noise: 68 dB



Check the price on Amazon

The DJI Mavic Pro Platinum is made of high quality materials and you can feel that while holding it. This drone weighs 734 grams and it is easy to use: the quadcopter immediately floats on the spot without making too much noise. The new built-in sinusoidal speed controller (ESC) in this model and new type of propellers ensure that the noise level during flight is almost 4 decibels quieter. This corresponds to a saving of over 60% compared to other DJI models!

The effect is particularly noticeable within a radius of one meter around the device. And it gets even better: The Mavic Pro Platinum is not only the quietest DJI drone in comparison, but also one of the most enduring. The camera on this model can shoot 4k at 30fps and 1080p at 96fps. With a maximum flight time of 30 minutes, you can enjoy your flights even longer. The attentive reader of this guide already knows that the Mavic Pro series has a powerful camera with its own transmission system and also takes razor-sharp pictures. The Platinum is the newest model from the Mavic Pro series and accordingly the highest quality. All these quality features of this model justify its price.

      PROS:

  • High quality camera
  • Up to 30 min flight time
  • Compact, folding design
  • Quietest DJI model ever
  • Easy to fly

      CONS:

  • Price
  • Not steady in windy conditions

3. Yuneec Q500

      DRONE SPECS:

  • Dimensions: 420 x 420 x 210 mm
  • Flight time: 25 min
  • Flight range: 0.49mi (800m)
  • Max Speed: Up to 54.5 mph
  • Camera resolution: 12 MP
  • Video resolution: 1080p 120 fps
  • Weight: 3.74 pounds / 1700 g
  • Noise: 72 dB



Check the price on Amazon

The Yuneec Q500 4K has – as the name suggests – rather than an HD camera, have a 4K camera with 4K resolution. The camera system including gimbal can be easily removed with a quick release, so you can also add new types of camera such as thermal cameras. The current model has a 3D gimbal (compensating movements in all three dimensions) and the possibility of tilting the camera downwards by remote control in flight. The image is transmitted live to the remote control (Ground Station ST10) or a 5.8 Ghz WiFi-compatible iOS or Android device with the corresponding free Typhoon app installed. Images and videos are saved in full resolution on the microSD card in the gimbal.

The Q500 Quadrocopter convinces with its well thought-out overall concept and is especially suitable for those who do not want to worry about technology and settings, as well as assembly and retrofitting, but want to take aerial photographs easily and uncomplicatedly. This is a relatively inexpensive hand holder, on which the CGO2GB gimbal including camera from the Q500 is then simply mounted. Your own smartphone serves as the screen. So you can use the same gimbal for quiet video recordings from your hand.

      PROS:

  • 4K video recording camera
  • Very quiet during flight
  • Comes with extra batteries
  • Have removable camera

      CONS:

  • Larger size
  • It is too expensive
  • Takes too much time for charging

4. Eachine E511S

      DRONE SPECS:

  • Dimensions: 354 x 366 x 73 mm
  • Flight time: 16 min
  • Flight range: 0.18mi (300 m)
  • Max Speed: Up to 30 mph
  • Camera resolution: 1080p HD
  • Video resolution: 1080p
  • Weight: 1.89 pounds / 861 g
  • Noise: 74 dB



Check the price on Amazon

The Eachine E511S is a new advanced WiFI quadcopter with brushless motors and GPS & barometer flight assistance. This drone have a lot of features like: smart following, easy return, custom flight path, surrounding flight, LED lights assist Night flight, GPS system mode and Easy take-off and landing options. The Eachine E511S, is equipped with a optimized wifi camera – depending on the variant resolution to choose from of 720p or 1080p. This model comes with, remote control, 2x 2S LiPo battery with a capacity of 1,200 mAh, a USB charging cable, a set with propeller protectors, a set of spare propellers, screwdrivers and a manual. 

The charging time for this drone is approximately 120 to 150 minutes using a conventional USB power cable. The aerodynamic shape with the small rear spoilers can also be found in this model. However, the Eachine E511S has not installed the forward-facing obstacle sensors – only LED lamps can be found here for better visibility. The angle of the camera can be varied in the tilt direction. The remote control for the Eachine E511S has an extendable smartphone holder in the lower area. Therefore, if you choose this drone, you will get plenty of options for a very decent price.

