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The Drone Buying Advisor

Drone reviews and buying guides by The Buying Advisor

Drones for Kids

Through our personal experience at children’s birthdays and at holidays, very few tech gifts under $50 can bring such excitement to kids than a quadcopter. In general, children are more technologically savvy since the arrival of smart phones and tablets in the last decade. My mom would tell you that her granddaughter can control the 2 oz. quadcopter better than she can.

In this Guide

  • Checklist for buying drones for kids
  • Drones for kids under 10 year-old
  • Drones for kids age 10-15 year-old
  • Drones for kids age 16 year-old and up
drones-for-kids

When choosing a quadcopter for a child, consider the age of the kid, safety, and cost of the quadcopter. In general, a kid under the age of ten would typically have less hand-eye coordination than a twelve year-old. If you are new to personal drones, check out what is a drone to get a quick 101 on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and quadcopters. Most beginners will crash the quadcopters several times before they learn how to control a flying vehicle. We, The Drone Buying Advisor believe safety is paramount – the rotors can hurt little fingers and get tangled in their hair.

Checklist for buying drones for kids

  1. Information about your kid’s age and skills.
  2. What type of drone do you want? Is the kid interested in using the camera on the drone? For example, interested in taking pictures of a game or activity or are they more interested in just making the quadcopter “go fast”. My little “go fast” guy is not even slightly interested in the camera. So – no camera on his quadcopter. He wants speed!

Checklist about the kid’s age and skills

  • Age of the child – under the age of ten?
  • Flying skills – any experience with flying a quadcopter?
  • Safety
    – check for propeller guards. They help to protect little fingers, minimize damage to the quadcopter and your furniture. (Nothing says “ouch!” like seeing a quadcopter fly into the flat screen TV and leave a spider web pattern on the screen.)
    – The weight of the quadcopter is important too. The less the quadcopter weighs, the less damage it can do. I have caught a quadcopter in my hand and I know first-hand that the blades can really hurt. (At this weight, they won’t cut, but the amount of pain really surprised me.) If the quadcopter weight is higher than about 2 to 4 oz., then the propeller can actually cut your hand or finger. So, remember to get a quadcopter that weighs less than 4 oz. for children.

If the child has no experience with quadcopters, we suggest that you start with a $20 quadcopter and require the child to learn and demonstrate certain skills before buying the next level quadcopter for them. For example:

  • Be able to take off and land on a paper plate placed on the floor five feet away from the take off point.
  • Be able to take off and hover for 10 – 30 seconds, then land gently right where you took off.
  • Be able to take off and fly around the room in a circle, then gently land on a target. (No crashes, no accidental landings.)

Children in the 10-15 year-old range typically have better eye-hand coordination than younger children. It is still a good idea to start them on a less expensive indoor quadcopter and then allow them to gradually move up to a more expensive and more powerful quadcopter

Next we want to discuss “you” and the environment where you will fly

  • Cost – it depends on your tolerance of crashing dollars to the ground. Is it $30, $50, $100? Keep in mind that children will destroy stuff. (So do adults!) If you buy an expensive quadcopter, will you feel bad about the damage and the cost of replacing it?
  • Do you have an indoor space big enough to practice? A space of at least 3 meters by 4 meters or 10 feet by 12 feet is recommended for indoor quadcopter practice.
  • Outdoor space where the wind speed is less than 5 mph can be used for outdoor quadcopter models. Don’t try to fly an indoor quadcopter outdoors.

Checklist about the drone for your kid:

  1. Pilot age recommendation. Control of a quadcopters requires good reflexes, good eye-hand coordination. Quadcopters don’t require “fighter pilot level” skills, but require good skills. Younger children just can’t control a quadcopter.
  2. Skill level. Skill level is ranked as beginner, intermediate and advanced. A beginner is obviously someone will no prior experience or only a few weeks. Intermediate level is someone with a few weeks to several months. Advanced pilots not only have flown for several months, but have flown a variety of models.
  3. Weight of the drone. The weight of the drone is an important is a couple of ways. With greater weight an out of control quadcopter can cause a lot of damage. Keep the weight down to less than 4 oz for children under 10. If you are flying outdoors, bring the weight up. How big is the area? For a field about 30 yards or 30 meters square, I suggest a weight of 2 to 4 lbs. If your kid is flying over and big open field you will want more weight and a bigger battery.
  4. Size (dimension) of the drone. Small drone for indoors, bigger drone for outdoors. You can say indoor drones are up to about 6 inches.
  5. Indoors or outdoors. Keep in mind the facilities available to your kids. If you buy an outdoors quadcopter and there is no fields where they can fly it, it won’t get used.
  6. Flight time. On one battery? Are you getting multiple batteries? When one battery runs down, you have to stop and (if you have another battery) you can replace it. With multiple batteries you can have longer play time, but not longer flights.
  7. Charge time. Charge times vary. A short charge time might be about 3 times as long as the flight time. Longer charge times usually mean that the manufacturer has designed the battery charging circuits to have “cutouts” to prevent over charging. You get longer life for your batteries when the batteries are protected like this.
  8. Camera spec
    • FPV/Gimbal/none
    • HD 720P, 1080P, 4k

    FPV (First Person View) gives you the experience of being “First Person” ie the pilot’s view on the monitor screen is from inside the quadcopter looking out the front. FPV is very important in racing, but rather limiting when you are trying to take videos of an event or project. HD cameras can come in several ways. The 720P camera has a small, but high definition image. The 1080P cameras have a larger image (lets say medium sized image) also high definition. The 4k camera have a pretty big image and really professional grade definition.

