The Best Drones For Beginners: Get Started Shopping Here

The best drones for beginners include the DJI Mini 2, Potensic Upgraded A20 Mini, and the Fimi X8 mini.

By Sofia Yang | Updated

With the Christmas holiday quickly approaching, one of the more popular items that will surely be on Christmas lists will be a drone. Over the past couple of years, drones have become the go-to for getting some of the most amazing aerial footage from filmmakers in Hollywood to novice fliers. For those who are interested but unsure where to start, well you are going to need a drone for beginners, and we can help.

Drones have been in existence for several decades and although they began as military surveillance tools, today, they are widely used in aerial photography, product delivery, agriculture, mapping, drone racing, and other applications. In 2018, the FAA estimated that there would be more than 1.2 million drones. By 2019, the number of drones in the US totaled 1.1 million and of those 1.1 million registered drones, 878,000 were for hobbyists, while 122,000 were commercial drones.

For you hobbyists, the best place to get started flying is with a drone for beginners. They are easy to use, you can be up and flying in no time, and for the most part, they are budget-friendly. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

BEST OVERALL BEGINNER DRONE: DJI MINI 2

There is nothing about the DJI Mini 2 that beginners will not love. The size, first of all, is a major plus, as it is small enough to fit in a jacket pocket. Its revamped controller makes it even easier to control, another huge plus for the DJI Mini 2.

The DJI Mini 2 has a range of 10km. The device comes with improved motors, stabilization, and wind resistance that delivers perfect footage even in the windiest of conditions. The 30-minute battery life is also a major plus.

As far as video capture is concerned, the camera will deliver a sharp 4K at 30fps. The video is easier to edit as the footage comes in a bit underexposed. The only drawback to this amazing DJI Mini 2 drone for beginners is the steep price.

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BEST BEGINNER DRONE FOR KIDS: POTENSIC UPGRADED A20 MINI DRONE

drone for kids

Are you in search of the best drone for your kids? The Potensic Upgraded A20 Mini Drone will make a wonderful gift this Christmas holiday. It comes with a super cute 2.4 G remote control and two pairs of extra batteries.

As a great mini drone for your kids, it’s fun and easy to operate. The remote-control pad comes with one key for taking off and landing. As such, your kids can fly the mini drone after a brief lesson.

The Potensic Upgraded A20 Mini Drone has four round propeller guards. All propellers are around direction to protect the drone from damage. In fact, they protect the drone from colliding with other objects.

The remote control has an emergency button. When pressed, it forces the mini drone to land. This prevents accidents at home.


BEST BEGINNING DRONE FOR TEENS: RYZE TELLO

The great news that comes with the Ryze Tello is that it shares much of its technology with its parent company, DJI, so the build quality and technical smarts are top-notch. The drone’s camera is built right into the body of the drone, offering 5MP of still pictures or 720P video. This is about the best quality one will find in a toy drone.

The Ryze Tello drone allows its flier to perform a complete range of tricks and flips, impressing friends to no end. Where this drone truly shines, though, is the educational value it provides. The Ryze has coding capability that STEM educators love, as it is compatible with Scratch, a block-based visual programming system where one can learn about programming on their phone or tablet.

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BEST ALTERNATIVE BEGINNER DRONE TO THE DJI MINI 2: FIMI X8 MINI

If only. Yes, if only the DJI Mini 2 didn’t exist, the Fimi X8 mini would probably be considered the best in its class. One attraction is the price, which comes in a solid $70 less than the DJI Mini 2, but another attraction is the fantastic 4K video this drone produces.

Speaking of the 4K, it is captured at 30fps by its 12MP Sony CMOS sensor that delivers a smooth ride with its 3-axis mechanical gimbal. The battery will give fliers a solid 30 minutes of fly time. The Fimi X8 mini also folds up neatly for easy portable transportation.

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GREAT SELFIE DRONE FOR BEGINNERS: DJI SPARK

DJI Spark

The DJI Spark is not only one of the best drones for beginners, but it is perfect for taking selfies, too. Equipped with DJI’s signature technologies, the mini drone has intelligent flight control, a mechanical gimbal, and a camera.

Built to empower its users to push creative boundaries, the mini drone is quick to launch. Thanks to FaceAware, users can control the drone without a remote or smartphone. This technology works by recognizing the face of the pilot. As such, the drone can take off and hover for seconds using FaceAware.

The drone pilot can capture amazing aerial photos using hand gestures, too. But for intelligent flight modes, you can download the DJI Go 4 and create cinematic aerial videos with ease. When it comes to flight performance, it has a maximum flight time of 16 minutes and propulsion power of 50 kph.


IDEAL NIGHT FLYING DRONE FOR BEGINNERS: AUTEL EVO NANO+

We know that not all the drone footage beginners wish to capture comes with full daylight. Some love nothing more than to fly their drones as the sun is setting or even after it has gone down completely. The Autel Evo Nano+ is the drone for you.

When it comes to low-light performance, the Autel is second to none, thanks to its big sensor and bright lens. It also handles very well in those annoying windy conditions. Beginners are going to love the nighttime flying the Autel EVO Nano+ provides.

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GETTING STARTED AS A DRONE PILOT WITH THE FAA

As an aspiring drone pilot, we recommend registering with the Federal Aviation Administration. It’s the law. As a certified remote pilot, you will be required to pay $5 per drone. The license is valid for three years and you will be provided with a pilot ID. To register, you must provide your email, credit card, physical address, mailing address, make, and model of your drone.

Happy flying!