Have you ever watched those amazing drone videos and wished you could capture breathtaking aerial shots yourself? Flying a drone seems exciting, but the thought of spending a lot of money on a first drone can stop many people. It feels like a big risk to buy something expensive only to crash it during your first flight!
Finding a truly “cheap beginner drone” presents a real challenge. Many low-cost drones fly poorly, break quickly, or lack the basic features you need to actually learn how to pilot one safely. You want something affordable, but you also need reliability. It’s frustrating trying to sort through confusing specs and fake reviews.
This post cuts through the noise. We have tested and gathered the best budget-friendly drones that offer great flight time and easy controls. You will learn exactly which models give you the best bang for your buck without emptying your wallet. Get ready to discover your perfect entry into the world of drone flying!
Top Cheap Beginner Drone Recommendations
No. 1
Drone with Camera - Drone with Screen on Controller for Beginners, Foldable Remote Control Quadcopter with Gesture Control, 3D Flip, One Key Start, Emergency Stop, 2 Batteries, Easier to use to use
- The PK01 drone's remote comes with a super handy built-in screen—no phone needed—so you can watch live HD footage and check flight stats right in your hands. (An SD card is required to save images and videos, not included) Powered by tough brushless motors, this little flyer is strong, smooth, and built to last. With one-key takeoff/landing, headless mode, and even 360° flips, you’ll look like a pro in no time. Ready for takeoff?🤩
- 【Drone with Camera】 Equipped with a 1080P HD 80°adjustable lens, the drone not only assists you in catching every wonderful moment from a birds-eye perspective, but also is perfect for selfie. It can even be used to check the roof of a house or other hard-to-reach areas. You can enjoy the real-time HD pictures and videos via the remote screen & APP. Automatically take photos/videos with gestures. First flight tip- choose a windless indoor space, keep the altitude below 6 meters and the distance below 30 meters to help better practice and control the drone.
- 【More Fun to Fly】 This foldable drone has 2 control modes: remote control, APP control. You can enjoy exciting features such as one-click 360° flips, 3D flip, waypoint flyflight, gravity control, circle fly, rotation fly, 3 speed gear, gravity sensing and Emergency Stop. (Some functions should be controlled by the app) You can also effortlessly command the remote control drone with simple voice instructions like "Take off"and more.
- 【Long Flying Time and Safer】 The upgraded FPV drone is equipped with two enhanced batteries, extending the flight time to 25 minutes, providing no-worry flying experience. The controller has built-in battery and comes with 2pcs USB charging cable, enables you to charge it effortlessly. Features with emergency stop, 4 propeller guards, child lock feature and low power alarm to ensure a safe and reliable flight. PK01 is lightweight, portable and No FAA Registration needed, makes it a ideal drone for indoor and outdoor activities.
- 【How to Connect Your Phone】1.Power off the remote controller . 2.Turn on the drone. Note: Make sure the tail of the drone is facing towards you. 3.Download and log in to the "PK01 DRONE" app. 4.Connect your phone to the Wi-Fi network named "PK01DRONE_XXXXXX" via the app. 5.Move the left and right joysticks of the remote control to the lower left or lower right 45 degrees at the same time. The drone light flashes and then turns on, completing horizontal calibration.. 6.Enter the app control interface, tap the "Control Switch" icon, and then select "Take Off" for a successful launch.
No. 2
MOCVOO Drone With 1080P Camera for Adults Beginners Kids, Foldable RC Quadcopter, Toy Drones Gifts, FPV Drone Video, 2 Batteries, Carrying Case, One Key Start, Headless Mode, Waypoints fly, 360° Flips
- 【1080P HD Camera & Live Video】-- Upgrade 1080P HD wide-angle camera with 120° adjustable angle, capture the video and photos and share instantly on social media through APP control - Equipped with built-in camera and advanced FPV transmission tech, the drone can deliver 1080P image/video, you can see beautiful scenery from different perspectives in real-time, leaving you with immersive experience!