  9. Video memory chip
    • Size
    • Changeable

    All sd chips are physically the same size. The size we are talking about here is the amount of data which can be stored on it. Typically chips are 4 mb. 8 mb, 16 mb, 32 mb, 64 mb, 1gb, 4 gb, 16 gb, 32 gb, 64 gb or 128 gb. If you have an sd chip in the mb range you will be able to record a few minutes of video. When you have gb, you can record for hours. If you can swap the chip out, you can replace it in the quadcopter with a fresh empty chip and continue to record.

  10. Controller Type
    • Standard controller of smart device or either
    • Quadcopters can be usually be controlled by a hand held controller. A few quadcopters can be controlled by a smart device. Usually using the smart device as a controller will cause a lag of a few micro seconds. In racing, any lag is a bad thing. There are all varieties of combinations. For example:

    • Hand held Controller only (supplied)
    • Smart device (not supplied – use what you already have.) Connected via a local wifi.
    • Use Both at the same time – Ground controller to control flight, smart device to control camera.
  11. Fight video monitoring.
    • On controller/on smart device/VR/none
    • If your quadcopter has a camera, how will the pilot see the images? If there is no camera, then there is no need for a video monitor, There are three general ways to monitor flight.
    • A monitor built into the ground controller.
    • Using a smart device connected via wifi.
    • Using Virtual Reality Headset with images projected on screens a couple of inches in front of the pilot’s eyes. This really makes it seem to the pilot that he/she is inside the quadcopter flying it.
  12. Range of controller. The ground controller’s range is not likely to be the same as the range video monitor. The controller range determines how far you can fly. If you fly any farther, you have no way to get the quadcopter back.
  13. Range of video monitoring. Usually the video monitor is a little less than the ground controller’s range, but there is also an on board sd chip recording the camera images. If you exceed the range of the video monitor’s signal, you may be able recover images from the on board sd chip. It is a good idea to do some planning to avoid exceeding your ranges.
  14. Safety. Blade guards are especially important for younger children and heavier quadcopters. With younger children, you want to protect the children and their fingers. With heavier quadcopters you want to protect your TV and windows.
  15. Tech support reputation. Everybody’s experiences with tech support are different, but sometimes the review are just awful. I try to stay away from suppliers who get a lot of awful reviews. The best that one can do is to look at the reviews to see what the supplier’s reputation looks like.
  16. Special features
    • Foldable
    • Waterproof
    • Sometimes the special features are just so important that everything else is secondary. You need to evaluate why you want the quadcopter. If you are buying it simply for a single special feature, then the decision is easy. Waterproof quadcopters are very nice. If it crashes in a puddle, then you just take in inside, dry it off an you can fly it again. Regular quadcopters can be ruined beyond repair by water.

Drones for kids under 10 year-old

Youth groups everywhere tell the leaders that beginning at about age 10 or 11 children have developmental jump in skills. Fine motor skills improvement rapidly at this time and interests involving testing their skills increases. We suggest that these quadcopters will be exciting tech gifts for children developing their skills. Safety is paramount. Blade guards or ducts should be considered for children in this age group.

Here are our top choice of kid-friendly drones for kids under ten:

Preview Product Rating Price
Blade Inductrix RTF Ultra Micro Drone with... Blade Inductrix RTF Ultra Micro Drone with... 309 Reviews $52.03 View on Amazon
EACHINE None EACHINE None 17 Reviews $39.95 View on Amazon
Force1 UFO 3000 LED Mini Drones for Kids -... Force1 UFO 3000 LED Mini Drones for Kids -... 673 Reviews $39.99 View on Amazon
Blade RTF BLH8700 Inductrix Micro Indoor... Blade RTF BLH8700 Inductrix Micro Indoor... 13 Reviews $64.99 View on Amazon
Syma X11C RC Quadcopter with Camera & LED... Syma X11C RC Quadcopter with Camera & LED... 200 Reviews $45.99 View on Amazon
Estes Proto-Z Ready to Fly (RTF) Micro... Estes Proto-Z Ready to Fly (RTF) Micro... 48 Reviews $19.99 View on Amazon

