There are numerous factors to consider when it comes to drones, and there are even more if you’re searching for a drone for kids.
We discovered that many of the models available needed to be more pricey or sophisticated to be accurate beginner drones when we studied reviews and other information about the various types.
Most low-cost drones are challenging to fly, have brief flight times, need more battery life (and occasionally fly in ways that aren’t permitted by their height constraints).
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We’ve spent hours studying hundreds of beginner drones and testing them ourselves to determine the best ones for kids.
In addition, we sought advice from several subject-matter authorities, including Sergei Manevich, owner and drone expert at ArenaSTEM.
We chose three of our favorite starting quadcopters with these criteria: two toy-grade models and one slightly more sophisticated drone that will advance with your child’s skill level.
How we test and select?
When it comes to selecting the best drones for kids, we evaluate every product according to these criteria:
- Safety features
- Durability
- Learning curve
- Ease of use
- Flight time and range
- Camera quality, if any
Our testing process is simple: four team members take each drone out and fly it. We pay attention to how easy they are to fly, their range, and how tough they are if you crash them. Our primary concern when looking at drones for kids is that they’re as safe as possible.
We want them to be durable, but we also want them to be able to sense obstacles in front of them, so they don’t run into anything. We also look at how easy they are to control and maneuver so that even if a child is new to flying drones, it’s easy for them to learn how to fly.
Finding a drone that works well for your tiny flyer is vital because not all drones are created equal. For instance, compared to larger drones, smaller and lighter ones will be simpler to fly and control. If your child is a novice pilot, you should also consider how simple it is to manage the drone and how long it will take for your youngster to master flying.
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Several models have learning modes that may guide novice pilots safely through the air. A camera and additions like flashing lights or sounds that can assist your youngster to find their way home if they get lost are other things you should search for.
We tested the top drone models available based on use, performance, and durability and chose the top 6. Our choices are shown below, but if you have any questions about picking the best model for your family, don’t hesitate to contact us!
These are the 7 Best Drones for Kids & Teens that you can buy right now
| Drone Model | Price | Dimensions (inches) | Weight (ounces) | Charging Time | Flight Time | Range | Camera |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DJI Mini SE | $299 | 5.43 x 3.18 x 2.28 | 8.8 | About an hour | Up to 30 minutes per charge | 2.5 mile radius | Yes |
| HASAKEE Q9 Drone | $50 | 6.9 x 6.9 x 2 | 10.2 | 55 minutes | 7 minutes per battery | Indoor use recommended | No |
| EMAX Tinyhawk 2 II | $200 | Not listed | 3 | Approximately 45 minutes | 4 minutes per charge | Indoor use recommended | Yes |
| Holy Stone Beginners Quadcopter | $37 | 3.15 x 3.15 x 1.18 | 1.55 | 40 to 60 minutes | 7 minutes per battery | 164 feet | No |
| Ryze Tech Quadcopter Boost Combo | $149 | 7.9 x 7.7 x 2.1 | 2.82 | 90 minutes | 13 minutes per battery | Approximately 75-100 feet | Yes |
| AirSelfie Pocket Drone | $160 | 0.5 x 4 x 3.3 | 1.8 | Not listed | 6 to 8 minutes per charge | 60 feet | Yes |
1. Best Overall: DJI Mini SE at Amazon
This DJI Mini SE drone for kids has been designed for children to learn how to fly a drone safely, with fun, and responsibly. This mini drone is one of the most miniature drones in the world and is made of eco-friendly ABS plastic, making it ideal for indoor flying. This Mini SE drone has a flight time of up to 30 minutes, allowing you to enjoy longer flights while its lightweight (less than 249g) and aerodynamically refined design make it very stable in the air. The Mini SE has a 5-in-1 function, including headless mode, altitude hold, one key return home, follow me and point of interest modes, and a GPS positioning module, allowing you to control your drone with more confidence easily.
The DJI Mini SE Drone is the perfect example of a toy that won’t fall into that category because it’s a fantastic gift with real value and learning opportunities.
It has a 12MP camera that can take both aerial photos and videos of up to 2.7K HD quality, which is high enough resolution to make any kid excited about sharing their creations with friends and family members. A bonus is that it also includes prop guards, which prevent damage to the drone’s rotors if any accidents happen, so it takes a lot less stress off of first-time flyers trying to get used to operating their new toy.
The drone has a max altitude of 4,000 meters, which is incredible when talking about consumer-grade drones. DJI put some innovative technology into this: it can resist 29-38kph winds and take off at a max altitude of 4,000 meters, so your footage is stable even when flying along a windy coastline or high above an alpine forest.
