Nowadays a smartphone can do everything that you’ll need to fly your drone, then why we need to find the best tablets for drones flying in 2023. It’s because the smartphones have somewhere some limitations, especially in the screen size. And when you compose image or videos in this small screen resolution, it becomes hard to know that you’re getting the perfect exposure or not.
If you’re in a hurry, check out our top choice LENOVO TAB 4 PLUS View at Amazon.
On the other hand, tablets allow analyzing the perfect exposure to ensure the best quality image and videos.
As you know, all tablets are not the same, and when we talk about this highly competitive market then it becomes a bit hard to find the right tablet. That’s why I have written this post to find the perfect drones tablet in 2023 for you, it doesn’t matter if you have DJI Mavic Pro, Phantom 3, Phantom 4 or any other drone, this post will tell you exactly which feature you’ll need to look into a drone tablet. Also, you’ll get my hand-picked recommendations.
Before taking you to the buyer’s guide, I would like to show my top-rated drone tablets of 2023. However, if you want to read the buyer’s guide first, you can go to by scrolling below or by clicking through the content link.
So, let’s get started!
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Top Rated Tablets for Drones Flying in 2023
| Dragon Touch X10 |
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| LG G PAD X 8.0 V520 |
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| Samsung Galaxy Tab A |
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Lenovo Tab 4 Plus Editor’s Choice for Android |
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| Apple iPad mini 4 |
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Apple iPad Editor’s Choice for iOS |
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Best Drones Tablets in 2023 – Reviews
1. Dragon Touch X10 (Most Affordable Tablet for Drones)
1.0 lbs | 10.1-inch | IPS | 1280 x 800 | 2 GB | 16 GB | 5 hours | Android 7.0
If you are just looking for the cheapest tablet for your drone in 2023, the Dragon Touch X10 might be a nice choice. This tablet is offering a 10.1-inch IPS display with the 1280 x 800 pixels of resolution, however, it is not the highest one, but it is quite good for the cheap price and provides immersive viewing experience.
If you’re looking for something portable then you might like Samsung Galaxy Tab A 7 instead, which is also a good choice for an inexpensive price.
But, remember these both tablets are Wi-Fi only and could cause limited functionality. If you don’t know, you can read the limitations of a Wi-Fi-only tablet in the buyer’s guide.
Under the hood, this tablet is equipped with a Quad-Core processor, 16-GB storage and 2GB of RAM which is pretty nice to run some drone apps like DJI Go or DJI GO 4. Moreover, you can expand the storage capacity up to 64GB with a microSD card.
Out of the box, you will be getting the Android 7.0 version which is quite amazing and features rich, but I am not sure it is upgradable or not.
Some users have reported the battery life is of this tablet is somewhat average, it can last around 5 to 6 hours with a single charge.
Again, I want to tell you it is a budget-oriented tablet; hence you can’t expect more from it. However, A big 10-inch screen, Android Nougat, Quad-Core processor, 2GB RAM, and 16 GB storage capacity, it’s all available within 125 bucks, I think it’s not a bad deal.
PROS
- Bigger screen size
- Most affordable price
- Inbuilt 16GB storage with expandable capacity up to 64GB
- Good performance with a Quad-Core processor and Android Nougat
CONS
- Screen quality is too good
- Average battery life
- No cellular support
2. LG G PAD V520 (Great Choice for Budget Price)
1.1 lbs | 8-inch | IPS | 1920 x 1200 | 2 GB | 32 GB | 7.5 hours | Android 6.0 | WIFI + 4G LTE
As I said, you should always try to get a cellular enabled device along with Wi-Fi support if you want to use a map or location related feature of your drone. Yes! with a Wi-Fi only tablet, you can’t use map feature until you haven’t pre-cached the map in the DJI Go app. With that out the way, the LG G PAD V520 is one of the cheapest recommendations which is offering LTE connectivity along with Wi-Fi.
With adding a few more bucks into your budget this tablet is offering some better features.
Unlike the previous tablet, you’re getting an 8-inch full HD (even slightly better 1920 x 1200) IPS screen, which can provide an amazing image quality. Moreover, it is an IPS panel; therefore, it can provide wide view angles and good color accuracy.
In terms of performance, the LG V520 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8952 Octa-Core processor, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage capacity, which is sufficient for a smooth operation. Moreover, with the Android 6.0 version, it can support almost all drone-related apps without any problem.