Blade Inductrix RTF Ultra Micro Drone with Safe Technology

Blade Inductrix RTF Ultra Micro Drone with...
309 Reviews
Blade Inductrix RTF Ultra Micro Drone with...
  • Lightweight, fully assembled Ultra micro RC drone
  • 6-8 minutes flight time
  • SAFE technology with self-leveling
  • Brilliant LED orientation lights
$52.03
View on Amazon

Model: Blade Inductrix RTF Ultra Micro Drone with Safe Technology
Dimension: 3.8 x 3.8 x 2.3 inches
Weight: 0.3 ounces
Price: $50 range
Who is suitable for: Kids under 10 year-old to up to 12 year-old
Skill level: Beginner or experienced pilot
Quick Spec:

  • Durable rotor housings prevent damage
  • Lightweight
  • Fully assembled and RTF
  • Four specially tuned EDF (Electric Ducted Fans) rotor systems
  • Flight time = 6–8 minute flying time

Summary: The Blade Inductrix™ drone RTF is an ultra-micro drone that is lightweight and it comes fully assembled. This is a quiet quadcopter compared to a conventional propeller-rotor drone – thanks to the four specially tuned EDF rotor system (like a jet system vs a propeller system). You can fly this quad indoors and outdoors. It has a durable housing that prevents damage to your kid or your furniture. This is an easy-to-control quad – it uses a SAFE technology that enables self-leveling – a great feature for a beginner. The Blade Inductrix™ drone works with any 4+ channel transmitter with Spektrum™ DSMX; 2.4GHz technology (included). And, it has LED light. This is a fun, safe and durable quadcopter for kids 10-12 year-old.

Eachine E010 Mini Drone with remote control

EACHINE None
17 Reviews
EACHINE None
  • Toy
  • DasMikro
$39.95
View on Amazon

Model: Eachine E010 Mini Drone with remote control
Dimension: 8 x 8 x 5 cm
Weight: 22g
Price: $25 range
Who is suitable for: Kids under 10 year-old
Skill level: Beginner

The bright colors and simple design are appealing to children. This quadcopter is safe for almost any age.

Top features and Quick Spec:

  • Blade guards
  • Headless mode
  • One button return
  • One button 3D Stunts.
  • Quite spectacular at night.
  • 360° flip rolling stunt
  • Lightweight
  • Flight time = 5 minute flying time
  • Recharge time 30 – 50 minute
  • Range: 50-100 feet

Summary: The Eachine E010 Mini Drone with remote control is affordable, and kids would love its bright colors and 360° flip rolling stunt. Parents would appreciate the excellent blade guards – to protect the quadcopter’s blades in case of a crash and protect children’s fingers. The Eachine E010 is an indoor drone. Note: you need two 1.5 AA batteries for the remote control.

Force1 UFO3000 Mini Drones

Force1 UFO 3000 LED Mini Drones for Kids -...
673 Reviews
Force1 UFO 3000 LED Mini Drones for Kids -...
  • EASY REMOTE CONTROL DRONE FOR KIDS: These LED mini rc flying toys are super easy to...
  • UFO FLYING TOY WITH BRIGHT LED LIGHTS: These small drones feature durable propeller...
  • STUNT DRONE FOR BEGINNERS: Outdoor / indoor drone features 4 channels, 2 speeds,...
  • SPECS: This portable drone measures 5.5" x 5.5" and flies up to 18 minutes with 2...
$39.99
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Model: Force1 UFO3000 Mini Drones
Dimension: 8.3 x 7 x 4.2 inches
Weight: 12.8oz
Price: $50 range
Who is suitable for: kids age 7 to 14 year-old
Skill level: Beginner
Top features and Quick Spec:

  • Flight time: 7 -9 min. (Recharge 60 min)
  • Blade guards to protect the quadcopter’s blades in case of a crash.
  • Blade guards have bright neon blue and green LED lights allow you to fly even in the dark of the night.
  • One button 3D Stunts. Quite spectacular at night.
  • High Speed flight is possible due to the light weight of the frame.

Summary: The UFO3000 is a beginner’s favorite. Easy to fly visually, with the low/high speed switch, beginner can quickly learn to control this mini drone. It has blade guards to protect the blades when it crashes and protect the kid’s fingers. Nice flight time of 7-9 minutes. Comes with two batteries. The extra battery means that you can enjoy flying this copter longer. Simply charge up both batteries, fly with one battery until it runs down, and then switch batteries.

