Drones are the new must-have technology, and make an ideal gift for teenagers (or born-again teenagers!). But if you’re looking for a drone as a birthday gift then it can be confusing if you don’t know much about drones. There’s just so many to choose from.
The great news is that we have done all of the hard work for you and compiled some of the best options. We’ve looked at the various features and different price points so there’s sure to be a drone that suits your teenager (and your pocket!).
Let’s take a look at the best drone birthday gifts for teens and help you make the right choice.
1. Force1 U49W Blue Heron
Every teen (and adult!) will love this drone! It’s not the cheapest option out there, but it is easy to assemble and operate. It comes with three speeds as well as one-key takeoff and landing. It comes with bumpers for added safety and an out-of-range alarm.
You can enjoy first-person view (FPV) with the real-time HD 720p video camera when connected to the iPhone or Android app. The Force1 U49W Blue Heron has Altitude Hold to hover, and also features Headless Mode. This model is also compatible with VR headsets for the ultimate virtual reality experience.
This drone can stay in the air for up to 15 minutes on one battery, which is pretty decent. It comes with a spare battery, along with four extra propellers, spare motors, and drone tools.
The U49W drone is as good flying outdoors as it is inside. It’s well-designed, fun, easy to use, has a long battery life, and is good value for money, which makes it top of the list of drone birthday gifts for teens.
Get all the details in our complete Force1 U49W Blue Heron review.
2. Tenergy TDR Phoenix Mini
This is one of the best mini drones you can buy for a beginner. The auto hovering feature allows the TDR Phoenix Mini to stay suspended in the air, even after letting go of the joystick. This makes it so easy for anyone to use and is an ideal gift for a teen.
The Tenergy TDR Phoenix Mini also performs a 360-degree roll to make impressive flying stunts easy, and it’s controlled at the touch of a button. Although this drone is small, it packs a 720p HD camera. This gives wonderful HD aerial photos and videos while the drone is flying.
The TDR Phoenix also features a six-axis gyro stabilization system. This enables the drone to recover quickly after any rapid movement. This drone is well-built for the price and because of the small size, it’s quite safe to use indoors with the assembled guard.
This drone comes at a great budget price, has the bonus of a HD camera, and is a good starting point for those new to drone flying before they upgrade to a larger machine. The only downside is the fairly short battery life between charges.
3. Force1 U34W Dragonfly
The Force1 U34W Dragonfly is considerably more expensive than the Tenergy TDR, but it is a solid choice for indoor flying as it is no bigger than a dinner plate. This alone makes it one of the best drone birthday gifts for teens, and it can be set up very quickly. It’s easy and fun to use, and is controlled by a remote or an iPhone app.
The Dragonfly also boats a high-definition 720p wide-angle camera that records live video and can also be used for selfie videos. When you connect the camera to the mobile app, you can use this drone with a VR headset to experience real-time flying.
It’s very easy to operate, with one-key Lift/Land function, and also comes with the ability to perform 360-degree flips.
This drone is well-built and forgiving of any beginner mishaps, so is an ideal first drone. It comes with spare propellers and also two batteries so one can be charging while you’re flying with the other.
This drone is so light and suited to indoor flying that you may have issues with it outside in anything more than a light breeze. It’s supposed to land if you lose contact with it, and it also gives a warning signal if you are getting to close to being out of range.
To see even more features and what this drone has to offer, check out the full Force1 U34W Dragonfly review.
4. EMAX Hawk Sport PNP
For the sportier and more drone-experienced teen, there’s always a racing drone like the EMAX Hawk Sport.
Drone racing is a fairly new concept, and is sure to appeal to anyone who likes a bit of a challenge! This is not a beginner drone though, as it reaches some seriously high speeds (up to 105mph, according to the manufacturer!)
It comes with five-inch propellers and is streamlined to fly at high speeds. It also offers compatibility with GoPro for the ultimate experience. Don’t forget, some drones over a certain weight require you to register them with the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S.
If you’re looking for a super-fast and durable racing drone birthday gift for teens, then the EMAX Hawk Sport fits the bill.
5. Holy Stone HS210
This drone is a good beginner choice at a budget price. It comes with three batteries, to give you a total flight time of 21 minutes. It’s very easy to use and the Auto-hovering function is very stable and simple to master.
In Headless Mode you can fly the HS210 Mini RC Quadcopter without worrying that you’ll lose direction, especially if the drone is far away. It also features one key takeoff and landing, and can do a 3D flip in four directions.
The low battery alarm will give you plenty of warning before the battery dies, and the drone will land before the battery runs out. The emergency stop function means you don’t have to worry about this drone flying away into the sunset!
It doesn’t have a camera, but it makes the list of top drone birthday gifts for teens because it’s a great introduction to flying a drone at a really good price.
6. Syma X5C Explorers (Budget Winner)
The Syma X5C Explorers drone packs a lot of features for a budget drone, including a decent camera that takes still photos or video. It’s very lightweight, but handles smoothly and is easy for complete beginners to master.
The Syma X5C also does a 360-degree flip, and is suitable for flying indoors or outside in calm conditions. The LED lights help when flying at dusk, and the batteries give around 7-14 minutes of flight time with around 60 minutes of recharge time needed. It only comes with one battery, but you can buy spare batteries very easily.
The protective guard around the propellers prevents injury or damage, and this drone comes with four spare propellers. It’s good value for money and packs a lot into a little body, which is why it makes the budget choice.
Our Syma X5C Explorers review goes even further into the best and worst features of this drone.
Selecting the Best Drone Birthday Gifts for Teens
It can be hard to pick the ideal drone, especially if you don’t know much about them, so hopefully, this list of the best drone birthday gifts for teens will help make the choice easier for you.
It pays to know if your teen is experienced with drones, or a total beginner. Do they want to race their drone, or do they want quality video and photo capabilities instead?
If you are after something budget-friendly when searching for a birthday gift for your teen, then the Syma X5C drone is your best bet. But if you want a well-rounded, easy-to-use drone with plenty of features, the Force1 U49W is the top option.