- 【Two Baeetries for Long Time Fly】-- You can enjoy up to 26 minutes of flight time in total with Two batteries (3.7V, 1800mAh）. Upgraded charging cable uses imported chips for overvoltage protection to prevent accidents caused by incorrect charging. MOCVOO RC quadcopter also comes with four protective propeller guards, to avoid propeller damage during flight and extend the drone life. When in low battery, the lights of the drone continue to flash, you can operate it return to aviod loss.
- 【Multifunctional & More Fun to Fly】-- Give wings to your imagination - MOCVOO camera drone features in 3 adjustable speed levels (from low to high, beginners to experts), One Key Take Off/Landing (beginner-friendly), 360°Flip (fun trick in the sky) .You can define an exact flying route on the App map, the drone will fly following the path, brings you wonderful flying experiences. Show “V” or “palm” gesture to let the camera drone recognize and take pictures or video.
- 【Idea Gifts & Carrying Case】-- Our mini drone is a foldable design make this quadcopter drone small, you can take it anywhere you like. And comes with a handy carry case can easy to take out to have fun with your family when going outside. It is the ideal gift for birthday, Christmas, Fathers Day or other Day. The considerate design with carrying case that will be loved by kids Men Teenagers Boys husband and boyfriend.
- 【Good Service】-- We suggest you test flight in an open space first time flying the drone. (Note: there might be wind interference when using outdoors. In the windy outdoors, it is recommended to adjust the flight speed to the third high speed to avoid the wind interference and loss of control.) If the drone/remote control/APP has any issue during flight, please email seller and we'll provide 24hrs technical support, 18-month quality and 30-day money back for any reason.
No. 3
HOFMOC Mini Drone for Kids 8-15, Indoor Drones Gifts for Boys 8-12, Boys Toys Age 8-10, Beginner Drones with Propeller Protection, Throw to Go, Altitude Hold, 3D Flips and Headless Mode
- 【Beginner Friendly】Whether for kids, newbies, or first-time flyers, this drone for kids makes flying effortless with One Key Takeoff or throw-to-go. Full propeller guards ensures safe flights, while Headless Mode keeps controls intuitive so the drone always moves relative to where the pilot is facing. Whether you're in the drones for kids 8-12 or drones for kids 10-15 range, this drone offers endless enjoyment.
- 【Five Lights, Endless Fun】Switch between five dazzling light modes to make your night flights shine bright. In two-player racing battles, easily spot and distinguish your mini drone from the competition. This is the perfect kids drone, ideal for gifts for boys 8-12 or boys toys age 8-10.
- 【Upgraded Modular Dual Battery】Comes with two upgraded 1000mAh modular batteries, delivering up to 22 minutes of flight time. Thanks to the new USB Type-C charging port and advanced USB 3.0 technology, it takes just one hour for a full charge, so gifts for boys 12-14 never have to worry about slow charging, ensuring continuous fun without interruption.
- 【Full Protection, Built to Last】 A fully enclosed propeller guard keeps kids safe from spinning blades while protecting the indoor drone from damage. The one-piece structural design and professional-grade ABS material further enhance resistance to impacts and drops.
- 【Unlock Endless Fun】Enjoy a variety of exciting flight modes, including One Key Takeoff/Landing, Throw to Go, Circle Fly, Headless Mode, Automatic Rotation, and 3D Flips. For boys toys age 10-12, kids can easily combine these features for endless fun. As their skills improve, they can switch between three speed levels to match their flying proficiency.
No. 4
Drone with 1080P Camera for Beginners, Remote Control Quadcopter with Gestures Selfie, Altitude Hold, One Key Start, 3D Flips, 2 Batteries, Toy for Beginners, Black
- Drone with 1080P HD Camera for Beginners: capture stunning 1080p hd aerial photos and videos with this easy-to-use quadcopter, perfect for beginners and hobbyists. If you wanted to learn how to use a throne before buying something more expensive, and I definitely recommend it.
- Beginner-Friendly: enjoy smooth flights with altitude hold, ensuring stable hovering at your desired height. take off and land effortlessly with one key start, while the headless mode simplifies orientation for beginners. switch between 3 speeds mode to match your skill level and capture creative shots with gestures selfie. Can't wait to get many cool functions and fun memories from it.
