Best beginner drones 2024: Get started with some of the best options available

If you've been inspired by the stunning aerial photos and videos online, getting started with one of the best beginner drones is a great way to get in on the action. While drones might seem a little complicated at first glance, modern beginner models are actually very easy to fly.

Different beginner drones offer varying levels of quality and features, with some even rivaling the very best drones on the market. The good news is that there's a beginner drone to suit every preference — whether you want the best lightweight model or a more budget-friendly option to hone your flying skills before upgrading, there's something out there for everyone in the beginner category.

If you’d like to try this approach to drones yourself, be sure to take a look at our guide which discusses whether you should buy a cheap drone to hone your flying skills. We also highlight one of the most cost-effective options for this in this guide, so look out for the Potensic A20. This is an extremely basic indoor model with no camera, but there are plenty of more powerful outdoor drones that we recommend in this guide.

There are also many other options available, and if you’d like to enter the exciting world of FPV drones where immersive flight and equally exhilarating video capture are possible, check out our best FPV drones guide where some of the best ready-to-fly FPV kits are outlined. And if capturing the best quality aerial photos and video is more your thing, one of the best camera drones could be exactly what you’re looking for.

The Quick List

Best beginner drones we recommend in 2024

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Best beginner drone overall

Best overall: One of the best beginner drones available in a tiny package

Specifications

Camera: 1/1.3-inch 12MP sensor
Battery: 2453 mAh Li-ion / up to 38 minutes
Video resolution: 4K, 2.7K, 1080p (FHD)
Frame rates: 4K up to 30 fps / 2.7K at up to 60fps / FHD at up to 60 fps
Foldable design: Yes
Weight: 248g
Dimensions: Folded 148×90×62 mm / Unfolded 251×362×72 mm

Reasons to buy

+
Sub 250 g drone
+
Excellent image quality
+
Less expensive than the Mini 3 Pro

Reasons to avoid

-
No collision avoidance
-
Reduced video functionality
-
No subject tracking 
Buy it if

✅ You're a social media content creator: It has excellent image and video quality, plus it can shoot vertically, which is ideal for social media content.

✅ You don't want to register it: It's in the sub-250g category, so no registration needed!

Don't buy it if:

❌ You're on a tight budget: While it's certainly very affordable for a drone of its caliber, anyone working with a tight budget might need to consider something slightly cheaper.

The bottom line

🔎 With identical image quality to the Mini 3 Pro, the DJI Mini 3 comes with a more beginner-friendly price at the cost of a handful of missing features. ★★★★

DJI drones are famous for their ease of use and superb image quality. If you want a drone with these advantages without breaking the bank, consider the DJI Mini 3. It's built with beginners in mind, has great durability and comes at a reasonable price. Plus, weighing just 248g and sporting a foldable design, it's super portable and faces fewer flight restrictions than bigger drones.

The Mini 3 uses the same camera as the more advanced Mini 3 Pro, albeit with some reduced functionality. But the key point here is that image quality and the main features the camera has to offer are identical, as we found in our DJI Mini 3 review. The camera offers a 24mm equivalent focal length, a fixed f/1.7 aperture, a 1/1.3-inch 12MP sensor and the ability to rotate the camera 90° to shoot photos and videos in both landscape and portrait orientations.

Photos can be captured in RAW and JPEG formats, while video can be captured at up to 4K at 30fps in the Normal color profile, although not in the flat D-Cinelike profile. There’s no collision avoidance in this model like the Mini 3 Pro, so you have to take care when flying close to obstacles such as trees. But there are Quickshots, which are automated flight patterns that allow you to capture professional-looking videos with just the touch of a button — these are great for inexperienced fliers.

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DJI Mini 3
AttributesNotes
DesignSmall and lightweight folding design.
PerformanceEasy to set up and fly.
FunctionalityUp to 4K 30fps video.

