If you’re in the market for a drone, there are a lot of quadcopter models to choose from. For those with a lot of experience with drones, the selection process might not be as hard, but for everyone else, knowing what qualities are the best can sometimes be a bit trickier. Have a look at the Drone Buyer’s Guide and I think you’ll feel better about your drone purchase.
Check out these models. (This post contains affiliate links.)
Cheerwing Syma 6 Axis Gyro RC Headless Quadcopter Drone UFO
DJI Phantom 3 Standard Quadcopter Drone
Holy Stone HS170 Predator Mini RC Helicopter Drone
Hubsan X4 (H107C) RC Quad Copter
Hubsan X4 (H107L) RC Quadcopter
Mini Pocket Drone 6 Axis Gyro RC Micro Quadcopter
SYMA 6 Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter
Cheerwing Syma 6 Axis Gyro RC Headless Quadcopter Drone UFO
Flying a drone and capturing images for personal or professional use is easy when you have a decent drone to use. When you’re thinking about buying one, you really want to go for the quadcopter with the 6 axis system in order to get good, quality flights.
That’s what you’ll get with the Cheerwing Syma 6-Axis Gyro RC Headless Quadcopter Drone UFO. This model is practically bursting at the seams it’s so loaded with features. Not only do you get the stability of the 6 axis system, but you get the Headless capability, too.
When you have the Headless function on a drone it means that you don’t have to make sure the front end of the drone is forward. You can simply fly it. This is just one of the many reasons that this drone is a top pick for people who are brand new to the world of flying drones.
Getting the hang of learning how to fly it is easier when a drone has the Headless option. Otherwise, for those new to flying drones, it can be difficult to tell which is the front of the drone and which is the rear.
The drone does have 3D lock – along with the 360 eversion. You gain better flight maneuverability every time. You would think at the great price of this drone that it couldn’t possibly come with a camera, but it does.
It has an HD camera that’s compatible with a smart phone device. You’ll easily be able to take the photos and videos that you want to. With the video, you’ll be able to have real time video transmitting.
The people that you share it with will be able to see what happens as it’s actually unfolding. This can add a level of excitement and realism to your family, friends or fans as they watch.
You can capture all of the action that you want to grab. There is a cell phone holder which will lock your phone into place for worry-free operating. You will need a Wi-Fi connection.
The axis operates on a 4 channel system, which improves flight time as well as making the moves react faster and easier. You get a distance of about 150 feet with the remote control.
You want to make sure you do keep up with that distance because this drone does not have the return home feature. So if it gets out of range, you don’t want to be faced with the prospect of having to search for it. The purchase comes with the drone, the remote control and the USB to charge it. You also receive the phone grip and a propeller guard. Comes in black and white.
DJI Phantom 3 Standard Quadcopter Drone
When you’re shopping for a drone, you want to find one that fits the budget, yet is packed with features. The DJI Phantom 3 Standard Quadcopter Drone with 2.7K HD Video Camera clearly does both.
You can use this drone to have fun, snag great photos or shoot aerial footage even if you’ve never flown a drone before. This model is an RTF so you can take it straight from the box and get ready to have fun.
For both beginners and advanced operators, the GPS can help with the flight experience. Also handy for beginners is the pre-flight option, which is found through the compatible app that allows people unfamiliar with drones to practice flying before they take the drone up.
The body of the drone is designed for long range flying and that’s exactly what it’s capable of. This drone offers an amazing range of more than half a mile. It has the same sturdy leg design that you’re used to with the Phantom series.
This makes landing the drone a breeze. The camera is positioned beneath the drone and is a wide angle with a 20mm lens. It has the capability to take good photos using the various features like point of interest and follow me.
The camera doesn’t have a lot of movement ability, so you can’t rotate it far. If you prefer to upgrade the camera to one that does have more freedom of movement, the drone will support that upgrade.
The drone’s propellers are identifiable based on the color of the motors at the top. One is black and the other one is white. The drone is a little heavier than other drones – coming in close to 3 pounds – but still falls into the lightweight category.
The transmitter that comes with the drone is fairly simple to use and has a rechargeable battery. It takes at least 90 minutes to charge the battery. The USB port is situated on the transmitter and has an indicator option.
