Drones are expensive items, and the last thing you want is to accidentally break one before you even get a chance to fly it. With the unwieldy shape and thin propeller arms of most quadcopters, this can be difficult to do on your own, which is why you need a great drone case.

Drone cases come in many different shapes and sizes. A drone backpack can be worn over the shoulders, while others might be carried like a briefcase. They’re made of different materials and work for different models of drone. With so many factors to consider it can be hard to tell which drone carry case is best for you, which is why we’ve written the following product review guide.

Best Drone Carrying Cases

There are lots of drone cases that are designed to work specifically for a single quadcopter, and we’ve written about some of those in other articles. But in these drone case reviews, we’re going to be looking at carrying cases that you should be able to use for many different types of drone so long as they’re in the same general weight and size class.

Lowepro DroneGuard CS 400

Read reviews and show for the Droneguard CS 400

The Lowepro DroneGuard series is a very popular set of drone cases for sale and are definitely among the best on the market. The CS 400 is a hard shelled backpack with adjustable dividers inside. It’s designed for the DJI Phantom drone series or the 3DR Solo, but should work for any similarly-sized drone (the wingspan should be 1.6 feet or smaller.)

These cases are a lot cheaper than competing brands, too – only $50 USD for the CS 400. And you’re still getting a great set of features for the price with dedicated accessory storage, a customizable divider setup, and a lightweight but extremely tough FormShell construction.



Features: Costs $50 USD

Includes attachable back straps

10.04” x 15” x 21.93” dimensions

Hard FormShell outer casing

Fits accessories, controller, etc.

Only weighs about 4 pounds (plus the weight of the drone)

Lowepro DroneGuard CS 300

Read reviews and show for the Droneguard CS 300

This is a smaller but slightly more expensive DroneGuard drone case that comes with all of the features of the CS 400 model along with dedicated space for extra parts, action cameras, batteries, cords, chargers, manuals, and more. It’s perfect for a smaller beginner drone like the popular Altair Aerial AA108.





Features: Costs $63 USD Includes attachable back straps 6.9” x 14” x 18.2” dimensions Hard FormShell outer casing Fits accessories, controller, etc. Weighs about 3.3 pounds (plus the weight of the drone)

Ape Case ACPRO1500W

Read reviews and show for the Ape Case

This water-resistant drone carrying case is a little pricier than the DroneGuards, but still cheaper than most drone cases. The ACPRO1500W works for just about anything from a small beginner drone to the mighty Phantom 4. There’s 4 pouches for accessories, controllers, etc., and like all Ape Case drone backpacks this one comes with a 5-year warranty that will protect your investment in the event of any defects in materials or workmanship.

However, this (relatively) cheap case isn’t going to give you the best protection around – the outside is merely padded foam. This is probably fine for a backpack and means that the ACPRO is perfect for anyone whose first priority is portability, but it makes it a less-than-ideal choice for anyone whose first concern is durability.





Features: Costs $99 USD Backpack with back straps 12” x 9.5” x 18” dimensions Soft foam casing Four pockets for accessories Weighs 2.9 pounds (plus the weight of the drone)

Pelican 1650 Black Case With Foam

Read reviews and show for the Pelican 1650

The Pelican 1650 is the toughest drone case around, and also one of the most expensive. This Pelican case is completely sealed and water-tight but uses an Automatic Pressure Equalization Valve to keep air pressure balanced between the inside of the case and the outside world. The exterior is made of a proprietary blend of polymers with stainless steel reinforced joints and padlock protectors. It’s so tough that, if you click on the Amazon link below, you can see a video where they run over this carry case with a truck and it still doesn’t break!

As you can imagine, portability might be a bit of an issue with a case this big and heavy. It does come with wheels and a handle, but some of our readers might still prefer a backpack. But if you just want the biggest, toughest, and arguably best drone case around, Pelican is the brand to go with.





Features: Costs $265 USD Heavy case with wheels and a short handle 31.6” x 12.4” x 20.5” dimensions Nigh-unbreakable polymer casing Can hold all the accessories you could ever possibly want Weighs about 30 pounds (plus the weight of the drone)

Go Professional Cases

Read reviews and show for the Go Professional Case

Go Professional Cases, commonly abbreviated to GPC, is a highly respected drone case manufacturer creating wheeled hard cases for consumers who aren’t quite ready to commit to a Pelican. Rather than making a “one-size-fits-all” type of drone carry case like some of the other brands we’ve talked about, GPC makes individually molded cases for just about every name-brand drone imaginable, so you’re sure to find whatever you’re looking for if you scroll through their catalogue. We’ve linked to their most popular model below – their case for the Phantom 4 and its accessories.





Features: Costs $239 USD Heavy case with wheels and a handle 22” x 16” x 10” dimensions Military grade shell casing Molded to carry the controller and accessories that come with each drone Weighs about 17 pounds (plus the weight of the drone)

Nanuk DJI Waterproof Drone Cases

Read reviews and show for the Nanuk DJI Waterproof

It just wouldn’t feel right to make a “best drone case” review guide without including Nanuk. This company is known for making cases specifically for DJI drones (the Phantom series, the Mavic Pro, the Spark, etc.) but they also have a number of great generic cases that allow you to cut the foam yourself to fit whatever drone you’re carrying.

Nanuk cases use a proprietary resin on the inside that absorbs shocks, so the case (and its cargo) should be completely fine if you drop it on the ground. Their cases are waterproof, durable, and latch securely so that they’ll never open on accident. Though not quite as tough as the Pelican, these are still among the best drone cases around and well worth the price if you want the ultimate in drone safety.





Features: Costs $261 USD Heavy case with a handle 22.8” x 18.3” x 11.7” dimensions Waterproof polymer casing Can fit a few accessories Weighs about 18 pounds (plus the weight of the drone)

Drone Case FAQ

Do I need a drone case?

You don’t necessarily need a drone case, but we at Dronethusiast highly recommend it. Especially if you have a large drone that cost you a lot of money, a drone carrying case is the best way to protect your investment by keeping your drone safe and secure.

Where to buy a drone case?

Because drone cases are a niche item, they can usually only be found online. In most cases, we consider Amazon the best place to buy a drone case because they offer cheap or free shipping, some of the lowest prices around, and a wide selection all in one place. However, drone carrying cases can usually also be purchased from the manufacturer’s website.

Are there any drones that come with a case?

There are indeed! Certain DJI drones will allow you to add a first-party case at checkout for a slightly reduced price, as well some of the Parrot and JJRC models. Other drones from smaller companies may come with carrying cases as well, especially if they’re designed to be portable drones.

However, you will usually have to buy a drone case separately from the drone itself, especially if you’re looking at beginner drones or buying from a smaller company like Altair Aerial or Holy Stone.

Can you make your own drone case?

You can indeed! There are many online tutorials that will show you how to build a drone case. Usually, it involves carefully cutting a piece of rubber or foam to a shape that will snugly and securely fit your drone, then placing that mold in a hard shell case or backpack of the same size.

A DIY drone case is a great way to save money, but it will never match up to the durability of the best drone carrying cases you can buy online which are made by professionals. So there are pros and cons to both approaches.

Conclusion

We hope that this article has helped you find the perfect drone case for you. Whether you decide to build one yourself or buy one of the options we recommend, a drone carrying case is the best way to keep your expensive quadcopter safe from being damaged in transit.

Got a favorite drone case that we neglected to mention? Tell us all about it in the comments below!