If we talk about the battery backup which is a bit better than our previous tablet, but it is still on the lower side and won’t last more than 7.5 hours on LTE mode.
Overall, the LG G PAD X 8.0 is one of the great inexpensive tablets for drone which is offering an 8-inch full HD screen, good performance, LTE connectivity along with W-Fi, and durable construction.
PROS
- Very budget-friendly price
- Good display quality with full HD resolution
- Durable and portable
- Smooth performance with an octa-core processor and 2GB of RAM
CONS
- Battery life is somewhat low when being used in LTE mode
- A bit old Android version (6.0)
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab A (Another Great Budget Choice with 10″ Screen)
1.16 lbs | 10.1-inch | IPS | 1920 x 1200 | 2 GB | 32 GB | 12 hours | Android 6.0 | Wi-Fi + Cellular
While the LG V520 is a great choice at the budget price which is offering many good features, but some users need something bigger display, that’s why the Samsung SM-T585 becomes a considerable option here. However, besides a big and beautiful display, the Samsung SM-T585 is offering some extra features as well.
First of all, the Samsung Galaxy TAB A SM-T585 is offering a 10.1-inch display as you know, and it has a bit better resolution (1920 x 1200) than full HD (1920 x 1080), which is great. Overall, it can deliver a good color quality with enough sharpness for your live view.
In the performance department, this tablet is offering an Exynos Octa-Core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of inbuilt storage capacity which is really appreciable for this cheap price.
You guessed it right, it is an LTE enabled tablet along with Wi-Fi support, means you’ll be capable to use the full features of your drone and apps. Another great news, this tablet is having a great battery life too, so you don’t need to worry about for charging all the time. With a single charge, it can last up to a whole day which is just fantastic for a cellular device.
Also, remember if you’re planning to use a bigger tablet like this, you might need to purchase a tablet mount holder like this for your drone’s remote controller.
If you’re looking for a bigger Android tablet in budget range for your drone controlling, the Samsung SM-T585 could be a solid choice which is offering a seamless performance, great battery life, and 32GB inbuilt storage (expandable up to 200GB).
If you don’t want to spend much on your drone tablet, the Samsung tablet is one of the most recommended choices in 2023.
PROS
- Affordable price
- Bigger display with good image quality and sharpness
- Decent performance with Exynos Octa-Core processor and 2GB of RAM
- Inbuilt 32 storage capacity and expandable up to 200GB
- Great battery life
CONS
- A bit older Android version (6.0)
- Somewhat heavy due to big size
4. Lenovo Tab 4 Plus (Overall Best Choice for Android Tablet)
0.68 lbs | 10-inch | IPS | 1920 x 1200 | 4 GB | 64 GB | 20 hours | Android 7.1 | WiFi + LTE | USB Type C
Whether you’re looking for a great performance, beautiful design, bigger storage, longer battery life, portability, big screen or any other features the Lenovo Tab 4 Plus is the answer of all questions.
Yes! the Lenovo Tab 4 Plus is my best choice for a drone tablet in 2023 in Android, it is offering all features with the most reasonable price. You might be wondering how a tablet can have a big screen and portability at the same time, I want to tell you the Lenovo Tab 4 Plus is available in two sizes 8-inch and 10-inch, you can pick as per your requirements.
First of all, the 10-inch variant which I am discussing here, it is offering a Qualcomm 625 processor, 4GB RAM, and 64GB of inbuilt storage which can deliver a powerful performance. If you don’t know, the Qualcomm 625 is an Octa-Core processor, which is capable up of 2GHz clock speed and run any applications very smoothly. Moreover, the 64GB storage capacity is quite good, however, you may need to expand it with a microSD card if you need even more.
With the 10-inch full HD screen, this tablet provides an immersive viewing experience. Moreover, it is offering inbuilt Dolby Atmos Audio with dual front speakers, which can deliver a surround sound quality, it can be useful for listening to music or movie watching.
Unlike all previous tablet, this Lenovo tablet can be used in 2 modes, with the Bluetooth keyboard you can use it as a portable notebook. The task-bar, multi-windows operation, and app switching feature allow to work seamlessly.
Despite a bigger screen and tons of feature, the Lenovo Tab 4 Plus is a very lightweight tablet. Moreover, the battery life is also the best, it can last around two days with a single charge, I think, it is one of the best tablets with longest battery life.
