- 2 days ago
Looking for the best beginner drones in 2025? Whether you want to capture stunning aerial shots, track your adventures, or just have fun flying, there’s a perfect drone for you. @paulAntill shares the top picks, covering budget-friendly options, top camera drones, and the easiest to learn and fly. From DJI to HoverAir, this list breaks down what makes each drone worth buying.
Category
🤖
TechTranscript
00:00Hey, if you're here, you're probably looking for the best beginner drones, and lucky for you,
00:03I've tested a ton of them, including a few that just hit the market. I've been flying drones ever
00:07since the original DJI Mavic in 2016, so I've seen firsthand how much they've evolved, and you've
00:13seen a lot of my recent favorites right here on this channel. Whether you want the drone with the
00:16best camera, longest flight time, or just something that's great for beginners, I've got you covered.
00:21Let's break down the best options, and you can find all of them linked below. Let's kick things
00:25off with the best overall beginner drone, the DJI Flip. I've been flying this ever since it
00:29launched, and it offers the best balance of features and price for most people. Unfold it,
00:35and it will turn on automatically. Put it on your palm, it'll chirp, it'll detect me,
00:40and with the press of a button... Medium follow. Three, two, one.
00:46So long as I walk this way, it will follow me. Can't go backwards because it doesn't have sensors
00:57on the back, but this is pretty cool, right? And then I can also just as easily land it right
01:02back on my palm. The $439 Flip introduces a brand new folding design where the rotors are encased in
01:09this protective guard, keeping the drone safer from accidental bumps when flying closer to obstacles
01:13or people. When I first tested this, I loved how I could just walk up right to the drone and play
01:18patty cake with it. That said, it only has forward-facing obstacle avoidance, not as good as the
01:23Mini 4 Pro's full 360-degree protection, but still better than the Mini 4K, which has none.
01:29Speaking of the Mini 4 Pro, the Flip shares the same 1 over 1.3-inch CMOS camera sensor,
01:35delivering 48-megapixel images and 4K video up to 100 frames per second, along with many of those
01:41same shooting modes that we find on that other drone, saving you about $220. You'll get stunning
01:46detail and colors, either in its default picture profile or with its 10-bit D-LogM recording modes
01:52for those who want to fine-tune the look of their video. Flight time is about 31 minutes, which is
01:57average for the category. With its prop guards, it's not as quick or agile as these other drones,
02:01but it offers so much value that it's not just the best beginner drone, it's the best value drone
02:06that you can buy today. The original Hover Air X1 popularized the selfie drone, and now the X1 Pro
02:12takes things further, making them the best beginner-friendly drone if you want to capture
02:16fast-paced or sports content. The biggest advantage is its much wider field of view, which is 104 degrees
02:23versus most other drones that are typically closer to 82 degrees, making a big difference when capturing
02:28action shots. It also weighs just 191 grams, making it the second-lightest drone on our list,
02:34but it still has a max follow-speed of 37 miles per hour, which is insane for something this small.
02:40It has a small folding design featuring a single button surrounded by a directional selector and a
02:45small screen above. This allows you to quickly switch between its tracking modes and take off with just
02:51one click. Its rotors are fully encased in this tough plastic frame, and compared to its predecessor,
02:57the Pro gets a big upgrade with a rear proximity sensor to help it better avoid obstacles when flying
03:03backwards, and it also works with its intelligent flight modes.
03:06Middle, follow.
03:19I like how it makes a bit of a Mario Kart race sound. I'm not a big fan of its modular controller,
03:26which, no, is not included with the base price, but its optional Hoverlink tracking beacon helps the
03:32drone stay locked on you really well. The biggest drawback with its small size, though? Its battery
03:36life maxes out at just 60 minutes, which is the shortest on this list, and so you might want to
03:41stock up on extra batteries with this one. On the plus side, it's one of the quietest drones that I've
03:46tested, making it less likely to draw unwanted attention. The X1 Pro starts at just $499, but gets
03:52pricier with its optional accessories, but it's one of the best ways to capture the action.
03:57The DJI Mini 4 Pro is our best performing drone on this list. It shoots 4K 100 frames per second video,
04:03features omnidirectional obstacle avoidance, and offers up to a ridiculous 45 minutes of flight
04:08time with its larger battery, or 34 minutes with its standard one. Even if you're coming from an older
04:14drone like the Mini 2 or the Mini 3, the Mini 4 Pro maintains that same small compact size,
04:20but packs a much better camera and tracking system. Like its predecessor, the Mini 3 Pro,
04:25the camera can rotate 90 degrees to shoot native vertical video and photos, which is perfect for
04:30social media. Again, this shares the same 1 over 1.3-inch CMOS sensor, which gives it excellent low
04:36light and slow motion quality. Its subject tracking works extremely well, and with its upgraded 360-degree
04:42avoidance system, it's less likely to crash into obstacles on its sides or behind it. A big upgrade over
04:48the cheaper DJI Flip is that it can track you while flying backwards. With its extra safety sensors
04:53and advanced tracking, this drone offers everything that you'd want. Starting at $759, this is the
04:58priciest drone on this list, but it's a fantastic drone to not only learn on, but also a very capable
05:04tool that you can use for many years down the road. Now, if I were buying a new drone today,
05:08it'd be a close call between the DJI Flip and the Mini 4 Pro, but ultimately, I'll go with the 4 Pro
05:13because of its smaller folding design, better flight performance, and its more advanced tracking.
