7 Best Quiet Quadcopters

Maybe you’re looking to take some aerial shots. Maybe you’re fascinated by flight. Or maybe you’re a lover of electronics. There are many different reasons why you might be interested in drones, but whatever your reason may be, you’re looking for a quadcopter – and need to find a quiet one.

Because let’s be honest – while everything from basic toys to the most advanced drones are incredible technology, a loud drone can get annoying fast, for both you and anyone else in the area. You don’t want to annoy your neighbors or anyone else in the area where you’re flying your copter, so you need one with quiet propellers.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the best quiet quadcopter options on the market today.

What To Look For

First and foremost, you need to establish why you want a quadcopter. Some quadcopter drones are small, lightweight, and essentially toys for your amusement. Others are highly sophisticated pieces of machinery that can carry cameras, fly long distances, pull off tricks, and execute tasks. Naturally, the latter variant is way more expensive than the former and harder to control, but it offers a lot more options.

This also speaks to the overall quality of the item. There are many factors that influence this and we’ll touch on them throughout, but suffice it to say that, in general, the more robust the model, the higher the quality. That said, bigger and heavier doesn’t always mean better. On the contrary, some of the best quiet quadcopter options are those that fly through the sky as light as a breeze.

Much more concrete are the control and range needs. You don’t want your quadcopter crashing, and you don’t want to purchase one that handles with all the smoothness and grace of a falling bathtub. Check the flight capabilities of your drone, and see how well it takes off, lands, and handles in midair. This also means making sure you know how far your quadcopters can fly. Some can fly just a few hundred feet away from the controller, while others can zoom along several miles from the operator without a problem. Trying to push a model past its range can lead to control problems and ultimately crashes, so make sure you know how far a drone can fly and matches your needs.

For example, if you’re looking to take aerial shots of a given area, you’ll likely want something with a range of several miles so you don’t have to keep walking along beneath it, lest it run out of range and crash. At the same time, you’ll also want to check the camera quality of such options to make sure they match your needs. Some cameras are designed more for fun and hobbyist use, while others are professional-grade and can take 1080p HD photos and videos.

Finally, there are the propellers themselves. Given that you’re looking for a silent drone in particular, you need to look for models whose propellers operate especially quietly. These are “quad”-copters, so you can expect to have four wings and propellers. Some users have reported that V-shaped models seem to be less noisy than other, bulkier builds.

Top 7 Quiet Quadcopters

Having established all that, let’s take a look at the best quiet drone options among quadcopters.

1) DJI Mavic Pro Collapsible Quadcopter Drone Starters Bundle

Measuring size of this model is 12.3 x 10.4 x 8.9 in. and it weighs just 4.84 lbs. This model is lighter, but larger, than the previous DJI silent drone.

This copter is loaded with features, which is rare for a model of its size. The Mavic Pro is able to take pictures, film at 30 fps, and features full 1080 p. It also has a slightly longer range than the previous model, being able to fly 4.3 miles from the operator.

Its onboard sensors are also better, with the capability to detect obstacles as much as 15 ft away. That is much better than the previous model which, if you remember, can’t always distinguish trees. Both this and the previous model make use of GPS, and this model uses that to travel further and in smoother fashion. That said, it is also much slower at just 24 mph. In addition, this model is more fragile, and so it is not very good for indoor use.

That said, if you are looking for a model that can deliver good range, picture quality, and still operate silently, this may be a good option to consider.

Our rating: 4.5 / 5

2) DJI MAVIC Pro Platinum

Here we have one more DJI model, this time even larger at 14.9 x 12.13 x 6.88 in. and lighter at 1.6 lbs. That combination alone is incredible, even if the flight time of 23 minutes before you need to charge it again (for at least an hour at that) is not. Still, the thin yet sturdy nature of this build makes it one of the most versatile options on this list.

Of course, this list is about quiet drone options, and this model excels in that regard. It emits roughly 70 decibels of sound which, while not “silent,” is pretty quiet for a quadcopter.

Like the other DJI models, it also has a good camera capable of 30 fps and HD pictures.

This particular option has five onboard sensors that can help it sense obstacles as far as 49 ft away, which is way better than the other two DJI models, while still retaining the same 4.3 mile flight radius.

The model is not without its problems, as its lightweight design can make it susceptible to strong gusts of wind blowing it off course, and it is pretty pricey.

Nevertheless, this is one of the best examples of a silent drone that’s as close to silent as possible while stiff offering everything you’d want in a conventional drone.

