The drone market is growing at an exponential rate,according to the market research firm,Gartner,over $2 billion worth of consumer drones were sold in 2017. This trend is set to continue well into 2018 and beyond. With the growing popularity of drones there has also been a huge spike in drone-related blogs and websites. Below are top drone blogs to read in 2018.

Although the title of this website is ‘the top drone blogs’ there really isn’t a scientific method to how I ranked each site/blog.

They are essentially drone blogs and sites that I frequently read for updates in the drone industry,for tutorials,guides and reviews.

These sites are very useful for a casual flyer like me,however, I think professional flyers may also find some really good resources in many of these sites.

So without any further delay, let’s get on with my lost of top drone blogs for 2018.

1.UAVCOACH.COM

Where do I begin with this awesome site? First a little about the person who began this drone site. His name is Alan Pearlman,hails from Nashville Tennessee and started this site in 2014 to further the cause of the drone community. The site has since exploded,much like the drone industry, and now there is a whole team that run various operations on the site.

Alan holds an FAA remote pilot certificate and is the lead instructor for drone pilot ground school.

The site is not just for people looking to get into commercial flying,it is a great site for beginners and casual flyers.

It actually has sections for both beginners and experienced pilots,for beginners I would start with the in-depth guide to learn how to fly a drone (I think this is the most in-depth guide there is).

There is also a very active community forum and training for those seeking to pass the FAA remote pilot certificate.

2.MYFIRSTDRONE.COM

One of the first websites solely dedicated to providing reviews,tutorials and guides for consumer drones. The site lists a team that runs it but most of the blog posts and tutorials are by Korey Smith, an independent filmmaker and drone enthusiast.

This site has some of the best guides on DJI drones (My favourite brand of drones) and the reviews are some of the most comprehensive you will read.

One thing I did find a bit weird is that they have an eCommerce store that sells stuff not directly related to drones. They have courses about programming which can be helpful if you are interested in the software side of the drone industry (which I am) but it also has stuff on digital marketing and learning English??.

Aside from that,it is a great site for beginners and intermediate flyers.

3.MYDRONELAB.COM

This is a relatively new site but has some awesome guides and tutorials. I actually don’t know who runs the site but the majority of the articles are written by a person called Jack Brown. He is a certified drone pilot and has written one of the best guides on how to build a drone.

The most popular posts on this site are all to do with building your own drones and they are well worth a read if you are interested in building a drone by yourself.

4.DRONEZON.COM

A fantastic site for all level of drone fliers,whether you are a newbie or certified pilot,this site has some excellent resources for everyone.

Along with reviewing the most popular drones, the site also brings you the latest news from the drone industry and has some fantastic articles on how drones and related technologies work.

It also has some articles on troubleshooting any issues that come with some of the most popular drones on the market.

I particularly enjoyed the section about drones that are being used for good in the commercial sector. Well worth a read.

5.DRONELIFE.COM

One of the largest drone websites and one that mainly deals with the commercial side of drone application.

If you are looking for in-depth articles and what the future holds for the drone industry,this is one site you must make time for. They also have lots of interviews with leaders and innovators in the world of drones and have teamed up with Netcapital, a private securities firm that connects entrepreneurs with investors.

This is a great site for those heavily interested in the commercial side of drone application.

5.DRONEDEPLOY.COM

Drone Deploy specialise in the software side of drone applications. Their innovative app makes it easy for businesses that use drones for aerial mapping to collect,store and interpret drone data.

Their software is used by many businesses in different industries and if you are someone who is interested in developing apps for the drone market,Drone Deploy has a range of resources that can get you started in this area.

They also have an excellent blog and fantastic resources for those looking to start up a drone business.

6.OSCARLIANG.COM

I recently chanced upon this awesome site, I was doing some research into drone racing and managed to find a brilliant article on how to get started with drone racing.

I highly suggest you read that article if you are a beginner because it lists some fpv flight simulators you can use to hone your flying skills without the need to actually fly a drone.

The site is also a fantastic resource for those who want build custom made drones for themselves,the site owner is very helpful and regularly replies to comments on his blog posts.

7.THEDRONEGIRL.COM

This site is run by Sally French,a well-known journalist whose work has been featured in many of leading news sites like the BBC,Forbes WSJ,CNN and MarketWatch.

Sally is a drone enthusiast and has many in-depth reviews of drones and drone accessories on her blog,she has written some very useful guides for newbies and those interested in aerial photography with drones.

Apart from writing about the world of drones she also has a regular column on MarketWatch where you can read her thoughts on the latest business news around the globe. Her infographic on Elon Musk was especially interesting.

8.DRONEFLYERS.COM

One of the oldest websites dedicated to providing reviews and guides for the latest consumer drones.  The site caters to the beginner to intermediate flyers and has written several ebooks that are free to download.

As well as writing in-depth reviews and guides, the site also provides commentary on the latest updates from the drone industry.

The site also has a pretty active forum where you can network with other likeminded drone flyers and share tips and ideas for building and flying drones.

9.SUASNEWS.COM

This site is for those who are interested in the commercial aspects of drone use. Founded by UAS pilots and professionals the website is probably the longest running site dedicated solely to the business of drones.

If you want up to date information on the latest news from the drone industry, I highly suggest you subscribe to their newsletter.

The site has dedicated pages for different sectors of the commercial drone industry from geographic information systems (GIS) to how drones are being used for humanitarian efforts

There is also a section for jobs related to the drone industry for those interested in a career in this booming sector.

10.DRONEENTHUSIAST.COM

Another great site for both beginners and intermediate flyers,the site was originally founded by two guys, Michale and Zsolt, to share their love of drones by providing reviews,tutorials and guides.

Not only do they provide in-depth reviews of the latest consumer drones but they also have many tutorials on drone-related matters.

For example, they have a 3 part series on how to look after your drone battery for maximum efficiency. They also have a brilliant guide on how to fly a drone and have a great tutorial on how to take cool drone photography/videography.

11.DJI.COM

Many may know that I am a huge DJI fan and that the Mavic Pro is my favourite drone,one reason that admire this drone company so much is that because not only do they make great drones but they have some fantastic guides and tutorials.

For instance, they have this brilliant guide on how to take better aerial photography and this guide teaches you how to shoot professional quality videos with ActiveTrack (ActiveTrack is an intelligent flight mode feature in many DJI drones).

They also have a very active forum where you can engage with other DJI pilots,give advice and get help.

Summary

I know there are a lot more blogs and websites that have awesome content,however, Like I stated at the beginning there really isn’t a scientific method to this list other than the fact that I frequently visit these sites on a regular basis.

What do you think? Do you visit the same sites? Are there other sites that I should include on the list? Leave a comment with your thoughts and any sites that I should make an effort to read on a regular basis.