Best Drones for Kids to buy

Summary –

Drones really took off in the last decade due to its versatility and ease of use. Whether it is to fly for fun or for commercial purposes, a drone can do so many things that would otherwise be extremely difficult or sometimes even impossible. Flying an object is always something that most kids dream about. When paper kites and paper airplanes were all the rage, children yearned for these. Then came the miniature toy rockets which one could shoot up into the sky. Today we live in a fascinating time when kids can actually pilot a flying machine from the comfort of their homes. Buying the best drones for kids will depend on a number of factors ranging from budget, features, and usability. Here are some of the best options available in the market.

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Best Drones for Kids

One of the Best Beginner Camera Drone for Kids

Altair AA108

The Altair AA108 comes with a 720p FPV camera, a range of 100 meters, ‘first-person view’, headless mode, altitude hold functionality, 3 different skill modes and 2 batteries (battery life of 10 minutes). It’s ideal for kids who are 14 years of age and older. What makes the Altair AA108 unique from the rest of its competitors is that it doesn’t look like a kid’s drone. At first glance, you really wouldn’t know that it’s a drone for beginners.  It is also designed to be flown both indoors and outdoors thanks to the many features and modes it comes with. The body is made up of durable plastic and can withstand minor crashes easily. The design also allows it to hover in a more stable manner which is great for kids and beginners. Size-wise it weighs about 1.7 pounds which is pretty lightweight.

It has a one-touch takeoff and landing functionality which is very helpful for beginners. Both these activities often cause a lot of stress in traditional drones. One great aspect of this drone is that you can actually progress your skills with it. It comes with different skill modes so that you can start off with the basic one and gradually move towards the higher skill mode. The Altitude Hold feature ensures that the drone will hover in the air without any user input. This will allow you to take full advantage of the 720p camera and take some amazing crystal-clear photographs from the air. You can also draw a flight path on your smartphone and have the drone fly accordingly.

The 720p camera is a great feature to have as it not only has a 120-degree wide-angle view, but it also allows for a ‘first-person view’ while flying. As far as the battery is concerned, the Altair AA108 will always let you know when the battery is low by sounding an alarm. This way you can always get it to land in time and avoid having it crash into the ground. Although, it would be better to always keep track of the time so that you know in advance when the power will be depleted. All in all, the Altair AA108 is a great beginner drone for kids that will surely meet and exceed all your expectations.

Who Should Buy This?

• It’s perfect for those who want to buy a very easy to fly and handle kids drone.
• Photography buffs who want a great 720p camera on their drone.
• It’s a great choice in terms of simplified navigation and features.

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One of the Best Mini Drones for Kids

Holy Stone HS170

The Holy Stone HS170 Predator Mini Drone comes with a 2.4 GHz Anti Interference technology, 6-Axis Gyro stabilization system, range of 30-50 meters, 6-8 minutes of battery life, wind resistant control and a headless flight system. This little helicopter drone may look like it can’t do much but don’t be fooled for it has many tricks up its sleeves. The minimum age for using this drone is 14 years similar to the Altair AA108. This drone is considerably smaller than a lot of its competitors and is perfect for flying indoors as well as outdoors. Its size is quite small with dimensions of 5.31 x 1.57 x 5.31 inches and weighs only 15.2 ounces

Flying it is incredibly easy as it comes with both a headless mode and a carefree mode which is perfect for beginners or those who don’t have much experience flying drones. You also get three different speed modes and as you get a better handle on flying it, you can experiment with higher speeds. It is important to note that the lowest speed mode would be the best choice for flying indoors. The 6-Axis Gyro technology is amazing as it allows you to perform some really cool stunts such as rolls and flips with ease. As far as the flying is concerned you will be doing it via a remote control which comes with it. One small issue, however, is that the buttons on the control aren’t marked and so it will take some time to get used to it.

The battery life of 8 minutes may feel a tad too low but it’s the average time you will get for a drone in this price range. It would be wise to carry a spare battery around to make sure that your fun doesn’t get over too quickly. It takes about an hour to recharge the battery fully and so swapping a new one before the old one runs out would be ideal. It also comes with LED lights so you can have loads of fun flying it in the night. All in all, the Holy Stone HS170 drone is easily one of the best value low-end drones for kids mainly because of its very attractive price point.

Who Should Buy This?

• It’s perfect for those who want to buy a kid-friendly affordable drone.
• It’s ideal for those who are looking for a small and lightweight drone for their kids below the age of 14 years.
• It’s a great choice for those seeking a drone that comes with LED lights for night flying.