- Cool Flight Feature: perform impressive circle fly, trajectory fly and 3d flips maneuvers with ease. the real-time transmission lets you view footage instantly, and the emergency stop ensures safety. control the drone with gravity control for a fun flying experience.
- Nice Little Starter Drone: Perfect for beginners, this drone combines fun and functionality. Some people bought it to check their roof and it served the purpose. lightweight and portable, this quadcopter comes with 2 batteries for extended flight time. You can use the included app for advanced control and customization
- Friends Absolutely Will Loves It：It comes in a protective case and is loaded with everything you need to properly operate the drone. It is lightweight and has a super sleek design. Build quality was amazing it was extremely easy to assemble. It is a great size for a starter drone and has amazing clear picture and video quality. It was very easy to connect through the app and very easy to control. There is no noise when flying the drone it's extremely quiet. This is a decent product at its price point. it is a perfect gift for the little one just wanting to have to first experience in drone flying.
No. 5
MOCVOO Drones with Camera for Adults Kids, Foldable RC Quadcopter, Helicopter Toys, 1080P FPV Video Drone for Beginners, 2 Batteries, Carrying Case, One Key Start, Altitude Hold,Headless Mode,3D Flips
- 【Multifunction Drone 】 Drone comes with one key start/landing, Altitude Hold, Headless Mode, Speed Adjustment functions, adapts to all experience levels even for kids and beginners. Through the APP Gestures Control Trajectory Flight and Gravity Sensor Control can be activated and allows you to capture selfie easily by Gesture Control.
- 【 Drone With 1080P HD Camera 】 The E58 drone is equipped with a high definition camera with adjustable angle. With the 120° wide-angle setting, Capture a HD footage and directly saved, share the amazing view to social media with just one click.
- 【 Real-time WIFI FPV Transmission 】 With a 120° Wide-angle 1080P HD Camera Wi-Fi real-time transmission FPV system can connect to your phone with the drone and the view will be shown directly on your phone, thus enjoy the world above the horizon, accurately capture photos and record videos for extraordinary moments.
- 【 Portable and Safe 】 The four propellers of the drone can be folded for you to put in our storage bag,So it is convenient for you to take it out to fly! With 4 Propeller Guards that fully protects the propellers and improves flight safety.
- 【 Long Flight Time and Quality service 】 2 batteries can support a 20 Minutes flight which makes it easy to replace battery and safe to charge battery.If you have any problems, please message us at anytime, we can reply quickly.
No. 6
Drone with 1080P Camera for Beginners and Adults, Foldable Remote Control Quadcopter with Voice Control, Gestures Selfie, Altitude Hold, One Key Start, 3D Flips, 2 Batteries, Toy for Beginners
- Drone with 1080P Camera: A camera mounted on it can be manually adjusted to see what's in front of the drone while it's flying, or it can be aimed down to see what's directly below it. I'm sure you can take some interesting photos & videos, or even use it to inspect the roof of a house or other hard-to-reach areas. Friends can shoot each other skating & capture really cool videos. Please charge the product using the provided charging cable. Before using this item, make sure to fully charge it.
- Play Longer: The FPV drone has two rechargeable batteries, each providing approximately 12 minutes of flight time. 2 batteries can be swapped & charged in rotation, greatly extending the fun time. Note that more flips & faster speeds will reduce the flight time per battery
- Remote Control & App: You can fly the mini drone with remote control or a smart phone. But in order to capture video or images, you must be connected to the drone via WiFi & the ''Hiturbo FPV'' app. If you need to use the voice control, trajectory flight & other functions which under the ''control switch'' button in the app, you need to disconnect the remote control from the drone, connect the drone with the app individually.
- Discover new adventures: 2 batteries provide you with up to 24 minutes of flying experience. Features such as altitude hold, 3D flip, headless mode, one key take off/landing, speed adjustment & voice control make it easy & fun for beginners or novices.