The transmitter does have the ability for you to attach your smartphone device. Operating the drone is simple from takeoff to return landing thanks to the easy to use icon.
There are dual controllers on the transmitter that gives the drone full movement from side to side, or forward or backward. This drone also has the user favorite feature of return to home.
In the event that you lose contact with the drone, this feature can help make sure you don’t lose your investment. Something else buyers really enjoyed with this drone is the extended flight time.
Unlike drones that give you 6-10 minutes of flight time before a battery charge is needed, this model offers an extended flight time of 25 minutes. With this purchase, along with the drone, you receive the battery and charger, the transmitter, an 8GB micro SD card and 2 complete propeller sets.
Holy Stone HS170 Predator Mini RC Helicopter Drone
Flying drones for fun is one of the most popular hobbies now. Drones are also used by professionals in a variety of business endeavors. But whether you’re a beginner or a professional, you have to practice to become good at operating a drone.
While not all drones are suitable for beginners, the Holy Stone HS170 Predator Mini RC Helicopter Drone 2.4Ghz 6-Axis Gyro is. It’s easy to operate and rated as one of the best drones for learning how to fly one.
This mini RC helicopter can be flown by any user with any level of skill thanks to the headless flight system. What this does is it connects the flight of the device’s movements based on the controller experience.
This ability is what gives beginners an easier place to start with drone training. The drone comes with 2.4 GHz remote with 4 channels. The remote has both thumb pad and joystick operation.
The precision remote has anti-interference so you’ll be able to enjoy uninterrupted flight times. It can be flown indoors or outdoors. The drone has three speeds.
This mini helicopter drone does have the popular 6 axis system. What this does is works to keep the drone stabilized. It keeps it steadier than systems with less than six.
For both the beginner as well as the advanced, having a 6 axis system means you get better control. You can fly the device left or right, back or forward and perform a variety of maneuvers without worrying about a loss of control because of the way the 6 axis system keeps the drone on point.
Though the drone is lightweight, it is wind resistant. You can fly the device about 150 feet from the remote. The amount of flying time you’ll get on a single charge is between and 10 minutes depending on how you operate it and weather conditions.
When it’s time to charge the device, it takes at least an hour but usually not more than an hour and a half. This drone does not come with a camera included. It does have LED lights making it easier to see when used at night.
When you buy this product, you receive the quadcopter and the remote. The remote doesn’t come with batteries, but the drone does have the operational battery.
You’ll also get four extra propellers. Included in the package is the USB cable for you to charge it and the owner’s manual, which includes operating tips to keep your drone in top shape.
The recommended age of use for this particular drone is at least 14. Thanks to the light weight of the drone, this one does not have to be registered with the FAA.
Hubsan X4 (H107C) RC Quad Copter
If you’d like to buy a drone for the first time or you already have a drone or two but want to add to your collection, the Hubsan X4 (H107C) RC Quad Copter that comes with a camera is a good choice.
Not only will you get a drone that offers quality flight times, but you’ll also get one that’s not over the top expensive. This drone is a quadcopter, which gives you a steadier flight and has powerful motors.
You get some extras when you make the choice to buy this drone. You get the drone, the long lasting 3.7 volt battery, the controller, the USB cable, propeller guard and additional propellers.
As far as size goes, the drone is a little under three inches and barely weighs over a pound. However, despite its light weight, the body is sturdy and it can easily handle numerous crash landings.
The propellers can easily be determined between the front or back of the drone thanks to the color coding of red and black. The drone has a pretty decent motor that will hold up for years of use.
When you’re ready to get started, playing with your drone is simple. You put the battery in and switch the transmitter on. The transmitter is 4 channels and it has low interference.
Once the drone signals that it’s ready, you can begin flying it. The drone has a fast reaction time to the controls and can easily move in the direction it’s commanded to go in.
A word of caution, though – always operate the drone with the propeller guards on. This protects your blades and all it takes is one hard crash to remove your drone from the flight list until you can buy replacement propellers.
It does fly pretty steady and is capable of 4 way flipping. Depending on the action you do with the drone, you get about 7 minutes of flight time per battery charge. Over time, you might notice the drone is a little off, but you can calibrate the gyro if you need to.