Best premium beginner drone

Best premium beginner drone: Dual cameras provide flexibility alongside excellent overall performance

Specifications

Camera: Dual 48MP 1/1.3-inch sensors / 24mm and 70mm cameras
Battery: 4241 mAh Li-ion / up to 46 minutes
Video resolution: 4K, 1080p (FHD), 2.7K Vertical Shooting, FHD Vertical Shooting
Frame rates: 4K up to 100 fps, 1080p up to 200fps, 2.7K Vertical Shooting up to 60fps, FHD Vertical Shooting up to 60fps
Foldable design: Yes
Weight: 25.4oz / 720g
Dimensions: 8.1x3.9x3.6in / 207x100.5x91.1mm folded / 10.2x12.8x4.2in / 258.8x326x105.8mm unfolded

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent dual cameras
+
Pro-spec features
+
Powerful mid-size model

Reasons to avoid

-
Heavier than ‘mini’ drones
-
You only require a single wide-angle camera
-
More restricted than sub 250g drones
Buy it if

✅ You need multiple focal lengths: With dual cameras offering 24mm and 70mm equivalent focal lengths, this is a versatile drone for photography and video.

You need more power: Sub-250g drones are great for beginners, but they can’t handle winds as strong as more powerful drones such as this.

Don't buy it if:

❌ You need a small and lightweight drone: At 25.4oz / 720g, it's not the lightest option out there.

You'd like the best image quality: Image quality produced by the Air 3 is excellent, but it’s not as good as  Mavic 3 series drones.

The bottom line

🔎 With dual cameras, a mid-size folding design and enough power to handle windier conditions than smaller and lighter mini drones, the DJI Air 3 is an excellent and, indeed, versatile drone for beginners and more experienced drone pilots alike. ★★★★½

DJI’s Air series of drones has undergone huge developments since the original model, which was more akin to the Mini series of DJI drones. The Air 3 evolves further to offer not one but two high-quality cameras that use the same excellent 1/1.3-inch sensor as the Mini 3 and Mini 4 Pro. Each camera has its own sensor and between them offer 24mm and 70mm equivalent focal lengths alongside vertical shooting, 4K slow motion video and 48MP photo capture.

The Air 3 sits within the medium size and weight band with a weight of 25.4oz / 720g and a foldable design that makes it much more compact for transportation and storage. Size and weight will be a negative for some people, but the advantages these bring are more power than smaller drones and a maximum wind resistance of 27mph. Plus, larger batteries provide flight times of around 35 minutes before return to home is automatically initiated when the battery reaches 20%, which we found in our DJI Air 3 review.

You might think all these features are too much for a beginner, but with GPS positioning, collision detection from all sides and advanced return-to-home capability, this drone is incredibly safe and simple to fly. Of course, you still need to be cautious, but it's packed with top-notch safety features. 

On top of that, it captures great photos and videos, tracks subjects well and you won't outgrow it as your skills grow.

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DJI Air 3
AttributesNotes
DesignClassic DJI folding desgin.
PerformanceUp to 46 min flight time.
FunctionalityQuick shots, Hyperlapse, slow motion video, omnidirectional obstacle avoidance sensors.

Best cheap beginner drone

Best cheap option: A simple camera and low cost make this a great budget beginner option.

Specifications

Camera: 12MP Sony CMOS sensor
Battery: 2500mAh Li-ion 2S / up to 31 minutes
Video resolution: 4K, 2.7K, 1080p (FHD)
Frame rates: 4K at 30 fps / 2.7K at 30 fps / FHD at up to 60 fps
Foldable design: Yes
Weight: 8.64 oz / 245 g
Dimensions: Folded 88x143x58 mm / Unfolded 210x152x58 mm

Reasons to buy

+
Great value for money
+
Easy to use sub 250 g drone
+
Good build quality

Reasons to avoid

-
Basic camera control
-
No collision avoidance
-
Sensitive controls
Buy it if

✅ You're on a budget: This is one of the more affordable beginner drones on this list.

You don't want to register it: It's in the sub-250g category, so it doesn't need registering.

