You don’t need to break the bank to buy a fun, reliable drone.
If you’re looking to buy your first drone, whether for racing or just for the fun of it, searching for the top-rated drones might result in sticker shock. Sure, the DJI Inspire 1 looks AMAZING, but at nearly $3,000, it’s not worth the investment if you’re a novice hobbyist.
If you’re a beginner, you’ll want a drone that’s easy enough to fly to get a handle on everything but also tough enough to survive a crash caused by human error or technical malfunction. Fortunately, there are a number of great drone options out there for under $300. They often include cameras (of lesser-quality, of course) and first-person view (FPV) flying options, as well as bumpers to protect the blades and hardware while you’re still learning the basics. Then, once you’re confident in your skills as a drone pilot, you can decide whether to upgrade to a more expensive, professional drone.
Two of these drones fall below the FAA requirements for registration, which only costs $5 per aircraft and will save you from dealing with fines (or worse) if the authorities catch you flying an unregistered drone.
DBPOWER Hawkeye III
Microdrone 3.0
Syma X8G
Walkera Runner 250
Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Elite Edition
LaTrax Alias Quadcopter
DBPOWER Hawkeye III
The Hawkeye II features all the bells and whistles you’d want from your first drone, in a slick package. It has a headless control feature, which just means that it’s easy to maintain control, regardless of where the “front” is facing.
Once you’ve got the basics down, this is just a downright fun drone to fly. It’s got stunt buttons built in to the controller, so you’re able to pull off awesome flips at the press of a button. Its bigger size means it handles well, even on windy days. You also have the option to use FPV through a smartphone app using a VR headset (not included), but, given the camera quality, you’re probably not going to feel comfortable flying it in first-person. Also, keep in mind that using the camera will cut into the overall flight time, since it drains the battery.
One thing to consider about this drone is the color. It sure looks sharp in all-white, but if you’re flying it high in the sky on a cloudy day, you might find yourself losing visual contact with it.
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Specs:
Dimensions: 13.2″ x 13.2″ x 7.3″
Weight: 3.5 lbs
Camera: Yes (1MP, 720p)
Average flight time: 10 minutes (without camera)
FAA registration required?: Yes
Microdrone 3.0
The MicroDrone 3.0 raised over $3 million on IndieGoGo and, like the name suggests, is the smallest drone on this list, but don’t let its small size fool you. This is a fully-capable drone with a ton of features jam-packed into a small, minimalist package.
Included in the full set combo, available on the Microdrone website, you get the drone, a 2.4 GHz handset, propeller – Source
Best Drones Under $300
