The DJI Spark has been the best drone under $500 for quite some time now. At its new reduced price of $399, the Spark is officially the beginner drone for most people. There really haven’t been many other options for people who want a good aerial photography drone on a budget. That’s changing now, with some smaller players moving into the affordable consumer drone space. Let’s take a closer look at the best drones under $500. expand full story

Hubsan will soon launch the Hubsan Zino, a $399 folding drone with a 4K camera. Hubsan is marketing the Zino as a competitor to the Mavic Pro. A better comparison is probably the Mavic Air ($799), the ultra-portable 4K drone from DJI. The price of the Zino is far less than the Mavic Air, it is identical to the price of the DJI Spark ($399). This is good news for consumers, as there are very few good entry-level drones under $500. By the specs, the Zino compares favorably to the Spark in a few areas. Is the Zino the new leading drone under $500? Let’s take a look. expand full story

With the holidays around the corner, people want to know what is the best drone to give as a gift? I get asked that question all the time, but answering that question is not very easy. My favorite drone is the Mavic 2 Zoom, but I wouldn’t recommend that drone to everyone. Your purpose and your budget are two hugely important factors when looking for a drone. If your goal is to have fun, then I would recommend one of the inexpensive drones on my list. If aerial photography is your focus, then the best beginner drone has been the DJI Spark, but now there is some competition under $400. I’ll take a look at the entry-level competition as well as some of the higher performing birds, like the Mavic 2 Pro.

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