Cameras for drones

Drone cameras deliver photos and video for inspection, surveying, filmmaking and agriculture. Many are combined with a gimbal; some are designed as multispectral or survey cameras.

Resolution (MP)

Number of pixels in megapixels. For surveying, what matters most is the ground sampling distance, which results from resolution, focal length and flight altitude.

Weight (g)

Mass of the part in grams as stated by the manufacturer. Check whether cables, mounts or accessories are included, as manufacturers report this differently.

Gimbal axes

Number of stabilised axes. Three axes compensate pitch, roll and yaw; two axes are enough for simple tasks but show yaw motion in the image.

IP rating

Protection against dust and water according to the IP code. The first digit refers to solid objects, the second to water; an X means that part was not tested.

Lens

Focal length and aperture, fixed or interchangeable. A longer focal length means a narrower field of view and more detail from the same altitude.

Interface and mounting

Mechanical and electrical connection, such as DJI SKYPORT, quick-release plate, Ethernet, HDMI or MAVLink for ArduPilot and PX4. Vendor-specific interfaces limit the choice of drone.

Image sensor

Size and type of the sensor, such as 1/1.3-inch CMOS, full frame or medium format. Larger sensors give less noisy images in low light; a global shutter avoids distortion during fast motion, which matters for surveying.

Maximum video

Highest video resolution with frame rate. Some cameras reach the maximum only with particular lenses.

Thermal resolution

Pixel count of the thermal sensor, if the camera has one. Empty for daylight-only cameras.

Zoom

Magnification, separated into optical, hybrid and digital. Only optical zoom increases detail resolution; hybrid and digital values are crop enlargements.

For surveying, large sensors, high resolution, a fixed lens and a global shutter are important; for inspection, optical zoom. The mounting interface determines which drones the camera fits: DJI SKYPORT ties it to DJI platforms, while Ethernet and MAVLink open the way to PX4 and ArduPilot drones. Optical zoom increases detail; hybrid and digital zoom do not. Weight and IP rating limit flight time and use in rain or dust. Cameras with a built-in thermal channel are listed under thermal cameras.

Cameras with a thermal channel are classified as “thermal cameras” (exception: the MicaSense Altum-PT multispectral camera).

Status “in trade” means listed on the manufacturer's site on 15.10.2026; availability was not checked.

What is a global shutter?

A shutter that exposes all pixels at the same time. It prevents distortion during fast motion and matters for surveying.

What does hybrid zoom mean?

A combination of optical zoom and cropping. Only the optical part adds real detail.

Does a SKYPORT camera fit any drone?

No, SKYPORT is the interface of DJI platforms; other drones need cameras with an open interface.