Drones to buy as gifts this holiday season

It’s that time of year; everyone is looking for gifts to buy their loved ones for the holidays, and for many, getting into drone flying is something they’ve always wanted to do. Below is our list of drones that you should consider buying if your loved one in question has the drone itch.

Pilot’s first drone: And it’s just for fun

Let’s get this category out of the way. Maybe the person you’re purchasing a drone for isn’t looking for the latest and greatest, and they’re certainly not looking to do any serious drone work with it. They just want a “toy” to play with every now and again or to capture some family moments on vacations. We have two options for you, both relatively inexpensive in the drone world.

First is the Potensic Atom SE. It’s hard to deny the design resembles the DJI Mini and, well, yeah, it’s likely just a knockoff of the most popular drone maker in the world. But Potensic drones have come a long way in emulating DJI’s success. They’re still not the best drones on the market, but the SE shoots 4K video, and it looks really good, and overall has a passable user experience. Best part? They are much cheaper than DJI, with the Atom SE coming in at $200 with the Cyber Monday deals. That even comes with an extra battery, a controller, and a carrying case.

If you’re looking for a name brand, the best option from DJI would be its Neo drone. It’s the cheapest drone the company offers and is, of course, very capable of capturing great video and photos. Where it falls flat versus the Atom SE is that it’s much lighter than most drones; perfect for hiking or packing light, but this will mean it will be harder to fly on windy days. Also, by default, it does not come with a controller; DJI meant for the Neo to be flown using hand and voice controls. It is compatible with DJI’s latest generation controllers, and even its FPV goggles, though those will require pricier bundles. The DJI Neo can be found for as little as $200 without the controller; however, bundles with various controller options are available.

Fun drone for everyone

An overall fun drone that anyone can fly and enjoy is DJI’s Avata 2. It may seem bold to say that absolutely anyone can fly an FPV drone, but DJI has made it so easy with its Motion Controller. Just look where you want to fly and press the controller’s trigger, and the Avata 2 flies there! It really is a magical thing to use, and within a few minutes, you’ll think you’re a professional drone pilot.

It’s for sure a bit pricier than other drones, usually around a grand depending on the bundles you get. Some sales can get the drone down to $789 with two batteries, goggles, and the controller.

Beginner, wants a serious drone

Now not all hopeful drone owners are looking for “toys” or just a fun item to use from time to time; some want to get into the drone industry with paid gigs and a drone upgrade path. If you’re looking to get a drone for them at a beginner level, then I suggest the DJI Mini 4K. DJI drones are the top of the game when it comes to those doing creative work, and the 4K is that entry level for them.

It doesn’t have the most jam-packed feature list, but the quality of what it shoots is great, and it’s the same platform they’ll be using if they move up to the flagship drone like the Mavic 4 Pro. The Mini 4K starts at $300, with larger bundles available.

Wants a serious drone

Now maybe they already have an early DJI Mini drone or are coming from another platform and want to move to DJI. DJI has a pretty phenomenal drone that I think is a sleeper of the bunch, the DJI Flip. It’s a rather weird product line, taking a lot of the camera specs from the Mini 4 Pro and putting them in a new body. Price-wise, it starts at $439 but is only $509 if you want the DJI RC 2 controller with a built-in screen.

The DJI Flip is certainly a drone that can be used for professional gigs. I’ve even seen it used at music festivals alongside DJI Inspires (which start at $16,000). So it packs a punch for a relatively low cost compared to larger drones.