Don't buy it if:

❌ You want lots of camera controls: The only camera setting you can control is exposure compensation, everything else is automatic, plus it's FPV style.

You want collision avoidance: This drone doesn't have it, so you'll need to be careful when flying.

The bottom line

🔎 The Potensic Atom SE redefines what inexpensive beginner drone models are capable of alongside great build quality, but camera control is limited despite producing reasonably sharp images. ★★★★

The Potensic Atom SE is a neat, sub-250g drone with a folding design and good, strong build quality. We think it's fantastic value for money for those just starting out, and the fact it only weighs 245g means that it can be flown closer to built-up areas and is subject to fewer regulations than larger drones. Measuring only 88 x 143 x 58mm folded up, it's also super-compact to transport anywhere you like.

The controller attaches to your smartphone and is comfortable and straightforward to use. Despite its affordability, you still get some helpful additional features like GPS positioning, Return to Home, and some basic automated flight modes to get you going. During our Potensic Atom SE review, we found the flight controls tended to be a little oversensitive, and this drone doesn't come with any obstacle avoidance technology, so you'll have to be careful when learning how to fly it.

The camera on this drone is quite decent considering its price. It uses a 1/3-inch 12MP Sony CMOS sensor with a wide 118-degree field of view. This setup allows you to capture 4K video at up to 30FPS and still photos in both JPEG and RAW formats. However, for those with more photography experience, the camera's options may feel somewhat limited, since most of the settings are automatic. Despite this, the images generally turn out well, with only slight vignetting in photos and none in videos. Overall, we think most beginners would be happy with the camera's performance on this drone.

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Potensic Atom SE
AttributesNotes
DesignSmall folding design (similar to DJI).
PerformanceImage quality ok but not amazing.
FunctionalityLimited controls and flight patterns.

Best cheap 3-axis gimbal drone

Best cheap 3-axis gimbal: The most affordable sub-250g drone with a 3-axis gimbal and 4K video

Specifications

Camera: 12MP 1/3-inch Sony CMOS sensor
Battery: 2330 mAh / up to 32 minutes
Video resolution: 4K, 2.7K, 1080p
Frame rates: 4K up to 30fps, 2.7K up to 30fps, 1080p up to 60fps
Foldable design: Yes
Weight: 8.8 oz / 249g
Dimensions: 3.5x5.6x2.3in / 88x143x58mm folded / 8.3x6.0x2.3in / 210x152x58mm unfolded

Reasons to buy

+
Great price for a full kit
+
Up to 4K 30fps video
+
Subject tracking

Reasons to avoid

-
No collision avoidance
-
No ND filters available for video
-
Fixed focus camera
Buy it if

✅ You're on a budget: This is simply the best inexpensive sub-250g drone available that can capture up to 4K video.

You want a lightweight model: Sub-250g drones that fold for transportation and storage are incredibly comfortable to carry.

Don't buy it if:

❌ You require a flat video profile: Professionals and advanced enthusiasts may want to color grade their video footage, but the Atom doesn’t offer a flat color profile.

You need to fly in strong wind: While every drone has a maximum wind resistance, smaller drones typically have a lower resistance than larger and more powerful models.

The bottom line

🔎The Potensic Atom may not be quite as slick as its DJI Mini counterparts, but it’s the closest inexpensive competitor that blows the other competition out of the water thanks to a 3-axis gimbal, clear 4K video and smooth flight. ★★★★

The Potensic Atom is the more advanced model in the Atom range, offering full manual control over the camera for shooting both photos and videos. When it comes to drones that offer a 3-axis gimbal for smooth 4K video capture, this is the most affordable beginner drone we'd recommend.

This drone is compact and light, measuring only 3.5 x 5.6 x 2.3-inches (88 x 143 x 58mm) when folded and 8.3 x 6.0 x 2.3-inches (210 x 152 x 58mm) when unfolded. It weighs just 249g (8.8 ounces) so you won't need to register it to fly. It typically flies for about 25 minutes per charge, which is pretty good, and can handle winds up to 24mph, which is rated at level 5 wind resistance.

