The Best Drones to Buy this Holiday Season

With drones on the rise and so many drones on the market, knowing which one is right for you is important. Whether you are looking for a mini drone for indoor, first person view use or outside use, there are many different drones to consider.

The market is full of drones, all with different sizes, prices, and capabilities. The goal of this article is to share reviews and a bit more information about some of the best drones on the market right now. Hopefully you’ll be able to find a good one for your photography and video work this upcoming holiday season. :)

Which company makes the best drones in your opinion? Leave a comment below so we can check them out!

Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K

One of the most intricate and detailed drones on the market, the Yuneec Typhoon is a drone user’s dream. With 25 minutes of battery life, three different flying modes, and a built-in touch screen display, what’s not to like? Also, another desirable use of the Yuneec Typhoon is  the detachable handheld camera with a stabalizing gimbal. Starting around $1449, the Yuneec Typhon is a pricey, but precise drone.

Syma X5C-1

The Syma X5C is a beginner drone with indoor and outdoor capabilities. On average, you will get 6-10 minutes of life with each battery for this drone and it also has LED lights for night time use.

Holy Stone F181

The Holy Stone F181 is a durable beginner drone used mainly for flying practice. With headless mode feature, no gimbal, and a low, 720p recording quality, it is noticeable that this drone is meant for beginner drone users learning how to fly, not for serious recorded flights.

UDI U818A 

Starting at around $70, this affordable quadcopter is a very lightweight beginner flyer. Great for practicing and tight maneuvers, the UDI U818A is a mini drone to practice and gain experience with.

DJI Phantom 3 Standard

The DJI Phantom 3 Standard is a great drone for the average to intermediate photographer/videographer. Featuring built in GPS, return to home technology, auto hover, and much more, this quadcopter is perfect for almost all types of flight for less than $500. You can see more from the DJI Phantom 3 in our recent article with drone photographer Teddy Hoffman.

DJI Phantom 4 

The Phantom DJI 4 is the updated version of the Phantom 3 with updated capabilities such as sport mode, subject tracking, and an extended battery life. For $1400, this updated piece of machinery is now equipped with 4k recording capabilities, a new gimbal, and new electronics in the computer.

DJI Mavic Pro

The Mavic Pro from DJI is an amazing drone with ratings that are off the charts. Speeds up to 18 m/s, control range up to 7 km, and a new 3-axis gimbal are all reasons why you need to look more into this drone. Check out the video for a full review!

Hubsan FPV X4 H107D

This Hubsan drone is a first person view that is capable of recording and sending video the the remote in real time. Also equipped with a protective frame to allow bumping for indoor use and battery life up to 6 minutes, this mini drone is perfect for a beginner user!

Holy Stone HS170 Predator

The Holy Stone HS170 Predator is another great mini drone for beginners capable of indoor and outdoor use. Going for about $40, these indoor mini drones are the perfect holiday gift for a beginner flyer.

These are just a few of the best drones on the market, but we’d love to find more to add to our list. Leave a comment below with your favorite drone and whether you use it for photography or video.

See more articles about drones here.