Horizon Hobby Blade Nano QX RTF Quadcopter

Blade RTF BLH8700 Inductrix Micro Indoor...
13 Reviews
Blade RTF BLH8700 Inductrix Micro Indoor...
  • Custom Product Bundle Includes
  • (1) Blade Inductrix RTF | Ready to Fly Version, Includes Transmitter (BLH8700)
  • (1) Extra 150mAh 1S 3.7V 25C LiPo Battery (EFLB1501S25) - 2 Batteries Total
  • (1) Red and (1) Blue Canopy
$64.99
View on Amazon

    Model: Horizon Hobby Blade Nano QX RTF Quadcopter
    Dimension: 14.1 x 8.4 x 4.5 inches
    Weight: .6 oz
    Price: $60 range
    Who is suitable for: kids age 6 -12 year-old
    Skill level: Beginner
    Quick Spec:

  • Features exclusive SAFE technology with stability and agility modes
  • Small enough to fly in any room or office (Even a cubical!)
  • Tough, lightweight airframe with blade guards
  • Potent brushed motors that provide smooth and powerful lift
  • Includes yellow and green canopies with sharp Nano QX graphics

Summary: Horizon Hobby Blade Nano QX RTF Quadcopter has a SAFE (Sensor Assisted Flight Envelope) technology that delivers flight control that’s a nice step forward. It is tuned for rotary wing aircraft, making the aircraft intelligent enough to understand its flight attitude and makes RC flight easier than ever before. This Horizon Hobby Blade Nano QX RTF helps to build a beginner pilot’s confidence.

Syma X11C RC Quadcopter with camera

Syma X11C RC Quadcopter with Camera & LED...
200 Reviews
Syma X11C RC Quadcopter with Camera & LED...
  • Syma X11C RC Quadcopter with Camera & LED Lights - White
  • X11C (with Camera)
  • Toy
  • Doinshop
$45.99
View on Amazon

Model: Syma X11C RC Quadcopter
Dimension: 14.5 x 7.5 x 3.5 inches
Weight: 15.2 oz
Price: $40 range
Who is suitable for: kids age 6 -10 year-old
Skill level: Beginner
Quick Spec:

  • Forward/backward, Up/down, Turn left/right, 3D stunt (can do 360 flip), Sideward flight, Camera, With LED lights.
  • Flight time: 6 – 8 min

Summary: Syma X11C RC Quadcopter is an affordable way to get into FPV (First Person View) flying for a kid under 10 year-old. FPV mode give the pilot the ability to fly as if he/she were inside looking out the front. The viewer screen shows the view out the front of the copter. This camera drone can do forward/backward, up/down, turn left/right, 3D stunt (yes, it can do 360 flip) and sideward flight with LED lights.

Estes RTF Proto Z micro Quadcopter

Estes Proto-Z Ready to Fly (RTF) Micro...
48 Reviews
Estes Proto-Z Ready to Fly (RTF) Micro...
  • Easy to fly and designed for great indoor flights.
  • 2.4 GHz controller allows you to fly with your friends.
  • True Direction and Auto-Flip features allow fun flights for even beginning pilots.
  • Bright LED lights assist with flight orientation, day or night.
$19.99
View on Amazon

Model: Estes RTF Proto Z micro Quadcopter
Dimension: 9.6 x 5 x 2.6 inches
Weight: 1.5 oz.
Price: $20 range
Who is suitable for: kids under 10 year-old
Skill level: Beginner
Quick Spec:

  • Flight time: 7-10 minutes
  • Range: about 90 ft.
  • Controller: yes
  • Camera: No
  • Recharge time: 45 minutes.

Summary: The Estes Proto Z is light weight and low cost (under $20). It is an excellent starter for a child under ten year-old. Read our review of Estes Proto Z. It comes with a controller. No camera. It includes four replacement propellers. It is relatively safe to fly indoors as it is small enough to fit in your hand, and its lightweight airframe of 1.5 oz. won’t damage your furniture.

Drones for kids age 10-15 year-old

Kids age 10 to 15 year-old are old enough to control copters, but they still try to push their limits. As gown-ups, we know not to fly so close to a tree, but they just seem to be compelled to try it. What tech gift to buy for that super kid?

  • Keep the price down to a level where you won’t feel real bad when they crash it.
  • Try to pick something fairly safe (light weight quadcopter, or with blade guards or duct)
  • Feature rich with lots of things to do
  • Explain to your kids to fly responsibly

Here are our top choice of drones for kids 10-15 year-old:

Preview Product Rating Price
Mini RC Quadcopter - GoolRC T36 Drone 2.4G 4... Mini RC Quadcopter - GoolRC T36 Drone 2.4G 4... 183 Reviews $19.99 View on Amazon
Estes Proto X Nano R/C Quadcopter, Black Estes Proto X Nano R/C Quadcopter, Black 1,467 Reviews from $77.77 View on Amazon
SYMA X5C-1 RC Quadcopter with Extra 2 720mAh... SYMA X5C-1 RC Quadcopter with Extra 2 720mAh... 225 Reviews $54.99 from $26.99 View on Amazon
Tenergy Syma X5SW Wifi FPV RC Quadcopter... Tenergy Syma X5SW Wifi FPV RC Quadcopter... 3 Reviews $19.99 View on Amazon
Holy Stone F180W Mini RC Drone FPV Quadcopter... Holy Stone F180W Mini RC Drone FPV Quadcopter... No ratings yet View on Amazon
Holy Stone HS200D FPV RC Drone with 720P... Holy Stone HS200D FPV RC Drone with 720P... 342 Reviews $79.99 View on Amazon