In use, the Atom is easy to set up and fly, with GPS positioning holding the drone in position when hovering and providing a reliable return to home and subject tracking functionality. There’s no collision avoidance, which is unsurprising given the low cost of the drone. But, with careful flying this won’t be a problem — we found it an absolute breeze to fly in our Potensic Atom review.

The Atom can record video in various resolutions: up to 4K at 30FPS, 2.7K at 30FPS and 1080p at 60FPS, offering beginners both flexibility and simplicity. You can also take photos in both RAW and JPEG formats. In terms of camera features, it sits between the DJI Mini 2 SE and the DJI Mini 3, albeit leaning closer to the latter. We think if you're new to drones and want something affordable but still worthwhile, the Atom could be a good choice for you.

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Potensic Atom
AttributesNotes
DesignSmall folding design with a 3-axis gimbal.
PerformanceManual control over the camera for photos and video.
FunctionalityQuickShots automated flight patterns.

Best FPV drone for beginners

Best FPV: The perfect drone kit for learning how to fly FPV

Specifications

Camera: For FPV feed to goggles only
Battery: BT2.0 450 mAh LiPo 1S 30C / up to 5 minutes flight time
Video resolution: N/A
Frame rates: N/A
Foldable design: No
Weight: Standard 1.61oz / 45.8g (including battery)
Dimensions: 117×117×35mm

Reasons to buy

+
Includes everything to get started with FPV flight
+
Offers basic safety features
+
The controller can be used with FPV simulators

Reasons to avoid

-
Can’t capture video or photos
-
Not suited to windy conditions
-
Battery life is short
Buy it if

✅ You're on a budget: This is a very affordable beginner FPV-style drone and comes with a host of extras and accessories.

Your priority is learning how to fly: This drone is aimed at those looking to improve their flying skills first.

Don't buy it if:

❌ You want to capture photo or video: It can't record videos or shoot photos, so photographers will find it useless.

You want to fly for a long time: The battery life is only up to 5 minutes, so you'll need to have either a lot of patience or a lot of spare batteries.

The bottom line

🔎 With a low cost and a complete kit with everything you need to get started, the BetaFPV Cetus Pro provides a low-risk entry point to learning how to fly FPV drones when compared to more expensive models. ★★★★

FPV (first-person view) drones are well-known for allowing pilots to capture the most impressive video footage possible. But they're notoriously difficult to learn how to fly in Manual/Acro mode, which is the mode that allows you to roll, flip and dive the drone to capture that impressive immersive video.

The Cetus Pro kit is perfect for beginners diving into FPV flying, and it has everything you need to kickstart your journey for just $226 / £190. It comes with the Cetus Pro Brushless Quadcopter, a LiteRadio 2SE Transmitter, VR02 FPV Goggles, two batteries, a USB battery charger with cable, four spare propellers, a propeller removal tool, a USB-C cable and a handy carry case. And if you ever have a major crash, spare parts are available for replacements.

The Cetus Pro Brushless Quadcopter has strong brushless motors that power its four propellers, all guarded by protective propeller guards to keep them safe during frequent crashes. It's incredibly compact, measuring just 117 × 117 × 35mm and weighing only 45.8g with the battery included, making it suitable for indoor or outdoor flights. Plus, it offers three flight modes, including Acro, and three speed modes, allowing you to begin at a slower pace and gradually progress as your skills improve.

The camera on the Cetus is used purely to provide a live feed to the analog goggles so you can enjoy an FPV view. The Cetus and the VR02 FPV Goggles do not, however, have the capability to record video so this drone is purely a learning tool, as we mentioned in our BetaFPV Cetus Pro review. The only additional accessories you might need to get started are an additional four-battery set that costs $26 / £21, and a battery charger for six batteries that costs $20 / £16.

