Best Mini Drone: Reviews and Buying Guide 2022

Every type of drone has its own market. Not everyone is into bulky drones. Some prefer small and compact designs for a number of reasons. Besides the fact that they are easy to store and carry around, smaller drones tend to come with lower price tags. They also make a perfect choice for beginners who just started learning about unmanned aerial vehicles.

Although small drones typically cost lower than the larger siblings, they are still available in a broad range of prices. Hence, know what you need before shopping around. Cheap isn’t necessarily a bad trait. Some drones sell for low prices, but they manage to deliver great performance and be compact at the same time.

As we know, size can be a deal breaker. By buying an affordable drone, you can reap many benefits. You don’t have to spend big bucks and then you’ll get the desired size, which matters if you’ve always wanted a small drone instead of a large one. Some drones can even fit in the pocket thanks to their diminutive sizes. All you have to do is fold down the propellers before storing it.

What about functionality? It’s hard to decide since mini drones vary in features. If you want one with excellent performance, a long flight duration, and impressive build quality, then go for a more expensive product. Small drones can still pack great features like the bigger counterpart.

Basically, you must read the specs to find out if a product meets your requirements or not. The specs will disclose everything about a drone, including flight time, camera quality, modes, etc. Here are some of the best mini drones you can find on the market. Some might spark your interest.

The Best Mini Drones in 2022

1. SYMA X22W Mini Drone with Camera FPV – Pocket Drone for Kids and Beginners

This quadcopter is easy to use even by beginners. All you have to do is press a button and it will take off or land shortly after. There’s also Headless Mode, so you don’t have to stress out over the direction of the head because it will move in relative to the axis, not the flight path. Another awesome feature is real-time video for instant footage livestreaming.

For the price, it does exceptionally well, not to mention that it can also do 360° flips. If you want to try aerobatic maneuvers with a drone, this will be a great companion. In terms of safety, you can count on the propeller guards to keep you or anyone from being injured. Meanwhile, the build quality isn’t the absolute best, but it’s understandable given the price.

Many products in its price range are made of ABS and this is no exception. ABS is high quality, though, so don’t write it off just yet. It can absorb shock and minimize impact during a crash. The drone hovers steadily in the air. This way, you can get a clearer view from up above. There is also a trajectory flight function, allowing it to fly following a determined route.

2. Eachine E61 HW Mini Drone with Camera for Kids and Adults

There are a few highlights of this product. The first one is the HD camera. It’s normal to have high expectations on camera quality because many of us share the same sentiment. Luckily, the drone isn’t disappointing in this area. You can use it to capture aerial photos with awesome details. It also features livestream viewing, which means you can exactly see what’s being recorded.

Pairing is done using the wifi connection on your device. Just like other mini drones, it also has a One Key Take Off and Landing. It means the drone can take off or land in one press of a button. This is beneficial for novices or anyone who has never operated a drone before as it will minimize the risk of crashing.

Furthermore, the drone can hold a position in the air. This hover stability is a feature that every drone should have regardless of the price and size. Are you looking for a Gravity Mode? This is also present.

The mode allows the flyer to move in correspond to how you move your Smartphone. Tilt it forward, it will move forward. Tilt it backward, it will fly to the back. And then, there’s also VR mode in case you need to see the footage in a first-person perspective. All in all, it’s great that we can access all these great features for less than $40.

3. ATTOP Drone for Kids Drones with Camera for Kids & Beginners

It’s a challenge to keep kids entertained as they often can’t maintain focus. It takes something that really gets their attention like a drone. This product will come in handy if your child gets bored easily. Let him fly the drone and control how it moves in the air.

Is there anything special about this quadcopter? Just take a look at the form factor. With a design like that, it’s easy to distinguish from others. Ata a glance, it looks rather bulky, but looks can be deceiving. At the end of the day, it’s still a mini drone, which means it will have no problem fitting in small spaces.

It can fly for a duration of about 7 minutes. This is comparable to other mini drones. One key take off / landing is built in the system. We don’t need to explain it again because we’ve addressed it before. Another useful feature is Trajectory Flight Function.

Basically, you decide where the drone flies by drawing a path on your Smartphone. It sounds cool, right? The AR game mode might excite you, too. To see a drone flying already brings so much joy. Now you can play AR games with it, that would be terrific.