But if you do that, make sure it’s on a level surface. You can tell whether or not you need to calibrate by the way the drone reacts in hover mode. If you have it hovering and it moves in any direction, then it needs to be calibrated.
You would use the trim to fix it by pushing it in the opposite direction from how the drone is drifting. For example, if it’s drifting backward, you would push the trim forward. The camera and video quality are both good and the definition and resolution are decent for the price. When you want to take the video you shot and put it on your computer, you just use the SD card to transfer to your computer.
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There are a lot of drones and specific models to choose from when you want to find the right quadcopter. For those with a lot of experience with drones, the selection process might not be as hard, but for everyone else, knowing what qualities are the best can sometimes be a bit trickier.
But out of all the drones on the market, the Hubsan X4 (H107L) 4 Channel 2.4GHz RC Quadcopter is one of the more popular ones because of the price, the build, the durability and the palm sized dimension of the drone.
It’s small but loaded with features. It comes ready to fly right out of the box and can be used indoors or outside. It has a 2.4 GHz 4 channel flight. The 6 axis system loads this drone with stability and ease of flight.
As with other drones, you can adjust the gyro if you need to, but for the most part, you get a pretty solid flight and hover. Even though the frame of the drone is lightweight, that doesn’t detract from the solid build.
It can easily maneuver through not only basic flight, but stunts like flips as well. The drone can easily fly through 4 way flips. The propellers are color coded to help you identify the front from the back.
The front of the quadcopter has the white propellers while the ones on the rear are black. The battery is high capacity and you get between 7-9 minutes of flight time. What’s different with this drone is that even when it’s windy outside, you’ll still get that same great length of flight time because this drone won’t draw additional power from the battery.
When you charge the battery, it takes about 60 minutes, which is considerably less than a lot of other models. You’ll get just under a hundred feet of distance with this controller which isn’t a bad length.
The drone has a coreless motor powering the drone. This motor enables the zone to zip around pretty quickly – whether it’s inside or outside. It does have an advanced mode, which some users call the stunt mode – and it does just what the name says it does – performs stunts like rollovers and flips.
It doesn’t come with a camera and the lightweight frame of this drone might not easily support one. However, this drone is a good idea for teens 14 and up or someone who’s just getting started with drone flying.
When you buy the Hubsan X4 (H107L) 4 Channel 2.4GHz RC Quadcopter, you get the transmitter included. It also has spare blades, the charging cable, the instruction booklet and the protective cage.
Mini Pocket Drone 6 Axis Gyro RC Micro Quadcopter
If you’re looking for a lightweight, easy to use drone, then the Mini Pocket Drone 6 Axis Gyro RC Micro Quadcopter is the one for you. It’s made with compact precision and at the mini size, is small enough to hold right in the palm of your hand.
But just because it’s small doesn’t mean that it’s short on ability. This little device offers the same amazing 360 degree rollover that the larger quadcopters have. You get all of the precision turning that you expect in a gyro quadcopter that will meet your expectation of flying fun.
The system comes with a 24 GHz transmitter with anti interference so other signals won’t disrupt your ability to fly the drone. Because it has the 6 axis gyro system, you’re looking at the top of the line when it comes to stability.
This system will keep your drone flying smoothly while at the same time giving it a steadfast hover if you fly that mode. Thanks to the size of the drone, this one is a great choice when it comes to using it indoors as well.
It’s a perfect gift idea for kids and they can operate it inside on rainy days. The smaller size of the device means that if it is played with indoors, it’s less likely to cause any damage to furniture or other items than larger drones could.
The drone charges easily. All you have to do is hook up the device to the transmitter and you’re good to go. You will need to use a couple of AA batteries to be able to power the charging ability.
The distance the micro quadcopter can go using the remote control is around 150 feet. When you need to charge the device, plan on at least a half an hour for it be charged. With a good charge, you should get between 5-7 minutes of flight time.
It has 3 separate flight modes for you to use, which will determine how quickly your device will respond and the ease of movement. Though the quadcopter is sturdy, you’ll want to make sure you have extra blades on hand.
