Are you looking to explore the world of drones without handing over a small fortune? There are many excellent drones that you can buy for under $100. Sure, you won’t get professional-grade videos that DJIs offer, but you can practice your aviation and photography skills without fear of damaging priceless equipment.
If you just want to hone your piloting skills, there are many options available that won’t lighten your purse. Entry-level drones suitable for kids and novices are easy to use and so much fun.
Here are some of the best drones priced at under $100 available today.
Holy Stone HS110D
No attribution – Amazon screenshot
Force1 UFO 3000
No attribution – Amazon screenshothttps://www.amazon.com/SANROCK-Quadcopter-Beginners-Altitude-Headless/dp/B08CV4GWWK
SANROCK U52 Drone
Potensic A20 Mini Drone
No attribution – Amazon screenshothttps://www.amazon.com/SIMREX-Positioning-Quadcopter-Altitude-Headless/dp/B097PCH69X
SIMREX X500
No attribution – Amazon screenshothttps://www.amazon.com/UDI-2-4GHz-RC-Quadcopter-Batteries/dp/B00K66PZCQ
UDI U818A-HD
No attribution – Amazon screenshothttps://www.amazon.com/Cheerwing-X5SW-V3-Explorers2-Headless-Quadcopter/dp/B011JV9HA2
Cheerwing Syma X5SW-V3
Our Top Affordable Drone Picks for 2023
An Easy-to-Use Drone with Full HD Captures
The Holy Stone HS110D is a budget-friendly FPV drone with a Full HD camera. It offers excellent value at under $100 and is compact and travel-friendly. It provides an enjoyable flying experience for beginners with its easy controls and decent speed, while its wide-angle camera can capture expansive scenes.
The Holy Stone HS110D just beats the $100 threshold but is the best budget drone you can find in this price range. With its compact dimensions of 12.6 x 12.6 x 4.6 inches and a weight of 5.2 ounces, it’s perfect for travel and easily beats the 250-gram limit set by most countries for drone registration.
It’s easy to fly and is ideal for beginners, though small hands may struggle with the large controller. you may get the drone up to a reasonable speed, make quick turns, and do simple flips. You’ll get around eight minutes of flight time per battery, and the pack contains two.
The wide-angle FPV camera has a Full HD resolution and a 120-degree FOV for capturing expansive land and cityscapes. However, video quality can appear blurry when the drone maneuvers, thanks to a lack of gimbal stabilization. There is also no tilt or pan, but beginners can use Altitude Hold Mode to get steady shots. Newbies can also fly in Headless Mode, and the drone even offers voice and gesture controls through the Deerc FPV app.
A Brightly Lit UFO Experience for Kids
The Force1 UFO 3000 mini drone is the perfect toy for children, offering a lightweight and compact design with sturdy propeller guards for safe indoor use. With user-friendly features like Altitude Hold and Headless Mode, children can easily control and enjoy flying this drone outside, too. Additionally, its bright LED lights add an extra element of excitement, making it an ideal choice for children to enjoy safe and captivating drone adventures.
Although adult supervision is always recommended when it comes to flying drones, the Force1 UFO 3000 mini drone is the perfect toy for kids. It’s super lightweight, measures just 5.5 x 5.5 inches, and features sturdy propeller guards, making it a good toy for indoor and outdoor use. It’s also an excellent drone for flying after the sun goes down, thanks to the bright blue and green LED lights that kids will love to watch zipping around in the darkness.
With Altitude Hold and Headless Mode, this mini drone is a cinch for children to control. They can easily keep the UFO hovering at a consistent height, and orientation is straightforward. Flips and tricks are also easy to perform, with 360-degree stunts executed by a simple button press. A one-key start and stop button also means kids can get straight down to piloting the drone right out of the box.
