Best Drones for Beginners
With a plethora of drones to choose from, it's easy to inadvertently opt for one that's too advanced or challenging to fly. Thankfully, I've done the hard work for you. After delving into 50 different simple drones, the DJI Mavic Mini stands out as the best drone for beginners, boasting easy controls, a convenient size, and a sleek design. Read more about it here.
The Best Drones for Beginners in 2024:
Best Drone for Beginners: DJI Mavic Mini
- The compact yet powerful Mavic Mini...
- Weighing less than 0.55lbs by 250 grams,...
- Mavic Mini supports 12MP aerial photos...
- Mavic Mini’s weight allows it to stay...
- DJI Fly App requires iOS v10.0, Android...
While the DJI Mavic Pro 2 is considered to be arguably the best drone ever made for a consumer-base, it takes time to understand how to use it. So, in order for inexperienced droners to have a taste of the brand’s glory, the DJI Mavic Mini serves as the best and cheaper alternative to the Pro 2; retaining all the core features of the Pro 2 but in a more miniature package. It uses a 2.7K camera, long battery life, and high altitude, making this ideal for both indoor and outdoor purposes. Put this as your must-buy if you are still a drone newbie.
Best Value Drone for Beginners: Parrot Bebop 2
- Enhanced 14 megapixel fish-eye lens...
- 25 minutes of flight time thanks to a...
- Equipped with powerful motors for flight...
- Powerful rear flash LED for better...
- Requires registration with FAA. Visit...
The Parrot Bebop 2 is a much-improved version over the first Bebop; now it includes a solid 14MP camera with 1080p and 30fps, longer battery life worth 25 minutes and lightweight design made to prevent crashing hard. The Bebop 2 only costs less than $300 which makes it much better to buy than the more expensive DJI. It is also good for indoor and outdoor purposes since it is neither too big nor too small. The FPV has excellent headtracking movement and the controls are simple enough for an inexperienced user to understand.
Best FPV Drone for Beginners: VIFLY R130 BNF
If you have never flown an FPV drone before but want to get into it now, the VIFLY R130 BNF is your best starting point. Not only is the VIFLY strong, but it is also beginner-friendly. It may be small, but the R130 is swift. It only has 8 minutes of battery life though, but it has enough thrill that lasts a lifetime. The controls are simple enough to understand and it is ready to use upon unboxing. Let the VIFLY R130 BNF be your entry-level drone whether you wish to join competitions or casually race with your friends who like drones as much as you.
Best Stunt Drone for Beginners: LaTrax Alias
- Quad-rotor thrust with auto-leveling...
- High-capacity 650mAh LiPo battery
- Integrated bright, colorful LEDs
- 2.4GHz radio system
- Molded two-piece, two-color canopy in...
The LaTrax Alias is more centered around stunts rather than photography or racing. It is a high-speed drone that can do all sorts of aerobatics that are more than enough to impress an audience. Most of all, while it is a good drone for both experts and intermediates, the LaTrax Alias is very beginner-friendly too. The 2.4 GHz controls cater to both casual and experienced users since it has multiple modes. It also has a stunt and race mode too, depending on your situation. If you need the best drone for showmanship without costing you a fortune, look no further than the LaTrax Alias.
Best Racing Drone for Beginners: ARRIS FPV250
- This fpv 250 comes with FrSky 4RSB...
- Uses high quality S2205 2300KV motor and...
- The 700TVL camera makes zero delay and...
- We have assembled all the parts and...
- Please Note: The frame is made of...
The ARRIS FPV250 is a very popular model among the mainstream crowd because of its amazing little details put onto the device. Most of all, the camera quality is superb here: almost as if the reception is of a person’s vision. And to make it even better, the ARRIS FPV250 also has low latency, easy maneuverability and simpler controls that can do complex move sets as you race, which is why it is heavily favored among the racers both beginners and experts. Keep in mind that this drone is expensive but worth every penny. It has won multiple tournaments so it is no wonder why it has become a word of mouth that this is the best.
Conclusion (Why I Would Buy It)
If I were a drone newbie and had the budget to buy myself the best drone for beginners, the first thing that will come to my mind is the DJI Mavic Mini (see here for the DJI Mavic Mini vs DJI Spark comparison) because it is just a more casual version over the Mavic Pro 2. But if you were to ask what is the best alternative that does not cost a lot, you should go for the Parrot Bebop 2 or the VIFLY R130 BNF - both are fast yet not overwhelming for beginners. If you do not favor racing and prefer stunts, the LaTrax Alias is what you should go for. And if you like racing and don’t know where to start, the ARRIS FPV250 should be your best choice for a drone.
Drone Buying Guide
Controls
Of course, the most obvious choice here is to get a drone with the easiest controls. Quite frankly, there are a number of drones out there that are complex on the go - especially those that require further configuration. However, consumer-based drones like the DJI Mavic Mini happens to include simple controls in order for even the most inexperienced pilot to fly a drone.
Battery Life
Battery life is also essential in buying a drone. However, if you are just going to use a drone casually, a drone that is worth at least 8 minutes of battery life is enough. But if you do want to fill all the nook and cranny of how to become a better drone pilot, a solid 15 minutes of battery life should be just enough to get you learning.
Brand
Well-known brands such as PowerVision and DJI are some of the best-sellers in the industry, however not a lot of people can afford them. Yet, the likes of DJI and Parrot offer simpler solutions as to how to fly a drone without needing to invest time in the learning curve. Although there are much cheaper solutions such as the Eachine and EMAX model drones.
Controller or Mobile
Drones always include two kinds of controls: a controller and a mobile app. Of course, you can always buy a drone without the controls for a cheaper solution but usually, mobile apps are quite clunky. The real experience always comes with the controller - and at times - the FPV headset.
Remember that a lot of drones do not sell for cheap if you have a budget of just $30 to $100. With that price range, all you get are indoor based drones with short connections. But if you are planning to make it into a hobby, then yes, drones are worth it.
Some FPV drones already include goggles in the package. However, if you happen to have a modern VR headset that can work with a drone, you may choose to buy only the drone without the goggles and controller. Major brands always carry a headset plus controller package for each of their drones.
Drones are an amazing type of hobby that you should definitely try out. It’s just like flying a kite except more complexed. Plus, there is a whole community of active users everyday on the internet that are sharing tips, tricks and reviews on drones.
If you call DJI’s $360 drone cheap, then yes they do. However, don’t expect their cheapest ones to outperform a lot of its competition. Most of the best DJI drones have a price range of $700 and above. A lot of people consider them overpriced and if you are one of those, just read the choices above to see if there is any drone you like.
