The Myth of the “One Drone That Does It All” and Other Lies I Tell Myself

Hello, fellow droners! Did you miss me? Here we are again, in Rafa’s corner, pushing my brain to recall just the best of the millions of anecdotes that have happened to me in the billions of flying hours I claim to have under my belt. (Okay, maybe not billions, but enough to make my coffee jealous of the airtime, and my dog suspicious of the whirring noises.)

I hope to see in the comment section some first-time commenters, long-time readers, and even the occasional “I just crashed my drone into a tree” confession, because the topic we’re talking about today is going to hurt—like realizing your favorite drone is outdated before you’ve even finished the unboxing video.

So, let’s start with the big lie: the drone that does it all. As you recall, in many of my articles I’ve told you that most of my drones are stabilized ones: Mavics, Airs, Inspires, Minis, and some other species like Avatas, but not only from the DJI phylum

I enjoyed flying my first FPV (well, the first few hundred flights I wouldn’t exactly call “enjoyable”… unless you enjoy feeling dizzy, nauseous, and having your legs shake uncontrollably). And many of those were specialized drones.

The Illusion of the All-Purpose Drone

When you begin to fly, you don’t know anything about specialization: if the drone can fly, that’s enough for now. But later, you start to study, you start to learn about actual limitations that can’t be changed because they’re physical, like having a different camera, IP rating, radio system, etc.

Even in my personal case, the size of the drone is a game changer. You can’t fly with the same confidence a Galapagos-turtle-sized Mavic 4 through a window or a small balcony as you can a dollar-menu-hamburger-sized Neo.

You can fly the Mavic 4, though, but everybody in the room will really wonder if drone pilots are born without common sense or if we just lose it through our daily flights. Remember: flying a massive drone indoors is like trying to park a school bus in your living room—technically possible, but everyone will question your life choices. And yes, I did it. Once. With an Inspire 1 (I still have the video)

Anyhow, it’s very important to know when we actually need another drone—and no, just because DJI just released it and it’s available doesn’t mean you need it. Actually, when you start flying and discover that crazy gimbal option (stabilized or FPV) and start having fun flying in “FPV” mode, putting your drone in sport mode and doing fast turns just to “feel” the FPV experience, that’s when you start knowing that your drone can’t do it all.

Maybe it can mimic it, but it just wasn’t born for that. Like when your sister believed she could sing, and you and your whole family suffered the consequences of her “training her voice” for weeks? Yep, just like that.

When Do You Actually Need Another Drone?

If you started like most of us, just flying for fun, then doing pictures at events, or at houses for sale, then commercial videos, then…searching for a missing dog. But what about if the dog is missing at night? Or in a mountain? What if it’s a missing person? Maybe a drone with a thermal camera would perform better. Or with a night vision camera. Or with longer reach.

So here we are, talking about good ol’ money. Why? Because the moment you need to upgrade is when the drone is going to pay for itself. If you don’t need it, you just want another drone—that’s the ego talking, whispering in your ear that you can’t fly well enough with that “crappy old drone” you have (don’t you dare talk like that in front of your drone—it has feelings).

The Truth About Upgrading (and the Voices in Your Head)

Yes, not even the latest shiny plastic camera can do it all. But even more interesting is knowing that sometimes, you don’t need to do it all. Sometimes, you just need a drone that does what you actually need, not what your YouTube feed tells you to want. And let’s be honest: if drones could talk, yours would probably say, “Stop staring at the new model. I’m still learning how to hover without bumping into furniture.”

So, next time you feel the itch to buy another drone, ask yourself: is this a need, or is it just your inner child screaming for a new toy? Remember, every drone has its strengths, and every pilot has their weaknesses (like trying to fly indoors without GPS, or mistaking a ceiling fan for an obstacle—don’t ask how I know). Embrace your limitations, and maybe, just maybe, your wallet will thank you.

And if you’re still not convinced, just remember: the only thing more expensive than a new drone is two new drones—especially when you’re trying to explain to your significant other why you need both. (“Honey, it’s for work! And… uh… safety!”) In the end, the best drone is the one that keeps you out of trouble, helps you get the shot, and doesn’t crash into your neighbor’s prize-winning rose bush. Unless, of course, your neighbor has it coming.