As with any drone device, the propellers can become damaged if they crash into something. When you buy this product, you receive the drone as well as the remote control transmitter, which relies on thumb pad directional control.
You’ll need the AAA batteries for the remote. There’s a low battery warning light that will let users know when it’s time to replace the batteries. You also get some extra propellers and landing gear. The USB cable for charging the drone is included along with an instruction booklet.
Drones are supposed to be fun for everyone – whether you’re a beginner or a professional. But when the drone is so complicated, you practically have to build it after you buy it, that’s not any fun.
Thankfully, there’s a drone that’s not only long lasting and fun, but it’s a simple set up so you get out of the house and on your way to flying fun super fast. The QCopter Quadcopter Drone has a ton of great features.
The package includes the drone, the camera, the controller, an instructional manual, landing gear, the USB drive, and an SD micro card. It also includes a second battery for your use.
When you take the drone out of the box, the first thing you want to do is put the brackets on the device. The next step is to put the camera onto the drone body. This is a simple step.
All you have to do is plug the camera in and the clips will hold it steady in place. Plug in the battery next. You’ll get two of them in the box. This battery has 23.7 volts, which means you get from twice to three times as long in your flight time than regular drone batteries.
When you’re charging the battery, the red light indicates the charging mode. Once the light is off the charger, it means the battery is ready to use. The drone comes with propeller guards.
Some users make the mistake of not installing these and prefer to use the drone without this added layer of protection. That’s a mistake because these guards are your line of defense in keeping the blades from getting damaged.
They’re easy to install. All you have to do is screw that center screw in place. Then you’re ready to switch on the drone. That on button is located beside the camera. After that, put the SD card in and then sync the controller to the drone.
On the switch left of the power switch on the transmitter, you can switch on the camera or keep it down if you want to use the video option. The transmitter does have a headless mode feature and when it’s on, lights on the drone will alert you to this fact.
The drone does have the handy go-home feature, which is useful in bringing the drone back to you. However, it doesn’t have a GPS ability. The joysticks on the transmitter are how you can determine whether the drone is raising up or lowering.
If you want it to rise, you simply push the throttle up and do the opposite if you want the drone to lower. On the left side of the switch that operates the camera is the speed control.
This is what you want to use if you’re outside and the weather kicks up a bit of wind. This feature is what will infuse the drone with the power it needs to combat that wind. There is also a low mode in case you want to fly the drone inside your home. The drone is a 6 axis for great stability and has LED lights for night flying.
SYMA 6 Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter
When you want to take aerial shots or expansive landscape video, the drone that would work well for that is the SYMA 6 Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter. The drone is suitable for use for either advanced drone users or those who are just starting out.
The manufacturer recommends an age of use at 14 and above. This drone is actually one of the better ones for beginners to start with because there’s no assembly required. You can simply take it out of the box and get started using it.
It has easy, one button use and can be used indoors or outdoors. The device is 16.5 x 12.2 x 3.8 inches and weighs slightly over a pound. It does not come with batteries so you’ll want to have a supply of lithium batteries on hand.
Because the drone does have the 6 axis system, it’s one of the top rated drones when it comes to stabilization. The same system is what gives the device the ability to smoothly hover in place.
Whatever photo or video you want to take, you’ll get precision shots every time thanks to the 360 degree eversion you can make happen with the touch of a button. The drone has excellent radio control with fast reaction time on all of its capabilities.
The wind resistant ability of the device makes flying the machine easier regardless of the movements you have it perform. The drone can quickly maneuver in a series of movements such as rightward or leftward flight, left, right, forward, reverse or up or down.
Because it’s a quadcopter, it has a lot of stability when flying. What that means to you is that you’ll end up with images that are smoother and clearer. It comes equipped with the HD camera, but you can change this out and upgrade a camera later on if you chose to.
With the purchase, you receive the quadcopter and the 2.4 GHz remote control that offers quick reaction. The remote control has easy mode switch along with high or low speed options.
It also has the left and right control levers and photo and video function choices. With the purchase, you also receive the blades along with the protective frames and landing skids.
