Last edited on January 25th 2023
Perfect for New Pilots
The best beginner drones are designed to be easy to fly, straightforward to use, and more affordable, making them an excellent choice for novice pilots looking to hone their flying and aerial photography skills. Drones have become increasingly popular in recent years, with a wide range of models available for all levels of experience. In this article, we've rounded up five of the best beginner drones on the market based in 2023.
Whatever your needs, there's a drone on this list that can help you hone your flying and aerial photography skills.
Our List of Affordable Drones
DJI Mini 3 & Mini 3 Pro
The brand-new DJI Mini 3 starts at $499 USD and is a slightly pared-down model that offers some improvements compared to its predecessor, the Mini 2, such as longer flight time. While it lacks advanced features like 4K/60p video, obstacle avoidance, and subject tracking, it's still a lightweight drone that can capture decent photos and video clips. The Mini 3's design is almost identical to that of the Mini 3 Pro, and it can rotate the gimbal to capture social-media-friendly vertical video as well. The Mini 3 is compatible with DJI's RC remote that powers the Mavic 3 series, and its RC-N1 remote as well. The Mini 3 flies, handles, and manoeuvres just like the Mini 3 Pro, with the main difference being its lack of obstacle avoidance sensors.
The DJI Mavic 3 is a high-quality drone that is suitable for both beginners and more advanced users. It has a takeoff weight of 248 g, making it lightweight and easy to handle. It can ascend at a speed of 5 m/s and descend at a speed of 3.5 m/s. It has a maximum horizontal speed of 16 m/s and a maximum takeoff altitude of 4000 metres with the Intelligent Flight Battery or 3000 metres with the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus. The Mavic 3 has a maximum flight time of 38 minutes with the Intelligent Flight Battery or 51 minutes with the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus, and a maximum hovering time of 33 minutes with the Intelligent Flight Battery or 44 minutes with the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus. It has a maximum flight distance of 18 km with the Intelligent Flight Battery or 25 km with the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus, and it can resist wind speeds up to 10.7 m/s. It has a maximum tilt angle of 40° and can operate in temperatures ranging from -10° to 40° C. It has a 1/1.3-inch CMOS image sensor with 12 MP effective pixels and an f/1.7 aperture. It has an ISO range of 100-3200 for video and photo, and an electronic shutter speed of 2 s to 1/8000 s. It can capture photos with a maximum image size of 4000×3000 and supports various still photography modes such as single shot, timed, automatic exposure bracketing, panorama, and HDR. It can also capture 4K, 2.7K, or FHD video with a maximum bitrate of 100 Mbps and a maximum recording time of 29 minutes and 59 seconds. It is compatible with microSD cards with a capacity of up to 256 GB. It has a built-in microphone and a speaker, and it supports live video streaming with a resolution of 720p. It has a built-in 3-axis gimbal for stable footage, and it supports various intelligent flight modes such as ActiveTrack, QuickShot, and Gesture. Overall, the DJI Mavic 3 is a versatile and feature-rich drone that is well-suited for beginners and more advanced users alike.
The Mini 3 Pro starts at $759 USD and is a step up from the Mini 3, offering advanced features like 4K/60p video, obstacle avoidance, and subject tracking. It's a great choice for beginners with larger budgets who want a more advanced and capable drone.
Autel Evo Nano+
The Autel Evo Nano+ is currently on sale at $659 USD and is a strong competitor to the DJI Mini 3 Pro in the sub-250g drone category. It offers impressive performance for a beginner drone, surpassing the DJI Mini 2 in low-light performance and being on par in windy conditions. The Evo Nano+ is a solid alternative to DJI's offerings, and with the potential for refinements through firmware updates, it's worth considering for those looking for an alternative to DJI's drones.
The Autel Evo Nano+ is a lightweight drone weighing in at 249g. It has a maximum ascent speed of 5m/s, maximum level flight speed of 15m/s, and can reach a maximum altitude of 4000 metres. It has a maximum flight time of 28 minutes and a maximum hovering time of 26 minutes, with a maximum flight distance of 16.8km. It is resistant to winds up to 10m/s and has a maximum tilt angle of 33°. It has a 3-axis gimbal and a 50MP CMOS sensor with f/1.9 of aperture. It can capture photos in JPG or DNG (RAW) format and shoot video in 4K resolution at 60fps. It has an intelligent flight mode called "Follow Me" which allows the drone to follow and keep the subject in frame. It has a dual frequency transmission system for a stable video feed and can transmit video up to 8 km away.
