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Top 10 Best Drones under $200 in 2019
There are plenty of very good drones on the market, but there are very few what I could consider “Best Drones.” To narrow them down to 10 is very difficult. Below I have made a list of requirements to help narrow them down. You can easily go online and pick up a cheap knockoff from some foreign country, but the shipping time with customs makes time go by agonizingly slow. In addition, once a part gets worn out or broken, you must wait longer for more parts to arrive. These and many more listed below was thought about when making this list. Do keep in mind this is not the Best First Drones for Beginners List (See Here for that), but some on this list might be a good option also.
Required Features
- Camera
- Ease of Initial Acquisition of Drones
- Availability of Parts and Replacements
- Changeable Batteries
- Ready to Fly
- First Person View (FPV) is a plus
This is by no means meant to be a detailed all-inclusive review will add more detailed reviews of each one as we move forward. With all of this out of the way, in no particular order, let us get started…
Force1 U818A Discovery
The Force1 almost did not make my list, but due to the enormous amount of high reviews, I was forced to reconsider. Multiple flying modes with a 6-axis gyro to easily adapt to anyone regardless of experience.
The Force1 U818A Discovery comes with many features for such a low priced drone. Flight times are expected to last 18 minutes and easily change out the included extra battery to keep flying. With a low voltage warning, you can safely land before your voltage drops to dangerously low levels. Do flips, tricks, and stunts at the press of a button. 720p camera with an upgradeable and swappable memory card can keep your pictures and videos safe.
See on Amazon: Force1 U818A Discovery
Force1 F100GP Ghost Drone
The only best drone on this list that is brushless and can fly for up to 15 minutes. The F100GP comes with a 1080p HD camera and you are able to change this out for a GoPro Hero 3, GoPro Hero 4, or even a Xiaoyi Yi Action Cam.
With an impressive list of included extras, this could be the most inclusive drone. 3x body shells, 2x 1800 mAh Li-Po batteries, 1080p HD camera, 2.4 GHz transmitter, and more. Everyone can enjoy flying this with multiple modes based on your level of experience.
See on Amazon: Force1 F100GP Ghost Drone with Camera
JJRC H68 RC Quadcopter
With such long flight times, this would be a great addition to the up and coming professional photographer. With the 2 included batteries, you can have 2x 20 minute flights. Enjoy the altitude hold while you
The JJR H68 features Altitude Hold, Headless Mode, One key Takeoff/ Landing, and 3D flip, etc., which makes the drone that much more fun to play with. One key return to home works extremely well and will be a feature you won’t want to live without.
See on Amazon: JJRC H68 RC Quadcopter
Holy Stone HS110D
Becoming a very popular brand, the Holly Stone seems to be quickly taking over the mid-range market. The HS110D is no exception by mimicking its competition. An impressive list of features include First Person View (FPV), Modular Batteries and Camera, Headless Mode, and Altitude Hold.
Once your phone is connected through wifi, you can unlock extra features through the HSS2 FPV App on Android and iPhone. Setting up camera shots and angles is a breeze with the interface. You can also remote pilot this drone fully through their app on a control interface.
See on Amazon.com: Holy Stone HS110D FPV
Holy Stone F181W Wifi FPV Drone
Another entry by Holy Stone that is suitable for beginner to more advanced fliers alike. Strong stability offered by the 6-axis flight control system. Enjoy the altitude hold while you line up your perfect picture or video.
Many features you would expect from this price range. Some additional key features to mention would be One Key Return, one key take off and landing, 6 axis gyro, and headless mode. Like most on this list, the wifi FPV transmission is viewed on your phone.
See on Amazon: Holly Stone F181W Wifi FPV Drone
Holy Stone HS230 Racing FPV Drone
High-speed racing drone not for the faint of heart. No auto features such as Altitude hold or Auto hover included, just raw unfiltered power. With headless mode and one button 3D flips, the HS230 will get your heart rate racing.
The 5.8 GHz 720p FPV feed paired with the 2.4GHz transmitter frequency will decrease any interference with each other while flying. Included are 2x flying batteries with 2 charging cables and a rechargeable transmitter can minimise time on the ground.
See on Amazon: Holy Stone HS230 Racing FPV Drone
Hubsan x4 Storm Pro
I have been a Hubsan customer and fan for quite some time and have loved their products. The features of this drone are no exception. Capable of extremely fast speeds, the Hubsan Storm is not for the faint of heart. Outdoor flying in calm winds is not an issue.
Complete with First Person View (FPV) Goggles and a separate First Person View (FPV) Monitor, this is the complete package. An included 2.4 GHz controller and app features make an incredible option for anyone looking to get into FPV. The 5.8 GHz 720p camera can be manually adjusted to get the perfect angle of view while flying.
See on Amazon.com: Hubsan x4 Storm Pro
Fat Shark 101 Drone Racing Kit
As a leader in First Person View (FPV) technology, Fat Shark has done it again with this All-in-One Ready to Fly (RTF) combo. Multiple modes for anybody just beginning or step it up to more advanced. This drone can move. The kids have an amazing time wearing the goggles while I go zipping around the house or even in slight winds outdoors.
Complete with First Person View (FPV) Goggles, Race Gates, x2 Batteries, a comfortable controller with convenient switches, and a Drone Racing League Simulator software code redeemable on Steam, and cables to program everything with.
See Fat Shark 101 Drone Racing Kit Review Here
See on Amazon.com: Fat Shark 101 Drone Racing Kit
** Edit: I purchased the Fat Shark 101 Kit for under the $200 limit this article is aimed at. This was either apparently on sale or risen slightly to over what this article is aimed at. **
Parrot Mambo
At first glance, this may seem like a kids toy, but Parrot is known for their workmanship. They have made an amazing name for themselves and continue to produce quality products. Introducing the Parrot Mambo. The Mambo uses a combination of a downward facing camera, ultrasound, and a barometer to hold its verticle and horizontal position. This uses your phone as its primary controller as a virtual joystick, or you may prefer to change your settings to use the accelerometer of your phone instead. Parrot also offers the “Fly Pad” (See on Amazon.com Here) that can control multiple different Parrot products.
Just for fun, Parrot has added a small miniature nerf-styled cannon and grabber arms to play around with. These
DJI Tello
Of course, DJI made number one on this list. The DJI Ryse Tello is my number one pick for multiple reasons. This drone is packed full of features including auto take off and land functions, image stabilization, and quick change batteries.
The DJI Ryse Tello comes in right at $100 but do keep in mind this is without a controller. Your phone is meant to be your primary device to use. If you ever feel you need something a little more, you can easily add any Bluetooth game controller you might have laying around.
See Full Tello Specs and Features Review Here
See on Amazon: DJI Ryse Tello
Final Thoughts
Any of the drones on this list would make an incredible start or even addtion to something you might already have. Even as a gift for somebody else. There
Bonus: Hubsan H501S FPV
The Hubsan H501Ssqueaks in at just over our limit. This is an amazing drone that should seriously be considered, but could not be listed with the best drones under $200 above.
With amazing features like GPS, Return to Home, 5.8 GHz 1080p Camera with FPV, 20 minute flight time, Follow Me mode, Headless mode, and so forth. Weighing in at 410g (0.9 pounds), you must Register with the FAA to legally operate this drone.