Five popular UAVs in China

UDI U818A

Price (from): 258 yuan ($41)

This drone comes with a built-in camera that takes photographs and videos. The remote control shows how long the battery will last for, which is usually between just six and eight minutes. The main problem is that the UDI U818A model is very light and only operates well in calm outdoor conditions.

DJI Phantom 2 Vision Quadcopter

Price (from): 2,999 yuan

This is a serious, professional-level drone. The manufacturer has included a crystal clear high-definition quality camera, which will take stunning stills and videos. The battery is heavy duty and rechargeable, which keeps the drone in the air for up to 25 minutes.

Hubsan H107D FPV X4 Mini RTF

Price (from): 958 yuan

A palm-sized drone, Mini RTF will show you what you are filming on the remote control's 88.9 millimeters (3.4 inches) screen in real time. It's a fun device, but not for the professionals as the picture quality leaves a lot to be desired. Another drawback is that the battery life is just seven minutes.

Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Quadricopter

Price (from): 2,199 yuan

AR Drone is the ideal "starter model" as it takes high-definition videos. You can also connect and control the AR Drone from a smartphone or tablet. This makes it a serious player in the marketplace. Battery life is around 36 minutes.

Parrot MiniDrone Rolling Spider

Price (from): 699 yuan

This looks like something out of a sci-fi movie and can function indoors. Its big, plastic wheel-like stabilizers allow it to bounce off walls and ceilings. Again, you can connect the Rolling Spider to a smartphone, although signal strength can be a problem. The battery life is also just eight minutes, which is another major drawback for this model.

Information provided by Ezvid. Inc, a new media software company based in the United States. The list is based on drone sales at Amazon.com.

(China Daily USA 08/03/2015 page13)