There are plenty of drones available for purchase online but if you’re new to trying out a drone or you’re inexperienced with the industry it’s hard to know what’s worth picking up. Here we take a look at the best drones ready to buy online, ranging from various different price points, although for the most part we’ve focused on entry level items.
Top 10 Drones
1) DJI Phantom Aerial UAV Drone Quadcopter for GoPro
Next up we have a big jump in price. For any seasoned quadcopter pilots out there, the DJI Phantom Aerial UAV Drone Quadcopter may take your interest. One thing to consider is that this drone will set you back around $500, but there is good reason for it. The DJI Phantom Aerial Drone is specifically made for use with GoPro cameras so if you’ve got one at home you’ll be able to hook it up and be ready to create some really awesome aerial footage.
The fine flight control with the DJI Phantom is perhaps what makes it such an amazing buy. That coupled with it’s sturdy design and host of technical features such as GPS positioning technology will guarantee that you’ll be getting a killer experience.
Click Here to get the DJI Phantom Aerial UAV Drone Quadcopter for GoPro
2) DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter Drone with 4K UHD Video Camera
Believe it or not, the DJI Phantom Aerial UAV Drone is not the most expensive drone on the market. There are quadcopters that cost far more than you could ever imagine. One very expensive drone is the DJI Phantom 3 Professional and it comes in at $1,259.
If you have the right reasons, the DJI Phantom 3 Professional actually becomes a very decent buy. Firstly, the camera available on this particular quadcopter shoots in 4K video which is on the cutting edge of audio visual technology in 2016. A special vision positioning system makes it even possible to retain stable flight indoors, whilst GPS positioning kicks in when you step outside.
You’re given a special flight app to compliment the $1.2k drone and you can use this to have a live view of the camera and control it remotely. If you’re a professional looking to use a drone for your own profession, the $1,259 price tag may just pay for itself.
Click Here to get the DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter Drone with 4K UHD Video Camera
3) SYMA X5C 4 Channel 2.4GHz RC Explorers Quad Copter Drone with Camera
At just over $42, the SYMA X5C 4 is a drone that is incredibly easy to afford. The X5C 4 is basically the entry model of a large range of SYMA drones and this one in particular is the most affordable.
The drone comes in a full white design and features a quadcopter design. Unfortunately there are no guards for the wings, so owners of the X5C 4 will have to be extra careful when flying the drone near trees or other potential flying hazards. What’s great about the SYMA X5C 4 is that it was designed for beginners – it’s fairly stable, making it easier to fly for newcomers and it’s also quite inexpensive so damages and breakages aren’t such an issue.
Click Here to get the SYMA X5C 4 Channel 2.4GHz RC Explorers Quad Copter Drone with Camera
4) UDI U818A 2.4GHz 4 CH 6 Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter with Camera RTF Mode 2
For just under 50% more than the SYMA X5C 4, you can pick up the UDI U818A. This is a $62 drone that has a matte black color scheme and a completely different model design to the previously mentioned quadcopter.
This drone has been built with safety in mind and as a result each of the four wings is safely inside an unremovable wing guard. The quadcopter comes with a 6-axis gyro with posture control, great accurate flying for beginners, quick charging and a unique modular design that makes repairs a lot simpler.
Click Here to get the UDI U818A 2.4GHz 4 CH 6 Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter with Camera RTF Mode 2
5) UDI UPDATED Discovery U818A-1 2.4Ghz 4CH 6 Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter w/ HD Video Camera
Bump the price tag up to $89.99 and you’ll be able to afford yourself the HD UDI U818A-1 HD Upgrade. This drone is essentially an upgraded version of the standard U818A and there are a few aspects that make it stand out.
Firstly, the camera quality on the HD upgrade has been improved to be able to record footage in HD quality. Secondly, you’re given a number of replacement parts to help you make even more use of the modular design first seen in the UDI U818A. You’re also given an extra battery to essentially double flying time whilst out and away from home. Among many other things, the HD Upgrade version also has a new color scheme to give it a bit more life.
6) Syma Toys X5C-1 Explorers RC Quadcopter with Gyro and Camera
If you’re not so settled on UDI as a brand for inexpensive quadcopters, you may want to instead look at a slightly more expensive SYMA model. The X5C-1 features the same unguarded wing design as the X5C 4, alongside a few benefits and improvements.
For $74.95 the SYMA X5C-1 can get you a HD camera for HD video footage, a 4 in one battery charger set up, a slightly upgraded design, spare wings and most importantly a set of attachable wing guards to keep your quadcopter safe from flying hazards such as trees, buildings or other obstacles that could damage the unguarded wings.
Click Here to get the Syma Toys X5C-1 Explorers RC Quadcopter with Gyro and Camera
Before we move on to some more expensive drones, let’s first take a look at some more inexpensive quadcopters from different brands.
7) Hubsan X4 (H107C) 4 Channel 2.4GHz RC Quad Copter with Camera
The Hubsan X4 is a micro-quadcopter with a very unique, stylish build design. Besides from it’s flashy wings and fiery red decals, the $65.59 Hubsan X4 comes with a 6-axis flight control system with adjustable gyro sensitivity 4 channel stable flight, a lightweight airframe with nice durability and a 0.3 megapixel camera.
Honestly for the price you won’t be expecting much and the camera unfortunately produces very poor results.
Click Here to get the Hubsan X4 (H107C) 4 Channel 2.4GHz RC Quad Copter with Camera
8) ZuZo® 2.4GHz 4 CH 6 Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter Drone with Camera & LED Lights
With an original price of $199.95, the now $59.95 quadcopter by ZuZo certainly grabbed our attention.
From our first impressions, the ZuZo offers potential buyers an interesting flying experience. The drone comes with a camera that produces fairly decent results, although there were no details about the megapixels the camera could shoot in. The quad comes with some fairly durable flight guards and a variety of features and stability functions that you’d expect from a drone at this price point.
Most excitingly though, the ZuZo quadcopter comes with LED lights that open up the opportunity for night operation.
9) Holy Stone Mini RC Quadcopter
Next up we have the Holy Stone Mini RC Quadcopter, another heavily discounted drone on Amazon. This quadcopter costs owners $59.99 and features a slew of features you’d hope to find on a quadcopter of this price, and then a few more.
Most importantly, for this price tag you’ll be surprised to find a camera that is capable of recording 720P video. Despite it’s small size, it’s very easy to fly and the added weight of the camera doesn’t become an issue at any point. When purchasing the Holy Stone Mini RC Quadcopter, you’re also given eight additional blades for replacement and a spare battery.
Click Here to get the Holy Stone® mini RC Quadcopter with 720P Camera,4CH 6-Axis Gyro 2.4 GHz
10) Holy Stone RC Drone (Full Sized)
Whilst Holy Stone does have a fairly inexpensive mini quadcopter up on the market, they also produce and sell a full sized drone as well. The Holy Stone RC Drone is available on Amazon for $89.99 and it features a sleek design that would go down well with those looking to fly drones for fun.
The grey design has a bit more of an aesthetic appearance than most other drones. The remote has also been designed to look like a controller for a video games console. Don’t let that fool you though – the Holy Stone RC Drone has plenty of features to make flying it a safe, controlled experience. The drone also comes with a camera that can take still images with a 1280 X 720 resolution and record 30fps video.
Best Drones
So there we have it – we’ve listed a range of great entry level drones ready to buy online, alongside a couple more expensive quadcopters. No matter your previous experience or budget, there should be something in this list that appeals to you if you’re looking for a new drone.