Ryze Tello
The Ryze Tello is $99 USD and is a great budget option for beginner drone pilots. Equipped with a 720p camera and weighing just 80g, it's a small and nimble machine that's perfect for first-time flyers to pilot from their smartphone. While it may not have the same advanced features as more expensive models, it's an affordable and user-friendly option for those just starting out.
The Ryze Tello is a small, lightweight quadcopter drone that is capable of flying for up to 13 minutes on a single charge. It has a range of 100 metres, which allows you to fly it a good distance away from you. It also has 720P HD transmission, which means that you can see a clear, high-definition video feed of what the drone is seeing as it flies. The Tello can take 5 MP photos, which will give you decent quality images of the scenery or objects you are flying over. It also has electronic image stabilization, which helps to keep the video feed steady and smooth, even if the drone is flying in windy conditions or through turbulence. The Tello has 3 inch propellers, which help it to move quickly and agilely through the air. It also has a vision system that assists with position lock, which helps the drone to hover in place more accurately. Overall, the Ryze Tello is a compact and versatile drone that is suitable for a wide range of applications.
DJI Mini 2
The DJI Mini 2 is $419 USD and is a solid choice for beginner drone pilots, offering a convenient form factor, intuitive flight controls, and automated shooting modes. It's easy to capture smooth aerial footage with the Mini 2, and it has a maximum range of 10km. Improved motors, stabilisation, and wind resistance make it capable of producing rock-steady footage in most conditions, and the Mini 2 can capture 4K footage at 30fps. While it doesn't have obstacle avoidance, the Mini 2 is still a top pick for beginner pilots.
The DJI Mavic Mini 2 is a small and lightweight drone that is capable of reaching speeds of up to 16 m/s (in S mode) and has a maximum flight time of 31 minutes. It is equipped with a 3-axis gimbal and a 1/2.3” CMOS camera that can capture 4K video at 24/25/30 fps and 12 MP still photos. The Mavic Mini 2 has a maximum service ceiling of 4000 m above sea level and can withstand wind speeds of up to 10.5 m/s. It has a hovering accuracy range of ±0.1 m (with vision positioning) and ±0.3 m (with GPS positioning) and can operate in temperatures ranging from 0°C to 40°C. It is compatible with microSD cards and can store photos and videos in JPEG, DNG, and MP4 formats.
DJI Avata
The DJI Avata starts at $1,168 USD and is a great introduction to FPV (first-person view) flying for beginner pilots. Using a combination of DJI's Motion Controller and one of its two flavors of DJI Goggles, you can fly it indoors or outside while shooting impressive 4K/60p video. It's well-designed, pretty crash-resistant, and easy to fly, making it an ideal choice for those looking to shoot unique aerial footage.
The DJI Avata is a small, lightweight drone designed for use with DJI Goggles 2 or DJI FPV Goggles V2. It is equipped with a 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor and a lens with a 155° field of view. The Avata is capable of capturing 48 MP still photos and 4K video at up to 60 fps, with a max video bitrate of 150 Mbps. It has a single-axis gimbal for stabilising the camera and supports RockSteady and HorizonSteady electronic image stabilisation. The Avata has a takeoff weight of approximately 410 grams. It can reach speeds of up to 14 m/s in sport mode and has a max hover time of approximately 18 minutes. It is powered by a 2420 mAh intelligent flight battery. The transmission system allows for a range of up to 11.6 km. The Avata is equipped with a downward-facing sensing system that can hover accurately at heights of up to 10 m. It is compatible with microSD cards up to 256 GB and has 20 GB of internal storage.
Conclusion
There are plenty of excellent options for beginner drone pilots, whether you're looking for a budget option like the Ryze Tello or a more advanced model like the DJI Mini 2 or Mini 3 Pro. Whatever your needs, there's a drone on this list that can help you hone your flying and aerial photography skills. Just be sure to carefully consider your budget and what features you're looking for in a beginner drone before making a purchase. With a little bit of research and some practice, you'll be on your way to becoming a pro pilot in no time.
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