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One of the Best Budget Drones for Kids

Cheerwing Syma

The Cheerwing Syma is a headless quad-copter drone that comes with a battery life of 5-7 minutes, a range of 50 meters, 6-Axis gyro-based stability, 360-degree rolling action, 0.3 MP Wi-Fi Camera and a durable, crash resistant body. At first glance, the Cheerwing Syma looks quite spectacular with its four-winged design. It has the looks of a 90’s science fiction series gadget which is extremely cool. It comes with a headless mode too. Usually, the front part of a flying object is assumed to be leading the way when traveling on a path. In headless mode, any part of the drone can be made to travel forward. This makes flying substantially easy as you don’t have to always navigate with the front part of the drone. With dimensions of 12.4 x 12.4 x 4.13 inches and weighing about 0.26 pounds, the drone is much bigger than mini-drones like Holy Stone HS170, etc., but, at the same time, it is considerably lightweight too.

The drone with its 6-Axis gyro stability system adds extra stability to the drone’s flight. One unique aspect of this drone is it’s 160 degrees rolling action feature where you can make it flip 360 degrees at the push of a single button. With this, your kid will be able to spend his/her time happily doing stunts while they learn how to fly. You also get colorful flashing lights on the Cheerwing Syma which makes flying at night a breeze. This night flight mode provides oodles of fun especially if you mix a bit of imagination into it.

One pretty awesome aspect of this drone is that it comes with an FPV (first person view) Wi-Fi camera which you can use to not only to navigate but also to take pictures and videos in real time. The 0.3 MP camera can take 480p pictures, which isn’t really great but very nice for such an affordable drone. The 3.7V 500 mAh Li-po battery provides you with up to 5-7 minutes of flight from a full charge. Charging it up via USB will take about 90-120 minutes. It is important to note that controller batteries won’t be included in the package. All in all, the Cheerwing Syma is an amazingly durable and affordable quad-copter drone that is perfect for kids who want to learn how to fly drones.

Who Should Buy This?

• It’s perfect for those looking for an affordable but durable drone for their kids.
• It’s ideal for those who want a drone that can teach beginners how to fly.
• It’s a great choice for those seeking a drone that comes with night flight mode.

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One of the Best Budget Drones for Kids, with the Looks of a Toy

GoolRC T36 Mini Drone

The GoolRC T36 comes with a range of 30 meters, headless mode, built-in positioning system, 360-degree flip button, 6-Axis gyro-based flight stability, 2.4 GHz remote control technology and a battery life of 5 minutes. Design wise it looks like a toy with vibrant colors and will surely appeal to small kids even though the recommended age is 14 years and above. It is quite refreshing to see a drone that looks more toy-like since most of its competitors come with a more mature design. Even the remote looks like a small kid’s toy. With a size of 3.3 x 3.3 x 1.4 inches and a weight of 0.7 ounces, it’s pretty small and perfect for flying in enclosed spaces like your living room or bedroom. Due to its small size, flying outdoors will require you to be more careful as you can easily lose sight of the drone in bushes and trees. However, with the inbuilt positioning system and the return button, you will be able to bring it back easily.

As far as controls are concerned, you have the standard forward, backward, up, down, left, right and sideward flight navigation options on the remote as well as the ability to just hover without moving. You can also make the drone flip a full 360-degrees in the air with the push of a single button for extra fun while flying. The range is a little bit lower than others with only 30 meters, but, it’s not bad considering the price it is sold at. What’s interesting about this drone is its power, considering its small size. You might find it to be a bit faster than what you would expect, so it would be better to be cautious when flying it for the first time.

As far as the battery life is concerned, 5 minutes may not seem like much but you do get a bonus battery which will add another 5 minutes to your flight time. The charging time is approximately 50 minutes, which is very convenient. With inbuilt LED lights you will be able to fly the drone at night time with a decent amount of visibility. You also get spare propellers and a small screwdriver with the package. Overall the GoolRC T36 Mini is a great drone to get started for kids due to its great price and robust performance.

Who Should Buy This?

• It’s perfect for those looking for a cheap starter drone for their kids.
• It’s ideal for those who want a drone that looks more toy-like and less mature in design.
• It’s a great choice for those seeking a small drone for flying mostly indoors as it is very compact and lightweight.

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One of the Best Video Taking Drones for Kids

DROCON U818PLUS

The Drocon U818Plus comes with a wide-angle lens 720P camera, range of 50-100 meters, Wi-Fi FPD real-time transmission, altitude hold mode, custom flight route, gravity control, 3D VR mode and a 1000 mAh 7.4 V LiPo battery that gives up to 15 minutes of flight time. Design-wise it really stands out from the rest due to its height as it uses lengthy landing struts at the bottom. The camera with its mount also protrudes a bit making the whole drone look larger than it is. At 15.2 x 14.29 x 7.52 inches and weighing about 2.75 pounds, it’s bigger than a lot of its competitors. You also have an LED under each of the 4 motors which light up the drone efficiently at night.

