Are you looking for the best indoor drone for your child, the weather is bad outside for flight practice or you need to prepare a video report about the real estate offered for sale? Choose one of the following indoor drones that are affordable, secure, don’t require flight permission and don’t get lost after falling in the house.
What Is the Best Indoor Drone?
Indoor drones are more affordable than full-size ones, they are small and lightweight. For the same reason, it is easier for a child or beginner to cope with mastering and operating them. Besides, it is more difficult to injure yourself, break or lose the drone. The majority of indoor drones are operated through a smartphone app, without having to spend money on a controller or glasses. All the drones on this list are equipped with a camera and at least one high-quality function.
A mini indoor drone is good for practicing skills on occasion, especially in a closed room. Many of them are suitable for flying in the yard. There is no permission required for flying drones indoor FAA. The best indoor quadcopter is compact, quiet, easy to learn, durable, inexpensive and safe to fly indoors. These benefits are attracting more and more people of different ages and professions. Many drones successfully cope with photography, others, like Parrot Mambo indoor drone, are perfect for pranks.
Best Indoor Drones in 2024
My top indoor drones list is based on their cost, camera availability, battery life and additional features. Drones are tested by flying in different load modes until the battery is discharged.
1. DJI Ryze Tech Tello
Ryze Tello is the best drone under 100 with HD camera. It is universal for indoor and outdoor flights due to 13 minutes of autonomous operation. Powerful image processor from Intel lets you record clear videos and snap fast pictures. Thanks to the image transmission range of 100m and 720p camera resolution with an electronic stabilizer, the pictures will be of high quality.
Partner Ryze Tech DJI equipped the drone with flight stabilization technology and hovering in the air. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about the device falling, performing tricks in the air. The model is easily piloted with a VR headset and the handy Tello app on the smartphone or tablet. This indoor DJI drone can be controlled by text commands through the Tello SDK app. With its innovative and entertaining features, this device is my choice of the best indoor mini drone for any skill level.
- Check out more best drones for photography.
2. Altair Aerial AA108
Altair Aerial is the best drone under 200 dollars that is characterized by ease-of-use and stability. It is appropriate for beginners, intermediates and advanced users as well. Aside from the headless mode, the device has a custom route mode, altitude hold and take-off/landing button. The drone is equipped with a wide-angle HD camera that broadcasts 720p FPV video to your mobile phone using the app. The model comes with an extra battery, boasts a radio transmission range of up to 100m and is capable of being up to 10 minutes in the air. A handy alarm rings when the battery is discharged or the device is out of range.
The drone is pretty large, almost 8 by 8 inches. Reliable build and robust construction use brush motors and small supports. The protection guards let you fly safely and the motors are strong enough to fly outside for 10 mph. This is a remarkable ready-to-fly and FPV option for kids and beginners with decent customer support.
- View more drones under 200.
3. DJI Mavic Pro Platinum
The DJI Mavic Pro Platinum is the best indoor drone with a stylish foldable and durable design. Its simple operation can be mastered by anyone. The compact transmitter may be used with a tablet. Beginner, automatic take-off/landing and return to the starting point modes are available. Mavic Pro Platinum uses GPS positioning systems for autonomous hovering without swinging, and a VPS capable of detecting the ground and maintaining its position. Intelligent flight modes provide cinematic maneuvers without piloting: point of interest, "Follow me", waypoints. Obstacle avoidance sensors detect objects within 49 feet.
The 78.8° field-of-view camera records smooth 4K video at 30 fps in MP4, MOV formats. The stabilized 12-MP camera on three-axis gimbal provides clear JPEG or DNG shots. The drone uses the latest video transmission system, which lets it fly at 7 km up to 30 minutes. This is a decent drone for both beginner and professional/commercial needs.
- Check out more drones for real estate photography.
4. Parrot Mambo FPV
Parrot Mambo is a small modular entertainment indoor FPV drone with goggles. In FVP, the headset, Parrot Flypad controller and digital HD Parrot Mambo FPV camera with 720p. The sturdy body is made of polymer with aluminum and has a green LED along with four landing legs.
Activated simple mode stabilizes the drone horizontally and vertically with minimal control using the accelerometer, 3-axis gyro and a camera with the sensor. Drift mode supports drone vertically while the racing one provides full control. With a smartphone, the flight range is 40m, with a controller – up to 100m for 8-9 minutes. Connect the Parrot drone to your tablet via USB/Bluetooth for text or block coding in Python or Tynker. The device offers a system of free take-off, flight assistance and stabilization when performing tricks. This is the best drone for indoor use, compatible with VR headset and unique Parrot Mambo FPV accessories – Cannon and Grabber.
5. Holy Stone HS 200
Holy Stone HS 200 is an FPV drone that comes with a non-removable 2MP camera to take pictures or record videos in 720p resolution. It is decorated with LED navigation lights on the red body. Through the Holy Stone app, you can connect the drone to your iPhone or Android device. Via Wi-Fi, you may stream video to your phone or tablet with the built-in FPV camera. The best indoor drone boasts a 2.4 GHz transmitter with a range of 100-120m and a video transmission range of up to 50m. The flight time is 7-9 minutes.
Flight characteristics are adjustable to match levels – from beginner to expert. HS 200 is equipped with 4 speeds, headless mode for the control in the opposite direction, altitude hold, gravity sensor mode and the take-off/landing button. Holy Stone RC drone is a bright example of the universal and the best indoor drone for beginners, which is easy to fly and appropriate for indoor and outdoor use.
- View more best beginner drones.