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BetaFPV Cetus Pro
AttributesNotes
DesignBuilt to withstand crashes.
PerformanceVery short flight times (5 mins per battery).
FunctionalityTurtle Mode flips the drone when upside down.

Best FPV drone for video

Best FPV drone for video: Produces fantastic video in a beginner-friendly package

Specifications

Camera: 48MP 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor
Battery: 2420 mAh Li-ion / up to 18 minutes
Analogue or digital VTX:: Digital
Goggle resolution:: 1920x1080p
Video resolution: 4K up to 60 fps / 2.7K up to 100 fps / FHD up to 100 fps (with DJI Goggles 2)
Foldable design: No
Weight: 14.46oz / 410 g
Dimensions: 180x180x80 mm

Reasons to buy

+
Easy to fly with the Motion Controller
+
Long battery life for an FPV drone
+
4K video capture

Reasons to avoid

-
More expensive than traditional FPV drones
-
FPV controller has to be purchased separately
-
Limited parts availability for repairs
Buy it if

✅ You want long flight times: Each battery has up to 18 minutes of flight time, which is impressive for an FPV drone.

You want a drone you can grow with: It has specs and features to please beginners and more experienced fliers.

Don't buy it if:

❌ You're a photographer: You can capture JPEGs, but as the horizon will almost always be wonky, there are better options for photographers.

You don't want to register it: It weighs 410g, so it'll need to be registered.

The bottom line

🔎 FPV drones are notoriously difficult to fly, but with the DJI Avata anyone can capture immersive FPV video footage in stunning 4K resolution at up to 60 fps, and it’s a whole lot of fun to fly, too. ★★★★

FPV drones are difficult to fly in Acro/Manual mode, but the DJI Avata allows even beginners with no FPV experience whatsoever to capture immersive and high-quality 4K video. The beauty of this drone is that it can be flown manually by expert FPV pilots using the DJI FPV Remote Controller 2, available separately, but beginners and anyone else can use the DJI Motion Controller which is incredibly easy and intuitive to use, as we mentioned in our DJI Avata review.

The DJI Avata is a cinewhoop drone designed with prop guards to safeguard both the drone and surrounding objects in case of a crash. What sets it apart from traditional FPV drones is its use of GPS positioning and downward sensors in certain flight modes, making it beginner-friendly. Measuring 180x180x80cm and weighing 14.46 oz/410 g with a battery, it has microSD card compatibility and comes with 20GB of onboard storage.

The video quality from the 48MP 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor paired with an f/2.8 lens (which is like having a 12.7mm equivalent focal length) is outstanding. It can shoot in 4K at up to 60FPS, 2.7K at up to 100FPS, and 1080p at up to 100FPS when using DJI Goggles 2. When using the DJI FPV Goggles V2, you can capture video in 2.7K and 1080p at up to 120 FPS. These specifications are impressive, especially considering how easy it is to fly the Avata, making it an excellent choice for beginners diving into FPV drones.

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DJI Avata
AttributesNotes
DesignRobust cinewhoop design.
PerformanceExcels at capturing video.
FunctionalityFeatures augmented reality home point and Return to Home function.

Best indoor beginner drone

Best indoor beginner drone: An indoor mini drone perfect for developing flight skills

Specifications

Camera: No camera
Battery: 180mAh / up to 10 minutes
Video resolution: N/A
Frame rates: N/A
Foldable design: No
Weight: 6.7oz / 190g
Dimensions: 3.10 x 1.25 x 3.50in / 7.87 x 3.18 x 8.89cm

Reasons to buy

+
Inexpensive to buy
+
Lots of fun
+
Common flight controls

Reasons to avoid

-
No camera
-
Indoor use only
-
Drifts when hovering
Buy it if

✅ You would like a fun indoor drone: The A20 is undoubtedly a lot of fun to fly indoors and is designed to avoid damage to the drone and objects.

You would like to learn drone controls before buying a more expensive model: This is an incredibly inexpensive drone with identical controls to camera drones.