      PROS:

  • Easy to use even for beginners
  • Long flight time
  • Foldable propellers and motor arms
  • 1080P HD camera

      CONS:

  •  Short flight range (300 m)

5. Parrot Mambo

       DRONE SPECS:

  • Dimensions: 160 x 78 x 9.8 mm
  • Flight time: 9 min
  • Flight range: 0.03mi (60m)
  • Max Speed: Up to 18 mph
  • Camera resolution: 0.3 MP
  • Video resolution: 720p 30fps
  • Weight: 0.65 lbs / 295 g
  • Noise: 74 dB



Check the price on Amazon

The Parrot Mambo is a tiny and lightweight drone that can be controlled both for indoors and outdoors (in calm weather). It has a 550 mAh/2.4 Wh battery that is inserted into the back, next to it is a microUSB connector for charging, and on the top there are contacts for attaching accessories. Parrot Mambo drone is a real entertainment for children and adults. The device is controlled via a smartphone, while the remote control is used as an additional accessory.

The Mambo battery is fully charged in just 30 minutes, providing 9 minutes of flight time. The model is equipped with a downward-facing 0.3 MP camera and it is clear that Parrot does not position its product as an aerial photography device. This drone looks very interesting, when you look it makes you want to say “stylish, fashionable” design! The drone can take photos that are stored in the toy’s memory, then it can be transferred to storage on a smartphone. As for noise, this model also belongs to the class of less noisy drones. This drone is intended primarily for children as it is very easy to use.

      PROS:

  • Fun and easy to use
  • Great value for money
  • Quick charge time
  • Fun accessories

      CONS:

  • Short flight time (9 min)
  • Sensitive even to light wind
  • The mini pellets that can get lost

6. DJI Spark

       DRONE SPECS:

  • Dimensions: 143 × 143 × 55 mm
  • Flight time: 16 min
  • Flight range: 1.2mi (2km)
  • Max Speed: Up to 31 mph
  • Camera resolution: 12 MP
  • Video resolution: 1080p 30fps
  • Weight: 0.66 pounds  / 300 g
  • Noise: 74 decibels



Check the price on Amazon

At first glance, the DJI Spark appears to be really tiny, but it certainly offers significant features (sensor range: 500 m, flight altitude: 4000 m above sea level, flight duration: 16 min.), which are more than solid for a mini drone. Thanks to the “FaceAware” technology, Spark can recognize faces and then start straight from the palm of your hand. This drone is weighing just 300 grams. Spark produces 70 decibels, which is not loud for a drone. It has a small and compact high-performance camera with 12 megapixels. A mechanical 2-axis gimbal and DJI’s UltraSmooth technology drastically reduce so-called rolling shutter effects and other vibrations.

This way, the images always remain blurred and razor-sharp. With the light camera, videos in 1080p (full HD) are also possible. The DJI Spark mini drone can not only be controlled via remote control or via smartphone and app, but also with gestures. The gesture control allows you to take pictures with simple hand gestures, in which you can take breathtaking pictures from the air. The Spark impresses with its powerful performance and intuitive controls, which enable even beginners to shoot beautiful videos or take good photos straight away.

      PROS:

  • GPS stabilization
  • Safety features
  • Tracking mode
  • Obstacle avoidance

      CONS:

  • Short Flight Time
  • Low Wind Resistance
  • Video limited to 1080p

7. Force1 F100/BUGS 3

       DRONE SPECS:

  • Dimensions: 420 x 337 x 154 mm
  • Flight time: 20 min
  • Flight range: 0.31mi (500m)        
  • Max Speed: Up to 24 mph
  • Camera resolution: 12 MP (GoPro)
  • Video resolution: 1080p
  • Weight: 3.1 pounds / 1.4 kg
  • Noise: 74 dB



Check the price on Amazon

The Force1 F100/Bugs3 drone is a great choice whether you are a beginner or a pro. This drone is extremely quiet during flight, and therefore it will not interfere you with its buzzing noise. This is thanks to the brushless motors that makes this drone as quiet as possible, so you can focus on capturing beautiful moments. These motors are also powerful, and at the same time deliver the speed and performance. Force1 F100 comes with a durable ABS plastic that is crash resistant and aerodynamic, allowing this model to fly smoothly true the sky.

