Interested in Drones But Wary of Piloting? These Models Help With the Learning Curve

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The Best Beginner Drones

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What to Consider

Regulation

Before pulling the trigger on a drone, make sure to do your research on local regulations and the rules concerning flying one in your area. Unmanned aircrafts, regardless if flying for commercial or recreational purposes, require a drone certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). All drones over 0.55 pounds and up to 55 pounds require registration with the FAA as well. Any drone that weighs less than 0.55 pounds does not need to be registered.

Safety Features

When shopping for a drone, take note of each aircraft’s safety features. Some drones have safety features that make piloting them much easier. Geo-fencing, for example, prevents a drone from being able to leave a set parameter, as well as flying beyond the FAA limit of 400 feet. Learning the capabilities of your drone in flight is an excellent way to stay safe, especially when starting out as a beginner.

Budget

Keep in mind that a drone can be as pricey as $1,500, while lower-end models will skew toward a few hundred dollars. If you’re a beginner who’d like to try your hand at recreationally flying a drone, you likely won’t need the most expensive device on the market. Pricier drones will provide a better quality camera, stabilization in heavy gusts, and features like obstacle avoidance. Those options may be better down the line, once you get a better hand in piloting,

How We Evaluated

The best beginner drones are affordable, accessible, and most of all, safe. To find the best drones for beginners, we consulted several competitor publications to see how each fared with hands-on testing. We also read several social media and Reddit posts on frequently nominated beginner drones, as well as user reviews and ratings on popular retailer websites.

It doesn’t take more than a glance at YouTube to see that drones are in vogue. And, according to consumer reports on worldwide drone market revenue, that interest will continue to rise through 2025. These useful little aircraft capture HD video and photos from hundreds of feet high, with some affording you first-person views via a pair of VR goggles.

Still, drones may feel inaccessible due to the learning curve and the (sometimes) considerable expense. For a high-end drone, you could shell out hundreds of dollars or more. If you’re searching for that new aerial pursuit or just want to shoot high-up footage as part of a photography hobby, one of these best drones for beginners will suit your needs.

Looking for more ways to play with tech? Check the best action cameras, best RGB keyboards, and best pre-built PCs, according to Reddit.

The Best Beginner Drones

• Best Overall: DJI Mini 2 Quadcopter Drone

• Best Value: Potensic Atom SE Drone

• Best Splurge: DJI Mini 3 Pro Drone

• Best Stability: Fimi X8SE V2 Drone

• Best Mini Drone: Fimi X8 Mini Drone

What to Consider

Regulation

Research local regulations and the rules concerning flying a drone in your area. Unmanned aircraft, whether flying for commercial or recreational purposes, need a drone piloting certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. All drones over 0.55 pounds and up to 55 pounds require registration with the FAA as well, just as you would register a car with the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Safety Features

Take note of each aircraft’s safety features, which can make piloting them much easier—especially for kids. Geo-fencing, for example, prevents the drone from leaving a set perimeter as well as flying beyond the FAA limit of 400 feet. Some drones have return-to-pilot functionality that automatically sets the aircraft flying back at the press of a button or in case of a low battery. Additionally, useful features to keep an eye out for are obstacle-avoidance sensors, stabilization for heavy winds, and propeller guards.

Budget

Keep in mind that even consumer drones can be as pricey as $1,500, while models made for entertainment and photography often run a few hundred dollars. If you’re a beginner trying your hand at recreationally flying a drone, you won’t need the most expensive device on the market.

Pricier drones often have better-quality cameras and premium sensors and tech. Those will be better once you get the hand of piloting if you want to upgrade. But for now, stick to a drone that costs a few hundred dollars, which includes features such as propeller guards, a return-to-pilot button, folding parts for easy storage, and the ability to capture at least 720p HD video.

Brands

Most of the options here are from one brand: DJI. It’s currently king among the sea of consumer drones, though a few alternatives, like Potensic and Fimi, compete in terms of value. With drones’ popularity has come a flood of cheap versions, but those are usually shoddy, unsafe, and have short flight times. If you want to spend under $100 on a toy to play with before you decide to buy a prosumer drone, check out our guide on drones for kids.

