Quadcopters are an incredibly fun way to get outside, meet other quadcopter hobbyists, learn about and use new technology, capture phenomenal aerial photos and videos, and more. Thanks to the wide diversity in quadcopters, there is one for everyone, whether young or old, technologically minded or not, beginners or experts. Beginners in particular can find a wide range of beginner quadcopters to suit their particular needs.
| Quadcopters | Camera | Propeller Guards | Changeable Batteries | Price |
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  | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | $$ |
  | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | $ |
  | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | $$$ |
  | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | $$$ |
Beginner Quadcopter Reviews
Quadcopters for beginners should have a few qualities. The first is ease of use. Features such as maneuverability are important for those who have no experience handling a drone. Second is affordability. Thanks to their newness to the field, most beginners want a quadcopter that is relatively inexpensive so they can crash it, test out their interest level, and more without worrying about how much money they have put into it. Finally, beginners should look for quadcopters that are lightweight and durable. These features make the drone more likely to withstand the inevitable crashes that accompany learning how to fly a drone.
What follows is a look at some of the best quadcopters for beginners. They each have features beginners need, with additional advantages that make them a good choice for new pilots.
Holy Stone HS170 Predator
The Holy Stone HS170 Predator is designed with a number of features that make it an excellent choice for beginners. For example, this drone comes with a headless mode. Typically, quadcopters move according to where their head is facing. However, with a headless system, the drone moves in relation to the controller. This makes it easier for a beginner to maneuver the quadcopter without having to worry about where the front and back of the drone are oriented.
The Predator comes with LED lights that make it easy to see the front and back of the drone at night. A three speed feature allows beginners to start with a slow speed and increase their speed as their skill and confidence increase. Finally, the Predator is wind resistant, making it easier for beginners to handle windy conditions.
In addition to being a good choice for beginners, the Predator is a well-built drone. Its 2.4 GHz technology, 6-8 minute flying time, relatively fast charge time of 60-80 minutes, and quick responsiveness make it an overall smart choice for anyone looking for a reliable beginner quadcopter to fly.
SYMA X5C-1 Explorers
The Syma X5C-1 Explorers quadcopters was made as a beginner quadcopter. The reason? It is light, responsive, stable, and, above all, possesses a simple design that makes maintenance and part replacement easy. This inexpensive quadcopter is also wind resistant, making it ideal for still learning drone pilots to use even in a breeze. In fact, some reviewers praise this drone for its ability to handle light winds.
The Explorers quadcopter comes with a camera that takes acceptable photo and video from the air. Beginners find this camera easy to use, as well as of satisfactory quality for an introductory camera. For added fun, it can perform 360 degree flips, as well as hover in the sky through the use of a 6-axis gyroscope stability system. This drone can fly for up to 8 minutes but comes with a larger capacity extra battery that will allow it to fly for up to 15 minutes.
Holy Stone F181 RC Quadcopter
A great value for the price, the Holy Stone F181 quadcopter sports a number of features that make it one of the desirable quadcopters for beginners. One of these features is the 720 pixel camera that allows it to take reasonable photographs and video from the air. To accompany this camera is the ability to hover in the air when the pilot’s finger comes off the controller. This is not only a safety feature to keep the drone from crashing but also a simple way to steady the drone enough to take photos and videos.
In addition, the F181 receives strong reviews from users for its stability and its durability. They report that the drone repeatedly survives and continues performing well after crashes, even without the rotor guards in place.
To make it even safer and easier to use, Holy Stone has incorporated both a key return and headless mode. The key return draws the drone back to the controller. Headless mode allows the drone to move according to the position of the controller and not according to the position of the drone’s head. This makes it easier for beginners to identify where the quadcopter is going to move when they use the controller.
Finally, this beginner quadcopter does flips and rolls with ease and allows the user to remove the camera and rotor guards in order to lighten the load and improve its responsiveness. With a 7-9 minute fly time and a 50 minute charge time, as well as two extra batteries, it is relatively simple to keep up in the air.
UDI U818A 2.4GHz 4 CH 6 Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter
The UDI U818A is an outstanding quadcopter for beginners because it comes with a number of reliable features for a reasonable price. First, it comes with a camera that, while small, does an acceptable job of capturing photos and videos.
In addition, the U818A boasts a 6 axis gyro with posture control. The posture control adds a layer of precision to the quadcopter’s ability to keep itself upright and oriented in the air. In addition, the modular design simplifies the placement of parts and regular maintenance. Flips and rolls can be accomplished by pushing a single button for an extra and easily added element of fun.
Finally, reviewers note that this quadcopter is exceptionally stable and able to withstand multiple hard crashes. These crashes have even included buildings and cars, yet the drone emerges unscathed. This level of durability combines with a long flight time of 7-9 minutes to make for a reliable quadcopter for beginners.
Beginner quadcopters need to make flying easy, and the best quadcopters for beginners add other features like headless mode, durability, and good cameras to improve the experience. With any of the quadcopters above, you enjoy an exceptional flying experience.
Quadcopters for Beginners Guide
Starting out in flying quadcopters can be a daunting task. Quadcopters come in a wide variety of sizes and with many different features, and the total beginner will have a hard time picking out the right drone for them. We made a comparison chart of the best quadcopters for beginners to get you started with the most bang for your buck.If you’re shopping for a child, these are also the best drones for kids.