- Suitable for Beginners: This drone is a little easier to operate than other drones (it has fewer steps to fly, no manual pairing required), so it's suitable for people just starting out. If you're considering learning how to fly a drone, make this drone your first one. You'll be surprised at how easy it is to take your imagination to the next level with this starter drone
No. 7
X-shop Foldable Drone with 1080P Camera for Beginners & Kids, FPV RC Quadcopter Toys Gifts for Boys Girls, One Key Start, 3D Flips, Gesture Selfie, 3 Speed Modes, 2 Batteries
- 1080P HD Camera with Real-Time FPV: This kids drone features a 90° adjustable 1080P HD camera that captures clear aerial photos and videos. With real-time FPV transmission via the app, you can explore distant scenery and effortlessly share your stunning shots on social media.
- Great Drone for Beginners: Designed for beginners, the drone with camera offers one-key takeoff/ landing, altitude hold, headless mode, and 3 speed modes (Low / Medium / High). Includes 2 rechargeable batteries, providing up to 30 minutes of flight time for extended enjoyment. Perfect as drones for kids 8-12.
- Fun and Easy to Fly: Enjoy exciting features like 360° flips. By connecting your smartphone, you can access gesture photo/video, trajectory flight, gravity sensing, and more. Ideal for boys toys age 8-10, this drone sparks creativity and adventure for young players and kids alike.
- Lightweight & No FAA Required: Weighing under 250g, this foldable drone for kids 6-8 and older requires no FAA or Remote ID registration. The compact design and included carrying case make it easy to store and take on trips.
- Perfect Gift & Reliable Support: We recommend flying in an open area for first use and using the included propeller guards. Our team provides 24-hour customer support for any product issues. A great gift for kids, friends, or family(especially as toys for ages 8-13) wanting to experience the joy of drone flying.
No. 8
Drone with 1080P FPV Camera, Drone for Kids Adults with One Key Take Off/Land, Altitude Hold, 3D Flip, Waypoint Flight, Gestures Selfie, Gravity Control, 3 Speed, 2 Battery, Mini Drone with Camera for Kids 8-12 10-15, Beginners
- 1080P Drone with Camera with Adjustable Lens Allows You to See a Wider and Clearer View: This drone with camera for kids and adults comes with 1080P HD that tilts up to 90°, allowing you to capture landscapes, family gatherings, or even inspect rooftops. Optical flow positioning keeps the drone steady in the air for smoother, clearer footage
- Beginner-Friendly Drones with Easy Controls: Designed for first-time flyers, this camera drone supports one-key take-off/landing, headless mode, and 3 speed levels. With gesture selfies and voice commands, beginners can enjoy hands-free control while learning to fly. If you are looking for your first kids drone, I believe it will be a great choice as drones for kids 8-12 and 10-15
- Fun FPV Drone with Smart Modes — Thrill Yourself with Exciting Flights: Use the physical remote for precise flight, or connect to the "Bokigibi" app to unlock trajectory flight (draw-to-fly on the phone), circle fly, and 360° flips. Gravity sensing mode allows you to control the direction by tilting your phone, experiencing an immersive first-person view. This greatly increases the fun of the rc drone and makes it an engaging experience, allowing you to fully enjoy an interesting and happy flying journey
- Drone with 2 Batteries for Longer Flight: This drone with camera for kids offers up to 24 minutes of flight time to meet your flying and exploration needs. Far beyond similar single-battery drones. Say goodbye to the awkward situation of “two hours charging, only ten minutes flying,” giving you and your family more time to practice skills, explore aerial photography, and return with full enjoyment
- Lightweight and Foldable Design & Perfect Gift: Features an emergency stop for safer flights. Weighing only 135g, this mini drone with camera does not require FAA registration. Packaged with a carrying case and full accessories, it makes a thoughtful gift for kids, friends, or beginners
The Ultimate Buying Guide: Finding Your First Cheap Beginner Drone
Ready to take to the skies without emptying your wallet? Buying your first drone is exciting! This guide will help you pick the best cheap drone without getting lost in technical jargon. We focus on what truly matters for new pilots.
Key Features Every Beginner Needs
When you look at budget drones, certain features make learning much easier and safer. Don’t just look at the price tag; look at these essentials.
