Hobby drones can bring a great deal of wonder and enjoyment to your life, allowing you to take to the skies, capture incredible footage, and more.
If you are wondering how to join in on the fun, then this is the article for you. In our guide to the top ten hobby drones, we will go over ten of the most popular products.
In a few moments, you should have all the information you need to pick the best one for your needs.
How We Reviewed
The following products were reviewed based on the following parameters: Features, Pros & Cons, Price, Where to Buy, and Warranty.
We chose these five parameters to give you the most comprehensive, fairest picture possible. With this information, you should have no trouble finding the right hobby drone for you.
Overall Price Range
Hobby drones generally range from $50 to $1000. Some of their main price determinants include: flight time, flight range, build quality, functionality, camera quality, and durability
10 Best Hobby Drone Reviews
1. Altair Aerial Blackhawk Long Range & Flight Time Drone
Features
The Altair Aerial Blackhawk Long Range and Flight Time Drone is compatible with both GoPro Hero 3 and Hero 4. It features a heavy-duty construction, with a design intended for speed and power. It has a 15-17 minute flight time and a range of 300-500 meters.
Warranty
You can request details from customer service if needed.
Pros
- Affordable at $120
- Impressive flight time
- Easy to use
- Fast
Cons
- None
2. Parrot Bebop 2 Power FPV Pack
- High density 2700mAh Lithium-ion polymer battery
- Offers up to 25 minutes of flight time on a single charge
- Charges is approximately 55 minutes
- Compatible with Bebop 2 and Sky controller Black Edition
- Comes with a white sticker to match your drone color
Features
The Parrot Bebop 2 Power FPV Pack comes with cockpit glasses, immersive FPV goggles, and the Parrot Sky Controller 2. It includes a full HD 1080p camera, and it is fully compatible with a convenient smartphone app.
Warranty
It comes with a one-year warranty.
Pros
- Great for beginners
- Can fly 35 mph
- Wind resistant
- 20-min. flight time
- Fantastic camera
Cons
- There have been complaints regarding customer support
3. Xcraft XPlusOne Quadcopter Drone
- Flight Speeds Up to 60mph
- Hybrid Design
- GPS-Enabled Autopilot Functions
- Micro DV Camera
- Ready-to-Fly Aircraft
Features
The Xcraft XPlusOne Quadcopter Drone comes with a 1080P RunCam HD, a handheld controller, a battery pack and charger, a telemetry module, two sets of propellers, a fixed mount, and a manual and quick start guide. It has a flight time of around 20 minutes, a range of 1.5 miles, and a speed of 60mph.
Warranty
It comes with Amazon’s 30-day warranty.
Pros
- Speed of 60mph
- 1.5-mile range
- 20 minute flight time
- 1080P HD camera
- Very durable
Cons
- Expensive at $900
4. GoPro Karma with HERO6
- Karma captures amazingly smooth GoPro footage in the air, handheld or body mounted
- The Karma Drone folds to fit into the included lightweight case Take it anywhere When you’re ready to fly, just unfold, attach the propellers and go
- The Karma Stabilizer captures breathtaking shake-free video both in the air and on the ground
- Remove the Karma Stabilizer and attach it to Karma Grip for ultra steady, professional-looking handheld shots
- Karma Grip works with GoPro mounts, including the built-in shoulder mount on the Karma Case, to deliver ultra steady body-mounted footage
Features
The GoPro Karma with HERO6 is a black drone that comes with a lightweight case. It features the Karma stabilizer that produces shake-free video from both the air and on the ground. It comes with a generous two-year warranty.
Warranty
It comes with a two-year warranty.
Pros
- Fantastic shake-free video
- Comes with lightweight case
- Extremely durable
- Comes with an extra battery, 2 extra propellers, and various mounting hardware
Cons
- None; one of the best hobby drones out there
5. ZEROTECH DOBBY Mini Selfie Pocket Drone
- Pocket-size rechargeable drone with dual satellite positioning and high definition camera
- Traditional one-button take-off and landing as well as voice control, pat, or throw-and-fly take-off methods
- Easily control with your phone’s swipe function or use phone as a motion controller
- Innovative camera offers facial recognition, digital 3-axis stabilizer, and ability to synchronize photos with one click
- Dimensions: With propellers in – 135mm x 67mm x 36.8mm. With propellers expanded – 135mm x 145mm x 36.8mm. Weight: Only 199g, no FAA registration is requried
Features
The ZEROTECH DOBBY Mini Selfie Pocket Drone is a compact, rechargeable drone controllable by phone. Its camera features facial recognition, target tracking, and ten-second auto-follow for shooting short videos.
Its camera is high-quality, with 13 million pixels of resolution, 4K image acquisition, and 1080P HD video.
Warranty
You can request warranty information from customer service.
Pros
- Comes with an amazing camera
Cons
- Weak connectivity
- Poor customer service
- Short battery life
6. DJI Mavic Air
- 32.0MP sphere panoramas - In addition to horizontal, vertical, and 180° panoramas, Mavic Air stitches 25 photos together in just eight seconds to create crystal clear 32.0MP sphere panoramas.
- Lightweight and compact foldable design - You can take it anywhere with you.
- Supports 4K video at 30 fps - The 12.0MP camera with Adobe DNG RAW support is ready to shoot. The three-axis gimbal is capable of stabilizing the camera even during high-speed motion for smooth video and sharp photos.
