Drone deals 2024: Save on DJI & Holy Stone

Autel EVO Lite+_Drone in flight (16 by 9)
(Image credit: Future)

If you're looking for early Black Friday drone deals, you're in the right place as we've spotted the best discounts hovering around ahead of the annual sales event.

The quality of drones and their technology have vastly improved in recent years, so you don't necessarily need one of the best drones to get good specs. You also don't need to break the bank to get your hands on a drone that delivers stunning imagery or a fulfilling flying experience. If you're new to the world of drones, we've included some buying advice, just so you know exactly what to look out for and if you're looking to save big ahead of Black Friday, all you have to do is check out the drone deals below.

Photography and cameras can be key features of drones, so if that's your priority, you might also want to check out our guides to the best cameras, camera deals and the best cameras for astrophotography. Most drones these days will shoot both video and stills and will come with an image quality of 4K and above. Drones are also a good option for photography as they can achieve angles and views that you wouldn't be able to get with a handheld camera or with a tripod.

Black Friday is here from November 29 and if you want to beat the rush, now is the time to consider early deals. This page is updated throughout the year and includes Black Friday as well as the build-up to the event. We've tried to include something suitable for everyone, regardless of budget and experience and when new deals become available you'll find them here. We'll also remove any expired discounts. If you're new to the world of drones, our guide to best beginner drones will help you out and we also have a round-up of the best early Black Friday space deals too. But, for the best early Black Friday drone deals, scroll down below.

USA drone deals

Save $30
was $399.99 now $369.99 at Amazon US

Save $30 on the DJI Mavic Mini, a reliable mini quadcopter that doesn't require registering due to its weight and size. It works with the DJI Fly App, has up to 30 minutes of flight time on a fully charged battery and supports 12MP stills and 2.7K/1080P HD video. 

Note: This is the lowest price we've seen in about half a year but stock is low, so you'll have to be quick.

Save $130
was $629 now $499 at Amazon US

Save $130 on the DJI Avata, a quadcopter that features a first-person view, stabilized 4K video capabilities, propeller guards, a wide 155-degree field of view and is lightweight. 

Note: This is one of the lowest prices we've ever seen on this model. 

Save $80
was $299.99 now $219.99 at Amazon US

Save $80 on the Holy Stone HS720G drone has helpful features like automatic take-off, smart return to home, altitude hold, and more. It also has 26 minutes of battery life, a 999-meter maximum range (approximately), and 4K video capabilities so you can get clear shots of those out-of-reach parts of this world. 

Note: You have to apply the $80 coupon to get this deal.

Save 32%
was $199.99 now $135.99 at Amazon US

Save 32% on this Holy Stone drone that is suitable for adults. It features a 4K camera with a 110-degree wide-angle field of view. It also has smart features like altitude hold, GPS-assisted flight, and return to home when out of range or signal is lost. And, it's also under 250 g so you don't have to worry about flying restrictions in some locations.

Note: this is the lowest ever price we've seen for this model.

Beginner's buying advice

Young boy flying drone

(Image credit: Getty Images)

There are a few different types of drones on the market, so when it comes to buying one you'll need to consider which type you want: toy, FPV, or a photography/video model. 

The toy drones are the simplest. Weighing under 250g, they tend to cluster together at the lower end of the price range because they feature simpler designs. They don't usually sport any kind of camera. Instead, they give people the opportunity to try their hand at flying something simply for the fun of it, without any bells and whistles. Designs that fall into this category are still subject to drone regulations, but you don't have to register them with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

FPV drones are designed to give you a first-person view when you are flying. This is typically done through the use of goggles, which you wear when you fly. A lot of models also let you stream the drone-camera view to a smartphone. This type of drone is usually used for racing or for tackling obstacle courses. You can read a full breakdown of their design in our article: 'What are FPV drones?' They can feature some good cameras on their main body, but they are usually built to prioritize speed. A lot of FPV drone enthusiasts like to build their own models, too.

Finally, you have the prosumer photography/video drones. There's still massive variation within this category, as some cheaper models sport simpler camera designs and won't cost too much. However, the really top-end drones in this category have huge sensors that allow experts to take wonderful panoramic shots or videos from high up in the air. These drones can cost as little as $100, but most of them sit around the $1,000 mark - and the really top-end models can set you back by $8,000.

The more expensive drones tend to feature sophisticated designs, with automatic collision detection that helps keep your drone safe and some cool pre-programmed flight paths that allow you to take interesting videos. Whichever one you choose, do make sure you buy insurance, too, as they can suffer if you give them an accidental knock.

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Alexander Cox
E-commerce Staff Writer

STAFF WRITER, E-commerce — Alex joined Space.com in June 2021 as staff writer covering space news, games, tech, toys and deals. Based in London, U.K. Graduating in June 2020, Alex studied Sports Journalism in the North East of England at Sunderland University. During his studies and since his graduation, Alex has been featured in local newspapers and online publications covering a range of sports from university rugby to Premier League soccer. In addition to a background in sports and journalism, Alex has a life-long love of Star Wars which started with watching the prequel trilogy and collecting toy lightsabers, he also grew up spending most Saturday evenings watching Doctor Who. 

Contact Alexander: E-Mail Twitter

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