Flying drones is both exciting and highly rewarding. And it was a hobby for many years reserved for seasoned pilots with technical know-how. But, thankfully, these days, you can find plenty of drones specifically designed with kids in mind. And today’s kid’s drones have dramatically improved over the last five years. So whether your child wants to venture into aerial photography or merely enjoys flying, a drone could be the perfect accessory or gift for a special occasion. And one that will be both fun, educational, and surprisingly affordable.
Table of Contents
But, choosing the best drone will be slightly complicated since they’re many options, most from unrecognizable brands in the industry. Not to mention, each option varies in price, feature set, and their target demographic or age-appropriateness.
And it can be hard to know which options are safe and user-friendly enough for children. So to aid in that quest, we’ve compiled a list of the top ten best drones for kids. And we’ve also included a brief guide on the relevant factors to consider beforehand.
Altair 818 Hornet
Recommended Age: 14+
Registration Required: No
Altair’s 818 Hornet is an upgraded version of their most popular beginner drone, the AA108.
With this update, Altair refined the drone’s design to optimize in-air stability and wind resistance. But, like its predecessor, it’s still intended for outdoor use, and they’ve added large landing gear and thick ringed propeller guards to up its durability. It also obtains a similar 720p HD camera, capturing photos and now videos too in HD resolution to a MicroSD card. And the camera is also damped to reduce aerial vibrations. Otherwise, it’ll connect wirelessly via the FlyingSee App, available for Android and iOS. There, you get full FPV flying support with your phone as the monitor. But, you can also fly the drone using VR goggles for an authentic FPV experience or with the controller alone. But, crucially, the Hornet offers a class-leading flight time of 15 minutes on a single charge, outpacing most rivals in this price range. So you kids will have plenty of time to master aerial maneuvers. Other bonuses include one-key take-off/landing, the headless mode, Emergency Stop, replacement propellers, and an extra battery.
Overall, Altair’s 818 Hornet is an excellent camera drone for kids wanting longer-than-average flights, making it the perfect suite for budding aerial photographers.
Holy Stone HS160 Pro
Recommended Age: 14+
Registration Required: No
Holy Stone’s HS160 Pro is their mid-range advanced drone to succeed the popular HS160 Shadow with big improvements.
With this model, Holy Stone’s added optical flow positioning sensors, which helps the drone remain stable in the air. It also offers a tilting 1080p camera, ready to capture photos and videos. It connects wireless via the Deerc FPV app, available for Android and iOS. There, you get full FPV flying support, using your phone as the monitor. But, you can also access some advanced features like Voice and Gesture control or the Tap Flying mode. But, like its predecessor, it still keeps the foldable palm-sized design weighing only 124g. As such, it’s easy to fold down, and travel tucked away into a jacket pocket. Even so, they’ve upped the robustness of the design, making it more durable and wind-resistant. And it’s perfectly suited for flying outdoors. Other bonuses include one-key take-off, the headless mode, Gravity Sensor Mode, replacement propellers, and an extra battery.
Overall, Holy Stone’s HS160 Pro is a solid update to a fan favorite. And it’s an excellent drone for kids wanting to fly outdoors primarily, especially before advancing to more professional camera drones.
Holy Stone HS170 Predator
Recommended Age: 14+
Registration Required: Yes
Holy Stone’s HS170 Predator is their mid-range mini drone.
The HS170 uses a sculpted design, giving it quite an aggressive stance that measures just under 6 inches and weighs 385g. Even so, the added weight lets the drone offer more powerful motors, upping its flight responsiveness and agility. Now you can perform nifty stunts like 3D flips at the press of a button for intuitive 360º flips in any direction. The drone also offers three speed modes to alter the flight dynamics to suit the pilot’s skill level. And the top speed makes it fit for use outdoors. But, Holy Stone has installed propeller guards and flexible landing feet to protect the motors from hard landings if you want to fly indoors. Other bonuses include the headless mode, one-key return home, altitude hold, and replacement propellers.
Overall, Holy Stone’s HS170 Predator is a great drone for kids wanting to up their piloting skills. And it’s a good in-between drone for kids wanting to get into FPV racing eventually.
Force1 Scoot
Recommended Age: 14+ or 3+ with supervision
Registration Required: No
Force1’s Scoot makes flying as simple as it can be.
With this drone, they’ve removed any unnecessary remotes. Instead, Scoot is a hand-operated drone where kids fly hands-on. Simply toss the drone to launch it, then direct its flight by changing your hand’s position. Force1 has also added several smart sensors and altitude hold functionality for obstacle avoidance, preventing it from flying into walls or other obstacles. And all of the propellers are fully enclosed in a webbed UFO-styled shell, keeping them safe from injury. As such, it’s ideal for use indoors.
