best drones for beginners 2022
Want to try flying a drone, but not ready for a professional model? To help you get started, we've rounded up our favorite affordable and easy-to-fly drones.
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PCMag reviews drones made for users of various skill levels. If you're looking for an advanced model, check out our roundup of the best camera drones overall, which includes quadcopters suitable for cinematography. Here we will focus on drones made for photography and video that are suitable for beginners. Read our top tips and then what to look for when buying a starter drone.
What is the best drone to buy for a beginner?
Drones are quite complicated pieces of hardware. They rely on GPS stabilization and other flight aids to hover perfectly in place, and use radio transmitters to maintain communication between the aircraft and its remote control. They also usually require a smartphone to work; you connect your phone to the drone's remote controller to launch the flight app and control the camera, for example.
DJI Mini 2
For starters, we recommend sticking with a quality brand – we've included models from DJI and Parrot in this story, but Autel also makes quality aircraft. We've had bad luck with some of the lesser-known budget models you see for sale online, so we don't recommend spending your money on shoddy starters like the Holy Stone HS360.
It's worth spending a little more on a drone with a better camera that supports video higher than 1080p and is mounted on a three-axis gimbal for stabilization. You'll also want to be sure to get a drone with integrated GPS and a return-to-home system; and if you can afford to spend a little, an upscale model with obstacle avoidance sensors will help you avoid accidents while learning to fly your drone.
Do I need to register a beginner drone?
Pilots flying in the US, even for fun, need to register certain drones with the FAA. If you plan to fly outdoors and your drone weighs 250g (8.8oz) or more, you will need to pay a $5 registration fee to ensure compliance with federal regulations. In addition, everyone who flies a drone must pass the TRUST test, a basic online knowledge quiz. For more information, read the rules for flying drones in the US.
How much does a drone cost for beginners?
To get started with a drone, we recommend a budget of between $300 and $1,000. At the lower end of the price spectrum, the DJI Mini SE ($300) uses the same flight hardware as the Mini 2 ($450), but the SE's camera only does 2.7K video (the Mini 2 offers 4K recordings). We haven't reviewed the Mini SE, but we expect it to provide as powerful a flight experience as the Mini 2, matching the image quality of the original Mavic Mini.
DJI Mini 3 Pro
At the higher end, the DJI Mini 3 Pro with remote costs $759, but the extra money gets you obstacle avoidance sensors and a better camera than the base Mini 2. All Mini-series drones weigh 249g to avoid registration requirements. , also.
The best drones for professionals
If you're looking for a drone that's a little better than a beginner, be sure to check out our list of the best camera drones you can buy. You'll also need a smartphone to launch the drone, so make sure you have a good one.