The drone market is a great example of how quick advancements in technology can bring down prices and increase functionality. In the early days of drones, it felt like you needed years of RC piloting experience, but not anymore.
Even at the cheaper end of the market, drones are easier than ever to fly and have loads of features only available on the most expensive units up until a few years ago. Stabilized onboard cameras, flight controls, rechargeable batteries, and built-in safety features are all now commonplace.
Learn the basic manual controls of a drone and the skills will serve you well in the long run. The two stick approach works with all drones, especially in the universal ‘Mode 2’ for controlling the throttle (up and down) and the rotation (yaw) with the left stick and flight (roll & pitch) with the right stick.
The only way to get your head around this functionality is with lots of practice, which is where the beginner drones come into play. All the drones listed here are great ways to practice your flight skills before you move to more professional units and won’t break the bank.
1. Ryze Tello
With the flight tech designed by DJI, one of the best makers in the drone business, you know the Ryze Tello will have some great features. For a little over $100, this drone is like a mini version of the DJI Mavic with instantly recognizable features. The unit is fully programmable and can be adapted to your own way of flying, along with coding in Scratch for the younger pilots out there.
The unit weighs 80g, with a robust design, built to take some of the knocks of early flight training. If you want a cheap and feature rich drone, then this is a good start point.
2. Yuneec Breeze
The Yuneec Breeze is one example of drone where the price has dropped dramatically due to newer models being released, but there’s still plenty of quality and value for money here. 4K video, 13MP stills, and a Live 720 HD live stream as standard, along with flight modes such as Selfie mode, Orbit mode and Follow me mode.
Being a little more expensive than the unit above, there are features such as Auto-landing and auto return-to-home, make it an excellent choice among drones for beginners. The unit also has built-in GPS, so you can plot a route through its own app. This is a solidly built drone which will give you loads of fun flying experience with some great functionality.
3. Hubsan H502S X4 Desire
If you need a cheap drone which features great functionality for stable flight and GPS, the Hubsan X4 Desire is a great choice. The GPS feature alone makes this a worthy buy as the different flight modes work more like more expensive units integrated with flight GPS. The GPS features auto-positioning, follow me mode, auto return to home and creates very steady flight. With a robust build and being very compact, this unit is one of the best drones for beginners.
4. Holy Stone HS110D FPV RC
The Holy Stone HS110D FPV RC could be one of the best drones to start into the world of aerial photography. At this price point, many drones may feature some sort of camera, but the Hubsan H502S X4 has 120º field-of-view which can record video at 720p. This is linked to the provided FPV real-time transmission and can be viewed through VR Glasses for a fully immersive experience.
There are plenty of sensors on this drone to keep everything stable in flight, with features like Altitude Hold and Emergency Stop function if the drone becomes uncontrollable or out of sight.
5. SYMA X5C
This is another entry-level drone which has been around for a few years and has thus dropped in price a little. This means that you’re getting plenty of features for your money and still contemporary technology. This is more of a first-time drone for practice, but you still get a reasonable HD camera and plenty of flight assist modes. The unit has six-axis stabilization for steady flight with a provided RC handset for choosing different modes like 3D lock and scheduled flight.
The SYMA X5C has pitch and roll as found on more expensive drones, along with colored lights underneath to help you locate and check the drone’s orientation.
6. DJI Spark
If you want to jump up in functionality and quality, along with great video and stills and you can’t go wrong with the DJI Spark. 1080p HD video and 12-megapixel stills with a 2-axis camera gimbal make for great footage.
Face and gesture detection are great responsive features and with a 100m range or 2km with the optional radio control, this is a little out of the beginners market, but a worthy step up. The drone has the usual DJI build quality and a 36kph maximum speed.
7. Altair 818 Hornet
The Altair 818 Hornet was developed to give beginners a good option when they want something basic that can still offer an excellent flying experience.
The product has an impressive flying time, considering the affordable price tag. A single charge gives you up to 15 minutes of flight. There are two batteries included.
The product has a durable construction, ensuring crash landings would not make the device break easily. Furthermore, there is no need to worry about having advanced skills – the Altair 818 Hornet is exceptionally easy to fly, even for those who have never flown one before.