The Force1 F100 drone comes with two-speed modes. We recommend that you fly this model solely outside, as indoor flight is dangerous because this drone can achieve high speeds. Flight range is 500 m, while the flight time is up to 20 minutes. This model is powered by 1800 kv brushless motors and has a 7.4v 1800 mAh battery. The F100 is considered a very stable model capable of carrying a GoPro action camera, so you can capture great shots. This drone is also one of the cheaper models on this list, and will give you much more value than you paid for it. 

      PROS:

  • Flexible
  • Flight Range
  • Good Flight Time
  • Easy to Use
  • Price

      CONS:

  • No GPS
  • No Built In Camera
  • No LCD Screen

8. DJI Mavic 2 PRO

       DRONE SPECS:

  • Dimensions: 322 x 242 x 84 mm
  • Flight time: 31 min
  • Flight range: 4.9mi (8km)
  • Max Speed: Up to 44 mph
  • Camera resolution: 20 MP
  • Video resolution: 4K @ 30fps
  • Weight: 2 pounds / 907 g
  • Noise: 75 dB



Check the price on Amazon

The DJI Mavic 2 Pro is an excellent drone, with many features. Like the Mavic Platinum, it is also designed to be foldable. When folded, it measures 214 x 91 x 84 mm and therefore fits easily in any backpack.  The workmanship is excellent, the gray plastic is very impact-resistant and robust. Mavic 2 Pro produces 75 dB of noise which is not so noisy for a drone. The propellers, which can also be folded, are installed in a flash: put on, press down, turn, done! MicroSD memory cards with capacities between 32 and 128 gigabytes are supported.

The compartment for this is located on the belly of the drone behind a small plastic cover. Practical: 8 gigabytes of memory are permanently installed. It has 3950 mAh battery with flight time of 31 min. The batteries are inserted from above and snap into place cleanly. A green light ring provides information about the remaining capacity after pressing with your finger. The Mavic 2 is supplied with a charger, battery, cables, remote control and replacement propellers. For a safe transport of the quadrocopter you should get a bag or a backpack. Advantage: DJI can now be compared to Apple in terms of significance, so the range of accessories from a wide variety of manufacturers is huge.

      PROS:

  • Support 4K video
  • Up to 20MP camera
  • Obstacle avoidance sensors
  • Flight time up to 31 min

      CONS:

  • Price, expensive
  • Small internal memory

9. Altair Aerial Outlaw

       DRONE SPECS:

  • Dimensions: 416 x 304 x 134 mm
  • Flight time: 20 min
  • Flight range: 0.62mi (1km)
  • Max Speed: Up to 12.4 mph
  • Camera resolution: 1080P HD
  • Video resolution: 1080p HD
  • Weight: 3.08 pounds / 1.4 kg
  • Noise: 75 dB



Check the price on Amazon

This drone is perfect if you wan to test your flying skills. The Altair Aerial Outlaw is a model that has a built-in 1080p HD camera that comes with FPV (first person view). Although it doesn’t have a 4K camera, you will be surprised how quality videos this drone can capture. Altair Aerial has various features such as: Return Home, Headless Mode, Follow Me mode, a variety of GPS functions and more. Return to home is a very useful feature with which you cannot lose your drone. It also has an auto-return mode which brings your drone to you if the battery is low on your drone.

The Altair on each arm has built-in LEDs that come in green, red and yellow, allowing you to pilot even in the dark. It has a 7.4V 1800mAh LiPo battery that provides 18 to 20 minutes of flight time. To recharge the batteries it takes around 5 hours. Flying this drone is a easy because you don’t need any previous flight experience while you have Headless Mode. The Altair Aerial has brushless motors that are extremely quiet, so the drone does not make too much noise even when you are a couple of feets away.