The camera is one very unique aspect of this drone. With 720P resolution and 120 degrees wide-angle lens, you can take some really cool photographs and videos. You can also adjust the camera up and down manually to get the right shots. You can also remove it quite easily by sliding it forward and removing it from the mount. Another cool feature is that the remote for this drone has a built-in stand for keeping a smartphone. You can attach your smartphone and experience ‘first-person view’ while flying the drone. This remote is a lot more comfortable to handle thanks to the perfect spacing of the buttons. You have a small LED light at the top of the remote which indicates to you the various functions. You also get an alarm whenever the drone flies out of range or if the battery goes low.

Other cool features include the one key take off and land option where you just have to press a button to make the drone take off or land. Another one is speed control where you can set the speed of your drone by choosing from three presets. The FPV app is also VR compatible so if you have a pair of VR goggles you can have an impressive and more fun-filled flying experience. You can also set up your flight route in the FPV app and have the drone follow the same path. As far as the battery life is concerned, it has an impressive 1000 mAh battery which gives about 15 minutes of flight time. However, charging can be quite lengthy as it may take up to 3 hours to charge the battery to full capacity. All in all, the DROCON U818Plus is a great drone that comes with a lot of fun-filled features that will certainly keep your kid entertained for a long time.

Who Should Buy This?

• It’s perfect for those looking for a bigger sized drone for their kids.
• It’s ideal for those who are looking for additional cool features such as a remote with a built-in smartphone stand, 720P adjustable camera, speed modes, etc.
• It’s a great choice for those seeking a more mature looking drone for their kids.

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One of the Most Versatile Drones for Kids

SNAPTAIN S5C

The SNAPTAIN S5c drone comes with a battery life of 15 minutes, a range of 80 meters, 720P camera, gesture control, altitude hold, gravity sensor, one key take-off/landing, VR compatibility and a durable matte finish black body. This stylish looking drone certainly stands out from the rest of the pack with its matte black body and blue patches of color via LED lights spread around its hull. It certainly has a Robocop or Judge Dread vibe to it with its angular and streamlined body design. It’s made up of ABS plastic which gives a significant amount of durability and is superior to the toy grade plastic used by most of its competitors. It can easily withstand small crashes but like every other drone, they are not meant to be flown roughly. The propellers are one of the most delicate parts of any drone. Thanks to the anti-collision barriers placed around the propellers, you will be able to significantly reduce the damage caused by minor crashes or accidents. It’s also pretty big in size with 13.4 x 13.4 x 3.1 inches and weighing 1.5 pounds.

The 720P camera can be found at the front of the drone and it snaps higher quality pictures than what you expect from a kid’s drone. Top tier drones, of course, have way better image quality but for an inexpensive drone, it’s quite remarkable. One very unique aspect of this drone is its gesture control. It’s activated by tapping ‘YEAH’. If you face the camera and make this gesture, then the drone will take a picture. If you make a ‘PALM’ gesture, then the camera will start recording. This is a really cool feature to have especially when you need to take group selfies, photographs of you and your friends, etc. Altitude hold is also another very helpful feature that makes taking pictures and recording videos smooth and easy.

The gravity control feature is another unique aspect of this drone. It comes with a built-in G-sensor that can control the drone by adjusting the vertical and horizontal position of your smartphone through the Snaptain Era app. Other features such as headless mode, 360-degree flips, speed modes, and single key takeoff/landing are pretty much the same as found in most other drones. It also comes with VR compatibility if you want a more impressive FPV experience while flying the drone. The controller feels good to hold in the hand and comes with a stand for placing your smartphone. With so many features and unique aspects, the Snaptain S5C is easily one of the most versatile drones you can buy in the market today.

Who Should Buy This?

• It’s perfect for those looking for a futuristic looking drone for their kids.
• It’s ideal for those who want a durable drone that can withstand minor accidents.
• It’s a great choice for those seeking a variety of different features in an affordable package.