In terms of price, this is one of the top choices on the market; while other drones are available with more features or higher build quality, they’re also often double the price. For its quality and features, you’ll find this drone irresistible. It has a camera attached to a three-axis gimbal for smooth video recording, GPS positioning for precision flying indoors and outdoors, autopilot modes like orbit mode and waypoint missions, plus up to 30 minutes of flight time per charge (40 if you opt for the more expensive version). This drone is just as great for adults as kids; if you’re considering getting into photography or videography on a budget, this could be great.
Why We Recommend?
Feature: Description Weight: Less than 0.55lbs / 249 grams, as light as a smartphone. Registration: No need to register the DJI Mini SE with the local government. Portability: Ultra-portable design of the DJI Mini SE makes it easy to carry around. Flight Time: With a fully-charged battery, it can stay in the air for up to 30 minutes. Camera: Supports 12MP aerial photos and 2.7K HD videos, and it features a 3-axis motorized gimbal that provides superior camera stability and ultra-smooth footage. Wind Resistance: Can resist 29-38kph winds and take off at a max altitude of 4,000 meters. DJI Fly App: It offers Creator Templates that generate awesome videos with just a tap.
2. Best Budget: HASAKEE Q9 Drone at Amazon
Generally, kids love playing with flying things: birds, planes, and clouds. It’s natural. If a toy can get in the sky and stay there for a little while, they’re in it. So if you’re shopping for a kid who loves to play with things that fly, consider the HASAKEE Q9s drone. It is durable and easy to use but provides plenty of fun by itself or with other drones in the Hasakee series. Plus, it has many accessories:
- two batteries and a remote control
- one mini USB charging cable
- one tool kit
- one 3-axis holder for RC drones
A few key features of this drone are altitude hold and headless mode. Altitude hold allows the drone to hover at a certain height without any input from the person controlling it; this makes it easy for kids to focus on taking pictures or videos rather than constantly trying to correct their flight path.
Headless mode makes it easier to control the drone because no matter which way you turn it (left or right), its front side will always be forward. This feature is excellent for beginners who may still need to get used to flying drones; having the option to choose how you want your drone to respond when you turn gives you.
3. Best for Beginners: EMAX Tinyhawk 2 II Drone
The EMAX Tinyhawk 2 is an 80mm class drone that weighs in at only 31.2g with a 1S 450mAh battery, making it an excellent choice for new pilots getting into the hobby. Its compact build makes it easy to carry around, and it can fit in any backpack or large pocket, as well as indoor spaces where larger drones would be too bulky to fly.
The Nano 2 camera has 700TVL resolution and can capture quality footage without worrying about blurriness or quality loss during editing. The 25mW VTX can be switched between 25mw, 100mw, and 200mw power settings. The default setting is at 25mW until the drone is armed, when it automatically switches to 100mW.
The EMAX Tinyhawk 2 II is an excellent option for new pilots looking to get into FPV racing and freestyle flying without breaking the bank.
There’s nothing too fancy going on here—you can learn to use it immediately after opening up the box with no need for additional parts or assembly. This makes it great for practicing and figuring out how to fly before moving on to bigger drones with more features requiring more technical knowledge. If you want something straightforward but still want some FPV capabilities, this might be just what you’re looking for.
Regarding features, this drone has everything you would expect from a ready-to-fly model: the motors are fast and powerful, and they take off quickly and respond quickly to stick commands while flying.
The Tinyhawk 2 II features a lightweight all-in-one (AIO) flight control, a high-performance camera, and an all-around protective frame, making it solid and easy to fly. And with its FPV system, you can see exactly what your drone sees as you experience the entire flight on a first-person view screen. This an excellent gift for any child just starting in the world of RC drones.
4. Best for Younger Kids: Holy Stone Mini Drone
The Holy Stone Nano Quadcopter Indoor Small Helicopter Plane with Auto Hovering, 3D Flip, Headless Mode, and 3 Batteries is a great way to introduce your child (or yourself) to the fun of flying drones. This mini drone can be flown indoors and outdoors and has a camera for taking pictures and videos. Whether you’re using it for fun or educational purposes, this drone is an excellent choice for beginners.
The Altitude Hold function enables itself to hover at a fixed height stably; under Headless Mode, directions are always relative to where pilots face, offering care-free flight for kids, beginners, newbies, etc. Other features include 3D Flips, multiple speed modes, and the Toss to Launch function, allowing you to throw the drone in any direction. It even comes with a bonus set of extra batteries so that you don’t run out of power before your plane does.
