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Best Photo/Video Editing Apps for DJI Drones

Did you just shoot an amazing video on the DJI Mavic 3 Pro? Perhaps you’re super proud of the photos you captured on the Mini 4 Pro.

Best Photo/Video Editing Apps for DJI Drones
Image: Gabriel Mihalcea

You want to polish up your footage until it shines so it makes an impact on your clients or audience.

What drone editing app should you use for your DJI drone? The great thing is there is no one right answer to this question. You have so many options, from free to subscription and freemium services that can suit your workflow, editing style, and budget.

This list of recommendations comes from my personal favorites and the apps the team at Droneblog uses, loves, and trusts. Let’s dig right in!

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1. LightCut by LightCut, Inc.

I had to start with what has become an instant classic, LightCut.

This video-editing app, recommended by DJI, is compatible with a wide range of DJI models, including the Osmo Mobile 3, Osmo Mobile 6, Osmo Mobile SE, OM 4 SE, OM 5, Osmo Pocket 3, Pocket 2, Action 2, Osmo Action 3 and 4, Mini 3 and Mini 3 Pro, Mavic 3, Mavic 3 Classic and Pro, Air 3, and Mini 4 Pro.

The app is free to download and use, which is already a great reason to add it to your post-production repertoire. It’s available on Android and Apple devices.

What else is great about LightCut? Its ease of use. LightCut, like most things these days, has the power of AI behind it.

That’s how this DJI-recommended app offers intuitive editing with a single tap. You can preview the changes to your video before applying them. The footage saves in 4K HD quality.

Another feature that I love about this app is how you can do all your editing within the app on your phone, tablet, or favorite mobile device.

Technically, you could still be in the field, editing while on location, without having to use your laptop or computer. There’s no need to export your footage to edit it.

You can free up hard drive space on your computer because you’re not saving raw footage, then the edited footage on top of that.

» MORE: Best Editing Software for the DJI Mini 2 SE

2. Adobe Photoshop

You had to expect to see this classic photo editor, and rightfully so! Photoshop remains the cream of the crop all these years later.

What I like about Photoshop for editing DJI images is that you have two ways to do it. If you prefer mobile editing on the go, you can download the PS Express app on your smartphone or tablet.

The app gives you all the Photoshop features you need for quick, seamless, and appealing editing.

You maybe can’t get as intuitive with layers and masks on your phone as you can on your computer, but I love applying a good HDR filter on top, then fine-tuning the saturation, warmth, brightness, and shadows within this app.

The desktop version of Photoshop remains as whip-smart as ever, especially thanks to Generative AI. Tell the app what you want to delete, and its AI will take care of it for you.

Photoshop even has basic video-editing features, including on the PS Express app. You can trim footage, add text and music, adjust video speed, splice footage, and set the canvas ratio.

Sure, maybe it’s small potatoes compared to a dedicated video editor, but if you only need to do some light video polishing, you can get some use out of Photoshop for it.

» MORE: Drone Photography Ultimate Guide

3. DaVinci Resolve

I can’t tell you how many drone pilots I’ve spoken to who recommend DaVinci Resolve. Resolve has a little bit of everything, from audio editing to graphics, visual effects, color correction, and video editing.

As I’ve talked about elsewhere on the blog, it’s unsurprising that many Hollywood producers and directors flock to Resolve to edit the latest silverscreen blockbusters.

Just like Photoshop, Resolve can go with you anywhere your drone adventures take you, as you can download a free app version. Fair warning, it’s also designed for iPads, and it could work on other tablets.

Since the editing within the mobile app is so extensive and finetuned, I only recommend using the app on a large screen like a tablet. I suppose if your phone screen is big enough, you could get some use out of this app, but the more surface area you have to work with, the better.

Resolve uses AI editing, which is quickly becoming standard, but I love this app for its other features. For example, you can upload videos straight to Twitter, TikTok, Vimeo, and YouTube.

Do you work on a team? The collaborative features within Resolve will let you get more done together so you can tackle projects faster.

I also love the Resolve FX suite of CPU and GPU effects and think you will, too, if you appreciate drone footage with panache.

 There are more than 100 effects to choose from that capture any mood, style, and vibe you’re seeking.

» MORE: Best Drone Video Editor (With Screenshots)

4. DJI GO

LightCut isn’t the only DJI app in town for editing your videos. There’s also DJI GO.

Unlike LightCut, DJI GO isn’t all about video editing. This app also provides live drone views (in HD, no less), auto launches and landings, in-app Intelligent Flight Modes, and flight logs.

Between all that, there is simple and straightforward video editing. You can use DJI GO’s included templates, including a music library full of royalty-free tunes and sounds.

Import music of your own (just make sure it’s copyright-free if you’re using it commercially), edit the sound mix on the go, and finetune your video from your phone.

The DJI GO app is free to download for Apple and Android devices but is only compatible with Osmo, Inspire, Phantom, and Mavic drones.

» MORE: Litchi vs. DJI Go 4 – Which is Better?

5. Adobe Lightroom

Some in the drone community like Lightroom even more than Photoshop; for others, it’s vice-versa.

I grew up on Photoshop long before drones were around, but I’ve found that Lightroom has increasingly become a program I reach for when I want to add that extra bit of oomph to my images.