Flight time is a standard seven to nine minutes, but the pack includes two batteries allowing for up to 18 minutes of aviation joy. Charging time can take up to 85 minutes, so purchasing a couple more batteries will ensure uninterrupted flying sessions. The similar UFO 4000 and UFO 5000 models offer different LED and trick options while also being priced under $100.
An Affordable Choice for Video Enthusiasts
The SANROCK U52 drone is a versatile, user-friendly device that captures stunning 1080p videos. With its adjustable camera angle and convenient features like FPV real-time transmission, this drone is an excellent choice for aerial videography enthusiasts on a budget.
With its 1080p resolution, the camera on the SANROCK U52 is among the best for drones priced under $100. The Full HD camera also has a 90-degree adjustable angle giving you options of a bird’s-eye view or a higher landscape perspective. You also get FPV real-time transmissions, with footage automatically saved to your microSD card. From there, you’re able to edit and upload to social media from your mobile device.
Flying the drone is also a lot of fun. Pilots can perform 360-degree flips in four directions, while you’re able to control the drone by moving your smartphone thanks to the drone’s integrated G-Sensor. Furthermore, you can map out customized routes on the app, while it also allows for simple voice and gesture controls. These include verbal commands for launching and landing and hand gestures to activate photo and video functions.
Regarding safety features, the SANROCK U52 has an alarm system alerting you when the signal is weak or the battery is draining. The drone will return home with a simple button press or voice command. The maximum control range is up to 320 feet, which is reduced to 96 feet during live video transmissions. With the 1,500mAh battery providing up to 13 minutes of flight time, it’s important to note that charging takes up to three hours, and the pack doesn’t include a spare.
A Cheap Alternative for Developing Flying Skills
You don’t need to search too hard to find an excellent affordable drone. The Potensic A20 Mini is highly affordable and safe to use, making it an excellent platform for kids to learn some piloting skills without breaking the bank. Novice pilots considering upgrading to a more premium mini drone can also consider investing in the A20 Mini for some much-needed flying practice.
If you are looking for a drone at a rock-bottom price that you can hone your skills on or give to a child as a gift, the Potensic A20 is an excellent choice. It’s a tiny little beast with dimensions of just 3.5 x 3.1 x 1.25 inches and weighs 190 grams. Operation is simple with one-key take-off and landing, Altitude Hold, and Headless Mode features. You can also effortlessly perform stunts with quick and simple button presses. Additionally, its three speed modes allow for progressive racing and performing as you hone your skills.
The drone comes complete with propeller guards and an emergency-stop button, while a helpful beeping alert notifies you when the battery is low, or when you’ve reached the 50-foot range limit. All this ensures the drone and any objects it encounters are safe from damage. However, the drone doesn’t include a Return Home feature, so you will have to manually guide it back to position when the battery is on its way out.
The package includes three batteries, each providing a flight time of five to six minutes for a total of up to 18 minutes. Recharging time falls within a reasonable range for this price point at 30 to 40 minutes, meaning you’re able to get back to enjoying the drone without prolonged waiting periods.
An Excellent Entry-Level Drone for Beginners
The SIMREX X500 is a budget-friendly entry-level drone, ideal for beginners and casual hobbyists. It has a compact design and lightweight construction, offering an easy-to-use and portable option for those starting out in the world of drones. It provides an enjoyable flying experience without overwhelming features or complex controls.
For an entry-level drone that costs under $100, consider the SIMREX X500. Beginners and casual hobbyists can enjoy its budget-friendly price and its compact design. With its folded dimensions of 4.3 x 3.15 x 1.4 inches, it can fit into the palm of your hand. Furthermore, you won’t feel its weight of 150 grams in your bag, and it beats the international drone registration threshold.
While the 720p FPV Wi-Fi camera won’t set the world of photography alight, you still get decent images. Photos and videos do lack clarity and detail, but for novices with the primary focus of learning to pilot, it’s a fun and affordable choice. With a simple one-key take-off and landing feature and 360-degree rolls just a simple button press away, users can get straight into flying their drone right out of the box.