- Control your drone from up to 6562' away - The Mavic Air Intelligent Flight lithium battery provides up to 21 minutes of flight time per charge.
- Dedicated remote controller- Features a foldable, low-profile, ergonomic design to hold your smartphone for maximum convenience. The detachable control sticks store inside the remote controller to pack more comfortably on the go.
Features
The DJI Mavic Air features 32-megapixel sphere panoramas capable of taking horizontal, vertical, and 180-degree panoramas with up to 25 photos stitched together in only eight seconds.
It takes 4K video at 30fps through a high-quality 12 mega pixel camera. It has a range of 6562′ and a flight time of 21 minutes. It has an incredible 8GB of internal storage.
Warranty
Warranty details be requested from customer service.
Pros
- Easily one of the best hobby drones on the market
- Extremely portable
- 21-minute battery life
- Tons of storage
- Excellent camera quality
Cons
- None
7. Hubsan H301S Spy Hawk RC Airplane
- XPILOT STABILIZATION SYSTEM EASY TO CONTROL: xpilot stabilizer ultra stable self stabilization of gyro system. Powerful over-grade motor system allows easy controlling to do aerobatic flying. It's a great remote control planes for beginners, adults.
- BEGINNERS' FIRST RC AIRPLANE TRAINER: 3-level flight control assists(Beginner level with full assist/ Intermediate with partial assist/ Expert for manual control) help beginners learn to fly radio control airplane step by step.
- GREAT RC GLIDER FOR OUTDOOR ADVENTURE: 2.4Ghz tecnology with radio control distance of 656 ft, the strong anti-interference ability allows to hold a small flight club party between you and your friends. Have more fun with this remote control model airplane.
- MORE LONGER FLYING, MORE FUN WITH YOU: Due to the pusher glider design, the rc model plane can fly slowly in the sky without power support, which can save more power and have a longer flight time up to about 30min.
- REMOTE CONTROL AIRPLANE READY TO FLY: This version includes everything needed to get the model started, only require the batteries for transmitter. It is fully assembly to get the glider airplane take off for quick star and the portable package allow to go with you everywhere.
Features
The Hubsan H301S Spy Hawk RC Airplane features an automatic return-home function and a GPS flight control system. It offers thirty minutes of flight time, and it supports first-person view.
Warranty
You can request warranty information from the manufacturer.
Pros
- Great for beginners
- Easy to maneuver
Cons
- Decent, but nothing spectacular
8. DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter
Features
The DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter features auto takeoff and auto-return-home functions. It captures 4K Ultra HD video at 30 fps, and it also takes 12-MP photos with a f/2.8 lens. This drone has a flight time of 28 minutes and a maximum speed of 20 m/s.
Warranty
It comes with a 2-year warranty.
Pros
- Easy to maneuver
- Great photos and videos
- DJI Go app for editing
Cons
- Quality control issues
- Software bugs
- Active track/follow functions do not work well
9. DROCON Wi-Fi Drone
![[Upgraded Big Size] DROCON Drone with Camera,720P 120°FOV FPV Real-time Video, Quadcopter Designed for Beginners with a 15-min Flight Time Modular Battery, Altitude Hold, 4GB TF Card Included](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51uWrMHME9L._SL160_.jpg)
Features
The DROCON Wi-Fi Drone supports first-person view and takes 720P HD video. It has a flight time of 15 minutes and comes with a one-year warranty. This drone has three speed modes, and it features “headless” mode.
Warranty
This product carries a one-year warranty.
Pros
- Headless mode
- 3D flips and rolls
- Altitude hold mode
- One-key takeoffs and landings
Cons
- None
10. Syma X5SC Explorers RC Headless Quadcopter
- Protect your quadcopter - Highly elastic plastic protective circle, preventing the blades during flights.( landing gear is affixed with tape to bottom of plastic shell housing the other components to the Quadcopter)
- Colorful flashing lights - have fun playing with it during the day or nights with your friends, family, kids, even pets!
- 6 Axis Gyro - Equipped with the latest 6-axis flight control systems, 3D lock, More scheduled flight, operating more to the force!
- The Syma X5SC has Headless/Intelligent Orientation Control (IOC) function. Usually, the forward direction of a flying multi-rotor is the same as the nose direction. By using Headless/IOC, the forward direction has nothing to do with nose direction. This lessens the steepness of the learning curve and allows the pilot to enjoy flight while slowly learning each specific orientation of the quadcopter.
- Built-in 2MP HD Camera - Enjoy taking pictures/videos of your flights from an aerial view. Bring new perspectives to your photos and videos!
Features
The Syma X5SC Explorers RC Headless Quadcopter features a 6-axis flight control system, 3D lock, scheduled flight, and headless mode. It has a flight time of 5.5 minutes.
Warranty
You can request it from customer service.
Pros
- Easy to use for beginners
- Decent camera
Cons
- Short flight time at 5.5 minutes
- Very basic functionality
The Verdict
Of the ten hobby drones we reviewed, there is one clear winner: the Altair Aerial Blackhawk. It costs $120, earning a price rating of $ vs. more expensive choices.
While far more affordable than many drones, it provides an impressive flight time of over fifteen minutes and a range of 300-500 meters.
You would be hard-pressed to find another drone of this quality at the same price. You cannot do any better for about $120.