Lightroom is available for your computer/laptop and your phone/tablet. The mobile version is incredibly intuitive, offering effects, blurring, color grading, lighting, and healing.

Image credit: Dan Bayne

Don’t have time for that? The AI functionality within Lightroom will analyze your photo and recommend changes based on its original settings. You can save the photo with Lightroom changes or make your own.

Lightroom is also great because you can save your edits and pick them up anywhere. For example, if you don’t have access to the app on your phone or computer, you can edit online, then save your work and pick it back up later.

If you’re always traveling for your drone projects, you will love having an app like Lightroom in your corner.

» MORE: How to Edit Drone Photos for Social Media Using Lightroom (Guide)

6. Wondershare Filmora

Filmora caught my eye because it’s available on many operating systems, including Android, Apple mobile devices, Mac, and Windows.

All plans are paid, but you can buy a perpetual plan for under $100, which is a one-time payment. Most plans offer cross-platform compatibility.

AI takes care of most of the heavy lifting for you in this video-editing app. You can use Filmora’s AI Music Generator for some hot beats, AI Copilot Editing for a hands-on approach to how your drone footage looks, AI Thumbnail Creator for social media-ready thumbnails, and AI Text-Based Editing.

Outside of its AI features, Filmora boasts social media formats, premade templates, drag-and-drop effects, and seamless editing between your computer and mobile devices.

» MORE: 9 Tips to Make Your Drone Footage More Cinematic

7. Adobe Premiere Pro

You likely spent a small fortune on your DJI drone. You want footage that looks like it.

That’s what Adobe Premiere Pro is for. Long renowned as a favorite of drone pilots, Premiere Pro is a video-editing tool that will make your DJI videos look like solid gold. Pull off advanced editing concepts with ease, like L or J cuts, and use four-point editing for professional-level footage.

If you don’t love the color level in your clip, Premiere Pro has built-in color corrections and grading. When used in conjunction with DJI’s color grading, you can get some truly lifelike yet natural colors that will grab attention.

Are you thinking of using Premiere Pro with an app like Photoshop? Adobe lets you bundle everything together under its Creative Cloud All Apps plan.

You can use Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Adobe Express, After Effects, Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, Photoshop Express, and more under one plan.

This is a great plan for drone photographers and videographers, especially considering the Creative Cloud All Apps plan includes contract signing options.

» MORE: How to Use After Effects to Take Your Aerial Hyperlapse to the Next Level

8. VideoProc Vlogger

I said I would share free options, and there haven’t been enough of those. So, let’s fix that by discussing VideoProc Vlogger, a free video editor for taking your DJI drone footage to new heights.

This app has a very small learning curve, which I personally like. I don’t want to take forever to figure out how to use a new program to its fullest potential. I want to begin using it the right way from day one.

You can with this app. The features are motion, speed, text, color, audio, effects, transitions, and cut/split. They’re all self-explanatory, but please don’t think this is only a basic editor.

If you want to take it further with more pro-level edits, you certainly can. For example, the app has auto keyframes and Bezier curves you can adjust at will. You won’t have any watermarks when you save your footage, either!

Another feature I love about this app is how you can go back in post and add motion styles to your video. For example, you can rotate and fast-zoom your video, and if you want a shaky style (which, you never know, you might!), you can have it.

You can also set the movements of the video, between dolly, roll, tilt, and more, giving your footage an extra layer of motion and appeal.

» MORE: Drone Cinematography- Getting Started in Drone Filmmaking

9. DJI Fly

If you’re brand new to drones and got your hands on a Mini 2 SE, or if you only need to do basic editing, you should have the DJI Fly App at your disposal.

This free app is the same one you use to fly the Mavic Mini, Mavic Air 2, Mini 2, DJI FPV, Air 2S, Mini SE, Mavic 3, Mini 3 Pro, Mavic 3 Classic, Mini 3, Mini 2 SE, Mavic 3 Pro, Air 3, and Mini 4 Pro.

DJI Fly is preloaded with creator templates you can apply to any drone video you’ve taken on the above models. The templates all look totally professional, so don’t worry about that. Your footage will shine.

You can also add special effects and music within the DJI Fly app, edit your video timeline, and adjust the orientation from landscape to portrait and vice-versa.

Since the DJI Fly app is free, if you have a drone that’s compatible with it, you should have it downloaded on your phone or tablet. You can at least use it as a launching pad for editing if you do a lot of complex edits.

» MORE: DJI Fly App – How to Master Shooting in Manual Mode

10. LumaFusion

Are you a Mac user? You shouldn’t miss LumaFusion by Luma Touch. This app is designed for iPads but works on iPhones. The larger your phone screen, the easier you should find it to work.

LumaFusion isn’t free and also has optional purchases. Only the education edition is free; so it’s freemium if we’re being technical.

The features include ProRes editing, video stills, project transport to other devices, video sorting, metadata and color tagging, project archival, various aspect ratios, and up to six video or audio tracks.

Image captured by Gabriel Mihalcea

Do you want effects?

Of course! LumaFusion has got ‘em, from color correction to chroma and luma keys, styles, blurring, green screen, distortion, stabilization, and animation.

It’s a surprisingly sophisticated program that lets you pick and pull at your files, editing individual tracks or parts of your video to help you create projects you’ll be happy to submit and post within your portfolio.

» MORE: Can You Fly a Drone with an iPad? (Explained for Beginners)