If you’re in search of the best drones for beginners, there is a huge range of options for you. Whether you’re looking for a drone for general photography or a cheap drone to learn how to fly, we have rounded up the best drones for beginners to suit every budget.

Picking the best drone that is suitable for beginners can undoubtedly be a little challenging, as there are so many options out there.

This is why in this guide for the best drones for beginners, I have listed a variety of drones, all with varying features and at different price ranges.

This is not an exhaustive list, but you should find a drone is that suitable for your needs and at a price that is affordable.

What Is The Best Drone For Beginners?

Apart from drones for racing, most consumer drones are easy to operate, so they are suitable for beginners. 

Which drone is suitable for you will depend on your budget, the features you want and how you plan on using the drone.

Most of the drones on this list cost less$500, my absolute favourite drone for beginners is the Ryze Tech Tello drone, this is a fun little drone that is suitable for kids and adults. I have put it as the no.1 drone for beginners because it’s cheap, easy to operate and has educational value as well.

However, if you are looking for something with a good camera, then I would suggest the DJI Mini SE, it’s a cheap GPS drone that comes with an HD camera stabilised by a 3-axis gimbal. 

Best Drones For Beginners

1. Ryzetech Tello

Best Drone For Beginners
1. Ryzetech Tello

The Tello drone, manufactured by Ryze Tech and powered by DJI technology, is a budget-friendly, entry-level quadcopter designed for both beginners and experienced drone enthusiasts. It offers a user-friendly experience, making it an excellent choice for those learning about drones or engaging in casual aerial photography and videography. The Tello drone is equipped with a 5-megapixel camera that captures photos and records 720p HD video. While it may not provide the same resolution as more advanced drones, it offers decent image quality for casual users. Tello offers several intelligent flight modes, such as Throw & Go, 8D Flips, and Bounce Mode. These fun features make flying more interactive and engaging, especially for beginners. One unique aspect of the Tello drone is its programmability. Users can learn basic programming skills using Scratch, a visual programming language developed by MIT, to create custom flight patterns and manoeuvres. Overall, the Tello drone is a fantastic option for those seeking an affordable and easy-to-use quadcopter, offering a solid introduction to the world of drones and aerial photography.

Key Features

  • Captures 5MP photos and records 720p HD video, providing decent image quality for casual users.
  • Features modes such as Throw & Go, 8D Flips, and Bounce Mode for a more interactive and engaging flying experience.
  • Users can learn basic programming skills using Scratch, a visual programming language, to create custom flight patterns and manoeuvres.
  • Powered by DJI technology: Incorporates reliable and advanced technology from a well-known drone manufacturer.
  • Easy to carry and suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
  • Equipped with a vision positioning system for stable hovering.
  • Offers up to 13 minutes of flight time on a single charge.
  • Users can control the drone using the Tello app on their smartphone or tablet.

 

Check Price

2. DJI Mini SE

2. DJI Mini SE

The DJI Mini SE is a lightweight, foldable drone that's perfect for beginners. It has an HD camera stabilised by a 3-axis gimbal and captures 12MP images and 2.7k video footage. The drone captures impressive photos and video footage and comes with 4 Quickshots that will allow anyone to capture short cinematic videos at the push of a button. The drone has a maximum range of 4km and a flight time of 31 minutes. The Mini SE is the best budget GPS drone on the market and is perfect for beginners.

Key Features

  • 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor
  • 12MP images
  • 3-axis gimbal 
  • 4 Quickshots
  • Records 2.7k videos at 30fps
  • 31 minutes of flight time
  • 4km transmission range
Check Price

3. DJI Mini SE

3. DJI Mini SE

The DJI Mini 2 SE is an ultra-portable drone that has been specifically designed with beginners in mind. With an impressive flight range of up to 10km and a 31-minute maximum battery life, this drone offers novice pilots the opportunity to explore the skies and capture stunning aerial footage with ease. Equipped with a 3-axis gimbal camera, the DJI Mini 2 SE is capable of capturing 12MP photos and up to 2.7K videos, ensuring that your aerial footage is both stunning and stable. The drone also offers up to 4x zoom, allowing you to get closer to your subjects without sacrificing image quality.

Key Features

  • 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor
  • 12MP images
  • 3-axis gimbal 
  • 4 Quickshots
  • Records 2.7k videos at 30fps
  • 31 minutes of flight time
  • 10km transmission range
Check Price

4. DJI Mini 2

 

best drones for beginnersThe DJI Mini 2 is a great drone for the casual user looking to capture stunning aerial shots. With its lightweight, foldable design, excellent 4K video quality, and intuitive controls, this drone is great for beginners.

The DJI Mini 2 comes with a powerful HD camera that can capture 4k footage at up to 30 fps and a 100 Mbps bit rate. It also comes with a 3-axis motorised gimbal that helps keep your shots stable even when flying at high speeds or in windy conditions. The camera can capture still images in 12MP in RAW and JPEG formats and has AEB and Panorama photography modes.

The drone has a flight time of 31 minutes and a video transmission range of 10km, it does not come with intelligent flight modes such as WayPoint, Active Track or POI, but a third-party app like Litchi or Drone Link can access these.