GoolRC T36 Mini RC Quadcopter

Mini RC Quadcopter - GoolRC T36 Drone 2.4G 4...
183 Reviews
Mini RC Quadcopter - GoolRC T36 Drone 2.4G 4...
  • · GESTURE REMOTE CONTROL: -First of all, unlike the other Remote Controller, it...
  • · HEADLESS MODE: When you go forward in the beginning, your drone will go forward...
  • · ONE-KEY RETURN: With built-in positioning system, the drone can auto locate the...
  • · 3D FLIPS:This drone can perform the 360 degree flips roll with one key,it is very...
$19.99
View on Amazon

Model: GoolRC T36 Mini RC Quadcopter
Dimension: 3.3 x 3.3 x 1.4 inches
Weight: 21 g
Price: $20 range
Who is suitable for: children up to 15 year-old
Skill level: beginner or experienced pilot
Quick Spec:

  • Headless mode
  • One-key return
  • 3D Flips
  • Flight time = about 5 min
  • No camera

Summary: The GoolRC T36 Mini RC Quadcopter is a light-weight, 6-axis Gyro quadcopter suitable for children up to 15. This is an easy-to-operate drone. It has headless mode – you don’t have to adjust which way the quad faces before flying. It features a one-key return – you can take off and land with a push of button. With its low/high speed options, either a beginner or an experience pilot will enjoy flying this quad. The GoolRC T36 features 2.4GHz technology adopted for anti-interference. It has LED light to give you an option to fly at night. And, it can do a 3D 360 Flips!

Estes Proto X Nano R/C Quadcopter

Estes Proto X Nano R/C Quadcopter, Black
1,467 Reviews
Estes Proto X Nano R/C Quadcopter, Black
  • Flies easily in any open indoor area.
  • Lights add to the fun when flying in the dark.
  • 2.4GHz controller links only to your aircraft, so multiple aircraft can fly together.
  • The triple-axis, three-accelerometer gyro features an Auto-Upright system for...
from $77.77
View on Amazon

Model: Estes Proto X Nano R/C Quadcopter
Dimension: 1.8 x 1.8 x 2.6 inches (50mm motor to motor)
Weight: 4 oz (11.5 g)
Price: $30 range
Who is suitable for: kids age 10 year-old and up
Skill level: Beginner
Quick Spec:

  • 6 axis gyro stabilization
  • LED lights make it easier to follow
  • Flight time 10-15 min
  • Recharge time is about 30 min
  • No camera

Summary: The Estes Proto X Nano R/C Quadcopter is tiny but durable (somewhat like piloting a bug.) It is an excellent quadcopter for beginner pilot to learn how to fly a quad. It has 6 axis gyro stabilization and LED lights. This is an affordable first drone to demonstrate what a quadcopter can do.

SYMA X5C-1 Explorers 2.4G 4CH 6-Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter with HD Camera

Sale
SYMA X5C-1 RC Quadcopter with Extra 2 720mAh...
225 Reviews
SYMA X5C-1 RC Quadcopter with Extra 2 720mAh...
  • [6-Axis Gyro]:Built-in 6-axis gyro stabilization system makes the helicopter more...
  • [Anti-Interference]:2.4 GHz technology adopted for anti-interference. Even more than...
  • [360 degrees 3D eversion]: Professional cool and exquisite flight action. [Colorful...
  • [With Extra 2 720mAh Batteries]: These extra batteries designed by Mysterystone,which...
$54.99 - $28.00 from $26.99
View on Amazon

Model: SYMA X5C-1 Explorers 2.4G 4CH 6-Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter with HD Camera
Dimension: 12.4 x 12.4 x 2.9 inches
Weight: 3.4 lbs.
Price: $60 range
Who is suitable for: kids age 10 year-old and up
Skill level: Beginners

  • Lift/Right, Forward/Backward, Up/Down, 360 Flip and Roll sideways fight
  • Flight time about 8 min
  • Recharge time: 1hr 40 min
  • Has led lights
  • No camera

Summary: The SYMA X5C-1 Explorers 2.4G 4CH quadcopter is big enough that it can be taken outside to fly. Your kids will have great fun to fly outside at twilight. The blinking LED’s help to keep it in sight. After you have flown it a few times you will enjoy showing friends and family what it can do. It has moves such as lift/right, forward/backward, up/down, 360 flip and roll, sideways fight. The SYMA X5C-1 Explorers is also small enough that it can be flown in a large room indoors.

Syma X5SW Explorers2 2.4G 4CH 6-Axis RC Quadcopter

Tenergy Syma X5SW Wifi FPV RC Quadcopter...
3 Reviews
Tenergy Syma X5SW Wifi FPV RC Quadcopter...
  • Brand New in box. The product ships with all relevant accessories
$19.99
View on Amazon
Model: Syma X5SW Explorers2 2.4G 4CH 6-Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter with 0.3MP Camera (FPV) Bundle
Dimensions:12.4 x 12.4 x 4.1 in (315 x 315x 105mm)
Price : $60 range
Who is suitable for: Kids 14 year-old and up
Skill level: Beginner
Quick Spec:

  • Ready to Fly (Just attach and tighten props)
  • 4CH with 6 Axis
  • 0.3 MP 480P camera
  • Controller range is about 50 Meters
  • Flight time about 7 minutes
  • Viewer app available for IOS devices and Android smart phones.