This drone has a flight time of up to 21 minutes, and there’s a low battery alarm that will sound when things are getting low—no need to worry about losing the drone or crashing into something because the battery died.
5. Best for Teenagers: Ryze Tech Quadcopter Boost Combo
Makers of high-quality drones like the Phantom, DJI recently announced a new drone aimed at kids—the Tello. This mini-drone weighs only 87 g, has two antennas for extra-stable video transmission, and has a high-capacity battery that offers up to 13 minutes of flight.
Capture Great Pictures and Videos: Tello’s camera has a high-quality image sensor to capture 5MP (2592×1936) photos and 720p HD videos. If you’re a beginner, one-tap EZ Shots let you shoot pro-level videos to share on social media straight from your smartphone.
Tello is easy to fly and incredibly stable. Thanks to its advanced stabilization technology, it lifts off from your hand by simply tilting your phone in the direction you want it to fly. It can fly indoors or outdoors and fly accurately without hiccups. The drone’s safe power cut-off feature automatically brings it back if it gets too far away or near obstacles, so you can concentrate on having fun instead of worrying about crashes.
The Tello EDU app, created by Ryze Robotics, was developed to make learning to code more engaging and fun—scratch and coding block command Tello, a tiny programmable drone for kids. An exciting part of this software is that it uses a mobile device (a tablet or phone) to control the drone, similar to an FPV (first-person view) setup. The drone’s camera streams live video back to the screen, allowing users to see what the drone sees in real-time.
The Tello drone has a hand-held remote control that can be used without the app to perform tricks and race the drone against other users. The app allows users to program Tello with coding blocks that command it to perform specific movements such as hovering, pirouetting, flying backward or forward, and even flipping upside down or right side up! In addition, users can play games that engagingly teach programming skills with easy-to-use levels for beginners and more challenging classes for advanced students.
6. Best With Camera: AirSelfie Pocket Drone
If you’re looking for a gift for the tech-obsessed kid in your life or a fun toy to get for yourself, this tiny camera drone is a great option. It’s much fun to play with and comes at an affordable price, making it an excellent gift for just about anyone.
The AirSelfie Pocket Drone is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. It can easily slip into any backpack and travel on any adventure. The drone weighs 53 grams, less than two golf balls. The ultra-light design makes it highly portable and durable to withstand damage and continue flying without issue. A simple design makes it easy to use right out of the box—no assembly required!
The 12 MP camera lets you take photos as clearly as it would if a regular camera took them. The 2K/30 video capability means you can shoot even smoother videos. You’ll be able to see everything from a unique perspective that you wouldn’t be able to see otherwise.
What to Look for in Drones for Kids?
| Feature | Importance | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | High | Look for drones with a battery life of at least 10 minutes, which will allow for more enjoyable flying experience. Some drones come with multiple rechargeable batteries. |
| Remote control | Important | A dedicated remote controller is ideal for younger kids, as it helps them stay focused on flying. More advanced drones may connect or rely on a smartphone, which can be a distraction and require a learning curve. |
| Camera | Optional | A camera is not necessary but can be a fun feature for older kids. Keep in mind that adding a camera will increase the price and complexity of flying. It’s best to start with a drone without a camera and upgrade later if desired. |
| Safety features | Critical | Propeller guards are recommended for all first-time flyers to prevent accidents. They can be removed once the user gains enough confidence to fly safely. Also, beware of long hair and drones. Guards can help prevent entanglement accidents. |
| Durability | Important | Kids are prone to crashes, so choosing a drone that can withstand a few knocks and bumps is best. Look for drones made from durable materials like plastic or carbon fiber. |
| Ease of use | Important | Choose a drone that is easy to set up and fly, with clear instructions and a user-friendly interface. Ensure the drone has an intuitive control scheme that is easy for kids to understand. |
| Price | Important | Drones come in different price points, from budget to high-end. Consider your budget and the features you want before making a purchase. Remember that you may need to purchase additional accessories like spare batteries and propeller guards. |
| Customer support | Important | Look for a drone brand offering excellent customer support, easy-to-find contact information, and responsive service. A good warranty is also essential in case of any defects or malfunctions. |
That concludes our ranking of the top drones for kids. We hope that by removing some of the uncertainty from the process, we have made it simpler for you to locate a drone for your kid. Please feel free to ask any questions in the comments section below. And speaking of comments, we’d love to hear your favorite drones, whether on our list or not.
Sources:
- Federal Aviation Administration. Recreational Flyers & Community-Based Organizations.
- Federal Aviation Administration. Airspace 101 – Rules of the Sky.