With additional features like Optical Flow Positioning and Altitude Hold Mode, beginners can keep their drone steady in blustery conditions while maintaining a consistent height. Once you have familiarized yourself with the drone and are flying confidently, you can switch the speed mode to high. Additionally, Gravity Mode adds a lot of fun by enabling you to use your smartphone like a steering wheel.
Unbeatable Feature-Packed Value
The UDI U818A-HD Quadcopter offers excellent value for its price, providing an affordable option for drone enthusiasts. Its compact design, lightweight frame, and enjoyable flying experience deliver good value for those seeking a budget-friendly choice in the drone market.
The UDI U818A-HD Quadcopter offers excellent value for its price. It retails at under $100, sports compact dimensions of 13.4 x 13 x 2.2 inches, and weighs 4.2 ounces. It won’t be a burden when transporting, and it falls below the weight registration threshold many countries enforce. Its lightweight, thin plastic frame also protects the rotors, making this drone a good choice for indoor flying, too.
The bulky controller is the command center for all features, as you cannot control this drone from a smartphone app. It enables flips and somersaults with simple actions, while you may also control the lights, photography, and video functions directly from the controller. Image quality from the 720p camera is adequate, though it understandably isn’t a drone for professional-grade photos and video.
However, it still delivers a fun flying experience. It features two flight modes, one with limited speed suitable for beginners, while the second ups the ante and delivers more velocity and agile maneuvers. Furthermore, with widely spaced rotors complemented by a 6-axis gyroscope sensor system, flights are relatively stable. Additionally, the battery will give you a seven- to eight-minute flight time. The package includes a second battery, and novices will be thankful for the low-battery alarm and Return Home features.
A Versatile Drone with Excellent Build Quality
The Cheerwing Syma X5SW-V3 is an excellent all-rounder that offers durability, great value, ease of use, and decent photo quality. With its user-friendly features, it provides an enjoyable flying experience for beginners.
Another excellent choice for newbies that retails at under $100 is the Cheerwing Syma X5SW-V3. Made from durable ABS plastic, it offers easy control and stability. And, with dimensions of 12.4 x 12.4 x 4.1 inches and a weight of 119 grams, it’s portable and meets the 250-gram registration threshold required by most countries, including the FAA in the US.
It also features One-Key Take Off and Landing, Altitude Hold, Headless Mode, and two speed modes, ensuring novices to the world of drones can enjoy straight out-of-the-box fun. Using the controller, you can perform simple one-button flips and tricks, while the SYMA GO app enables Wi-Fi control. With the quadcopter’s built-in gravity sensor, you can control its movements by tilting or moving your mobile device. You can also plan out flight paths by marking waypoints on the app.
The 720p camera is about as good as you’re able to expect in this price range. It will take decent pictures in good light, and you can live stream to your phone. However, the 500mAh battery only provides around 5 to 7 minutes of flight time with a charge time of 90 minutes to two hours. It might be wise to stock up on one or two spares, considering you don’t get a second battery in the box.
Key Factors to Consider When Purchasing a Drone Under $100
The primary consideration is that you will unlikely find a drone in this price range that offers incredible video quality. If you are willing to settle for a preowned drone, you might get lucky and find one with a 4K resolution at under $100. However, when buying new at this price point, the likelihood is that you will have to settle for 480 or 720p. Yet, there are some available that offer Full HD. One of the best is the SANROCK U52. On top of its 1080p video resolution, it is easy to use and has a decent flight time.
However, you might be looking for a drone under $100 suitable for children or beginners. Buying a low-cost drone with quality features can certainly alleviate fears of damaging expensive gear while you practice your piloting. Mini drones like the Force1 UFO 3000 or the Potensic A20 are tons of fun and pocket-friendly.
But, for an affordable all-rounder, you could try the Holy Stone HS110D. It has a camera with a 1080p resolution, a decent battery life, excellent features for novices, and is easy to fly.