Overall, Force1’s Scoot lets kids fly in no time. And it’s an excellent gift for kids interested in drones but not quite ready to pilot one themselves or ready for complex remote controllers.
SNAPTAIN H823H
Recommended Age: 14+ or 4+ with supervision
Registration Required: No
SNAPTAIN’s H823H is their mid-range mini drone.
This drone weighs 240g. But the added size makes it more stable in the air, and it’s still pocketable nonetheless. With this model, Snaptain’s added a protective outer enclosure with full coverage of the propellers. And this design makes it ideal for flying indoors without damages or possible injuries. Even so, the drone offers altitude hold, ensuring it remains stable while hovering. And it’s quite capable, too, with three adjustable flight speeds and excellent responses to the inputs. Yet, it also offers 360º flips and rotations for exciting aerial maneuvers to boot. Other bonuses include the headless mode, one-key return and take-off, replacement propellers, two chargers, and two extra batteries.
Overall, SNAPTAIN’s H823H is an excellent mini drone that’s perfect for learning the basics. But, given its responsiveness, it’s a strong alternative for flying on rainy days for more advanced kids, too.
EACHINE E010 Mini
Recommended Age: 14+ or 4+ with supervision
Registration Required: No
EACHINE’s E010 is their mid-range mini drone.
This palm-sized drone weighs only 50g, with a ducted design to make it more quiet and efficient. The drone is also ultra-small, measuring only 9.5 cm. And it includes a full set of propeller guards, which double as bumpers, making it ideal for flying indoors in tight spaces. Otherwise, EACHINE includes a dedicated remote controller with a one-key return, adjustable flight speed, and even flip controls. And the drone can perform 360º flips and roll-overs, which you can control the direction. The E010 is also one of the most modified drones around and a big hit amongst the DIY crowd. There are many guides online showing how to attach a camera to fly the drone FPV. And it’s arguably the most low-cost means to do so if your child enjoys tinkering. Other bonuses include a headless mode and a set of replacement propellers.
Overall, while straightforward, EACHINE’s E010 is big on fun and sheer entertainment. And it’s an excellent gift or starting point for kids wanting to fly indoors and learn the basics.
SNAPTAIN S5C
Recommended Age: 10+
Registration Required: Yes
SNAPTAIN’s S5C is their mid-range beginner drone.
This drone features a 720p HD camera that tilts vertically and captures stills and videos at 720p resolution to a MicroSD card. It connects wirelessly via the SNAPTAIN Era app, available for Android and iOS. There you get full FPV flying support, using your phone as a monitor, and access to advanced features like Voice and Gesture Control or the Trajectory flight mode. SNAPTAIN designs the S5C primarily for outdoor use. And it comes equipped with a tough ABS outer shell with optional landing gear and propeller guards to protect it from harsh landings or crashes. The drone has an internal barometer, too, letting it compensate for winds and remain stable. But, crucially, it can do 360º flips automatically, and you can control the direction, making it especially exciting. It also offers 3D View, letting you view the feed with VR goggles for true FPV flying with fantastic fidelity. Other bonuses include one-key take-off, one-key return, headless mode, Gravity Sensor Mode, replacement propellers, and an extra battery.
Overall, SNAPTAIN’s S5C is an excellent middle ground between toy drones and higher-end 3-axis drones. And it gives young pilots more advanced flight functions without being overwhelming in the process.
Potensic A20W
Recommended Age: 14+ or 4+ with supervision
Registration Required: No
Potensic’s A20W refines their popular A20 mini drone. And it brings added functionality to this palm-sized ultra-lightweight lineup.
Unlike the A20, they’ve added a fixed 720p HD camera, letting the drone capture stills and videos in 480p resolution. And now it connects wirelessly via the Potensic App, available for Android and iOS. There you can fly FPV using the phone as a monitor. However, like the A20, it’s designed primarily for indoor use. And it comes equipped with a tough outer shell and robust propeller guards to protect it from crashes or prevent injuries. Even so, it has a barometer, giving it altitude hold functionality and makes it supremely stable in the air. And this alone becomes a key advantage, as most drones lack this functionality. It also lets the drone provide the waypoint Path Flight Mode, letting you fly a preset route drawn across the map. And with the drone’s three flight speeds, it’s reasonably apt to fly outdoors in a gentle breeze, if desired. Other bonuses include one-key take-off, headless mode, Gravity Sensor Mode, replacement propellers, and two extra batteries.
