Drones have become very popular in recent years, offering a fun and unique way to capture aerial footage and images. If you’re looking to purchase a drone, there are many options available, even within a budget of $500. Within this price range, you can find drones that offer advanced features such as high-resolution cameras, GPS modules, autonomous flight modes and long battery life. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced drone pilot, the following is a list of the best drones for under $500.
Do You Need To Register Your Drone?
Something else I want to mention is drone laws. I advise everyone to check the rules and regulations and abide by them wherever they live. Drone laws are updated regularly, especially in countries like the USA, UK and Canada, and so it is good to be informed on what you can and cannot do with regard to flying drones so that you do not fall into any legal trouble.
In the UK, the rules for flying drones under 250g were recently updated, before it wasn’t required to register a camera drone if it weighed less than 250g.
However, you will now need to register any drone that weighs under 250g that comes with a camera and get something called an operator ID. This ID will need to be displayed on the drone at all times, and if it weighs over 250g, you will also need to take an online test and get a Flyer ID.
To learn more about the drone laws in the UK, please visit the CAA website.
Similar rules apply in the USA, although you currently do not need to register any drone weighing less than 250g, even if it has a camera, as long as you are only flying for recreational purposes. However, you will need to take The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) from an FAA-Approved test administrator. Click here for more information on US drone laws.
What Is The Best Drone Under $500?
The DJI Mini 2 is considered one of the best drones under $500. It offers a compact and lightweight design, a 4K camera, and a transmission range of up to 10km. Additionally, it has a 3-axis gimbal for smooth and stable footage and up to 31 minutes of flight time. Read my full review of the DJI Mini 2 for more information.
Best Drones Under $500
1. DJI Mini 2
The DJI Mini 2 is the best drone under $500 for several reasons. The drone offers exceptional image quality with its 1/12.3-inch CMOS sensor that captures 12MP images and records 4K video footage. The camera is stabilised by a 3-axis gimbal, ensuring smooth and stable footage. The drone is compact and lightweight, making it easy to transport and ideal for travel. Furthermore, it has a transmission range of up to 6km, making it perfect for capturing stunning aerial views from a distance. Lastly, with up to 31 minutes of flight time, you have plenty of time to explore and capture the perfect shot. In summary, the DJI Mini 2 offers a powerful combination of advanced features and portability, making it the best drone under $500 for both beginner and experienced pilots alike.
Key Features
- HD Camera with 1/2.3-inch sensor
- 12MP images (RAW & JPEG)
- Records videos in 4k at 30fps, 27k at 60fps
- 100Mbps bitrate
- AEB and Panorama photography modes
- 5 Quickshots
- 31 minutes of flight time
- 10km transmission range
2. DJI Mavic Mini
The drone comes with an excellent 2.7k camera that is stabilised by a 3-axis motorised gimbal allowing you to take distortion-free images and videos. You can take cinematic slow-motion videos with the camera that will wow family and friends. The drone comes with 30 minutes of flight time which is one of the best flight times for drones in this price range. DJI also developed a new app for this drone which comes with many cool features like editing your images and videos and sharing them across your social media channels. For less than $500, this is one of the best drones on the market.
Key Features
- HD Camera with a 1/2.3-inch sensor
- 12MP images
- Records 2.7k videos at 30fps
- 4 Quickshots
- 30 minutes of flight time
- 4km transmission range
3. DJI Mini SE
The DJI Mini SE is DJI’s cheapest drone, it’s a small and lightweight drone that comes equipped with an HD camera. The camera is stabilised by a 3-axis gimbal, which is a pretty impressive engineering feat on such a small drone. The camera can capture amazing images in 12MP and records stunning video footage in 2.7k. The drone comes with a feature called quickshots that will allow anyone to create short cinematic videos from different angles completely hands-free. The drone is perfect for travel photographers as it is lightweight and easy to carry around. It has a flight time of 30 minutes and a 4km transmission range.
Key Features
- HD Camera with 1/2,3-inch sensor
- 12MP images
- Records 2.7k videos at 30fps
- 3-axis gimbal for video stabilisation
- 4 Quickshots
- 30 minutes of flight time
- 4km transmission range
4. Holy Stone HS700E
One of Holy Stone’s most popular drones, the HS700E is a very good drone that is easy to fly and suitable for beginners. The drone comes equipped with an HD camera that is supported by a damping plate and has EIS technology, both of which will reduce distortion in your videos and photos. The camera lens has a wide-angle view and can be remotely adjusted to get better viewing angles. The camera can capture and record high-definition images and videos as well as stream HD live video footage to your smartphone. It has a good flight time of around 23 minutes and a control range of 1km.
Key Features
- HD camera with 130° FOV
- Captures 4k images
- Records videos in 4k@30fps
- Anti-shake EIS technology
- GPS assisted intelligent flight modes
- Automatic return to home
- 23 minutes of flight time
- 1km control range
5. Ruko F11 Gim 2
This is one of the latest drones from Ruko, it’s a large foldable drone that weighs less than 600 grams. The drone comes with many exciting features such as its HD camera that is stabilised by a 2-axis gimbal. The camera can capture amazing images in 4k and record 4k video footage. Thanks to its gimbal and electronic image stabilisation feature, videos and images will be free of any sort of distortion. Other features include intelligent flight modes, gesture control and automatic return to home. It has a flight time of 28 minutes and a control range of 3km.
Key Features
- HD camera with 100° FOV
- Captures HD 4k images
- Records videos in 4k@30fps
- Live HD video stream
- 2-axis gimbal
- EIS technology
- Dual GNSS receiver
- GPS intelligent flight modes
- 28 minutes of flight time
- 3km control range
6. Ruko F11 Gim
A powerful foldable drone that comes with many advanced features which makes it one of the best drones in its price range. The Ruko F11 Gim comes with a dual GNSS receiver for better flight stability and positioning accuracy. The main feature is its 4k camera that is stabilised by a 2-axis gimbal and also has electronic image stabilisation for distortion free videos and images. The drone comes GPS assisted autonomous flight modes and an automatic return to home feature. It has a long flight time of 28 minutes and a control range of 1.5km.
Key Features
- HD camera with 100° FOV
- 4k images
- Records 4k video footage at 30fps
- 2-axis gimbal
- Electronic image stabilisation
- Intelligent flight modes
- Automatic return to home
- 28 minutes of flight time
- 1.5km control range
7. Holy Stone HS720E
This is one of my personal favourite drones and is also a very popular drone on Amazon. The Holy Stone HS720E is a well-designed drone that has a sleek foldable design which makes it compact and easy to travel with. This drone is suitable for everyone and comes with a lot of impressive features. It’s very easy to operate thanks to features like GPS assisted autonomous flight modes, low battery automatic return to home and one button take-off/landing. It has a very good camera that can capture HD images and videos and comes with electronic image stabilisation for clearer videos and photos. It has a flight time of 23 minutes and a transmission range of 1km.
Key Features
- HD camera with 130° FOV
- 90° Adjustable lens
- EIS technology for image and video stabilisation
- Captures 4k images
- Records videos in 4k at 30fps
- Low battery automatic return to home
- Intelligent flight modes
- 23 minutes of flight time
- 1km transmission range