The Syma X5SW-V3 Explorers2.2 is an affordable tech gift under $50 for kids 14 years old and up. It is one of the very best quadcopters to learn on. It is light weight enough so that you can practice indoors without doing a lot of damage. Read our review for Syma X5SW Explorers2. It has 4CH with 6 Axis and ready to fly (just attach and tighten props). The right-hand controller can be configured for left hand throttle. Controller range is about 50 meters. The First Person View (FPV) camera is HD and allows even a beginner to shoot an in-flight video. There is a holder on the ground controller to allow you to clamp on your smart phone and then watch the flight. Viewer apps available for Android OS and IOS smart phones. It has headless mode – makes it easier for a beginner pilot can learn to fly much sooner. Flight time is about 7 minutes. The Syma X5SW comes with spares for the parts that a beginner is most likely to break. It has a plastic body which is designed to be shatter resistant, another good feature for a beginner.

Holy Stone F180W Mini RC Drone FPV Quadcopter

Holy Stone F180W Mini RC Drone FPV Quadcopter...
Holy Stone F180W Mini RC Drone FPV Quadcopter...
  • HD FPV CAMERA: First Person View 720P HD REAL TIME Video Camera (2MP, 1280×720...
  • CVT SPEED FUNCTION: Can achieve 10% -100% to seamlessly shift speeds, gradual...
  • LEFT/RIGHT THROTTLE CONTROL SWITCH MODE: Can be switched between Left Hand Throttle...
  • POWERFUL AND BRILLIANT : Built-in 6-Axis gyro can easily implement various flight...
View on Amazon

Model: Holy Stone F180W Mini RC Drone FPV Quadcopter
Dimension: 5.1(L) x 5.1(W) x 1.2(H) Inches
Weight: 1.9 oz.
Price: $79.99
Who is suitable for: kids age 10 year-old and up
Skill level: Beginners
Quick Spec:

  • HD camera modes 1280 and 720p
  • Flies up/down, left/right, forward/back, fly leftward, fly rightward.
  • 360 degree flip & roll in four directions
  • Flight time 7 – 9 min. (recharge time = 45 min.)
  • Has a HD camera
  • Indoors / outdoors
  • Headless auto return to home. (If it gets out of range of the ground control transmitter, it will automatically return to take-off point (RTH “return to home”)

Summary: Holy Stone F180W FPV Quadcopter is small, but not tiny. Since it comes with a camera, this quadcopter will be a great tool for your teenager to learn piloting skills and shoot some videos. Small enough to fly indoors, but motors are powerful enough to fly outside (if the breeze is light enough). It has features such as fly up/down, left/right, forward/back, fly leftward, and fly rightward. It can do 360 degree flip & roll in four directions.

Holy Stone HS200D FPV drone with camera

Holy Stone HS200D FPV RC Drone with 720P...
342 Reviews
Holy Stone HS200D FPV RC Drone with 720P...
  • 120° WIDE-ANGLE 720P HD CAMERA: This advanced camera can be taken down easily and...
  • APP VIEW & CONTROL: the drone can perform the FPV streaming live video very well and...
  • ALTITUDE HOLD: Hover in a certain height once you release the throttle stick. Help...
  • HEADLESS MODE: Great functions when the drone is out of sight. The function depends...
$79.99
View on Amazon

Model: Holy Stone HS200D FPV drone with camera
Dimension: 12.6 x 12.6 x 4.70 in inches
Weight: 145g
Price: $100 range
Who is suitable for: 14 year-old and up
Skill level: Beginners to intermediate
Top features and Quick Spec:

  • Flight time = 10 minutes
  • Recharge time = 2 hours
  • control range = up to about 100 meters
  • HD camera provides FPV 720p video. Camera has 120 degree view.
  • FPV video real time is available if you have a smart phone to use during flights.
  • You can push one button “Altitude Hold” to get the HS200d to hover in one spot.
  • You can set “Headless mode” to make it easier to pilot the HS200D when it is flying around obstacles.
  • 3D stunts and flips
  • Comes with a ground control station
  • Gravity sensor to allow you to control the quad copter flight by changing the angle of the ground control station.

Summary: This Holy Stone HS200D FPV drone with camera is excellent for a responsible teenager. This quad is designed to be easy to control for beginners, with enough features to keep you using it for months. It can be a fun and an exciting challenge to control this quad using the gravity sensor, do 3D full flight control of up, down, left, right, forward, backward, leftward flight, and rightward flight.