Overall, Potensic’s A20W is a substantial improvement over the already popular A20. And it brings better flight functionality, replaceable batteries, and FPV support to the line. Together, it’s quite a solid update and one that lets children focus on maneuvering rather than worrying about altitude.
DJI Mavic Mini
Recommended Age: 16+
Registration Required: No
DJI’s original Mavic Mini was the replacement to the Spark, their first drone aimed towards kids.
With this model, DJI brought the industry’s first stabilized GPS camera drone that flies without registration. Yet, unlike most toy drones, it does so with capabilities that match several pricier, more professional models. In this case, it brings a large 1/2.3-inch sensor, 3-axis mechanical stabilization, 2.7K video, and 1080p slow-motion video. Together, it captures 12MP photos and genuinely smooth social media-worthy videos. And the results it creates are a far cry compared to 1080p only cameras. Yet, it can fly to a maximum range of 4,000m, not the 60m maximum, plagued by most toy drones. And it uses a collapsible design that’s palm-sized with a 30 minute flight time to boast. Other bonuses include landing sensors, intelligent flight modes, replacement propellers, and two extra batteries.
Overall, DJI’s Mavic Mini is a serious drone ideal for teenagers wanting to embark into the world of aerial photography. And it’s a solid all-rounder that easily outperforms most rivals, especially in camera quality.
Ryze Tech Tello
Recommended Age: 14+ or 4+ with supervision
Registration Required: No
The Ryze Tech Tello is a partnered release with DJI. And it’s a drone explicitly designed to be both educational and fun.
The Tello features a 720p HD camera, producing 5MP images and 30 FPS videos with electronic image stabilization. And it connects wirelessly via the Tello app, available for both Android and iOS. Yet, at only 80g, it’s well suited for indoor and outdoor use when using the included propeller guards. But it now offers a mobile programming app, which supports Scratch 3.0 developed by MIT. There you can program Tello to perform movements through coding. Thus, it’s an excellent tool to develop programming skills and a hit amongst the STEM educational crowd. Yet, Tello can even perform flips, stuns, and hits a top speed of 18 mph, perfect for quick adrenaline hits. Other bonuses include intelligent flight modes, one-key take-off/landing, VR compatibility, and vision positioning.
Overall, the Tello by Ryze Tech becomes the best overall drone for kids. It’s capable, and it also offers education value missing from the competition. As such, it’s a great starter package and one that won’t break the bank, too.
What to look for in Drones for Kids
Below is a round-up of the factors to consider when looking for drones for kids.
Altitude Hold
This feature keeps the drone stable when you let go of the remote controls. And it’s a feature that makes it easier to fly since pilots don’t have to continually monitor altitude, throttle, and positioning. It also prevents the drone from randomly running off due to a stray wind, which is helpful when flying outdoors.
Propeller Guards
These accessories wrap around the propellers, protecting both the aircraft from damage and innocent bystanders. And it’s a must for kids wanting to fly drones indoors to guarantee they’ll be safe. You can find models with either partially guarded or fully guarded blades. But, the younger the child, the more guards need to be secured to prevent injury. As such, fully guarded propellers are best.
One-key Take-off/Landing
This is a feature that recalls the aircraft with a single press. And it’s a must for new pilots so the aircraft returns promptly when the batteries are critically low. It also ensures they’ll avoid crashing during landing.
Headless Mode
This mode ignores the drone’s orientation so that no matter where it faces, it moves exactly as the joysticks move. Without this mode, the controls are inverted when the drone faces the pilot. And it’s something that usually confuses young children. So enabling this mode will make it easier for kids to learn flying since the controls stay consistent throughout.
Weight
The drone’s weight will determine both its portability and stability. But, it will also determine whether or not you’ll have to register it beforehand to fly outdoors. Right now, the mandated weight limit for registration is 250g. Anything above that will require registration with the FAA for outdoor flights.
Durability
Kids are likely going to crash many times while learning how to pilot these aircraft. With that, you want a drone that’s adequately protected against most obstacles. And it’s wise to ensure the drone you’re considering offers replacement parts, namely propellers. So if damages occur, you can replace them as needed.
Battery life
Most drones aimed at kids will offer 6-10 minutes of flight time on a single charge. So it’s wise to purchase an extra battery if your child enjoys flying and becomes irritated by the limited battery life.
Last Updated on September 22, 2023 by Photography PX Published May 31, 2021