 

Key features

    • 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor
    • 12MP images
    • 3-axis gimbal
    • Records 4k videos at 30fps
    • 100Mbps
    • 5 Quickshots
    • 10KM Range
    • 31 minutes of flight time
Check Price

5. Potensic Atom SE

 

best drones for beginners The Potensic Atom SE offers remarkable performance for its compact size, providing an extended flight time of up to 31 minutes, allowing you to capture more of your adventures without needing constant battery swaps. The drone comes with an impressive 4K camera that captures fantastic videos and 12MP images. The camera is stabilised by a 2-axis gimbal and EIS. With a top speed of 35 mph, the drone can keep up with fast-paced action and cover more ground in less time. Its impressive transmission range reaches up to 4km, enabling you to explore vast landscapes and maintain a stable connection even when flying at a considerable distance from the controller. These features make the Atom SE a reliable and efficient companion for aerial photography and exploration.

 

Key features

    • HD camera with 1/1.3-inch Sony sensor
    • Electronic image stabilisation
    • 12MP Images 
    • Records 4k videos at 30fps
    • GPS Automatic return to home
    • Intelligent Flight Modes
    • 4KM Range
    • 31 minutes of flight time
    • 4km transmission range
Check Price

6. Holy Stone HS720E

Best drones for beginners

 

The Holy Stone HS720E is a mid-tier drone that is easy to fly and suitable for beginners. It has a foldable design and comes with an HD camera that is stabilised by a 2-axis gimbal. The drone comes with a dual GNSS receiver and has an optical flow sensor for better flight stabilisation and has a flight time of around 20 minutes. Other features include autonomous flight modes, electronic image stabilisation and automatic return to home features.

 

Key features

    • HD Camera records videos in 4K@30fps
    • Electronic image stabilisation
    • 8MP Images
    • Dual GNSS Reciever
    • Optical flow sensor
    • GPS Automatic return to home
    • Intelligent Flight Modes
    • 1KM Range
    • 23 minutes of flight time
Check Price

7. Holy Stone HS700E

Best drones for beginners

 

The Holy Stone HS700E is an upgrade to the original HS700, this drone comes with a 4K camera that comes with electronic image stabilisation. The has a dual GNSS receiver and an optical flow sensor and has a flight time of 20 minutes. The drone also has intelligent flight modes for easier flying and comes with an automatic return to home feature.

 

Key features

    • HD camera records 4k videos at 30fps
    • Camera has a wide-angle lens 
    • Dual GNSS Reciever
    • Electronic image stabilisation
    • Optical flow sensor
    • GPS Automatic return to home
    • Intelligent Flight Modes
    • 1KM meter Range
    • 23 minutes of flight time
Check Price

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the world of drones offers a wide array of options tailored to cater to the needs of beginners. With drones like the DJI Mini 2, Ryze Tello, DJI MiniSE, and the Holy Stone HS720E, new pilots can quickly learn the ropes of drone flying while experiencing remarkable features and capabilities. Factors such as user-friendly controls, stable flight, robust build, and affordability make these drones ideal for beginners looking to take their first steps into the sky.

Will You Need To Register Your Drone?

You will have to consider the rules and regulations regarding flying drones in your country. For example, if you live in the USA, you can fly drones that weigh less than 250g without needing to register the drone. However, you will need to take a safety test called The Recreational UAV Safety Test, also known as TRUST. This test is free to take and is administered by FAA-approved organisations. Click here to find out more about TRUST and how to complete the test.

In the UK, if your drone has a camera you will need to register it by obtaining an Operator ID, even if it weighs less than 250 grams. If the drone weighs more than 250 grams, you will also need to pass an online test and obtain a Flyer ID.

For more details on the rules and regulations regarding flying drones in the UK, please visit the CAA website.

Are Drones Easy To Fly?

That really depends on the type of drone you purchase, most of the drones I review on this site I relatively easy to operate. This is because most of them come with gyroscopes, barometric pressure sensors, GPS and vision systems.

All these combine to make it easier to fly a drone, the cheaper ones, that don’t come with GPS or vision systems, may be harder to hover with but, they are still easy to fly.

The more expensive drones, like those from DJI, that have advanced flight stabilisation features are very easy to fly.

Many even come with autonomous flight modes, so you don’t even have to manually control the drone. This is very useful for when you want to capture images or record video footage, as you can program the drone where to fly, while you just concentrate on capturing amazing images and videos.

That being said, these are flying robots and could easily cause harm if they are not flown responsibly. So, I advise you to read the instruction manual of whichever drone you purchase and follow everything they ask of you.

As a beginner, make sure to practice flying your drone in a wide-open area, with no people around unless they are with you and the weather is very good with little to no wind.

Can You Fly Drones At Night?

This will depend on where you live, however, in the UK and USA, you are allowed to fly drones at night, as long as you always have clear visual sight of the drone. If the drone you are flying has an LED light on the belly or top and the light is bright enough that it is always visible, that should be enough.

If a drone does not have a light, you should purchase a strobe light that can be attached to the drone and always be visible at night.

However, as drone laws continue to be updated, please check the websites of the CAA (UK) or the FAA (USA) and make familiarise yourself with the rules and regulations regarding flying drones at night.

Can You Fly Drones In The Rain?

For consumer drones, such as the ones listed in this article, the simple answer is no, most drone manuals will mention this, so it is recommended that you never operate drones in weather conditions that go against the advice of the drone manufacturer.

Can You Fly Drones In the Wind?

If it’s light and breezy, yes you can fly drones in the wind, anything stronger is not recommended unless you are an experienced drone pilot. For reference, the DJI Mini 2, which is a very lightweight drone has a maximum wind resistance of around 22mph, which is pretty good for a mini drone. However, unless you are very experienced, you should never test this limit and not try and go beyond it.

2.4K
Shares