05:18For anyone looking for a super affordable entry-level drone, the DJI Neo packs a lot of fun for just $199.
05:24It's lightweight, portable, and perfect for flying indoors or outdoors in calmer weather. The base DJI Neo
05:30doesn't actually come with a controller because you can fly this from a smartphone app or launch it
05:34straight from your palm, but to little surprise, this cheaper drone lacks obstacle avoidance, so you'll need
05:39to be extra careful if you're just learning to fly this or you're using it indoors. It shoots 4K 30
05:45frames per second video and 12 megapixel stills, and for the price, the results are shockingly good.
05:50However, unlike every other drone on this list, it lacks a three-axis gimbal, so the stabilization is
05:56limited to electronic rather than mechanical. This becomes more noticeable with sporadic movements
06:00or flying in windier conditions, but then again, given how small this is, you really only want to fly
06:05this in calm weather outside. Despite its smaller size, it sneaks in about 18 minutes of battery
06:10life, which is actually better than the Hover Air X1 Pro, which costs over twice as much as this.
06:15Now, while this is probably going to be the drone that you outgrow the quickest, overall, for its price
06:20and easy learning curve, it's a great option for new pilots looking to dip their toes into drone flying.
06:26One button takeoff. Okay. Press and hold. One button takeoff.
06:30So, I can do the modes from here. It's, it shows the box tracking me automatically, which is pretty cool.
06:43Now, I should be able to just take it off from my palm.
06:46Follow. Three. Two. One.
06:52The fact that I can fly for more than two minutes and record 4K video, I mean, that blows me away.
06:58With new drones popping up every few months, which one should you get?
07:02At Tom's Guide, we put every drone through hours of testing, so here's what you need to consider
07:06before choosing one. How much battery life do you need? If you're going to casually be flying
07:10around your house or a small park, you're probably good with 50 minutes or so of battery,
07:14in which case the DJI Neo or the Hover X1 Pro are plenty.
07:18But, if you want to fly further away or capture a lot of cool shots on a single battery,
07:22you're better off with a drone with 30 plus minutes of flight time, like the DJI Flip or
07:27the DJI Mini 4 Pro. Cameras, of course, are important features as well. Most of today's
07:32modern drones can shoot 4K video or take 12 megapixel photos or better. But where they
07:37differ most is with their sensor quality. Do you want a drone that's good in low light
07:41or that can shoot slow motion video like the DJI Mini 4 Pro? Or do you just want something
07:45to quickly post online for fun, like the DJI Neo? All of these drones are extremely simple
07:50to fly, but how do you prefer to fly them? Do you prefer a physical controller? Maybe one with
07:54a nice built-in screen? Just flying it with an app on your smartphone? Or completely hands-free?
08:00A few of these drones can actually do all three, like the DJI Flip, making them super convenient
08:04no matter what setup you need that day. Safety is always super important and is especially a big
08:09consideration if you're new to flying. Having obstacle avoidance sensors helps you stay more
08:13aware of your surroundings, while prop guards can help minimize injury or damage if you're flying
08:18in close proximity to obstacles or people. Of the drones on this list, the Mini 4 Pro is the least
08:23likely to fly into anything, while the DJI Flip, the Neo, and the X1 Pro are less likely to cause
08:29trouble if they do accidentally bump into something. Drones continue to get smarter each year, but what
08:35does that mean for you? From tracking and following people or cars to auto flying and recording video
08:40on their own, these drones can help you capture more exciting and dynamic content with little to no
08:45effort. With its extra sensors, the Mini 4 Pro is the best overall, while the Hover X1 Pro has the
08:51edge for following faster-paced action with its wider field of view and optional tracking beacon.
08:57The best deals for all these beginner drones that I shared today are linked below. Let me know which
09:01one you'd want to fly. If you have any questions on these picks or suggestions for drones that I
09:06should add to our next roundup, let me know in the comments. You can find us everywhere at Tom's Guide,
09:10and you can follow me to see what other cool tech I'm testing. Until the next one, I'll catch you later.
09:15Do not fly off bridge or balcony. I think I've made that mistake one time before.
Recommended
7:16
|
Up next
8:35
10:18
2:30
12:30
10:29
1:32
7:44
3:41
15:37
1:21
1:38
1:23
0:40
10:03