Quadcopter Size
The size of the quadcopter matters! Most beginner quadcopters are in the neighborhood of 1 foot by 1 foot squares, with the exception being the Hubsan X4, which is much smaller than the rest. This would make the Husban X4 a good choice for beginners wanting to fly their quadcopter indoors.
Drone Camera
Many people find the most important aspect of their quadcopter to be a camera attached to their drone. For our list, almost all of these beginner quadcopters come with cameras attached for you to practice your aerial photography.
Camera Resolution
It’s important to know what resolution your drone camera will film to if you plan on making many videos. These quadcopters range from 480p – 720p. If you want to do more than just practice filming, you should look for at least 720p.
Flight Time
How long you can fly your quadcopter before needing to recharge is an important factor to consider. Unfortunately, most of these quadcopters won’t get more than 10 minutes of flight time per charge. There’s good news though in our next section.
Changeable Batteries
The best beginner quadcopters have the ability to swap batteries in and out easily, so don’t need to wait hours between flights. Just be sure to buy some additional spare batteries.
Propeller Guards
If you’re a new drone pilot, you might want to choose a quadcopter that comes with propeller guards. This will extend the life of your quadcopter by preventing the propellers from breaking if you run into something hard.
Perfecting Your Drones Flying Skills
Flying drones can be used for more than fun, so having the skills to fly them well will benefit you in multiple ways.
The first few times you try flying it might seem a little shaky, but fortunately, there are tips and tricks to help you become a pro in the long run. Continue reading below to learn about many different ways in which you can perfect the art of your drone-flying.
Plus, practicing will always be a blast!
Watch Online Tutorials For Flying Drones
If we’re living with flying drones, that means we’re living in the future. Fortunately, that also means the Internet is widely available and well-developed for those who seek pretty much any information.
Start with your practice of drone-flying by doing a quick YouTube search for tutorials. You’ll find all kinds of brands trying to promote their products, but the good news is that they’re usually professionals who know what they’re talking about.
Watch as many videos that you need to feel comfortable taking you drone outside for the first time. Look specifically for videos that have tutorials about the brand and model of drone that you have.
For something this fancy (and expensive), it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Connect With Others Who Fly Drones
Another great perk of living with the Internet readily available is the connectivity it provides niche communities. Consider joining a few so that you can find digital mentors and people to encourage you as you get better flying.
There are multiple online drone-flying communities for you to check out.
Another option that would be more hands-on is to search around for local groups who fly drones together in your area. If learning from people digitally is not your thing, check around for some meetups that sound interesting. Plus, there might be some serious masters at the art who are in attendance.
People who are at the same or a similar level of skill as you will be great to grow with. You’ll all be able to share whatever tips and tricks you discover as you go.
Find the Best Space for Flying Drones
Once you are comfortable enough to practice flying drones on your own, you’ll have to make sure that you take the drone to a proper location. You’ll have to consider a few things about the space, such as safety for yourself and the drone, whether or not you are allowed to be there, and also if it’s an exciting enough landscape for you to enjoy it.
Drones, obviously, aren’t meant to be flown into things. If there are a lot of tall structures such as trees or buildings in the area, it might not be the best place for you to practice flying it. A more open landscape will help you with visibility as it flies, as well as prevents any accidents while you’re still sharpening your skills.
You also want to make sure your place of lift-off is safe and legal for you, the pilot. Since drones have become so popular, there are actually drone laws that you might have to consider.
If you find a location that is both safe and legal, you’ll still want to make sure that you would enjoy the area. A flat plane is safe, but it might not be as entertaining for you as a park where people and short trees are scattered around for your viewing.
Make Sure You Have a Great Camera
Having the best drone camera you can afford is worth the cost for many reasons. The most superficial one is that you’ll be able to record more exciting videos and pictures!
Cameras also help with the safety of flying around structures or through fog and clouds.
With practice, you’ll be able to note both the visible drone in the sky and the orientation of what the camera is seeing at the same time. The remote controls allow you to point the camera in a variety of directions all while you’re still piloting.
Do your research to invest in the best camera for your drone. The sooner you get used to using it well, the sooner you will become an experienced drone pilot.
Take a Drone Piloting Course
Speaking of drone piloting, don’t forget that it is a skill just like anything else. That means there are courses and certification you can pursue!
These can take the forms of online courses or local in-person courses. If you live in a more rural area but want to take a class in-person from an instructor, you might have a bit of a drive to the nearest large city where one would be held.
Don’t worry, though – it would be worth the technical knowledge and skills you end up gaining.
Practice Makes Perfect!
As with any skill, dedicated repetition and thorough training are essential to mastering the practice. As excited as you might be about your new drone, it will take a commitment of time and effort to seriously consider yourself a pro.
Set aside a certain amount of time every day that the weather allows you to. Maybe practice for half an hour every day after school or work. Soon enough, with technique and practice, you’ll become an expert at flying drones.
Talk to Professionals
The best thing for you to do when it comes to flying drones is making sure at some point that you speak to professionals.
You are a beginner at the practice, so it only makes sense to take advice and guidance from others who are more experienced.
Fortunately, reading this article is a great start for you. We know all about drones – from the technical specification to the best practices of flying them.
If you have any questions about flying your drone or want to know if it is properly equipped, we encourage you to contact us. We love drones, and we hope you grow to love yours, too.