Beginner Drones

Are you looking for the best entry-level drone? It is highly recommended to choose a more affordable, beginner-friendly model if you have little to no experience flying drones. Alternatively, these models could be excellent to find out if you actually enjoy them, or you could gift them to children and encourage them to pick up a new hobby. The following sections cover the best beginner drones of this year and why they are worth your attention.

Best Beginner Drones

DJI Mini 2

DJI is the sky leader when it comes to all types of drones. The DJI Mini 2 is easy to fly and use, but it is certainly more expensive than most beginner drones. Despite this, it is a game-changer for any drone enthusiasts who are serious about flying – whether it is your passion or you plan to use drones for professional purposes.

The DJI Mini 2 boasts a small footprint, ideal for traveling or flying indoors. It comes with an easy-to-use controller with controls that are intuitive, but complex enough to offer you room to grow. The drone has a maximum flying range of 10 km (about 6.2 miles) and comes with a robust flying experience, focusing on stability, wind-resistance, and strong motors. The drone has a flying time of approximately half an hour, while the footage comes with sharp clarity due to 4K quality.

Benefits

• 12 MP camera resolution with 4K video quality
• Intuitive controls
• Lightweight and extremely compact
• Up to 30 minutes flying time

Disadvantages

• Higher price range
• No obstacle-avoidance feature

DJI Spark

If you are serious about your flying skills, the DJI Spark is one of the best and most compact drones to date that easily competes with premium full-sized drones. It boasts 1080p full HD with 30 FPS, has a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, and also has object avoidance, so you do not need to worry much about crashing it. It can fly for approximately 30 minutes per charge if you buy an additional battery.

One of the best features about DJI Spark is that it a drone that will help you grow. The broad array of intelligent functions includes different modes to help you capture high-quality photos and footage without requiring advanced flight skills. It has gesture recognition, so you do not need to use the controller or your phone, turning the DJI Spark into one of the best compact beginner drones on the market.

Benefits

• Up to 30 minutes flight time
• High-quality footage and photos
• Multiple intelligent modes
• Object avoidance and gesture recognition

Drawbacks

• Comes with only one battery (10-15 minutes flight time only)
• Higher price range

Altair Falcon AHP

If you are looking for a robust model that withstands crashes, the Altair Falcon AHP is an excellent choice. The build quality is extremely sturdy so it will take some abuse. The lightweight construction boasts propeller blade guards, so they will not break easily if you crash it. Even if you do, the drone comes with 4 extra blades that you can replace easily.

The camera has an SD card slot, but you need to purchase it separately. It also supports live video transmission once you download the FlyingSee mobile phone app (Apple App Store | Android Play Store) that uses the Wi-Fi connection to offer you an immersive experience. The 720P camera offers good photo quality, but it might not be the best if you are planning to take very high-quality photos and videos.

Benefits

• Three speed modes
• Return-to-home mode in case of low battery
• Very robust design
• Easy to use and has FPV
• Autonomous hover system
• Relatively inexpensive

Disadvantages

• Only 10 minutes fly time
• About 3 hours to charge

Ryze Tello

The Ryze Tello is the fruit of collaboration between DJI and Ryze, a Chinese start-up tech company. The result is a highly affordable, beginner-friendly drone that appeals to most people looking for their first flying gadget.

Although the price point is very low, the Ryze Tello delights its users with 5 MP photos and 720p HD video. It can fly for approximately 13 minutes when the battery is fully charged, while it also boasts some good stability sensors that will help you avoid crashes.

You can control the drone via the Tello app on your mobile phone (Apple App Store | Android Play Store). It has automatic landing and take-off functions and the app is simple but highly responsive. The lightweight build is not very stable when it’s windy, but it has impressive grace when it twists and turns.