Don't buy it if:

❌ You would like a camera: With no camera, this is a drone that’s mainly for fun and learning flight controls. 

You don’t want to fly indoors: Indoor drone flight isn’t for everyone, and the A20 isn’t suited to outdoor flight.

The bottom line

🔎 The Potensic A20 Mini Drone may not have a camera, but it’s an excellent indoor drone for children and beginners who would like to develop their flight skills. ★★★★

Buying your first drone can be a daunting prospect because even basic beginner models aren’t cheap. Couple this with the fear of crashing or losing a drone and spending a few hundred dollars can quickly begin to look like a huge risk. One way of getting around this is to purchase an inexpensive indoor drone like the Potensic A20 Mini Drone.

There’s no camera, just a light at the front so you can see which way the drone is facing. Measuring just 3.10 x 1.25 x 3.50-inches (7.87 x 3.18 x 8.89cm) and weighing 6.7oz (190g), this palm-sized drone is unlikely to cause any damage if you do happen to crash it indoors. And if you do happen to crash, it features propeller guards to protect the drone, objects and people.

There's no camera, so it won't suit anyone looking to take photos or videos with it, plus the features are quite basic and it isn't recommended for outdoor use, as we found in our Potensic A20 review. These features can either be an advantage or disadvantage depending on what you want to use the drone for. If you're purely looking to advance your flying skills, then it could be a great option for you.

The A20 uses the same controls as much more expensive drones, which makes it a fantastic learning tool for beginners. There’s even a hover feature that makes it behave almost identically to camera drones so you will undoubtedly gain flight confidence with the A20. The kit also comes with three batteries that take 10 minutes to charge and provide 10 minutes of flight time, so you can charge as you fly to extend flight times as much as you like.

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Potensic A20 Mini Drone
AttributesNotes
DesignLooks like a micro whoop FPV drone.
PerformanceFun and easy to use with the same controls as camera drones.
FunctionalityFlies well and can perform flips for fun.

Best for children

Best for children: Basic but fun and extremely easy to use

Specifications

Camera: 5MP sensor
Battery: 1100 mAh / Up to 13 minutes flight time
Video resolution: 720p
Frame rates: 30fps
Foldable design: No
Weight: 80g
Dimensions: 98x92.5x41mm

Reasons to buy

+
Inexpensive
+
Small and lightweight
+
Easy to use 

Reasons to avoid

-
Low-resolution photos and videos
-
Limited flight time
-
100m flight distance 
Buy it if

✅ You're on a budget: It's incredibly affordable for those new to the world of drones.

You want to learn the basics: It's a great option for kids or complete newbies who want to focus on learning the basics of flying.

Don't buy it if:

❌ You're a content creator: The photo and video quality isn't particularly impressive, so content creators will want to look at other options.

You want to fly it outside: It's not suitable for use in anything more than a light breeze.

The bottom line

🔎 The DJI Ryze Tello is the perfect drone for those only just starting out to fly drones, it’s small, and easy to use and the propeller guards and onboard sensors make accidents much less likely, and therefore flying the drone even more enjoyable. ★★★★

The DJI Ryze Tello is probably the easiest drone you'll come across to fly straight out of the box, making it ideal for beginners and kids, and it comes at a very attractive price of around $/£100. It's a small and compact drone with a 5MP camera built into the nose and it can capture 720p HD video.

This drone is controlled via an app on your phone, so you can simply download the app, connect it to the drone and away you go. During our DJI Ryze Tello review, we found the controls nicely responsive, without being oversensitive like some drones we've tried. The small design makes it easy to use inside, which is a good thing given that it can be thrown off course by anything more than a light breeze when flying outside.

It has a few nice safety additions, such as sensors on the bottom to help it avoid collisions and propeller guards to protect the propellers (and your home objects) should a crash occur. We were impressed by its 100m range, which is pretty good for a WiFi-controlled drone, and it also comes with some fun preset aerobatic moves that kids will enjoy.

