The 6 Best Beginner Drones for 2024

What makes a drone best for beginners comes down to age, price, and purpose for flying a drone in the first place. Some drones are good for taking video and pictures, while others are good for banging around the house and resistant to frequent crashes. With those differences comes a significant difference in cost, so it’s important to identify what you really want for your first drone. That way, you can avoid overpaying for features you will never use or purchasing one that won’t satisfy your needs.

Flying drones has gone from an obscure hobby to a worldwide phenomenon. Uses range from taking pictures with friends, to creating professional video for movies. Whatever your interest level is in drones, there’s never been a better time to get into the hobby. Many drones these days come with advanced camera and safety features that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

While navigating through the array of drone models and options may seem like a daunting task, we are sure that we can help guide your best first drone. We’ve put together a list of the best beginner-friendly drones based on a variety of price points and use cases. Be sure to read the descriptions carefully of each drone to select the best option.

6 Best Drone Models for Beginners

DJI Mini 4 Pro

If you have a big budget for your first-drone, then we recommend the DJI Mini 4 Pro. While you do end up paying a pretty penny for this drone (currently listed at $800 for the base option), it comes packed with some amazing features that will last for years.

The DJI Mini series is exactly what it sounds like - the smallest body of drones in DJI’s lineup. Essentially, they are travel-size and easy to take with you on hikes, trips, or anywhere you like!

The Mini 4 Pro comes with two different battery options: an impressive 45 minutes of flight time or the more economical 34 minutes of flight. Either way, that’s a lot of time in the air.

It also comes with the latest of DJI’s photo and video features, as well as their most advanced obstacle-detection sensors yet. Another impressive feature is that the camera can actually rotate 90 degrees to shoot video and photos vertically - perfect for sharing on social media.

If high-quality pictures and video are your priority for your first drone, then we recommend the DJI Mini 4 Pro.

Autel Evo Nano+

The biggest competitor to the DJI Mini series is the Autel EVO Nano+. This drone comes in White, Orange, Gray, or Red. While comparable to the DJI Mini series, the EVO Nano+ comes in at a lower price range and includes some features unique to the Autel brand.

One of those features is called SoundRecord. It gives you the ability to record audio from your controller/phone while flying the drone at any distance. This simple yet revolutionary feature means that you can narrate your videos or capture ambient sounds on the otherwise soundless drone video.

Another nice feature about this model is the ability to wirelessly download your photos and videos to your phone at a high speed. This means that you don’t need to use a computer to transfer data from the microSD card before you can view and share your footage.

With plenty of easy-to-use automatic camera features, the Autel Evo Nano+ is a great option if you are looking for great picture quality while looking to save a few bucks.

EXO Scout

The Exo Scout from EXO Drones is what might be considered a “true beginner drone”. Coming in at under $200, the EXO Scout can stay in the air for up to 20 minutes and record 1080p video.

EXO Drones is relatively new to the market, but they’ve already made a big impact in the consumer drone market. The EXO Scout can be considered a toy. In fact, they claim it to be “The Ferrari of Toy Drones”. This makes it perfect for kids and adults who have never flown a drone before.

Another selling point for the EXO Scout is that it comes with plenty of tutorial videos, tech support, and guides to get you started. You won’t be left in the dark to navigate features or struggle to get it off the ground.

The EXO Scout is a good option to consider if you are buying a drone for a young child or are buying a drone for an adult on a budget. The camera quality isn’t great, but it will give you plenty of practice flying.

BetaFPV Cetus X

Looking for the most simple drone you can buy? Then scroll right on past this option, because the BetaFPV Cetus X package steps in the realm of FPV drones.

FPV drones are a whole ‘nother animal when it comes to drones. These have a bigger learning curve and are flown by looking through a pair of special goggles that display the video feed for a more immersive experience.

The main selling point? They can be loads of fun! While you may not have considered FPV before, you may want to give it a chance. The BetaFPV Cetus X comes with everything you need to start flying right of the box: Drone, Batteries, Controller, and Goggles.

You can read our article on getting into FPV Drones for more information on the subject. Flying FPV means a lot of crashes, and they are built to handle that. This might be the perfect option for you if you are looking to give a fun gift or want a more immersive drone experience.

