Ten years ago, droning used to be an expensive hobby for a small group of passionate people. Nowadays, you can’t throw a rock without hitting a drone – they are basically everywhere. With so many options on the market, it can be hard to decide which model to choose, especially if you are a beginner, the reason for which we have compiled a small list of the best affordable drones for rookie pilots.
Nowadays, due to the accelerated development of new technologies and how accessible some electronics are, it’s possible to find sub $200 drones. These are great for those who want to get started in the drone-flying world, without spending a large sum of money, but still being able to capture high-quality video and photography. Here are the five best drones for beginner photographers.
Holy Stone F181
When it comes to beginner drones, the Holy Stone F181 is one of the best options currently available on the market. Featuring the latest stabilization and anti-heating technologies, this drone is capable of effortlessly traversing any indoor and outdoor spaces, regardless of the number of obstacles. In this entry, we will be focusing on this model’s main features and specs, but if you want a full Holy Stone F181 review, make sure to check out the article published by Droneista.
The Holy Stone F181 features for brushless coreless engines which are built, from the ground up, to prevent overheating on extended flights. Furthermore, the sturdy propeller blades have a curvature that decreases air resistance, which allows users to take sharp, sudden turns and traverse tight spaces with relative ease.
In terms of battery life, the drone has a 3.7 V 750 mAh battery that lasts for about 8 minutes. The battery is decent enough to support extended flights, however, it has an annoying tendency to run out faster if the camera is activated or if the user decides to perform multiple consecutive evasions and rolls.
On the upside, the camera itself is very good, considering the drone’s relatively low price tag. The device comes with a 2-megapixel CMOS imaging sensor that is capable of shooting pictures and recording videos in HD quality. That same sensor has a neat feature: an auto-focus mode, which will significantly decrease the chances of shooting blurry and shaky pictures.
Sky Viper Video Drone
Another perfectly viable beginner drone is this model called the Sky Viper Video Drone. It is suitable for every drone rookie aged 12 years and older due to its excellent calibration capabilities and rookie friendly options. Similar to other beginner drones, this one can sustain many crashes and collisions thanks to its polypropylene body, and guard propeller protection. The adjustable sensitivity option gives users the opportunity to customize the difficulty level, which encourages beginners to learn as they are piloting the drone.
The image quality, while not great, is decent enough to satisfy casual drone pilots. But considering its price tag (83 dollars), you are getting a solid, sturdy UAV that will help you hone your flying and shooting skills.
UDI 818A HD+
While this drone is designed for all pilots regardless of level, the producers built it, from the ground up, with beginners in mind. As proof, the drone has sturdy elasticated plastic blade guards to protect it from those unavoidable beginner crashes.
In fact, the whole drone, from the body, blades, camera and the rest of the components are built and designed to be crash-proof. This device can withstand a lot of abuses, and beginners can rest assured that this drone will not be turned into an amalgam of plastic and wires as soon as it collides with a wall or a tree for the first time.
Regarding its photo/video capabilities, the UDI 818A HD+ is equipped with a small, 2 MP forward facing camera. The optics quality is excellent for a drone in this price range. Sure, you will get the occasional shaky photo and video, but its flawless and well-integrated stabilization technology ensures that this slight nuisance will be the exception and not the norm.
Cheerwing Syma X5SW-V3
Another excellent choice for rookie photographers is the Cheerwing Syma X5SW-V3. It has all the features that you would expect from a drone in this price range, but what truly makes it stand out from the others is its additional perks and characteristics.
This drone is perfect if you want to enhance your flying and aerial videography and photography skills. The camera supports full Wi-Fi compatibility, sending live videos and photos straight to your iPhone or Android smartphone. Furthermore, it has an FPV (First Person View mode) that allows users to view the surroundings from the perspective of the drone. But to activate this option, you will have to download and install the application, which can be easily done by scanning the QR code shown on the side of the box.
DJI Phantom 3
The DJI Phantom Drone is suitable to two types of people: those who want to make the transition from beginner drones to something more advanced, or rookies who want a good device to learn on. Either way, the DJI Phantom has a plethora of features that will satisfy both categories. It is a handsome, easy to fly drone with great calibration and lots of extra features that you would not find on less expensive models.
The camera is built in and shoots video in 2.7k, meaning the image quality is about three times clearer than what an HDTV is capable of rendering. While there are certainly drones with better cameras, the optics are clean and accurate, and you will rarely if ever, get a shaky picture. If you are a beginner photographer and have a few extra hundred dollars to spare, consider investing in this DJI Phantom 3 model.
Conclusion
Five, ten years ago, casual droning was the stuff of either science fiction movies or rich people, but now, it has become more affordable than ever. If you are a dedicated photographer who wants to capture pictures and videos from unique perspectives, consider buying one of these five drones, as they are very suitable for beginners.