Naturally, to keep the price affordable, some sacrifices were necessary. For instance, there's no gimbal for achieving super smooth video footage, and the battery life compared to charging time is a bit underwhelming, taking about an hour to charge for just 11 minutes of flight. However, if you're okay with these limitations and don't mind a slightly lower-quality camera, this could serve as a great budget-friendly starter drone to practice your flying skills.

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DJI Ryze Tello
AttributesNotes
DesignIncredibly lightweight — only 80g.
PerformanceHigh speed for its size with very responsive controls.
FunctionalitySome cool 'trick flight' features.

Best for flight practice

Best for flight practice: A capable flier but with poor image quality

Specifications

Camera: 1/3in sensor
Battery: 2800mAh Li-ion / up to 21 minutes
Video resolution: 4K, 1080p (FHD)
Frame rates: 4K at 30fps / FHD at 60fps
Foldable design: No
Weight: 19.64oz / 557g
Dimensions: 380x230x125mm

Reasons to buy

+
Inexpensive model
+
GPS positioning
+
Subject tracking modes

Reasons to avoid

-
Doesn’t fold for transportation
-
Image quality isn’t great
-
No mechanical gimbal for stabilization
Buy it if

✅ You don't want to spend loads: As far as drones go, it's not the cheapest but it's still pretty affordable.

You aren't bothered about capturing amazing footage: We noted that image quality was the weak point of this drone, so if you're only looking for basic images to share with friends and family, this could suit you just fine.

Don't buy it if:

❌ You're a photographer: Image quality is seriously lacking, so photographers will be unimpressed.

You don't want to register it: It weighs 557g, so you'll need to register it in order to fly.

The bottom line

🔎 The Holy Stone HS700E is a capable beginner model in terms of flight with useful features including GPS positioning and automated tracking modes that are let down by image quality. ★★★

The Holy Stone HS700E is a great choice for beginners who are just starting to learn how to fly drones, and it offers a wide range of flight features at a reasonable price. Its design uses strong motors and large propellers to ensure stability during hovering. However, unlike some models, it doesn't fold down for easy transport or storage, so you'll have to remove the propellers to keep them safe.

It comes with a controller featuring a telescopic phone holder that folds down for storage. The controls seemed responsive and reliable when we tested it in our Holy Stone HS700E review, and the two flight modes featured on this drone are both moderate and therefore well-suited to beginners. You can even activate a beginner mode to restrict the altitude and distance while you gain confidence in your flying.

Other notable features include GPS positioning and a return-to-home function, which can be programmed to activate automatically if the connection between the controller and drone weakens or disconnects entirely. The drone also offers helpful subject tracking capabilities. However, it's important to note that there's no collision avoidance feature, so you'll need to keep an eye on it at all times.

The only thing that really lets this drone down is its camera. It has an equivalent focal length of 14mm, a 130-degree field of view, a fixed f/2.0 aperture and a small 1/3-inch sensor that takes 4K video and the equivalent of 8.2MP images. Unfortunately, this produces soft images with strong chromatic aberration and sometimes barrel distortion as well. Depending on your priorities, the flight features and price point could make this a good option for you, but keen photographers may need to shell out for something with higher image quality.

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Holy Stone HS700E
AttributesNotes
DesignResembles the design of DJI Phantom models.
PerformanceImage quality is very poor, but overall it flies well.
FunctionalityFHD at 60FPS and 4K at 30FPS.

Best powerful beginner drone

Best powerful beginner drone: A cheap and cheerful 4K camera drone for beginners

Specifications

Camera: 8.2MP sensor
Battery: 2950 mAh LiPo / up to 26 minutes
Video resolution: Up to 4K
Frame rates: 4K at 30 fps / FHD at 60 fps
Foldable design: Yes
Weight: 13.72oz / 389g
Dimensions: 6.6 x 3.9 x 2.8-inches / 168 x 99 x 71mm (Folded) | 12 x 9.3 x 2.8-inches / 305 x 238 x 71mm (Unfolded)

Reasons to buy

+
Beginner friendly-price
+
Features 3-axis gimbal for steady footage
+
Foldable design 

Reasons to avoid

-
Image quality isn't amazing
-
Limited camera control
-
Drifts when hovering
Buy it if

✅ You don't want to spend loads: As far as drones go, it's not the cheapest but it's still pretty affordable.