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One of the Coolest Looking Drones for Kids

Holy Stone HS160 Shadow

The Holy Stone HS160 comes with a range of 50-70 meters, 7-9 minutes of flight time, 6-Axis gyro stability system, 3D VR compatibility, 720P HD camera, altitude hold feature, gravity sensor mode, one key takeoff/landing functionality, 4-speed modes, modular batteries and gorgeous foldable panels around its body. This drone is easily one of the best-looking drones in the market today for kids with its sleek and futuristic design. It has foldable and flexible blades that you can arrange for better portability which is something you don’t see in most kid’s drones. The flat and sleek body is truly something to marvel at. Size wise it is 2.64 x 5.51 x 1.18 inches in size and weighs about 2.82 ounces making it neither too big nor too small while making it lightweight and compact.

The 720P HD camera allows you to take gorgeous aerial shots and videos which you can store in either the app or on your smartphone. In the app, you can switch to the 3D mode which will give you a more impressive experience while flying the drone. You get a cool looking controller with a built-in stand for your smartphone. With the help of the gravity sensor mode, you can navigate the drone by using the smartphone. All you have to do is switch on the app and you are good to go. You also get 4 different speed modes that you can utilize depending on the skill you have and your experience in flying drones. This drone is ideal not only for beginners but also for experts which adds so much value in terms of what you get for such an attractive and affordable price.

The modular battery used in the HS160 shadow allows you to have an improved flight time and protects you against overcharging it. It uses 2 powerful 3.7 V 500 mAh batteries which do a pretty good job of sustaining your fun. You get a decent flight time of 8 minutes per battery but since you get a spare battery, you will get a total flight time of 16 minutes which is good enough. All in all, the Holy Stone HS160 is an amazing looking drone with lots of features, decent power, and great portability.

Who Should Buy This?

• It’s perfect for those looking for a gorgeously cool drone for their kids.
• It’s ideal for those who are on the move, due to its ease of portability and foldable design.
• It’s a great choice for a beginner, intermediate or expert flier thanks to the 4 different speed modes.

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One of the Best Drones for Kids who Love Star Wars

Air Hogs Star Wars Millennium Falcon Drone

The Air Hog Millennium Falcon drone comes with a range of 50-60 meters, 140 mAh Lipo battery, intuitive control, authentic sounds and lights and an impact resistant foam body. With a size of 9.5 x 7 x 1.9 inches and weighing 3 pounds, the Air Hogs Millennium Falcon drone is one of the bigger drones available for kids. Design-wise it is sure to turn a lot of heads as it closely follows the look and feel of the original vehicle seen in Star Wars. It’s not an exact replica as it has four round slots on top for the motors but it looks close enough. One unique aspect of this drone is the fact that it is mostly made up of impact resistant foam and not the ordinary toy grade plastic. Although this drone is a bit bigger than others, it is actually recommended for indoor usage more than outdoors. Due to the overall shape of the drone, fighting wind resistance outside might prove to be a little bit difficult.

It also comes with authentic lights and sounds found in the Star Wars universe to really impress you into the world and lore of the insanely popular franchise. You even have small LED thrusters that light up when you turn the drone on. The controller is also designed with the Star Wars theme and looks quite nice. Buttons are placed with sufficient spacing for easier navigation control. One surprising aspect of the controller is that it actually has speakers that play Star Wars sounds when you press the left, front trigger. You get about a dozen different sound effects such as R2D2 beeping, laser beams firing, going to hyper-drive, etc. Small things like these really add to the overall value of this drone.

Feature-wise it’s pretty basic as the appeal is more on the look and feel of it rather than its performance. The battery gives an approximate flight time of 5 minutes which is ok but sadly you don’t get a replaceable battery with this model. The existing battery is actually soldered in so you can’t remove and replace it for increased flight time. The Air Hogs Millennium Falcon drone is not by any means perfect or powerful but it is honestly an amazing product that is catered for kids who love playing with their imagination and creating worlds of their own. With this Drone, they can create their own stories in the Star Wars universe and play them out in the comfort of their own home.

Who Should Buy This?

• It’s perfect for kids who are Star Wars fans.
• It’s ideal for kids who love playing with their imagination and have an interest in science fiction.
• It’s a great choice for those looking for an indoor drone.

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Conclusion

When it comes to buying the best drones for kids, it is important to consider a few aspects thoroughly so as to get the best value for your money. First and foremost is the scope of usage. Are you planning to fly the drone inside your own house? Or, are you planning to fly it in your backyard or outside? If it’s for all the three, then you need to look for one that will have better stability and range. This will, of course, be a bit pricier than a low end one for flying in and around your house. Next is to look at what all features you need in your drone. Do you need automatic landing and takeoff functionality? Do you want an onboard camera so your kid can take videos of its flight? You will find a wide variety of options when it comes to buying drones for your kids. With a little bit of research, you will be able to find the best drone at the right budget and this will put a big smile on your kid’s face.

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