Again, I want to remind, you this tablet is available in two variants, you can also opt for the lower variant which is portable and cheaper, you may need compromise with some features though.
If you’re looking for the best Android tablet for drone flying, Lenovo Tab 4 Plus is my top recommendation for 2023 which is having all features that will be required to fly your drone efficiently.
Is it the best Android device if I can spend even more on my drone tablet? Absolutely not! you can get the LTE enabled variant of Samsung Galaxy Tab S4, which is the latest tablet from Samsung.
PROS
- Best price, value for the money
- Outstanding bigger display with full HD resolution and high brightness
- Powerful performance with Snapdragon 625 processor and 4GB RAM
- 64GB large storage capacity with the expandable feature
- Great sound quality with Dolby Atmos and stereo speakers
- Wi-Fi + Cellular support ensure the interruption-free drone flying
- Epic 20 hours of battery backup
- Out of the box Android 7.1 Nougat and upgradable to 8.0 (not sure about 9.0)
CONS
- Some bloatware can be found, however, the performance won’t be affected
5. Apple iPad mini 4 (Affordable Apple Tablet for Drone)
0.65 lbs | 7.9-inch | IPS | 2048 x 1536 | 2 GB | 128 GB | 10 hours | iOS 11 | Wi-Fi + Cellular
Previously the Apple iPad Mini 2 was my most affordable choice but many users have reported to me, after few updates of DJI GO and DJI GO apps, this tablet is somewhat lagging. That’s why I have replaced this tablet with the iPad Mini 4 because it has better hardware and features, and it won’t let you face any tepidity during your drone flight.
You might be wondering, what about the iPad Mini 3, I want to tell you, this tablet also has only 1GB of memory and only support up to W-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n; therefore, it might also perform a bit slow with DJI app.
Like previous iPad mini 2, the iPad Mini 4 is having the same display of 7.9-inch with 2048 x 1536 pixels of resolution. But the iPad mini 4’s display surface is Anti-reflective and supports higher color gamut of 99% sRGB, which can deliver richer color quality with higher visibility. Moreover, the camera quality has been improved and the now the iPad Mini 4 support the Touch ID feature as well.
From the performance aspect, the iPad Mini 4 is much powerful, because it is powered by a new A8 chip and 1GB extra memory (total 2GB), which can result in a snappy performance. However, the storage capacity is still available up to 128 GB without expandability, as usual.
Additionally, if we compare the connectivity feature, the Latest iPad mini 4 supports 802.11 ac Wi-Fi along with all previous standards (802.11a/b/g/n), and it is capable to work with 6 extra LTE bands along with 14 previous bands. With that out the way, the iPad mini 4 can perform way much better than the iPad Mini 2 and iPad Mini 3.
When it comes to battery backup, you are getting around 10-hours of runtime with a single charge which is quite good.
Overall, the iPad Mini 4 is the best Apple tablet for drone at a cheaper price. If you don’t want to spend higher and looking for an Apple device, it is my first recommendation for you. However, as you can see, the previous gen iPad Mini 2 and 3 are very cheap nowadays, but I don’t want to suggest them for drone flying.
PROS
- Brilliant quality display with 99% sRGB color gamut, higher resolution, and anti-reflective surface
- The snappy performance with an A8 chip
- Good battery life
- Dual connectivity, Wi-Fi and LTE for smoother operation
- Touch ID for better security
- Great cameras quality
CONS
- No expandable storage, available up to 128GB though
6. Apple iPad (Overall Best Apple Tablet for Drone)
1.05 lbs | 9.7-inch | IPS | 2048 x 1536 | 2 GB | 128 GB | 10 hours | iOS 12 | Wi-Fi + Cellular
While Apple iPad Mini 4 is a solid choice and can deliver a snappy performance. But, if you can slide up your budget a bit, the latest Apple iPad is the finest option you can get on the current market. There are tremendous differences between the performance and features when we compare it with its previous gen or iPad’s Mini-Series.
First and foremost, the latest iPad is offering a bigger 9.7-inch Retina display and A10 Fusion chip which can deliver a powerful performance along with rich viewing experience. Moreover, compatibility with Apple Pencil has opened many doors of opportunity, you can many things like drawing, notes taking, photo or video editing much effectively.
As I said above, it has an A10 Fusion chip, it is the first Apple-designed quad-core SoC, with two high performance and two energy efficient cores. The same chip has been used in the Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which is still one of the most popular iPhones from Apple.