Benefits

• Lightweight and easy to fly
• Highly affordable
• 720p HD video and 5 MP photos
• Several beginner-friendly automated modes

Drawbacks

• Quite unstable when windy
• Video quality is not great

Revell Icon

Coming with a price range similar to Ryze Tello, the Revell Icon is a powerful competitor for those of you in the United Kingdom. It has a similar quality in terms of construction, but the controller has a rubberized finish for a precise grip, while the handgrips make it easy to use. One shortcoming is the lack of its own power source as it runs with AAA batteries.

The Revell Icon has different speed modes that can be controlled via the phone app (Android Play Store) and it is suitable for both indoors and outdoors flying. Similar to other lightweight models, it’s best to fly it either indoors or during calm weather, otherwise the wind can easily destabilize it. One of the main advantages of Revell over Tello is perhaps that it comes with its own controller, so it should be a great option if you do not want to control your beginner drone via your phone only.

Benefits

• Extremely affordable
• Comes with an easy-to-use controller
• Decent battery life
• Responsive and easy to fly

Drawbacks

• Does not have its own power source
• No sensors for stability

Simrex X300C

With a flight time of about 10 minutes, the Simrex X300C is a perfect affordable beginner drone. For extra fun, you can purchase additional batteries and enjoy more flying time. The drone can be controlled via its controller or smartphone and it comes with blade guards and a sturdy little body that is ready to withstand a few light crashes.

Some of the more unexpected features of this toy drone include a 720p HD camera which is quite decent if you want to take some photos or record impressive, short videos. Also, the camera has the FPV video, which means that it streams live footage right to your phone, while the headless mode makes it easy to fly.

Finally, the small and compact Simrex X300C boasts a gravity sensor mode that is quite interesting – this mode allows you to control the drone by moving the controller or phone (Apple App Store | Android Play Store), without pushing the buttons. This is definitely one of the best mini drones for beginners or children.

Benefits

• 720p camera with FPV capability
• Both controller and mobile phone app
• Gravity sensor and headless mode for ease of use
• 3D flips and about 10 minutes of flight time

Drawbacks

• Not suitable for windy weather, but can be used indoors

Holy Stone HS210

One of the most affordable models, the Holy Stone HS210 is a toy-grade beginner drone that includes several features well beyond its price range. It is durable and comes with a professional-looking transmitter that is extremely easy to use. Some of its beginner-friendly features include headless mode, automatic take-off and landing, adjustable speed mode, and even 360-degree flips.

If you do not have much flying experience (or any at all), you will find that the beginner mode of this drone is surely worth every cent. It automatically selects the lowest speed, so you can practice your skills before moving to more advanced features. Once you start to get comfortable, you can increase the speed and enjoy the challenge! One of the main drawbacks of the Holy Stone HS210 is that it does not come with a camera and, similar to other beginner drones, it has little to no wind resistance.

Benefits

• Extremely affordable
• Multiple beginner-friendly features
• Ideal for little to no flying experience
• Quality and durable design

Drawbacks

• No camera included
• Wind resistance is quite low

Hubsan H122D X4 Storm

Finally, if you plan to get acquainted with the world of drone racing, the Husban X4 Storm H122D is a great entry-level choice. Unlike many other options made of plastic, the Hubsan boasts a durable body made of carbon fiber that can handle some crashes. One of the main features is the FPV mode that allows you to enjoy every minute of your flight time.

Apart from the fact that it was built like a racing drone, the Hubsan boasts a great camera. It has a wide-angle view and can shoot 720p HD videos. The quality is excellent as you can record the footage on the internal SD card, skipping the usual quality loss of live transmissions to your phone. Unfortunately, it only has about 6 minutes of flight time, but you can stock up on several batteries if you want a longer performance.

Benefits

• Return home mode for low battery
• Different acrobatics are available
• Comes with a battery-powered controller
• Great video quality

Drawbacks

• Short flight time
• The controller has quite a short range

Summary

All in all, choosing your beginner drone can be quite a challenging task. All the models above come with excellent features at different price points, suitable for all needs and preferences. Choose the one that you enjoy the most – having fun while learning to fly your beginner drone is a quintessential matter and you will become a pro in no time!

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