6. EMAX Tinyhawk BNF
Emax Tinyhawk BNF is the best FPV option for beginners. Moreover, micro size and well-developed design allow starting at home. The components look qualitative thanks to specifically designed high tension engines and combined supports. The engines untraditionally look down while the body and the camera are located above in the smooth durable plastic frame. The engines are brushless which makes them more powerful and durable. Special supports are developed to provide stable landing and effective use of air ducts.
This indoor FVP drone is very durable ‒ you fall down and then easily take off. It has an active auto-level mode, several adjustment modes, and slow speeds, which make it user-friendly. If you already have flying skills, activate an Acro mode, and increase the speed.
7. Blade Inductrix BNF
Blade Inductrix is a mini indoor drone famous for its lightweight and portability. Built-in protective grids and canal propellers guarantee that it will successfully bounce off the surfaces, while the propellers are small enough not to leave scratches. This mini drone uses SAFE technology developed by Horizon Hobby. Inductrix stabilizes itself and limits the axis deviation angle in such a way that it is easier to control it even in the limited space.
The drone has powerful engines for impressive speeds; the time of a flight is equal to 8 minutes. The camera has high resolution and 40-meter transmission distance. The beautiful combination of white and red LEDs serves as an indicator of the UAV’s direction. The drone is very movable and experienced flyers may use it for tricks. It is also very stable and suits beginners. It won’t do harm even if it crashes into something at full speed.
- Check out more drones under 100.
8. Syma X5SW-2
The Syma X5 is one of the best camera drones under 50 dollars and is stable enough to fly in light wind. You may start recording video holding the button on the remote control. It is made of plastic and belongs to Ready To Fly category. You may assemble the legs and the camera in several seconds. Fixing the driving propellers won’t take longer.
The kit includes a remote control, a 2GB memory card (800 photos or 30 minutes of video), and two lithium batteries. The flying time is up to 7 minutes, the action radius of a controller is about 30m, which limits usage to small heights and in closed space. The colors are not sharp and contrast since there is no stabilization system.
- Check out the best drones with camera.
List of 8 Best Indoor Drones
| Image | NAME | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
DJI Ryze Tech Tello
OUR CHOICE |
Check PRICE → | |
 |
Altair Aerial AA 108
|
Check PRICE → | |
 |
FOR REAL ESTATE
OUR CHOICE |
Check PRICE → | |
 |
Parrot Mambo FPV
|
Check PRICE → | |
 |
Holy Stone HS 200
FOR BEGINNERS |
Check PRICE → | |
 |
EMAX Tinyhawk BNF
FPV |
Check PRICE → | |
 |
Blade Inductrix BNF
AFFORDABLE |
Check PRICE → | |
 |
Syma X5SW-2
CHEAPEST |
Check PRICE → |
How to Choose Indoor Drone?
Having described all the advantages of indoor drone flying, such as affordability, simplicity, compactness, and minimum chances to lose a drone, we may answer the question: Is it legal to fly a drone indoors? Absolutely yes. I recommend buying an indoor drone with camera. Today, the difference between it and a model without a camera isn’t crucial, but it offers more entertaining functions.
Safety and Precautions
The risk of flying a drone inside is related to the possibility to damage the gadget and hurting people or things around. The smaller the space ‒ the more obstacles you have. If you want to fly it at home, you need a micro or a mini drone. Choose a durable model with a good assemble quality and of a suitable size.
- Read more about how to choose a drone.
Some drones are capable of saving the flying settings of the previous flights. A flight on a windy day in the yard may influence future behavior inside. Try to restart the drone according to the User’s Manual in order to avoid strange behavior.
Some indoor drones have pre-adjusted control elements for flights indoors or outdoors. Switch to the indoor mode for better control. Auto settings are simpler but manual calibration is more precise. However, it requires some adjustment skills.
Always use the propeller grids ‒ it is the accessory that protects propellers from damages. They also prevent injuries if the propeller hits a person, or protect household items from scratches. Choose models with removable protection elements.
Flight Characteristics
Flight time depends on the capacity and quality of the battery. The majority of indoor drones fly for 8-9 minutes with their own battery. The more mAh it has, the higher the battery capacity is. Choose batteries suitable for a specific model with bigger mAh and shorter charging time.
Maximal speed depends on engines’ power. Manufacturers indicate engine thrust regarding the drone weight. It is necessary to choose a drone with the thrust twice bigger than the drone weight. The majority of engines contribute to balance to capture a picture. Engines will work to the fullest only with appropriate propellers: the more the power ‒ the bigger the size of propellers. Choose engines with a low level of noise, sufficient power, and brushless propellers.
Control distance depends on the transmitter’s power and controller. Indoor drones usually have low control distances (up to 100 m). If you want to transmit the picture, this distance is decreased. In order not to chase the drone, choose the bigger control distance.
Additional Functions and Capabilities
Indoor drones may be conditionally divided into three levels of complexity: drones for beginners with the slow linear control, intermediate drones with many control elements, and advanced drones. It’s great when a chosen drone offers various modes since you can improve your skills.
Cameras are heavy for small bodies of indoor drones. That is why, not every drone goes with a camera, while built-in mini cameras offer the resolution from 0.3MP to 2MP, while the quality of indoor drone photography is 720 pixels.
The hovering function, speed change, and height maintaining are useful in the closed space. Thanks to these functions, you may prevent a mini indoor drone from getting/losing height or speed while attempting to perform a maneuver. More expensive drones offer obstacles detection and avoidance technology. Danger button on radio control will be useful to redirect the drone or return it to the starting point. Some models have a signal system which is activated during the flight. This option will be particularly useful for beginners.
Ann Young
Hi there, I'm Ann Young - a professional blogger, read more
