Find the best drones under $200!
Last Updated: March 12, 2023
Many drones cost over $500, but you can spend less to get a high-quality drone. Many lower-end affordable personal drones can do the same things as the higher-end models with many options. This article highlights more affordable drone options if you are on a budget. We will help you find the best drones that cost less than $200.
In its simplest form, a drone is an unmanned aircraft. Under the law, drones are more commonly called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). A drone is an autonomous flying robot that can fly autonomously or be remotely controlled with software-controlled flight plans embedded in the aircraft systems. This flight software works in combination with a global positioning system (GPS) and onboard sensors.
Until recently, unmanned aerial vehicles were most commonly used by the military. They were initially used as weapons for intelligence gathering and anti-aircraft target practice. Personal drones are now also used in a wide range of roles:
All autonomous flying drones have a mini computer system and remote control used by a ground-based pilot controlling the aerial object. As each drone is different in size and power capabilities, how each drone’s flight initiation changes from one to the next. Some drones are so small that they must be thrown into the air to start them. However, once airborne, most operate with similar methods of maintaining flight control.
Most drones are powered by lithium-polymer batteries and use four horizontal propellers, called a quadcopter, that help the drone stay in flight. Many drones have a range of sensors to relay information to the person controlling the drone. These sensors include collision sensors that help the drone from crashing into objects, people, and other drones.
With a comprehensive collection of sizes, styles, sizes, and capabilities, drones can be used for many activities. Below are some common and fun ways drone enthusiast use their drones for personal use:
LEARN MORE ABOUT DRONES!
Below we will describe our top picks for the best drones under $200 and why:
List Price: $179.00
Price: $159.99
Dimensions: 12.05"L x 7.6"W x 3.6"H
Weight: 176g
Flight Time: 13 Minutes
Flight Range: 984ft
Speed: 3-speed settings
Video Resolution: 1080p 110° Wide Angle Camera
Obstacle Avoidance: No
Auto Hovering: Yes
Follow Me Mode: Yes
Auto Return / GPS: Yes
Drone Color: Black
Media Type: SD
Control Type: Remote Control with App
PROS
CONS
This is our pick for the best drone under $200.The Holy Stone brand has been around for almost 10 years and has sold over 5 million drones. The new HS110G is great for beginners but not meant for children. The new Holy Stone HS110G Quadcopter is perfect for pictures and videos. If you need footage for commercial use or are a hobbyist, this drone is an excellent choice for its quality and price.
The HS110G is a simplistic yet professional-looking design. In the four corners of the drone, there are four propellers, and under each one, there is a bright LED to help the drone pilot navigate. The LEDs allow this great drone to fly at night while making it easy for the operator to see in the night sky.
List Price: $89.00
Price: $74.99
Dimensions: 14.2"L x 11.8"W x 3.2"H
Weight: 712g
Flight Time: 12 Minutes
Flight Range: 328ft
Speed: 3-speed settings
Video Resolution: FHD 1080p
Obstacle Avoidance: No
Auto Hovering: Yes
Follow Me Mode: No
Auto Return / GPS: Yes
Drone Color: Grey & Blue
Media Type: SD
Control Type: Remote Control with App
PROS
CONS
The Hiturbo S20 is perfect for kids or adults and allows the drone pilot to fly with the remote control or their smartphone. Because this drone is easier to operate, it is excellent for people learning to fly drones. This beginner drone is a great gift idea for any girl or boy!
This a helpful tip for those looking to purchase this drone. Make sure to calibrate the gyroscope after every crash and when the drone is turned on. You can hold both joysticks in the lower left or right 45° positions. This will help with drone stability and control.
List Price: $199.98
Dimensions: 9.4"L x 9.4"W x 2.8"H
Weight: 250g
Flight Time: 28 Minutes
Flight Range: 1,148ft
Speed: -
Video Resolution: 4K UHD 2160p
Obstacle Avoidance: No
Auto Hovering: Yes
Follow Me Mode: Yes
Auto Return / GPS: Yes
Drone Color: Grey
Media Type: SD
Control Type: Remote Control with App
PROS
CONS
If you are looking for the drone with the most flight time, the SYMA X500 is that drone. This compact, lightweight, and foldable drone has an excellent sleek grey design. The micro-SD card allows video recording instead of needing Wi-Fi to record at the highest resolution possible.
The remote is also very simplistic and easy to use. This factored in with the FPV capabilities, will give drone pilots almost an hour of fun between two batteries. This drone has many advanced features with its long flight time, making it one of our top picks for drones under $200.