Drones for kids age 16 year-old and up

Teenagers are a difficult age group when it comes to buying gifts. Sometimes teenagers seem to be ready to go off to college, at other times, well, let’s just say “Not so much.” Teenagers over 16 usually have a driver’s license and (in our family) a part time job. They can often buy small things for themselves. The kind of tech gift we want to give them is:

  • Something they can’t afford to buy themselves.
  • Something that will last and give them a lot of fun.
  • Explain to your teenagers to fly responsibly

Here are our top choice of drones for age group 16+:

Preview Product Rating Price
UDI RC U818A Discovery RC Drone with Camera -... UDI RC U818A Discovery RC Drone with Camera -... 1,452 Reviews $59.99 from $7.99 View on Amazon
Blade Inductrix FPV RTF (Yellow) Blade Inductrix FPV RTF (Yellow) 61 Reviews $219.99 View on Amazon
Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Elite Edition Quadcopter... Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Elite Edition Quadcopter... 50 Reviews from $238.99 View on Amazon
X6SW 480P Camera Wifi FPV RC Drone 2.4G 4CH... X6SW 480P Camera Wifi FPV RC Drone 2.4G 4CH... No ratings yet $65.94 View on Amazon
DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter 4K UHD... DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter 4K UHD... 969 Reviews from $1,229.99 View on Amazon

UDI U818A HD Camera Drone

Sale
UDI RC U818A Discovery RC Drone with Camera -...
1,452 Reviews
UDI RC U818A Discovery RC Drone with Camera -...
  • DISCOVERY VIDEO DRONE: Remote control drone with camera is for kids and adults and...
  • 720P HD CAMERA DRONE: Capture crisp photos and videos with the 720p HD drone camera;...
  • EASY DRONE FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Quadcopter drone for beginners features Headless Mode...
  • SPECS: Photo drone shines with bright LEDs that flash when the drone battery is low;...
$59.99 - $52.00 from $7.99
View on Amazon

Model: UDI U818A HD Camera Drone
Dimension: 13 x 13 x 3 inches
Weight: 4.6 ounces (No FAA registration is required)
Price: under $100
Age: Teenager 16+
Skill level: Beginner to intermediate
Quick Spec:

  • Headless Mode
  • HD+ 720P Camera
  • 4 Channel, 2.4GHz transmitter with LCD screen
  • 360° Flips
  • Flight time = 7-9 min
  • Charging time = 90-120 mins

Summary: UDI U818A is a 6 Axis Gyro ready-to-fly camera drone. It has great features such as powerful motors, durable frame, headless mode and HD+ 720P Camera. This RTF camera drone is easy to control – thanks to the 4 Channel, 2.4GHz transmitter with a LCD screen that displays full flight status. It has two joysticks that move the quadcopter in all directions. UDI U818A has LED running lights, remote control signal light and, it can do 360° flips!

Blade Inductrix FPV RTF

Blade Inductrix FPV RTF (Yellow)
61 Reviews
Blade Inductrix FPV RTF (Yellow)
  • The perfect beginner FPV drone designed for indoor flying in even the smallest of...
  • Engineered With SAFE (Sensor Assisted Flight Envelope) Technology, a revolutionary...
  • The Inductrix FPV is equipped with a 25mW video transmitter capable of transmitter on...
  • The Blade Inductrix FPV Drone is Ready-to-Fly: everything you need is included in the...
$219.99
View on Amazon

Model: Blade Inductrix FPV RTF
Dimension: 10.6 x 82. x 3.4 inch
Weight: 1 lb.
Price: $200 range
Age: 16 year-old and up
Skill level: Beginner
Quick Spec:

  • Has LED lights
  • Compatible with Fatshark VR Goggles. (Not needed, but nice to have. Can fly using monitor on flight control, but VR goggles improve the experience.)
  • Flight time is around 4 minutes
  • Very quiet
  • 4.3” monitor

Summary: Inductrix FPV Pro BNF is ready to fly. Its design uses ducts so the propeller blades are not as likely to get broken. It has good durable frame. This model is often used as a base model and upgraded with more powerful motors and batteries to be used in competitions. FPV (First Person View) is the experience of viewing the copter’s flight as if you are looking out of the front of the copter. This experience is enhanced by using VR (Virtual Reality) goggles. Hand radio license may be required for this powerful video transmitter. Inductrix FPV Pro BNF has a small frame and very light weight which means it can be flown in-doors. Powerful motors means it can be flown out-doors (weather permitting).

Parrot AR 2.0 Elite Edition Quadcopter

Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Elite Edition Quadcopter...
50 Reviews
Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Elite Edition Quadcopter...
  • Piloting is easy from a smartphone or tablet
  • Remote control quadricopter controlled using an iOS or Android smartphone or tablet
  • 720p high-definition live video streaming & recording to smartphone or tablet while...
  • Record & share videos & pictures straight from AR. Free Flight piloting app
from $238.99
View on Amazon

Model: Parrot AR 2.0 Elite Edition Quadcopter
Dimension: 23 x 23 x 5 inches
Weight: 4.8 lb
Price: $250 range
Who is suitable for? Age 16 year-old and up
Skill level: Intermediate
Quick Spec:

  • Excellent for camera shots.
  • Flight time: 7 -11 min.
  • 720p high-definition live video streaming & recording to smartphone or tablet while flying.

