Choosing a camera for drone work comes down to what you need to see. Most consumer drones have the camera and gimbal built in, so the choice is made when you buy the drone. Larger enterprise drones take interchangeable payloads: a high resolution mapping camera, a long zoom, a thermal camera or a combined unit. And when a crash breaks a gimbal, you need a replacement that fits. Send one request and drone shops, resellers and repairers in your area quote you directly. It is free and there is no obligation.
Types of drone camera
- Built-in gimbal cameras: on folding camera drones the camera is part of the drone. Compare sensor size, resolution, frame rates and colour profiles before you buy, as you cannot upgrade later. See camera drones.
- Interchangeable payloads: enterprise drones take a mapping camera, a zoom camera, a thermal camera or a combined unit on a quick-release mount. See commercial drones.
- Thermal cameras: radiometric models read surface temperature, and a trained thermographer interprets the images. See thermal drones.
- Action and FPV cameras: small, tough cameras on FPV and cinewhoop drones, often with electronic stabilisation instead of a gimbal.
What makes a good drone camera
A bigger sensor handles the harsh contrast of South African sun and the low light of early morning better than a small one. Resolution matters for mapping and for cropping, frame rate for slow motion, and a flat colour profile for footage that will be graded. The gimbal matters as much as the camera: three axes keep the horizon level and the picture steady in wind. For inspection work, optical zoom lets the drone stay well clear of power lines and towers while still showing a bolt or a crack.
Replacement gimbals and cameras after damage
The gimbal is the most fragile part of a drone and often the first thing to break in a hard landing. A damaged ribbon cable, a bent arm or a gimbal motor fault shows up as a tilted horizon, shaking video or a gimbal error. Sometimes the whole unit is replaced, sometimes only one part. Get a drone repair assessment before you order, because a new gimbal may also need calibration.
How cameras are priced and how to compare
Drone cameras and gimbals are quoted per camera, because prices depend entirely on the drone and the payload. Give every seller the drone model, the job the camera must do and whether you need a full payload or a replacement part. Ask each quote to state the resolution, sensor size, zoom or thermal resolution, whether calibration is included, the warranty and the lead time if it is ordered in.
What to include in your request
- The drone model, or the mount the payload must fit
- What the camera is for: video, mapping, zoom or thermal
- New payload, or a replacement gimbal after damage
- Whether calibration and fitting are needed
- When you need it and where to deliver
Drone Cameras and Gimbals for different clients
- Hobbyists and families: a replacement gimbal camera after a crash on a holiday or hiking flight
- Farmers and growers: a thermal camera to count livestock and spot game in the veld
- Estate agents and developers: a large-sensor camera that copes with bright sun and deep shade
- Builders, engineers and installers: a high resolution mapping camera for progress models and volumes
- Mines, plants and utilities: a zoom and thermal payload for power line and plant inspections
- Photographers, film crews and agencies: a gimbal camera with flat colour profiles for graded film work
- Security companies and estates: a thermal and zoom camera for watching fences and perimeters
- Municipalities, schools and NGOs: a thermal payload that helps search and rescue teams in the dark bush
Frequently asked questions
Can I put a better camera on my drone?
Do I need a gimbal for drone video?
Is a thermal camera worth it on a drone?
How do I get prices for a drone camera or gimbal?
Drone Cameras and Gimbals by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg