Drones - they are quite literally everywhere you look. From ultra sophisticated (and equally as expensive) aerial photography drones to high speed FPV racing kits, the sky is literally the limit when it comes to tracking down the drone that is the best fit for you. Simply put, the task in finding the right drone at the right price can be daunting, but we're here to take the sting out of the search, helping you not only find a drone that fits you, but best of all, fits your budget, too.
"Cheap" can be a relative term in the wild world of drones, so as to keep the budget in check, we have listed the below drones that come in under the $250.00 mark, making these machines affordable for the common man (or woman, for that matter) when it comes to choosing a drone to fit your demands.
FUNSNAP iDol AI Gesture Recognition Drone - $179.00
Designed for pictures, videos and the dreaded selfie, the FUNSNAP iDol is an excellent step into the AP (aerial photography) world of drones, allowing this compact quad to snap pics & video with 1080p HD clarity. Making it even easier to use, the iDol utilizes a basic app for smartphone control, allowing the user to control the quad right from their smartphone, or even better, utilizing specific gestures to capture the images & videos desired.
Designed for ease of transport and ease of flight, the iDol is a great recreational based drone to capture some cool imagery from the air, allowing you to share some awesome aerial snaps with friends & family. This capability is augmented further with features such as "Follow Me" and "Circle," allowing the drone to tag along and stalk you at a distance, or circle around for some epic shots of whatever activity you are engaged within.
Well below the $200.00 mark, the FUNSNAP iDol is an excellent step into the low cost, budget based AP drone world, with a 1080p HD capability to capture some cool aerial images. And considering the built in technology makes this aircraft very easy to operate and fly, you don't have to stress if your experience is lacking, as the built in stability & safety modes are ready to bail you out when things go wrong.
FatShark 101 Drone FPV and Goggles Combo Starter Kit - $199.00
Designed for pictures, videos and the dreaded selfie, the FUNSNAP iDol is an excellent step into the AP (aerial photography) world of drones, allowing this compact quad to snap pics & video with 1080p HD clarity. Making it even easier to use, the iDol utilizes a basic app for smartphone control, allowing the user to control the quad right from their smartphone, or even better, utilizing specific gestures to capture the images & videos desired.
Designed for ease of transport and ease of flight, the iDol is a great recreational based drone to capture some cool imagery from the air, allowing you to share some awesome aerial snaps with friends & family. This capability is augmented further with features such as "Follow Me" and "Circle," allowing the drone to tag along and stalk you at a distance, or circle around for some epic shots of whatever activity you are engaged within.
Well below the $200.00 mark, the FUNSNAP iDol is an excellent step into the low cost, budget based AP drone world, with a 1080p HD capability to capture some cool aerial images. And considering the built in technology makes this aircraft very easy to operate and fly, you don't have to stress if your experience is lacking, as the built in stability & safety modes are ready to bail you out when things go wrong.
FatShark 101 Drone FPV and Goggles Combo Starter Kit - $199.00
Well established in the FPV world, FatShark has long been a household name when it comes to FPV, offering some of the best FPV goggles on the planet. And to help new users ease into the FPV world, FatShark brings back the basics with the FatShark 101 Combo - a RTF (ready to fly) quad, transmitter & goggle combo that takes all the guesswork and complexity out of the equation, equating to some quick & easy old fashioned FPV fun.
Designed for high speed thrills & chills, the FatShark 101 package comes equipped with an ultra compact FatShark quad copter that is ready to fly; dorsal fin included, "Jaws" soundtrack optional. Add in the FatShark goggles, transmitter, (2) batteries, USB charger and (2) racing gates, and this all inclusive combo package is the perfect setup for some fast & fun FPV racing, with the ability to explore your surroundings with this micro sized beast.
At a price point of $199.00, the FatShark 101 Combo is a massive bang for your buck approach, offering RTF capability with everything you need in one easily transportable package. And considering the goggles can be used with other FPV applications with the ability to upgrade the quad as well, FatShark has opened the world of FPV to anyone & everyone, featuring stabilized modes for beginners, and advanced flight modes for those that want to push the boundaries of FPV flight.
DJI Ryze Tello Micro Racing Drone - $99.00
EMax BabyHawk-R Race(R) Edition - $145.99
Ready to blur the boundaries of speed and sanity? EMax has you covered with the BabyHawk-R Race(R) Edition, offering a true full up FPV racing setup in a sweet PNP (plug and play) setup that will have you in the air quickly with some wicked FPV speed.
Compact, powerful and brutally fast, the BabyHawk-R can be powered by a 3S 11.1V battery, or for maximum power, a 4S 14.8V pack, equating to high speed FPV insanity. Fully assembled less transmitter, receiver, battery & charger, the BabyHawk-R is designed for the pilot in search of high end speed that won't break the bank. And at a price point of $145.99, the BabyHawk-R is a lean machine that can be pushed to the extreme due to its dedicated race design that is ready for maximum levels of FPV extremes.
Since the BabyHawk-R doesn't include FPV goggles, transmitter, receiver, battery or charger, the $145.99 price point cheats the $250.00 or less budget we have noted. However, considering how many low cost transmitters and goggles are available in the FPV market, building up this demon of speed won't break the bank. And since the BabyHawk-R is a true FPV race machine, the BabyHawk-R is the perfect fit for the pilot that knows they are in search of a zero compromise FPV design to open the doors wide to some serious FPV speed.
DYS Shark Mako 100mm Micro FPV Drone - $143.00
Available in Orange & Gray with a toothy grin that belies the compact performance built into this BNF (bind and fly) drone, the DYS Shark Mako is a high performance micro beast with brushless power that is ready to push your FPV experience to the next level & beyond.
Ready to be paired with a low cost FrSky transmitter, the DYS Shark Mako is an excellent step into the high speed FPV world, offering performance, range and capability in a palm sized package. Utilizing a wide angle 150 degree camera paired with an adjustable 25mW - 200mW video transmitter, the DYS Shark Mako is a full up FPV racer fit for use indoors and out, offering the pilot at hand a thrilling FPV experience, bar none.
Designed with (4) bladed props tucked away within protective rings, the Shark Mako can take the spills and keep on going, allowing close confine racing & freestyle adventures without damaging the props when getting just a bit too close to another object. Just add battery, charger, transmitter and goggles, and your FPV experience is ready & waiting, with the Shark Mako taking you to new heights and more.
