Are you planning to get your first drone? Are you looking for the cheapest drone so you can start flying your very own quadcopter without breaking the bank?
Drones have been the trend in the past years, and they continue to attract more enthusiasts and hobbyists. You are probably among those; that’s why you are looking for cheap drones to get your first gadget.
Choosing your first drone can be challenging, even if you are planning to get the most affordable one. When you start your research, you’ll find tons of varieties making it even more confusing which one to choose.
No problem! That’s why I am here. My job is to help you find the best deal in the market and to cut your research short, I have compiled the best cheap drones in the market in 2019. So, let’s get started!
Choosing the Best Drone for You
If this is your very first drone, you are probably wondering where to start your search to find the best one for you. Check out our ‘Best Drones for Beginners’ guide as it includes all the necessary things that newbies need to know when buying their first drone.
If you already know what you want, then excellent! Continue reading to find the best cheap drones that will give you the pleasure of flying your own quadcopter without spending all your savings.
The majority of these cheap drones are foldable for easy portability so you can take them along with your anywhere you go because the fun must go on!
Best Cheap Drones in 2019
There are tons of affordable drones in the market, and the following are among the cheapest ones that offer cool features. All of these drones are under $100, but mind you, they are equipped with powerful features and all the basics that beginners would love to see in their drone for a safe and enjoyable flying experience including – Headless Mode, One Key Return and a built-in camera.
Here’s my list!
1. Cheerwing Syma X5SW-V3
Specs
Drone Size: 12.4 x 12.4 x 4.13 inches
Drone Weight: 119 g (no need to register with FAA)
Drone battery: 3.7V 500 mAh Li-po battery (in the Battery Compartment)
Controller battery: 4*1.5V AA Battery (not included)
Charging time: About 90-120 minutes (USB Charging)
Flying time: About 5-7 minutes
Control distance: About 50 meters
Cheerwing Syma X5SW-V3 is the most trusted cheap drone today. It is Amazon’s Choice with over hundreds of users giving it a thumbs up for its quality and performance.
This drone with camera is perfect for beginners because it is so easy to get started, and it works as promised. Upon receiving the package, read the manual and assemble the drone. The assembly will only take a few minutes because you just have to put the blades on and get the battery in.
The drone is very responsive, which makes controlling it so easy and smooth. Also, you can easily pair it with your smartphone to view the scenery while you fly your quadcopter.
I understand that as a beginner, you are afraid to crash the drone into walls and destroy it in the process. However, making mistakes is usually a part of learning, and you can’t avoid that, but don’t you worry because this thing is tough.
This was my first drone, and on my first try, I managed to bump it into almost everything in my room. But, good news! when I took it outside it worked like it was fresh out of the box. I was impressed.
However, be careful if it’s too windy because this is lightweight and a gust of wind can blow it away. Also, its camera is not very impressive, but given its price, I don’t expect so much from it.
Overall, I’m pleased with Cheerwing Syma X5SW-V3. I have great experience flying this drone, and I must say it’s effortless to operate. Perfect for newbies and kids.
Read More: How To Fly A Drone For Beginners
Features
- Drone with 0.3MP Wi-Fi Camera for live video and aerial photos
- 6-Axis Gyro Based (for stability)
- 360-degree 3D Rolling
- Headless Mode
- Left-hand Control
- USB Charging
- Colorful Flashing Light (for night flight)
- Supports iOS and Android Smartphones
PROS
- Easy to control
- Great for beginners
- Compatible with iOS and Android
- Lightweight
- Wi-Fi FPV camera
CONS
- Not usable when the weather is windy
- Poor camera and video quality
- No SD card slot
- Doesn’t support devices lower than Android 4.0
2. Holy Stone HS160 Shadow
No products found.
Specs
Drone Size: 7.09 x 7.09 x 1.8 inches
Drone Weight: 83 g / 2.925 oz (no need to register with FAA)
Drone battery: 3.7V 500 mAh Li-po battery (in the Battery Compartment)
Camera Pixel: 1280 x 720P
Charging time: About 50-70 minutes (USB Charging)
Flying time: About 7-9 minutes
Control distance: About 50-70 meters
Holy Stone HS160 Shadow is among the most popular drones in the market. It has a cool structure, sleek design, and smart functionalities.
This cheap drone with camera is a standout for kids and beginners because it is so easy to use. Of course, newbies want a quadcopter that they can maneuver the moment they hold the controller, and that’s precisely what this drone is.
Also, you are sure to enjoy your flying experience with this because aside from being so easy to control, it comes with smart features. For instance, it has an aerodynamic air-frame similar to many racing drones, so if you are planning to purchase a racing drone in the future, this offers an excellent practice platform.
Also, it comes with two batteries so you will enjoy a longer flight time. It is also equipped with LED lights, which is very helpful for night flights.
It comes with Wi-Fi FPV 720P HD camera to help you capture great aerial photos and videos. Also, it has App Control System that operates the drone through an app after connecting the Wi-Fi to your phone offering you real-time image transmission for easy image capture giving you amazing shots that are so fun to share with your family and friends.
However, this is not wind-resistant, so you can’t use it when it’s windy. Personally, considering its price and size, this isn’t really a big thing for me. It doesn’t outweigh all the great feature this drone offers.
HS160 Shadow is one of my favorite cheap drones in the market because I love the feeling when I operate it. Most importantly, I love its flexibility. I can easily fold the blades when I’m done using it and slip it in my pocket as I continue my day.
Read More: 15 Best Drones with Cameras 2019 Reviews: Ultimate Buying Guideline
Features
- Modular Batteries
- Wi-Fi FPV Real-Time Transmission
- 3D VR Mode
- 720P HD Camera
- Altitude Hold Function
- Gravity Sensor Mode
- One Key Start/Landing
- 4 Speed Modes
- LED Light
PROS
- Durable
- Stable
- Foldable
- Flexible
- Very affordable
- Easy to control
- Decent flying time
- Includes bonus battery
CONS
- Poor camera
- No GPS
- Not usable during windy days
3. Snaptain S5C
Specs
Drone Size: 13.9 x 9.7 x 3.3 inches
Drone Weight: 1.55 lbs
Drone battery: 3.7V 550 mAh Lithium Polymer
Camera Pixel: 720P
Charging time: About 70-90 minutes
Flying time: About 7-10 minutes
Control distance: About 80 meters
Speed: 3.5m/s
Snaptain S5C is user-friendly. This drone is packed with promising features that make flying it so convenient and easy, especially for beginners.
For instance, it has One Key Operation for smooth takeoff and landing. It also includes a One Key Return button that enables the drone to return to its starting point. That’s not all; this also comes with the popular Headless Mode function, which is very helpful when you lose sight of the drone or lose control of it.
If you find the usual operations boring, then Snaptain S5C offers you a new and innovative flying experience. It has Smart Voice Control that allows you to talk to your drone and position it accordingly to capture great shots.
Despite its low price, this comes with a 60° wide-angle 720p HD camera with real-time transmission FPV system that connects your drone to the phone, allowing you to see the view instantly on your smartphone.
Beginners need not fear about the drone’s condition while you control it because this comes with an anti-collision barrier that makes it sturdy enough to survive collisions.
Also, you will get to enjoy this longer than you thought as it is not easy to outgrow. It has 3 Speed Modes that cater for both beginners and experts. As your skills improve, you can try the different speed modes to have a more challenging in-flight experience.
Snaptain S5C is fantastic for its price. It has numerous impressive features that you don’t expect for a cheap drone. It is smart, powerful, safe, steady and trackable. Overall, this drone is a great find, highly recommended!
Read More: 5 Best FPV Drones: Beginners Ultimate Buying Guide
Features
- 3D Flips
- Headless Mode
- 3 Speed Modes
- One Key Operation
- Anti-Collision Barrier
- FPV Real-Time Transmission
- Age of Phone Somatosensory
- Smart Voice Control
- 3D View Mode
- Pressure Altitude Hold
- Snaptain Era support for Apple and Android
PROS
- Stylish
- Durable
- Affordable
- Beginner-friendly
- Good flight time
- Built-in camera
CONS
- Average camera quality
- No GPS
- Not foldable
4. Syma Z1
No products found.
Specs
Drone Size: 10 x 8 x 1.4 inches
Drone Weight: 8.8 oz
Drone battery: 3.7V 500 mAh Li-ion
Camera Pixel: 720P HD
Charging time: Less than 130 minutes
Flying time: More than 7 minutes
Control distance: More than 70 meters
Frequency: 2.4G
Syma Z1 is another foldable and portable drone with camera. It is compact, sleek and easy to carry. You can take it with you conveniently wherever you go.
Among the cool features present in this drone is Apps Control that lets you maneuver the drone without a remote control. It also features Waypoint Control via the “SYMA FLY” app that gives you a unique driving experience.
Just draw your route on the screen using your fingertips and the drone will be auto-piloted with the path you have just drawn making it perfect for beginners and kids.
For a more convenient and comfortable in-flight experience, it has a Headless Mode. Thanks to this, the drone has some sort of self-guidance features which make flying so easy. This feature also simplifies the controls allowing you to manage the quadcopter with one stick using the basic directional travel.
With this stick, you can move the drone forward, backward and side-to-side without the hassle of controlling the rotational spin of the drone. That’s not all; it has automatic takeoff and hover option allowing you to fly the drone with a single press of a button.
Aside from giving you a smooth flying experience, it comes with 720P HD camera and FPV with live stream allowing you to see the scenery from atop. The camera is super easy to link to the app via Bluetooth.
The only downside with this is that it has no remote control. Not everyone is fond of controlling a drone via smartphone. Also, remote controls come with some advantages. Most remote controls are straightforward with the standard up/down/left/right operations, which makes it so easy to maneuver compared to a smartphone. Some prefer remote control over their smartphone.
Overall, Syma Z1 is excellent value for money. For first timers, you won’t have trouble flying this drone, so you will surely enjoy it the moment you put your hands on it.
Read More: 7 Best Drone for GoPro 2019 Reviews – Top Picks and Buyer’s Guide!
Features
- 720P HD camera
- FPV Live Stream
- Apps Control
- Waypoint Control
- Optical Flow Positioning
- Gravity Sensor Mode
- Hover Function
- Headless Mode
- Foldable Mode
PROS
- Great for beginners, kids and adults
- Impact resistant
- Durable
- Foldable
- Incredibly stable
- Precise flight controls
CONS
- Doesn’t include a remote controller
- Limited control distance (range)
5. Drocon Ninja Foldable Drone
Specs
Drone Size: 10 x 7.1 x 2.9 inches
Drone Weight: 7.2 oz
Drone battery: 7.4V 450 mAh
Camera Pixel: 720P FPV HD Wi-Fi camera
Charging time: 60 minutes
Flying time: About 5-7 minutes
Control distance: 80 meters
DROCON Ninja foldable drone is a huge surprise because it offers so much considering its price. This model raises the bar higher for cheap drones with camera.
This toy quadcopter is ideal for beginners and kids because just like the rest of the drones in our list, this is easy to maneuver. It has easy controls that make flying even for first-timers so convenient.
This drone with camera has a minimal learning curve. Anyone, including those without experience, will have a great time using this.
Among its notable features that beginners would surely love is the One-Key feature for landing and takeoff. It also comes with a Headless Mode function that enables you to control the drone regardless of the direction it is facing.
Aside from that, this is high-quality because this is built using polyamide materials, making it sturdy, and durable for a reliable and safe flying experience. Don’t worry about crashes because this can survive without a scathe.
It also comes with a built-in camera with 2MP shots and records 720p HD videos. It has a 120-degree angle view that even some advanced drone with camera lacks.
The addition of 6-Axis Gyro stabilization helps the quadcopter remain stable during the flight and enhances the quality of photos and videos you capture.
If you are always on the go and would like to take your toy with you, no problem. DROCON Ninja is a small drone that can easily fit your pocket.
Overall, this drone is so impressive considering its quality, performance, and price. You can hardly find a cheap drone with these features. So, I highly recommend this.
Read More: 10 Best Drones for Kids in 2019 – Ultimate Buying Guide
Features
- Gravity Sensor Mode
- 3D Flips and Rolls
- Convenient Battery Installation
PROS
- Easy to control
- Very affordable
- Compact and foldable
- Has FPV function
- Stable in-flight
- Built to last long
CONS
- Average flight time
- Limited control range
Conclusion
There are tons of cheap drones with camera on the market and choosing the best one can be confusing. We hope that our list above will help you find the low-cost drone you are looking for.
When choosing a budget drone, consider the flight time, features, range, and maneuverability. If you are into photography and videography, check the specs of the camera that comes with the drone because although most of them have built-in cameras, most are of inferior quality.
What’s your favorite cheap drone with camera? Why do you like it? Feel free to share your experience with us below!
Nice Information.
All drones are quite good and affordable to everyone but they have to face the issue of very less flying time.