Summary: You will use a smart phone to control the Parrot AR 2.0 Elite Edition drone. Read our review of Parrot AR 2.0 Elite Edition Quadcopter. Install the app and connect to the drone, then use the app to control the drone. Press and hold the joy stick “button” on the phone app, and tilt the phone in the direction that you want it to go. The phone controls are not as sensitive as a real joy stick and takes someone who is a bit more experienced to control the drone. This drone can provide many hours of fun for your teenager.

Syma X6SW 480P Camera Wifi FPV

X6SW 480P Camera Wifi FPV RC Drone 2.4G 4CH...
X6SW 480P Camera Wifi FPV RC Drone 2.4G 4CH...
  • High/slow speed function
  • 480P camera can take photos and record videos
  • Wifi transmission system provides FPV flight
  • Adopting 2.4G auto connection technology, scores of quadcopter can be played at the...
$65.94
View on Amazon

Model: Syma X6SW 480P Camera Wifi FPV
Dimension: 42.3 * 22.5 * 10.2cm / 16.7 * 8.9 * 4in
Weight: 123 g/ 1.5 lb
Price: $70 range
Who is suitable for: 16 year-old plus
Skill level: Beginner
Quick Spec:

  • Fly up, down, forward, backward, left, right, and sideways.
  • Can do flips.
  • 6 axis stabilization
  • Flight time: 7 min
  • Charge time: 2 hours

Summary: Syma X6SW WIFI FPV allows you to see where you are flying, Video can be recorded at the same time to show your friends. It can do fly up, down, forward, backward, left, right, and sideways. With all of the different flying modes and the ability to perform tricks, this copter will provide many hours of entertainment and fun for a teenager.

DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter 4K UHD Video Camera Drone

DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter 4K UHD...
969 Reviews
DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter 4K UHD...
  • 4k UHD video recording with fully stabilized 3-axis gimbal; Vision Positioning system...
  • Lightbridge digital streaming allows live viewing of 720p video (full resolution...
  • Included flight battery and rechargable remote controller means this system is ready...
  • DJI Pilot app for iOS and Android allows live viewing and complete camera control...
from $1,229.99
View on Amazon

Model: DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter 4K UHD Video Camera Drone
Dimension: 8 x 13 x 18 inches
Weight: 9.2 pounds (Requires FAA registration)
Price: under $1000
Who is suitable for: Age 18 and plus. Serious drone pilot.
Skill level: Intermediate
Quick Spec:

  • 4K video
  • Flight time: 23 min

Summary:

  • 4k UHD video recording with fully stabilized 3-axis camera mount gimbal.
  • Vision positioning system allows stable flight indoors. (Outside you can use the GPS stabilization.)
  • Lightbridge digital streaming allows live viewing of 720p video (Full 4k Ultra High Def. resolution video is simultaneously recorded on the internal micro SD card)
  • Included flight battery and rechargeable remote controller means that this system is ready to fly out of the box.
  • If you have a smart device you can use the DJI Pilot app for iOS and Android to view camera image and control the camera (phone/tablet sold separately; see DJI’s website for compatible models)

Warning:

The FAA has rules regarding where one can fly quadcopters and other drones.

  • Please do not fly near accidents, police scenes or any area where emergency crews are working. Fly responsibly. Quadcopters interfere with emergency responder’s helicopters, so stay away.
  • FAA has regulations about flying near any airports, too. Quadcopters endanger airplanes.
  • DJI has locked all Phantoms now being sold from being able to even start the motor if you are within a 15 mile radius of the White House. This encompasses not only D.C. but much of Prince Georges County, Arlington, Fairfax, Silver Spring, Falls Church and Montgomery County. DJI does not warn you of this prior to purchase. Outside of this 15 mile radius, the drone works normally, but be aware, that if you bought it and try to fly within the restricted zone, you will not be able to fly it, even on your own property.
  • Do not fly near Federal office buildings, military bases or national parks.

Check out our drone reviews to choose a beginner drone that meets your needs. We also have a blog on drone tips to fly your first drone, including things not to do when flying a drone and drone etiquette. Have fun shopping for the best drone for your kids and happy flying!

Filed Under: Drone Buying Guide, Drones for kids Tagged With: Drones for age 10-15, Drones for age 16 +, Drones for kids under 10, Tech gift under $100, Tech gift under $50

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We are drone hobbyists and multirotor enthusiasts. We hope to share with you our experience of buying and flying drones. We also hope that you will find our reviews, tips, check lists and buying guide helpful to you. Welcome to the fascinating world of UAV and have fun flying.

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