You aren't bothered about capturing amazing footage: If you're only looking for basic images to share with friends and family, this could suit you just fine.

Don't buy it if:

❌ You're a photographer: Image quality isn't particularly impressive, so photographers will want to go for another option.

You want loads of features: The features on this drone are pretty basic.

The bottom line

🔎 Holy Stone HS720R: Holy Stone's first drone with a mechanical 3-axis gimbal builds on the functionality offered by the HS720G model while maintaining the same image quality. ★★★½

Building on the features of the Holy Stone HS720G, which used to sit on this list, the newer Holy Stone HS720R is their first drone to include a 3-axis mechanical gimbal, offering image stabilization to produce better images. Overall, the two drones are extremely similar, with this one feature being the main difference between the two. 

We mentioned in our Holy Stone HS720R review that the image quality is exactly the same as in its predecessor, which is a shame as that's one area where Holy Stone doesn't excel compared to other brands. We did think the video quality was better than the still image quality, and although neither is suitable for professional use, we think beginners will be happy with it.

It's a compact and lightweight folding design, although it doesn't fit into the sub-250g category. It's marginally larger and heavier than the HS720G, but not by any noticeable amount. The flight time is up to 26 minutes, which we found to be pretty accurate — 24 minutes if we're being exact. 

We found that the drone tended to drift a bit when hovering, but that's not exactly a dealbreaker. They've also improved the connection between the drone and the controller, which was a welcome improvement. On the previous model, we found there to be frequent disconnections and dropouts, but with the HS720R there were none whatsoever.

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Holy Stone HS720R
AttributesNotes
DesignLightweight folding design.
PerformanceImage quality the same as predecessor.
FunctionalityFeatures 3-axis mechanical gimbal.

Buying advice

Many drones aimed at beginners are basic models in terms of camera functionality and overall features. But what they do have to offer is the same basic controls as larger and more expensive models, so you can get a feel for how they work without the fear of losing a small fortune if you’re unlucky enough to crash.

Even if you have a large budget, it doesn’t hurt to buy a cheap model that costs less than $250/£250 to get started, some even cost less than $50/£50. Then once you feel confident with the controls and have inevitably outgrown the camera functionality and overall features, you’ll know when it’s time to move up to the next level.

One important point you must consider as a beginner is the weight of the drone you’re aiming to buy. Drones that weigh less than 249g don’t require you to register with the FAA (US) or CAA (UK) to fly them legally which removes one small hurdle in the path to drone flight. So, once you’ve chosen the model that’s right for you, get ready to see the world in a completely new and exciting way.

How we tested

Beginner drones are typically tested over several days in different locations, environments and weather conditions (excluding rain) to test flight performance, flight features, overall handling and image quality for both photo and video capture. All beginner drones offer a variety of features so only those available can be tested, but all features are explored to cover performance and ease of use.

Drones are flown using manual flight patterns to test the connection between the aircraft and the controller, latency between the two, the accuracy of the controls, app connection and reliability and flight in general. And if automated flight patterns and collision avoidance are available, these are always tested to asses accuracy.

All testing is conducted in a way that meets local aviation laws and restrictions to ensure that all flights are safe and legal. Drone laws vary from region to region, so you must check local laws to ensure that you’re following the guidelines for your country before embarking on your first drone flights.

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James Abbott

James is an award-winning freelance landscape and portrait photographer, as well as a highly experienced photography journalist working with some of the best photography magazines and websites with a worldwide audience. He’s also the author of The Digital Darkroom: The Definitive Guide to Photo Editing. www.jamesaphoto.co.uk

With contributions from