4. RC Drone Helicopter Toy, Easy Indoor Small Flying Toys for Boys or Girls

This drone looks slim with its super compact design. It’s ideal for travelling as it can slip into small spaces without a problem. The small size also makes it great for indoor and outdoor fun. The problem with larger drones is they need open spaces to fly freely. Flying them indoors may lead to crashing.

This one is small enough that your living room can be an ample space to play it. With that size, it’s easy to mistake it for a toy, but it turns out to be an actual drone. Headless Mode which typically exists in professional drones can be found here.

The same goes for One Key Take Off / Landing and Auto Hovering, both features are added. Heck, it can even perform a 360°stunt flip.

5. Hands Free UFO Helicopter, Easy Indoor Outdoor Flying Ball Drone Toys for Boys or Girls

There are quite a lot of drones that take on this form factor. If you need a drone for fun, then find one aimed at kids. These drones usually lack essential features normally added to a professional drone. This one for instance is more like a toy. It can fly, but doesn’t come with a camera for recording purposes.

The operation is also a bit different. When most drones need to be connected to a controller, this flies with hand gesture. You just need to throw it into the air and the rotors will start spinning, making it fly and hover.

Since it’s affordable, don’t expect superior build quality. It does just fine with its ABS construction. It’s durable, lightweight, and strong.

6. RC Mini Drone for Kids and Beginners – Portable Pocket Quadcopter

This is another no-camera model you can consider buying. Needless to say, a camera is a significant addition, but not everyone needs a drone for taking pics. Some just want to have fun with it. If you are yet to have a hands-on experience with a drone and want to fly it, then this product is for you.

The basic features are present, one of which is altitude hold. This allows the drone to lock a position during a flight, not moving around uncontrollably. It’s especially useful for recording, but why does it matter on a unit that doesn’t have a camera?

Well, there’s a sense of bringing it under control when a drone stays at the same position instead of changing directions non-stop. It’s much more pleasant this way. The drone is also easy to set up. A press on the power supplies will do that.

There’s also a feature for easy landing and take-off. Just press the button assigned to this function, it will do what you intend to do. Another trick it’s capable of doing is high speed spinning. Together with the 3D Flip mode, it turns the drone into a reliable aerobatic performer.

FAQs – Mini Drones

1. What is the smallest DJI drone?

The title belongs to the DJI Mavic Mini. It’s not only small, but also lightweight and portable. It’s like everything DJI has learned when it comes to putting advanced features into a compact design.

2. How much is the price of a mini drone?

It depends on several factors like brand, features, and price. For instance, you can’t expect a DJI drone to cost less than $100 because it’s on a whole another level.

When we talk about premium and quality drones, we’ll instantly be reminded of DJI drones. Even the smaller ones like the Mavic Mini costs like $400. But it doesn’t mean you can’t get a mini drone for cheap. In fact, there are many when we exclude the popular brands.

3. What is the difference between mini and nano drone?

Mini and nano drones are both small, but nano drones are slightly bigger. When a drone fits in the palm, then it can be considered as a nano drone. If it’s larger not to the extent of a full-featured drone, then it belongs to the mini category.

4. How long will the battery last in a mini drone?

Smaller drones can fly up to 10 minutes on average. You can read the specs to find out because flight duration is normally included.

Final Verdicts: Picking The Best Mini Drones

What’s your idea of the best mini drone? Is it one with a foldable design for easy storage or one that’s packed with fancy features? Everyone has different criteria when it comes to an ideal mini drone, but one can bring lots of fun regardless.

If you just got into UAVs, it’s good to start with a unit that doesn’t cost much but has all the standard features that boost its usability. Some features are probably missing, though, like a camera system. But then again, you should look at the price before demanding too much. If it’s an entry-level unit, then it’s understandable that some features are cut off since they will drive up the price.

But if you don’t mind spending more, get one that brings more to the table. Saying small drones aren’t up to par with large ones is a bad generalization. The truth is a small drone could challenge a much larger unit if the manufacturer put effort into creating it. Small drones vary in price. Some are very cheap that they seem more like toys than professional drones.

The other day we’ve reviewed one that costs less than $15. It does fly, but lacks features that make a drone a drone, like a transmitter, a camera, speed settings, to name a few.

Well, not all drones are made with technology in mind. Some are created solely for fun and entertainment. If you want one for your kid, then technology is probably the least of your concern. As long as it can fly, he should be more than happy.