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A drone can be tons of fun or quite useful for work, depending on what you use it for. And in the recent past, drones have become so popular and accessible that drone prices are actually dropping. Affordable drones are now within reach of most people and are no longer just a toy for people with loads of expendable income. Today, you can find good drones for less than $500 (or even lower) if you snap one up while it’s on sale. To help make this easier, we’ve rounded up the best drone deals available right now.
Today’s best drone deals
The inexpensive and well-reviewed Snaptain S5C is a great entry point into an FPV drone for beginners.
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A great mid-range drone with 4K video and a camera able to swivel 180 degrees.
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An excellent entry-level drone, the Holy Stone HS110D is definitely great for beginners on a budget thanks to its easy-to-use controls, 1080p camera, and various hover modes.
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This drone is incredibly simple to use, packed with a well-rounded arsenal of features for you to enjoy, including 1080p video, auto-hovering, and even Wi-Fi transmission.
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This is a great drone for entry-level flyers with 1080p video recording and various modes that let you experience all that the open sky has to offer.
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The SP600 might not have all the bells and whistles of more expensive drones, but it’s a great option for beginners as it is super easy to fly.
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With 30 minutes of flight time and 4K video capabilities, the Ruko F11 is definitely a bargain.
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Easy to use, foldable, and voice controlled. Can perform stunts like 360°flip, circle fly, and high-speed rotation.
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With an impressive 30 minutes of flight time thanks to two internal batteries, you’ll be in the air much longer than most competing drones of its price.
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The Snaptain A15H drone is a simple drone that doesn’t leave anything out. It’s foldable, simple to carry, and has a 720p camera. If you don’t need something too robust, this is a good option.
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The SP700’s brushless motor emits less noise in flight, and keeps the drone hovering stably in windier conditions.
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Portable and lightweight with GPS Follow Me, Point of Interest, Brushless Motors, and TapFly for hours of fun.
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Take out-of-this-world shots with the DJI Mavic drone. It may be light (0.55lbs), but it can provide stunning aerial photos and HD videos in 2.7K quality.
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How to choose a drone
The right drone for you depends on what you are looking to do. A drone — especially those that are under $250 or so — will offer the fewest features and may lack some functionality that might not make it the best solution for you.
Generally (and this is not a hard and fast rule), a drone typically features 720p video and a relatively low frame rate, usually 30 frames per second. While for most of us this will be fine, the video will lack that cinematic smoothness. Stepping up to a midrange drone (typically in the $250 to $750 range) gets you 1080p video and often at 60fps, which results in higher-quality video.
Most modern higher-end drones offer 4K video, but you’ll likely need to spend north of $1,000 to get 4K 60fps video. If video quality is a primary concern, expect to pay more.
A drone will also lack other useful features, including tracking capabilities, and video and drone stabilization. In ideal flying conditions, this won’t be an issue. But you’ll want these features if you plan to fly in a variety of conditions or allow it to operate without a great deal of user input.
We’ve also noticed many cheaper drones either lack obstacle avoidance or aren’t as good as more expensive drones. If you’re flying in wide-open spaces, you won’t have much of an issue here. But if you plan to fly in areas with obstacles nearby, you’ll want to ensure the drone you select has sufficient obstacle avoidance capabilities.
Do drones make noise?
All drones will make some noise. Most describe it as a buzzing sound, kind of like a bee. The propellers are spinning at an extremely high speed, and this is what causes that noise. It’s most noticeable when you’re closest to the drone, but you’ll barely hear it if at all once it is higher in the air.
Can you fly a drone at night?
Most drones can be flown at night, although we wouldn’t recommend doing so until you’ve had a good deal of experience. We recommend keeping your drone within eyesight when flying at night — and drones that can operate at night include lights so that they can be seen during night flying.
Do remember that most drones do not have night vision capabilities, so the video that you take during night flying will only be illuminated by any ambient lighting available, such as moonlight, street lighting, and so forth.
Can you fly a drone in the rain?
Most drone manufacturers recommend against flying your drone in the rain. Most drones are neither waterproof nor water-resistant, so even small amounts of water could do damage to your drone, especially to the motor and battery. The moisture causes a short circuit, which will cause your drone to stop functioning with little or no warning. Thus as a general rule, do not fly your drone in the rain, fog, or excessively humid conditions.
If you’re caught in these conditions, land as soon as possible and get your drone somewhere dry, disconnect the battery, and allow it to dry. You may also want to shake the drone itself gently to get water out of the interior housing and let that dry as well. Use similar techniques to drying out a wet phone to dry out your drone, and the first time you fly it afterward, take some time to test out the drone at a low altitude before flying it normally again.
Do drones have to be registered?
The Federal Aviation Administration requires that you register your drone based on how you plan to fly it and mark your drone with your given registration number. Any drone weighing more than 0.55 pounds (250 grams) and less than 55 pounds must be registered, which covers just about every drone currently sold on the market. This registration must be renewed every three years.
You must also carry proof of registration at all times when flying, and are prohibited from flying for commercial purposes under the terms of the license. Drone flight is only permitted below 400 feet in altitude and Class “G” or uncontrolled airspace. It is your responsibility to follow these rules.
Some states require drone pilots to follow additional regulations, so be sure to check the laws of the state you are flying in before you take off.
Do you need a license to fly a drone?
At this time, there is no license required for recreational or hobbyist drone pilots. However, flying for commercial purposes may require additional certifications.
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