However, memory and storage size are the same for both Apple iPad Mini 4 and Latest iPad, you are getting 2GB RAM and max 128 GB of storage capacity. Absolutely! you won’t get any expandable feature, as usual.
There are lots of things to say about the latest Apple iPad but for a drone, tablet, I think the performance, storage, connectivity options, and screen quality are the main feature to consider.
If we talk about the connectivity options, the latest iPad is offering both Wi-Fi and Cellular support, which is one of the most important features for a drone tablet.
Overall, the latest iPad is one of the best tablets for drones which is offering all premium features without any premium price.
Although, this tablet is offering a big display which is great. But on the other hand, some users may find it annoying also, while placing on the drone controller. In such a case, the iPad Mini 4 might be a perfect choice for you.
Is it the best Apple tablet for drones in 2023, if you can spend even more than 1,000 $? Absolutely not! the latest iPad Pro is the most versatile, powerful, beautiful and lightweight device out there, you can go for it.
PROS
- Wonderful price for features
- Outstanding performance with A10 Fusion chip
- Bigger and sharper Retina display for an immersive viewing
- Good battery life up to 10 hours with a single charge
- Apple Pencil supported
- Brilliant cameras quality
- Latest Wi-Fi and LTE connection supported
- Great audio quality
- Touch ID fingerprint sensor for enhancing security
CONS
- Size might be bigger for some
Best Tablets for Drones Flying in 2023 – Buyer’s Guide
As I said above, this section will tell you exactly that which features you’ll need to consider when purchasing a tablet for your DJI or other drones?
What is the ideal size for a drone tablet, and how much resolution would be best?
As we are talking about the best tablet for drones flying, resulting we are looking for a bigger display. Usually, from 8 to 10-inch size is ideal for a perfect drone tablet, because it is enough big to see what you’re doing, and won’t be dominated over you. However, some exceptions are there; therefore, along with size, we have to think about the tablet’s weight as well.
In terms of resolution, as you know the highest resolution is always good. However, for this tablet size category, I would like to address the full HD resolution, it is pretty good and can provide a decent accuracy. However, nowadays most of the latest tablets or even smartphones are having more than that resolution, and we don’t need to worry about that.
Which display technology should I choose in a drone tablet?
The IPS and AMOLED are the two main display type, you can easily find in any tablet nowadays. There are some differences between these technologies, which makes them stand apart from each other.
First, we will discuss the IPS (In-Plane Switching) display. The IPS displays tend to provide the highest color accuracy and wide view angles. This display technology is widely being used in all devices, from the budget to premium; therefore, you can get it easily in most of the tablets.
On the other hand, AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) is well known for the highest contrast ratio and energy conservation. Moreover, the AMOLED display can provide higher brightness level, which can help in outdoor or in bright lighting condition.
Also, remember there are also many good IPS display out there, which can provide great brightness. And all IPS panel are not equally good in color production, because it depends on the manufacturing quality.
Should I also buy sun visor for my drone’s tablet?
I would say yes! Especially on a sunny day, you likely won’t able to see anything on the tablet because most of the multimedia tablet comes with a highly reflective screen and when it exposes to the sun it becomes sun itself. However, some high-end tablet can compete with their higher brightness level, but it is not always the case.
However, it is also not too necessary to buy a sun visor, if you rarely use your drone in the sunlight.
How much memory and storage would be best for a drone tablet?
While considering the requirements of DJI Go and DJI Go 4 apps (for drones since P4), you’ll need at least 2GB RAM in your tablet for ideal performance. However, a device with 1GB might work in some cases, but I want to suggest to go with more than 2GB memory for seamless performance.
For storage concern, if you have any latest drone like Phantom 3 or Mavic Air and you’re going to record with 4K resolution, then 16GB storage won’t last more than 2 minutes. Now you can get an idea about how much your requirement is going to be? Even with a full HD recording, you’ll need at least 32 GB of storage capacity for recording a significant length video.
It is especially true in case of the Apple devices because you won’t able to expand it later; therefore, you can go even higher storage for making it future-proof. However, if you’re choosing an Android device then you don’t need to worry about it, but you just need to make sure that device support expandable storage feature and you can upgrade it later with a microSD card.
Which OS should I go with when choosing the best tablet for DJI drones?
Well, both Operating Systems are amazing, you should choose according to your requirements and budget.
