We've reviewed countless drones, and this lightweight, beginner-friendly drone is one of the best — now with $32 off this Black Friday

Potensic Atom LT
(Image credit: Potensic / Atom)

If you're looking to take to the skies, whether for photography or fun, this Potensic Atom LT GPS-enabled drone is a great buy. Plus, with $32 off as part of Amazon's Black Friday sale, it includes an extra battery for an additional 37 minutes of flight time.

You can get the Potensic Atom LT drone on sale right now at Amazon for $178.

Potensic Atom LT
Save $32
Potensic Atom LT: was $210 now $178 at Amazon

Save $32 on a lightweight, sub-250g GPS camera drone that's small enough to hold in the palm of your hand. We rank the LT's sister model, the Potensic Atom 2, as the best non-DJI drone.

Photographer James Abbott knows his drones.
James Abbott
Photographer James Abbott knows his drones.
James Abbott

Freelance photographer James Abbott has an eye on the sky and is our go-to reviewer for drones. From Holy Stone to DJI to Potensic, he's seen and tested them all, and knows exactly what makes a solid model.


A Potensic Atom LT GPS drone flying near a couple.

Potensic's Atom range of drones are easy to pick up and use. (Image credit: Potensic)

For your $178, you get the Potensic Atom LT drone itself, four spare propellers, a remote control which, with your phone attached, will show you a drone's eye view, as well as an additional battery. It includes everything you need to get flying right away.

Reviewing the comparable Potensic Atom 2, James Abbott called it "A compelling DJI alternative", and the same is true of the Atom LT, which, as its name suggests, is a 'light' version of the Atom range. However, while its resolution is a little lower than the Atom 2, it has an additional five minutes of flight time per battery.

It can record 2.5K video at up to 30FPS, which should give you some impressive footage, and for photos, it's no slouch, with its 2560 x 1440 resolution. It boasts a beginner-friendly one-button take-off and landing feature, and a choice of three speed modes.

In short, if you're new to drone flying and don't want to spend a fortune, this is a great little device, especially at this price.

Key features: weight < 249 g, 2560 x 1440 photo resolution, 2704 x 1520 video resolution, 74 mins hovering time including additional battery.

Price history: This is the cheapest the Potensic Atom LT Expansion Kit has ever been. It's also currently a similar price at Walmart.

Price comparison: Amazon: $178 | Walmart: $180

Reviews consensus: We rank the Potensic Atom 2, which is extremely similar to this model, as the best non-DJI drone out there. Those who've purchased the Atom LT sing its praises, saying it's beginner-friendly and that the video quality was better than expected.

✅ Buy it if: You want an easy-to-use, lightweight drone that you can pack away easily, which won't break the bank.

❌ Don't buy it if: You want 4K video. Instead, consider the slightly higher specced Atom 2.

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Chris McMullen
Contributing Writer

Chris is a freelance journalist who, aside from covering games and gaming-related tech, has a taste for horror, sci-fi and the post-apocalyptic. As well as Space.com, you can find his work at The Escapist, GameSpew (where he’s the morning news writer) and more. You can follow him on Twitter @MarmaladeBus.

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