The USB is also part of the purchase along with a user guide to help you get started and learn how to care for your drone. It does take a little over an hour and a half to charge the drone, but out of that charge, you get between 7-10 minutes of flight time.
There are some pretty decent drones available and then there are drones that go beyond that into the realm of awesome. The UDI 6 Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter with Camera RTF Mode 2 fits the bill of awesome.
To start with, the design of the device looks a lot like a UFO and that alone amps up the cool factor. This drone is an RTF drone, which means it’s ready to fly from the moment that you get it.
You won’t have to spend time assembling a bunch of pieces before you’re ready to get out and have some fun with it. This is a quadcopter, which means you get some pretty smooth flights.
The blades are gear driven and there’s a front blade guard. It’s pretty easy to tell the front from the rear of the device because the front blades are white and the rear blades are black.
The plastic frame that’s surrounding the blades is made that way to keep the blades from becoming damaged if it bumps into something. Because the frame is flexible, it also protects the drone from getting damaged even during those crash landings that are hard on drones.
There are LED lights and they have an off mode if you don’t want to use them. The transmitter also has some cool features – including an easy to read LCD screen. The control on the top right is what you would use to control the lights when you want to turn them on or off.
The transmitter has the easy to push button, which is what you use to turn on the camera or the video when you’re ready. The camera is great for use if you want to take pictures and you can use the video for filming any type of shot – including surveillance.
The distance for the transmitter is about 30 meters. Because the body of this drone is lightweight, you need to be cautious about flying it when it’s windy. The drone doesn’t have the engine power to fight against harsh winds.
The drone has two modes. Mode one is the regular mode that’s so easy to fly that even beginners can handle it. But in mode 2, this is the advanced mode. This is what you would use if you wanted the drone to perform stunts.
If you want to do flips and rolls, this is the mode you would use. It’s better to have some experience before using this mode because the drone does move faster. It has 360 eversion, which a lot of people like.
This is what enables the drone to be able to perform stunts alone and then it self-corrects back to the upright position. Some people don’t like this feature since it’s not manual. You get about 6 to 10 minutes of flight time and it takes 120 minutes to charge the battery.
There are many different drones you can buy, but not all of them are good for beginners and advanced combined – as well as being loaded with cool features. Except this one. The UDI RC Quadcopter Drone model 818A comes with an HD Camera, the Return Home feature and Headless Mode – so that it’s packed full of extra goodies to enhance your play time.
It’s stable, whether it’s in flight or in hover mode because it has the 6 axis system. You have the ability to move the drone up or down, left or right. It comes with a choice of two modes.
You can use Mode 1 or Mode 2. If you’re someone who’s just getting started with drone flying, you’ll want to stick with Mode 1 until you learn how to move the drone well.
What Mode 2 does is give users more speed as well the ability to take the drone through a series of stunt moves if you want to operate it that way. All you have to do is press the controller system to choose between the modes.
When you unpack the drone, you’ll want to install the battery first. It’s a simply slide and click into place method. After you connect it with the cable, you’ll see the lights of the drone come on.
These LED lights look pretty cool when you’re in the dark. This drone does have the Headless mode, but you’ll be able to easily tell which way is forward on the drone because the front blades have curved guards on the front of them.
If you put the device in the Headless mode, what happens is that the drone will react to your control movements regardless of where the front of the drone is. If it’s the rear that’s facing forward, then the rear will fly as the front of the drone.
Operating the drone is simple. All you have to do is push forward or back on the controller. When you power it up, you’ll be able to hear the powerful ability as the blades spin.
You move the throttle up or down and use the left hand button on the remote. The forward and backward pitch is on the right side. It does have 360 eversion ability. The drone has a 4 gig memory card with the built in camera.
It takes good photos and video. When you buy the drone, you’ll also get an extra battery with the palm sized power bank. This helps you be able to keep a battery charged up to switch out so you don’t have to cut your flying time short due to not having a battery ready to go.
The power bank does have a battery ready indicator. The drone is wind resistant, but wind does reduce the time you get to fly the drone because it’s a battery drain. When you’re finished using the drone for the day, if you’re recording, don’t forget to stop the recording feature before removing the battery – otherwise you could lose what you just filmed.