8. Holy Stone HS700 FPV
The Holy Stone HS700 FPV is another high-performance and exceptionally durable drone that is the perfect choice when looking for drones for beginners. This device comes with a built-in camera that easily streams content directly to your smartphone. You can also choose to fit the drone with a GoPro Camera.
The product has built-in Wi-Fi and is able to record video content in 1080p. The wide-view lens also ensures you can see more in every frame that you capture with the built-in video camera. The GPS-Assisted flight feature ensures the product can find its way home automatically if you lose signal. The device is also fitted with a 2800mAh battery, which allows you to fly the drone for about 20 minutes before the device needs a recharge.
9. UPair One Quadcopter
Next up, we have the UPair One Quadcopter drone. This is another option that is relatively costly, but it does come with sturdy construction that won’t fail you, even when the drone comes crashing down making it ideal among drones for beginners.
The product comes with a built-in camera that is able to stream directly to the remote control’s seven-inch display. You can record video at a high-quality 2.7K resolution. The device has a Sony HD camera. The product also features built-in GPS, which becomes especially useful when you lose signal – the UPair One will be able to fly directly to your home!
10. JJRC X5 FPV
The JJRC X5 FPV drone comes at a mid-range price and offers an array of useful features that will make your journey into the world of drones exciting. The manufacturer ensures that the X5 is very easy to use making it one of the best drones for beginners.
The JJRC X5 is equipped with a 1080p HD camera and can stream video content live. The GPS system ensures accurate positioning of the drone and helps to ensure the drone flies back home if the connection is lost or the battery starts to become low. The camera can be easily adjusted using the remote control, and the brushless motor provides better performance than some of the alternative drones out there.
11. Potensic T18
The Potensic T18 is another option that is more affordable than some of the other higher end drones on the market. This drone comes with built-in GPS positioning, as well as a return home function. It also features a wide-angle camera that can be easily adjusted while controlling the drone remotely.
The Potensic T18 is exceptionally easy to sync with your smartphone and comes with a built-in 1080p HD live camera that streams content directly to your phone once connected. A “follow me” mode was also introduced in this drone.
12. Force1 Mini Drone
If you are not looking to go all out with your very first drone, then the Force1 Mini Drone could be a great product for you. This device comes in an exceptionally compact design, yet is still durable and can withstand basic levels of wear due to bumps.
The manufacturer recommends that this drone be flown inside your home, offering you a great way just to get started and discover how exactly the product works. The device comes with a built-in camera and a very unique feature – VR functionality. It’s also able to stream live 720p HD videos wirelessly directly to your smartphone.
13. Amcrest A4-W Skyview
If you cannot afford some of the higher end drones on the market and your budget is very limited, then you should take a closer look at the Amcrest A4-W Skyview quadcopter. This is an affordable device and comes with everything you need to get going.
The Amcrest A4-W is equipped with a camera that is able to record video in 720p quality. The product is ideal for beginners and also a good option for kids. The remote control is easy to use and comes with a bracket that attaches your smartphone directly to the control for easy viewing of the live video content provided by the drone’s camera system.
14. DROCON Ninja Foldable Drone
The last of the best drones for beginners that we would like to share on our list is the DROCON Ninja Foldable Drone. This is an attractive drone that comes in a funky blue color. You can also select a black or white option if you prefer.
The drone can be easily folded, making it easy to carry without taking up too much space. The controller that comes with the package allows for easy flying off the device and is also able to keep your smartphone secure. The device is equipped with a gravity sensor, a 720p HD camera, built-in Wi-Fi, and real-time video streaming features.
Choosing the Best Drones for Beginners
When looking at the best drones for beginners, there are certain factors that you should take into account, as not all of these devices will give you an easy way to get started with your own drone. There are other well-priced drones on the market with similar sets of features and equal build quality, but without the same quality of a camera.
If a flight practice drone is all you need, then you could opt. for some of the well-priced racing or stunt drones available such as the Nikko Air DRL Race Vision 220 FPV. These are set up to be more adept at aerial stunts, but it’s also a great way to get to grips with the initial flying experience.
If you are not sure which drone is right for you, take a closer look at the best drones for beginners that we shared with you in this post. They were are selected based on their user-friendliness and ability to get you going quickly.