List Price: $259.98
Price: $169.98
Dimensions: 14.2"L x 11.8"W x 2.8"H
Weight: 214g
Flight Time: 23 Minutes
Flight Range: 984ft
Speed: -
Video Resolution: 4K with 110° wide-angle
Obstacle Avoidance: No
Auto Hovering: Yes
Follow Me Mode: Yes
Auto Return / GPS: Yes
Drone Color: Black
Media Type: SD
Control Type: Remote Control with App
PROS
CONS
The best value drone for your dollar is the Holy Stone HS175D. The drone is lightweight because of the brushless motors, while this foldable drone has a lot of intelligent functions. This drone’s list price is over the $200 mark; however, most places have it listed for well under that. This is why it makes our best value drone for your dollar.
This drone has excellent video quality and a great flight time compared to others in this drone category. This also has a VR mode if operators want a more immersed flying experience. The drone trace function can follow you automatically and fly around a point in circles.
List Price: $109.99
Price: $79.99
Dimensions: 8.9"L x 7.5"W x 2.8"H
Weight: 148g
Flight Time: 10 Minutes
Flight Range: 260ft
Speed: 3-speed modes
Video Resolution: 1080p with 120° wide-angle
Obstacle Avoidance: No
Auto Hovering: Yes
Follow Me Mode: No
Auto Return / GPS: Yes
Drone Color: Black or Black and White
Media Type: SD
Control Type: Remote Control with App
PROS
CONS
The ATTOP X-PACK 18 is the #1 selling drone on Amazon for under $200. For its listed price of just over $100, you can see why this drone for beginners is the best-selling drone on Amazon. Plus, it comes in two color options, black and black and white, allowing drone pilots to choose a color that fits their liking.
This budget drone has some great features that include; one key takeoff/landing, headless mode function, flight path mode, 3-speed mode, voice control, 360° flip function, gravity control, emergency stop, VR mode, and one key return. The advanced App control lets you control anything from your remote or smartphone.
View the newer model ATTOP X-PACK 3, which is cheaper and comes in black, blue, or white.
List Price: $141.99
Dimensions: 8.64L x 6.35"W x 2.4"H
Weight: 43.5g
Flight Time: 4 Minutes
Flight Range: 400ft
Speed: 75 mph
Video Resolution: Runcam Nano 2
Obstacle Avoidance: No
Auto Hovering: No
Follow Me Mode: No
Auto Return / GPS: No
Drone Color: White
Media Type: SD
Control Type: Remote Control
PROS
CONS
If you are interested in racing drones, the EMAX Tinyhawk 2 is the drone for you. With a top speed of 75mph, the Tinyhawk 2 is a quick quadcopter built for indoor racing or outdoors with minimal wind. It also has adequate protection around its propeller blades if it crashes during racing.
This little drone is fast, durable, and a great racing drone for anyone 12 and older. This drone is priced so anyone can get into racing, but the one major knock on this drone is the battery life. This affects the flight time because the battery life constrains the power the drone can exert.
List Price: $69.99
Price: $44.99
Dimensions: 3.54L x 3.31"W x 1.34"H
Weight: 31g
Flight Time: 6 Minutes
Flight Range: 330ft
Speed: High and low speed
Video Resolution: HD 720p
Obstacle Avoidance: No
Auto Hovering: Yes
Follow Me Mode: No
Auto Return / GPS: No
Drone Color: Red
Media Type: SD
Control Type: Remote Control with App
PROS
CONS
This mini drone is the smallest and most compact drone on our list. The Holy Stone HS420 is a kid-safe toy drone with more features than you'd expect for the price. With its tiny frame, this pocket-sized drone can be easily stored and taken where ever you want.
This drone features a very well-designed micro-battery pack that snaps on and off the drone's underside, making changing the batteries incredibly easy. They are the best-designed swappable batteries we have seen on a drone this tiny, but the battery life is very short, allowing for only 6 minutes of flight time.
Drones have a lot of components that include the following:
Drones also have a lot of features that include the following:
There are two main personal drone platform types:
There are lots of options for personal drones for people to buy. As drone technology advances, they are becoming cheaper, and now many personal drones sell for less than $200. Personal drones usually weigh less than 10 pounds or can be as light as 250 grams. Many people use them for racing, recreational videography, or aerial photography. Generally, you can find discounts on drones around the holidays, making owning a drone more affordable.
What is the difference between aerial drones?
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