Our rating: 4.3 / 5

3) Parrot Mambo Mini-Drone

Another toy model, this unit measures 7.1 x 7.1 x 2 in. and weighs in at an absolutely lithe 0.125 lbs – yes, you read that right, lighter than a single pound. That can be very good or very worrying depending on the conditions in which you’re flying.

This unit has a 720 p camera and two LED lights at the front, ostensibly to help you see where you’re going but mostly just for style points. Flight time, as with other toy models, is as short as six to eight minutes.

On the other hand, this is still one of the quieter models, even if that’s in part because it is easily one of the simplest and by far the lightest on this list.

Our rating: 4.3 / 5

4) Yuneec Typhoon 4K Q500 RTF Hexacopter Drone Fly More Combo

In contrast to the previous couple of units, this is anything but a toy. In fact, at 10 lbs, the Yuneec Typhoon is a beast of a drone. Actually, that’s arguably its biggest drawback, as while it certainly won’t be blown off course easily, its larger size and weight can also make it harder to carry.

That said, you get a lot of good stuff with this model, starting with Android and iOS compatibility. The CGO3 app allows you to control the camera and shoot pictures from your phone. This model also has arguably the best camera with 1080 p and 120 fps video.

How “quiet” it is with such a huge frame is a concern, but it still isn’t roaring loud, and it offers a lot of features and a great camera.

Our rating: 4.2 / 5

5) Altair Aerial AA108

On the one hand, this model has slightly weaker camera quality, although still decent, at 720 p. On the other hand, it is far more beginner-friendly and budget-priced than the other models on this list. If you are new to drones or are shopping for someone who is, and you don’t know if you or they want to make a long-term commitment yet, this may be the model for you.

For example, it has one-button takeoff and landing features that make it much easier to do both. It also comes already assembled, adding to the newbie-friendly factor.

At 7.2 x 1.7 x1.9 in. and a weight of 1.6 lbs, it is easily one of the smallest and lightest options on this list, and is relatively quiet. However, with a flight time of just seven to ten minutes before it needs to recharge its batteries, it is also one of the weakest.

One nice thing about this model is that it is able to navigate even if it looks disoriented by flying at an odd angle in the air, again making it quite user-friendly.

Make no mistake – this is not a professional drone by any means. This is a toy and hobbyist model.

Still, there’s no denying it’s a very accessible toy, and a quiet drone at that.

Our rating: 4.1 / 5

6) DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter Drone Aircraft

Few names are bigger on the private quadcopter market than DJI, and this model is a perfect example of why. It measures 10 x 10 x 10 in. and weighs 8.86 lbs. It features a magnesium unibody build, striking a nice balance between being sturdy enough to hold its own and not be buffeted about by strong winds without being a behemoth. Regardign the fly time, it can fly for 28 minutes at a stretch, which isn’t bad but still isn’t as long as other drones offer.

That said, this system also has an onboard OSS system to help ensure it avoids obstacles, and while it’s not perfect, that’s a very welcome feature. It can reach speeds of nearly 45 mph, and has a range of a little more than three miles, both of which are good for a copter of this size.

The camera can capture 12 mp photos as well as HD video.

All in all, this is a relatively quiet quadcopter that boasts a good camera, good range, and a few good extra features.

Our rating:  4.0 / 5

7) Daming DM003 Mini RC Drone Quadcopter

This is another model that is more geared toward new flyers than experienced drone users. It has a short flight time, of about six to eight minutes, and a very short range, of a little over 160 feet maximum. It does not even have a camera.

That said, it also operates fairly quietly, which is the first and most important feature of the drones on this list. This also is another headless model that can fly regardless of orientation thanks to its six-axis gyro stabilization system. The controls are very responsive for a model of this size and simplicity, though landing can be challenging.

On the whole, this is another “toy” silent drone model that’s good for children and those just being introduced to quadcopters.

Our rating: 3.8 / 5

Conclusion

The DJI Phantom and Mavic Pro are the best all-around options here. The former is a bit faster, while the latter has better range and more features.

Those looking for an inexpensive toy to play around with and get used to quiet drone operation might consider the Altair, Daming, or Parrot models.

If the camera is the most important quality for you (after it being quiet), then the Yuneec Typhoon is easily one of if not the best on this list.

Armed with this knowledge, you can choose the perfect quiet quadcopter to fulfill your professional or hobbyist drone aviation dreams.

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