Flight Stability and Control
- Altitude Hold: This is crucial. The drone stays at the height you set, even if you let go of the throttle stick. This feature makes hovering simple.
- Headless Mode: This feature simplifies orientation. You don’t have to worry about which way the drone’s ‘head’ is pointing. Pushing the stick forward always moves the drone away from you.
- One-Key Takeoff/Landing: These buttons handle the tricky parts of starting and finishing your flight automatically.
Durability and Safety
- Propeller Guards: These plastic rings protect the blades from hitting walls, trees, or your hands. They are a must for beginners.
- Low Battery Warning: The drone should alert you before it runs out of power, giving you time to land safely.
Camera Quality (If You Want to Record)
For cheap drones, expect basic video. Look for at least 720p HD if you want usable footage. Remember, the first goal is learning to fly, not winning cinematography awards!
Important Materials and Build Quality
Cheap drones need to survive crashes. The materials used directly affect how long your drone lasts.
What to Look For:
- Durable Plastic (ABS): Most budget drones use ABS plastic. Good quality ABS bends slightly upon impact instead of shattering immediately.
- Lightweight Frame: A lighter drone generally flies better in light wind and is less likely to break when it falls.
Factors That Reduce Quality:
Avoid drones made from very thin, brittle plastic. If the arms look flimsy, they will likely snap after the first unexpected landing.
Factors That Improve or Reduce the Flying Experience
The parts inside the drone determine how fun and frustrating your experience will be.
Positive Factors (Better Experience):
- Brushless Motors: While slightly more expensive, brushless motors are far more efficient, quieter, and last much longer than brushed motors. If you find one in a beginner bundle, grab it.
- Good Battery Life: Aim for at least 8–10 minutes of actual flight time per battery.
Negative Factors (Worse Experience):
- Poor Remote Range: If the controller loses connection quickly, you lose your drone just as fast. Look for a claimed range of at least 50 meters.
- Weak Batteries: Many cheap drones come with tiny batteries that die in under five minutes, making practice sessions feel too short.
User Experience and Use Cases
What do you actually want to do with this drone?
For Pure Practice:
If you only want to learn hovering, turning, and basic maneuvers, a very small, inexpensive “toy-grade” drone is perfect. These are easy to fly indoors and cost very little.
For Outdoor Fun and Photos:
If you want to fly outside and maybe capture some shaky aerial videos, choose a slightly larger model (around 200mm diagonal size). These handle light breezes better. Always fly these in open areas away from people.
10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Cheap Beginner Drones
Q: How fast can a cheap drone fly?
A: Most beginner drones fly relatively slowly, usually between 10 to 20 miles per hour. They are designed for safe learning, not speed racing.
Q: Do I need a license to fly a cheap drone?
A: In most countries, if the drone weighs under 250 grams (about half a pound) and you are flying it purely for fun in non-commercial settings, you do not need a license.
Q: What is the typical flight time?
A: Flight time usually ranges from 5 to 12 minutes. Extra batteries are highly recommended so you can keep flying while one charges.
Q: Should I buy a drone with GPS?
A: GPS features are rare on the cheapest models. Beginners usually learn better without GPS first, as it helps you master manual control.
Q: Are these drones hard to repair?
A: Yes, they can be tricky. If a cheap drone crashes hard, it is often easier to replace the entire unit than to find and solder tiny replacement parts.
Q: Where should I fly my first drone?
A: Always fly in a large, open field away from cars, buildings, and trees. Avoid flying near airports or people.
Q: What is the difference between a toy drone and a hobby drone?
A: Toy drones are very basic and cheap. Hobby drones (even beginner ones) offer better control, more features, and are built to be tinkered with.
Q: What kind of controller do they use?
A: Most cheap drones use a dedicated two-stick controller. Some newer models let you use your smartphone as the screen and controller.
Q: Why do the propellers break so easily?
A: Propellers are designed to be the weak point. They are thin plastic and break instead of transferring the force of a crash to the more expensive motors.
Q: Is it better to buy one expensive drone or several cheap ones?
A: For true beginners, buying two or three very cheap drones is often better. You learn the basics without fear of wrecking an expensive investment.