As you know the iOS is only available for Apple devices, and there are only a few options are available. Moreover, they don’t offer expandable storage, and you’ll need to spend extra for that.
On the other hand, in Android there are tons of options are available with different budget and requirements. Moreover, most of the Android tablet offers expandable storage capacity, which is a sweet spot for the best drone tablet.
Whether you’re going with an Apple or Android device, try to opt for the latest OS version. Moreover, mind the storage capacity as per your requirements or get an expandable one.
As per the DJI Go app requirements, you’ll need at least iOS 10.0 / later version, and Android 4.1 / later. However, all of the tablets that I have listed here, have higher specifications than the requirements, and you don’t have to worry about that.
Some of our readers have asked very basic questions, and I am answering them below. If you already know them you can jump to my reviews section.
Which is the good option between Wi-Fi tablet or Wi-Fi + LTE tablet for best drone flying experience?
Along with that, here are some other basic questions, my readers have asked regarding it.
- Do drones require Internet?
- Can I fly my drone without the Internet?
- Can you fly a drone without GPS?
Yes! you can also fly your drone without any GPS or internet connection just in ATTI mode because the DJI Go app only connects to the Remote Control. However, you’ll lack some features like:
- Maps won’t work
Unless you have not pre-cache your maps in the DJI Go app, you won’t able to use a map feature in your Wi-Fi only device.
- Follow Me mode will not work
If your tablet doesn’t have cellular data then you won’t able to use the Follow Me mode of your drone. It could be a deal breaker for many drone enthusiasts.
- You can’t reset home location
When the cellular data is not available, your device won’t able to reset the home location because it can’t connect GPS services.
I hope you have understood, that which tablet you’ll need, Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + Cellular for your interruption free drone experience.
What iPads work with DJI Go app?
Well, almost all iPad can work with DJI Go app without any problem. But I would like to recommend iPad Mini 4, the latest iPad and iPad Pro for seamless performance. However, the iPad 2, or 3 even can run the DJI Go app, but you might face some lag sometime.
Does iPad MINI work with Mavic pro?
Absolutely it will work, but don’t go for the older model, the iPad Mini 4 would be the best as I said above.
Does iPad MINI 4 WIFI have GPS?
Unfortunately, the Wi-Fi only model doesn’t have GPS, you’ll need to choose the Wi‑Fi + Cellular model to use GPS related applications.
What is the best tablet for DJI Phantom 3 or DJI Phantom 4?
I would like to suggest Lenovo Tab 4 Plus in Android, and if you’re an Apple fan the latest iPad would be a great choice at a reasonable price.
What is the best tablet for DJI Mavic pro?
The answer would be the same, Lenovo Tab 4 Plus or the latest iPad.
Do you need data to fly Mavic pro?
Absolutely not, you can fly Mavic Pro without internet in ATTI mode, but you won’t able to use the Follow Me feature. Additionally, you won’t able to use the map as well, if you haven’t pre-cache the map in the DJI Go app.
Can you use an iPad with a Mavic pro?
Yes! you can use the iPad with the Mavic Pro, it supports the DJI Go and DJI Go 4 apps.
However, there were many other similar questions, and I have tried to combine them. If you have still any other questions you can drop a comment below for me.
Wrapping it up
However, I have said it all already above. But I want to remind you, don’t go for a Wi-Fi only tablet, you may face some limited functionality while flying drone.
If you’re on a very tight budget, you can choose either LG G PAD V520 or Samsung SM-T585, both tablets are good and offering almost similar features except the display size. The Samsung tablet is offering 10.1-inch screen while in LG V520 you will get an 8-inch screen.
While the Lenovo Tab 4 Plus is my overall best choice for Android tablet, which is offering all required features at a brilliant price. If you can spend more on your drone tablet, you can also go for Samsung Galaxy Tab S4, but I don’t recommend it because the Lenovo Tab 4 Plus is pretty enough for seamless performance.
On the other hand, for Apple lovers, the iPad Mini 4 is a perfect choice for the affordable price. While the latest iPad is my top choice in Apple tablet for drone flying, because you’ll get all premium features without any premium price.
For people with deep pockets, the latest iPad Pro is the ultimate option which is offering the highest performance, top-notch display, stunning design, thinnest and lightweight body.
These were my best tablets for drone flying in 2023. What do you think, or have you any questions, let me know in the comment below? I would love to help you.
Thank you very much, have a great day 🙂
