Review: Best drones for any budget
It’s official, folks: Barry and I are expecting … a drone in the mail! Whoops, did I give you a heart attack? 😅
Yep, Barry bought a fancy-pants drone. And you know me, that means I’ve been scouring the web comparing drones and deals for the past week!
Drones aren’t just for real estate glamour shots and secret prison drop-offs (yeah, that actually happens). You can use them to capture hi-def event footage, fly alongside you on the go or even discover ancient ruins — yep, scroll down to watch the video in Web Watercooler!
Ready to add “drone pilot” to your list of hobbies? I’ve got a list of the best ones for any budget. And by the way, don’t just buy a cheap $50 to $100 drone. You get what you pay for, and drones at that level are junk.
To get you off the ground
The cheapest quality drone worth your money is just under $300: The DJI Mini 2SE. The screen is your cellphone. It can be hard to see in bright sunlight, but that’s not a deal breaker.
- Pros: You’ll get 31 minutes of flight. And, at nearly 24 MPH, its wind resistance is higher than most pricier options. Like all DJI drones, it also has a “return to home” feature that automatically sends it back to its base.
- Cons: No obstacle avoidance (watch out for that tree) and no “follow me” feature, which means you’ll be making all its moves manually.
Bottom line: How good are you at walking and piloting at the same time?
For a few more bucks …
The Holy Stone HS720R is a good option for $319.99. You’ll use your cell for this screen, too.
- Pros: It does follow you as you move. You’ll get 26 minutes of flight time with 4K video — a much higher pixel density than the DJI Mini 2SE’s QHD.
- Cons: No obstacle avoidance, and the wind resistance is lower than others on this list at 17 MPH. It’s also above the 250g FAA weight limit, so you’ll need to register it here.
Bottom line: Great for a calm day, but don’t go storm-chasing with this one.
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We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
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