How We Selected

The best beginner drones are affordable, user-friendly, and—most important of all—safe. To find the best models for beginners, we consulted our previous reporting and guides to determine which models are best suited to beginners. We also consulted hundreds of user reviews and ratings on retailer websites and checked drone enthusiast message boards and YouTube for recommendations.

Mini 2 SE Drone with Remote Control

The DJI Mini 2 SE is the best overall for being one of the most reliable, easy-to-operate, and feature-heavy drones. It’s small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and folds up for easy storage and carry. The 12-megapixel camera captures 4K, 30-fps video and can reach up to 4x digital zoom. At 0.53 pounds, the Mini 2 doesn’t require registration.

Reviewers attest to how its camera shoots superb footage and how “incredibly easy to fly” this drone is. It may be an outdated model, but enthusiasts on both Reddit and YouTube say it’s still worth grabbing today.

Atom SE Drone for Beginners

The Atom SE is a direct competitor to DJI’s Mini 2 SE, though loaded with extras that won’t compromise its beginner-friendly status. It comes with its own carrying case and an additional battery, which gives this drone roughly one hour of flight time, granted you land the machine to swap batteries.

This tiny device has a 4K HD camera with stabilization tech to help the 12-MP photos and 4K, 30-fps footage come out clear. It also has a control system with three modes—including video, normal, and sport—and plenty of tracking modes. A GPS-assisted return home button sets the drone to fly back to you in case of emergencies.

Mini 3 Pro Drone for Beginners

While the DJI Mini 2 is a solid starter drone, it’s also an older model. Today, DJI’s Mini 3 Pro reigns as the best drone for beginners who want more functionality and can stomach a steeper price.

The Mini 3 Pro has additional safety features that the Mini 2 lacks, such as rear and downward obstacle avoidance via sensors and an automated return-to-home function that instantly calls back your drone in an emergency. The accompanying app will guide you in creating, editing, and sharing your content—video at 4K and 60 fps and photos at 48 MP.

If you can swing the price, this is an incredible value for beginners who are seeking a drone with a terrific camera and extra safety features.

X8SE V2 Drone for Beginners

Fimi is a popular alternative to DJI drones, offering similar features at a friendly price point. The X8SE has a fantastic camera to rival DJI’s Mini 3 Pro—at a few hundred dollars less. Most noteworthy, however, is its ability to withstand the elements. The X8SE can fly in winds of up to 46 miles per hour.

This drone is capable of shooting 4K UHD footage at 30 fps or 2.7K at 60 fps. It comes with an adaptable controller, which attaches directly to a smartphone for easy piloting. Additional safety features, like a return home mode and no-fly zone protection, help you safely maneuver your aircraft. Nice: A down camera to help with precision landing.

X8 Mini Drone for Beginners

This tiny, foldable quadcopter is an alternative to DJI’s Mini 2, weighing an ultralight 245 grams and fitting in your palm. This small device can fly for 31 minutes and shoot 4K HDR video with its 12-MP camera, capturing 4K footage at 30 frames per second. It also has a few filming modes such as smart tracking, which automatically locks on to a target, and Timelapse.

The remote plugs right into your smartphone. A stable flyer, even in winds of up to 24 mph, this little device is a solid beginner’s drone frequently recommended by Reddit folks. Some say its camera is a bit shoddy, however, and can expect a choppy video.

Avata Fly Smart Combo (DJI FPV Goggles V2) Drone for Beginners

Be warned: You should pass on the Avata if you find VR nauseating. But if you don’t, it’s an immersive way to fly, thanks to a pair of included VR goggles that allows you to view the drone’s flight on a live HD feed.

Its controller is a flight stick similar to a Nintendo Wii controller and has squeezable triggers to propel forward. Smooth 4K video transmits directly to DJI’s VR goggles. Of course, you can also record video in full 4K at 60 fps for posterity.

Also keep in mind that the Avata can’t fly for as long as other DJI drones (18 minutes), and its weight requires you register it.

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