      PROS:

  • Good flight range
  • High quality camera
  • FPV feature
  • Easy and fun to use

      CONS:

  • Short flight time

10. DJI Phantom 3 Pro

       DRONE SPECS:

  • Dimensions: 289 x 289 x 191 mm
  • Flight time: 23 min
  • Flight range: 3.1mi (5km)           
  • Max Speed: Up to 12.4 mph
  • Camera resolution: 12 MP
  • Video resolution: 4K @ 30fps
  • Weight 2.82 pounds / 1.28 kg
  • Noise: 76 dB



Check the price on Amazon

The DJI Phantom 3 Pro is not the latest model of DJI, but this third-generation quadcopter is considered to be more silent then the new Phantom 4 thanks to a vibration damping feature. This device has excellent flight characteristics, has dexterity and maneuverability, and also shoots video of cinematic quality. At the same time, Phatnom 3 is very easy to operate and has excellent responsiveness to pilot commands. The main distinguishing element is a more advanced video camera that shoots in 4K resolution. In addition, there is a positioning system due to optical and ultrasonic sensors, which allows you to run the device indoors.

All electronics components are securely closed under the housing. The camera is mounted at the bottom. The P3 Pro control panel is the same as the Advanced model. This model include a 4K camera, an ultrasonic sensor, and an additional camera for indoor orientation when GPS is not available. Thus, the Phantom 3 Pro will not attract users with tricky innovations, but instead will offer a proven camera of good quality. According to the company’s developers this drone continues to be an excellent tool for professional shooting.

      PROS:

  • Very stable in the air
  • Good photo and video quality
  • Built-in GPS
  • Good flight range

      CONS:

  • Short flight time
  • Cannot be folded
  • No built-in screen for the remote controller

Silent Drones -Questions and Answers

Why Use a Silent Drone?

Today drones are used in a large range of spectrum for a lot of things. But if you need a silent drone, in the field which matters to you, then you need to choose the quietest model available. The quieter the drone, the more convenient it is to use. Here are some reasons for using one.

Cases Where Silent Drones Are Used:

  • Surveillance: Police and army are the ones that are using drones for surveillance purposes, which is of the utmost importance for the drone to be as quiet as possible. Private research companies, large security firms, private investigators also use silent drones in their operations to monitor specific activities.
  • Drone Delivery: Drone industry is evolving and because of that higher standards are being set in this field also. One of these industries is delivery. When drones are carrying payload, workers who work with these drones need to have quieter drones so they do not affect their work. Therefore, the advantage of silent drones certainly plays a role in this large industry as well.
  • Professional Filming: Drones buzzing noise plays a big role here also. While shooting some scenes, it is important to keep it as quiet as possible. Noise-making drones can distract actors on the scene, and other objects such as birds or some animals. Also, if you want to capture the sound of nature or waterfall, it is advisable to have quiet drones as well.
  • Traveling: A lot of people love to capture their precious moments with some video material during the travel. Therefore, it is advisable to have drones that do not make too much noise. Drones that make buzzing noise in many situations can irritate a lot of people around you as well.

How Quiet Are Drones?

Drones make noise between 75 and 80 decibels during their flight. Those drones that can be considered quieter produce a sound of about 65 to 72 decibels at a distance of 3 to 5 feet (~1.5m). But there are just a few drones on the market that meet those criteria.

Can Drones be Silent?

Drones produce buzzing sound by propellers, so they can’t be completely silent. The models that we have described in this article are currently the quietest drones on the market. Sound is produced by the vibration that is generated by the motors and propellers that keep the drone in the air. The military is currently working on silent drones, which do not produce sound, but you will not find such things in stores.

Where You Can Use Silent Drones?

Silent drones also have applications in some industries where less noise is required. Police use drones for surveillance, which means that drones must be quiet and unnoticeable to perform such tasks. Also, when shooting amateur and professional films, the noise should be reduced to minimum so they do not interfere with the scene.

Most Popular Drones: Noise Levels Compared

Conclusion

Silent drones are used today in many areas such as surveillance, rescue missions, filming, or for shooting movies. Therefore, silence plays an important role, and it is advisable that you choose a quiet drone for performing such a task. In this article, we explained what factors affect the sound that a drone produces and a ways how you can reduce the sound.

We have learn that silent propellers and brushless motors reduce the drone sound for a few decibels. Then we listed the top 10 silent drones that are available on the market and described their main advantages and disadvantages. We hope that we made it a little easier for you to choose the most optimal silent drone for you. If I forgot something, or you would like to add additional drone to this list, feel free to leave a comment below.

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