Ryze Tello

The Ryze Tello is another great little drone to consider. It was built for those who are new to drones and want to have fun with them. Weighing in at just 80 grams, this lightweight drone is collision friendly and safe to fly indoors.

While this might just look like another budget drone, the Ryze Tello has several features that make it a truly unique drone in the lineup.

For starters, the Ryze Tello has the ability to connect to VR headsets for a first-person view. This means it’s a crossover between a standard drone and an FPV drone. Powered by DJI flight technology, you are guaranteed to have a blast in either mode.

It also comes with some fantastic easy-to-use features like “Throw and Go”. This feature allows you to start the Tello by simply tossing it into the air. It doesn’t get any easier than that! The Tello can also perform flips to do cool aerial stunts.

Last but not least, the most unique feature about the Ryze Tello is that it is fully programmable. Compatible with both Scratch programming and their own Software Development Kit (SDK), the Tello enables both novice and advanced users to write their own code to control the drone. How cool is that?

If you are looking for a drone that is super-simple to use while also giving you access to advanced features like custom programming, then the Ryze Tello is a no-brainer.

Potensic A20

The most affordable entry-level drone on our list is the Potensic A20. This is a truly miniature drone that can easily fit in the palm of your hand. While it doesn’t have a camera to record video or take photos, this drone can still be a great option to consider if buying for a child.

One selling point for the Potensic A20 is that it’s durable. You won’t need to worry about breaking this one on your first flight. Each propeller is surrounded with a flexible propellers guard to keep it from damaging walls, furniture, or even hands!

It also has 3 speed modes so that you can start off nice and slow, but also have the ability to go faster after you develop your skills.

With other features like one button takeoff and a low power alarm, this drone comes with enough to make it a good choice for the price point.

This is a great option for kids or for adults who just want something to fly around the house.

What features should a beginner drone have?

This will depend entirely on the price of the drone. A higher-end drone will come with obstacle-avoidance sensors. They will usually have some stabilization for the gimbal to help with camera shaking. A higher-quality drone will also usually come with a companion app to help sync photos and for flying.

A lower-priced beginner drone will usually have a camera that can shoot at least 1080p. They will typically have some type of low-battery warning. Some options have prop guards to protect the drone props from bumps and crashes.

Both options will typically come with some set of easy-to-use beginner features to perform stunts, take pictures, record video, land, or takeoff.

How hard is it to fly a drone?

While it can certainly look intimidating at first, most users will find that flying a drone is easier than they originally thought. Almost all of these drones come with the ability to hover in place, which means the drone will only move when you use the controls. The one exception will be any type of FPV drone. Those are much more difficult to fly and require more practice.

How do I get started with a drone?

The first step is to acquire your first drone. Picking the appropriate model from the list above is a great way to get started. Next, you can look through the included instructions and quick start manuals to get familiar with the different features and functions of your specific model.

If you are still hesitant to start flying, you can find plenty of instructional videos on Youtube to help first-time flyers. Try typing in search terms like “how to fly a drone” or “beginner drone lessons”. After using those resources, the next thing is to simply get out there and practice!

Which beginner drone has the best video?

The beginner drone with the best video is the DJI Mini 4 Pro. This drone can shoot video at 4k with exceptional quality in a drone. While we have it listed as a beginner drone due its small form factor and ease of use, this drone could easily be used to shoot video that looks professional and clean. Chect our our article on how to shoot good drone videos if you are intersted in improving your video quality.

Which beginner drone is best for outdoors?

All of these drones can handle the outdoors and are fine to fly on a calm day. However, performance will suffer in windy conditions. The lightest drones on these lists could easily be blown off course by strong winds. A good rule to follow is that the heavier the drone, the better it will do in windy conditions. That being said, if you are worried about crashing outdoors, then the Potensic A20 is the safest option.

Do I need a license to fly drones?

The short answer is no, you don’t. The FAA does require all drones weighing above .55 pounds to be registered on their website. However, you don’t need a license to fly them. You simply need to respect all the laws around the safe flight of drones (for example, don’t fly anywhere near an airport). Most of the drones on this list are under the weight limit required for registration.

If you are flying a drone commercially (for a company or to make money) then you do need a license. The FAA administers a test to get your Remote Pilot Certification that lasts for two years.