If you want to buy a drone, but can’t spend more than $100, read my list of 10 best drones under 100 dollars with high performance. No matter for what purpose you have: a beginner drone for photography or a quadcopter for first flights, you will find a good one exactly for you!
What Are the Best Drones under 100?
Have you been dreaming of buying a Mavic aerial photography drone but i's too expensive? If you’ve never used it before, the most reasonable variant is to buy an inexpensive, lightweight drone. It is not just a great gift for a family member but also a cool device that may perform many useful functions. Just choose the appropriate variant from these top 10 best $100 drones.
1. Ryze Tello
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Tello is an incredibly lightweight and, at the same time, very fast and cheap drone. Its weight is less than 3 oz., which means that it does not require FAA registration. You can control this device in three ways – using the app, remote control or via a special mobile app. Despite its low cost, Tello has an incredible speed. I was able to speed it up to 20 miles per hour in fast flight mode.
- If you’re a beginning drone photographer or videographer, I recommend you read more about the best beginner drones that you may use for professional work.
For a slower mode, a speed of about 8 miles per hour is typical. The device has a good photo and video features. It can shoot 720p videos with a 1280x720 resolution and 5 megapixel (2592 x 1936) photos. Image quality is very good. Working with this gadget, you can get perfect detailing, brightness, and realistic colors. For example, while flying over a lawn, Tello captured grass in a natural-looking way and produced images with high precision and detailing.
If you're intrigued by Tello's affordability and features, it's worth exploring the realm of best drones under $200. These options offer an enticing balance between cost and capability, catering to beginners who aspire to create professional-grade work.
2. Snaptain S5C
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SNAPTAIN S5C has a user-friendly interface and offers easy operation. You just have to press one button to control it. The smart voice control and 360° Flips & Rolls will simplify your work. Moreover, it is very durable and reliable thanks to the ABS material and Protective Propeller Guards.
- If you are going to take birds eye view photography, I recommend you choose one of these best drones for photography for any budget.
SNAPTAIN S5C is capable of transmitting video in real time at distances of up to 80 meters. Upload 720p videos to your computer and share them with friends. In addition, you can save your photos and clips to a memory card.
3. Holy Stone HS160
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Holy Stone HS60 has a modern, reliable design. The drone is made of ABS plastic, so it is very portable and flexible. The gadget has a very small weight, about 3.8 oz. All these features make Holy Stone HS60 very durable.
The main feature of this device is the built-in security mode. So, you can control the drone remotely, in case of technical problems. Holy Stone HS60 has four speeds. The slowest and easiest option is tutorial mode. It is an ideal variant for beginners who start working with drones. Each next mode offers higher speed and height.
4. Knightly E58
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This variant is undoubtedly one of the best drones under 100 dollars. It is quite cheap, but at the same time, it has excellent characteristics. The device has an amazing 2.0-megapixel camera with 720p resolution. According to many users’ reviews, the image quality is on the top-level. You can control Knightly E58 with your mobile phone.
- View more about what drones are recommended for drone wedding photography and what is the best drone for real estate photography.
Record a video and watch it immediately on the screen of your smartphone. The drone controls the height itself thanks to the integrated atmospheric pressure sensor. It prevents dangerous situations and accidental damage. One of the most important features of Knightly E58 is its portability. You can take it anywhere thanks to its folding design. Moreover, the drone is made of high-quality material, which ensures wonderful durability.
5. Blackhawk Drone
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Perhaps, this is one of the best drones under $100. Its main characteristic is very long flight time. It allows you to enjoy the beautiful landscapes and not worry about the battery charge. The drone works great in windy conditions. It can perform a 360-degree flip on one axis. The range of action is 300-500 meters, which opens up a lot of opportunities for taking incredibly beautiful images.
- If you’re looking for the best action camera for this drone, look through inexpensive action cameras under 100 to take amazing landscape photos or extreme sports videos.
Altair Aerial Blackhawk has several height modes. Beginners prefer to work at a low height to practice and gain the necessary skills. Experienced photographers experiment with height to get photos and videos taken from a bird's eye view. Developers created Blackhawk Drone to work in hard to reach places. This device is very popular among tourists, who love to photograph remote corners of the planet with the help of action cameras.
6. Syma X5C
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If you want to try drone flying, but are not sure that you can spend much money, pay attention to this option. The drone has super-responsive controls that make the drone flying process as simple as possible. In addition, Syma X5C weighs only 2 pounds, which makes it the lightest drone in my list. Such a small size enables it to develop a rather high speed. Many bloggers point out that image quality is far from ideal here. In particular, they are not satisfied with the absence of stabilization.
Syma X5C has a 3.7-volt 500mAh battery, which works about 7 minutes without recharging. You can extend this time by removing the prop guards and detaching the camera. Unfortunately, this device has a rather long charging time. However, this is not a problem. You can always buy inexpensive extra batteries. Syma X5C is one of the most popular camera drones today thanks to its wide range of functions.
7. Holy Stone F180C
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Holy Stone F180C is an excellent variant for beginners and those who want to improve their skills in drone flying. The device is very light and simple to operate, which makes it an ideal option for learning and practicing.
It has moisture protection and can work in difficult, windy conditions. Of course, this does not mean that you can work with it during a storm in the ocean, but it can easily cope with video and photo shooting during a light rain.
The drone has a decent camera. It works well in good light. When the intensity of the light becomes lower, the image quality decreases too. 2-megapixel non-removable camera can record 720p video. Additional batteries will help you extend the operation time and enjoy drone flying longer.
8. Cheerwing Syma X5SW-V3
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Cheerwing Syma X5SW-V3 is considered to be one of the best drones under 100 dollars thanks to the convenient control panel. You can control this drone using your smartphone. The connection will be stable thanks to Wi-Fi.
The drone has good flying characteristics. It reaches the necessary height quickly and smoothly. However, the camera does not have an anti-glare filter. It complicates the process of video and photo shooting in the daytime. Nevertheless, you can solve this problem by purchasing an additional anti-glare filter.
9. Parrot Mambo Fly
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Though Parrot Mambo is not the best drone under $100 because of its weak photo and video features, it is a great toy. In addition, you can use it to practice and get new skills. You can see how your house looks from above. Unfortunately, it is impossible to use it on the street since even light wind can damage the device. So, do not risk.
As already mentioned, Parrot Mambo has a rather weak 0.3-megapixel camera, the quality of which can be compared with the old VGA webcam. You will get a blurry image and a huge amount of digital noise. Despite this, it has quite a long flight time (about 9 minutes without additional accessories and 6-7 minutes with them). In addition, the device charges very quickly. You need only half an hour to charge it and continue having fun.
10. DBPower MJX X400W
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DBPower MJX X400W is one of the simplest camera drones. However, it is very maneuvering. The device has a headless mode, which allows it to move both forward and backward even at night. It is worth noting that the device was created as a toy not as the best cheap drone. Therefore, the designers did not bother about high-quality built-in camera.
However, you can record 30 fps videos with its help. Use headphones to enhance the effect of real presence while watching a video. All in all, DBPower MJX X400W is not suitable for professionals, as it does not have a powerful camera. Despite this, the device is quite popular among amateurs and people who like to spend their time fun and actively.
Top 10 Best Drones under $100
| Image | Camera | Features | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Ryze Tello
OUR CHOICE |
Check PRICE → | |
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Snaptain S5C
BEST BATTERY LIFE |
Check PRICE → | |
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Holy Stone HS160
|
Check PRICE → | |
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Knightly E58
MAVIC ALTERNATIVE |
Check PRICE → | |
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Blackhawk Drone
FOR GOPRO |
Check PRICE → | |
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Syma X5C
|
Check PRICE → | |
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Holy stone F180C
|
Check PRICE → | |
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Cheerwing Syma X5SW-V3
CHEAPEST |
Check PRICE → | |
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Parrot Mambo Fly
|
Check PRICE → | |
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DBPower MJX X400W
|
Check PRICE → |
How to Choose a Drone Under $100?
When choosing a cheap GPS drone, you need to pay attention to those things, that people, who buy expensive drones most often do not notice. All drones have their own design features and a functional set. I will try to highlight the key points below.
Number of Drone Propellers
3 (tricopter) - 4 (quadrocopter) - 6 (hexacopter) - 8 (octocopter)
The more propellers your drone has, the more stable it will work. The flight path and the load capacity are greater in this case too. Tricopters are toy drones. Quadcopters (the most popular type of drones) are often used in photography. Quadcopters are needed for amateur filming from the air or as racing devices. Hexaccopters and octocopters are used for professional photo or video shooting from the air and cargo delivery because of their high carrying capacity.
Drone Body Material
The plastic has a small weight and low cost. It is used for budget models. Carbon is used mainly in racing drones. The metal frame is stronger, safer and more expensive option.
Drone Construction
A cheap drone with a foldable construction is convenient for traveling, as they occupy little space in a bag. Many selfie-drones have a folding design and small, compact size.
Constructional Safety
Propellers protection can be complete or partial. It prevents rotors from damaging during a crash. The landing gear protects the drone and camera from colliding with the ground when landing or falling. The protection of the camera is a plastic cap (mostly transparent), which protects the camera. Consider these important characteristics when choosing the best drones under 100 dollars.
FAQ
- • What kind of flight stability can I expect from inexpensive drones?
Drones under $100 typically offer basic flight stability through features like altitude hold and gyroscopic stabilization, which help maintain steady flight. However, they may lack advanced stability technologies found in higher-end models, making them more susceptible to wind and minor disturbances during flight.
- • Which brands are known for producing reliable drones under $100?
Brands like Holy Stone, Syma, and Eachine produce reliable drones under $100. They offer a range of models with stable flight characteristics, essential features, and decent build quality for budget-conscious consumers.
- • Are there drones with gesture controls under $100?
Yes, some cheap drones from brands like Holy Stone and SNAPTAIN, offer basic gesture control features. These gestures often allow for simplified commands like taking photos or initiating simple maneuvers, enhancing the user experience without breaking the budget.
- • Are there any drones under 100 dollars specifically designed for indoor use?
Yes, cheap drones like the Blade Nano QX and the Cheerson CX-10. These drones are typically small in size, lightweight, and equipped with propeller guards to ensure safe and stable flight indoors.
Ann Young
Hi there, I'm Ann Young - a professional blogger, read more
