Find a perfect gift for your loved ones: Best drones to buy this Christmas
If you have never bought a drone earlier and this is your first time, you must get yourself ready for a bumpy ride. In this festive season, it can become quite hectic to choose the perfect gift. A drone can be a perfect choice as it has quite a versatile range of features to offer. Among the tech nerds, a drone has become quite popular as it offers a wide scope to explore creativity.
When you step out to get the best drone to Buy This Christmas, there are quite a few things that you need to focus on. You will need to narrow down your search in terms of size, weight, range of features, security features, etc.
When you are choosing a gift for someone, you need to take their use case into consideration. If it’s a kid, you need to find one that comes with ample security features. If you are going to give a drone to an adult, you will need to make sure that it has all the professional features.
Our team of experts has handpicked some of the options that are available in the market.
10 best drones to buy this christmas : Review with pros & cons
Before we dive into the pros and cons of the listed drones here, it’s important for you to understand that there is nothing like ‘the best drone’. You will need to research and find the one that fits your requirements. Our team has handpicked these drones. And we will provide detailed pros and cons to help you make a better decision.
Best Drones to buy this Christmas
Here is a comparison table of the top 10 Best drones to buy this christmas that you can purchase:
| Name | Image | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holy Stone HS170 Mini Drone |  | 4.9/5 | |
| DJI Mavic Mini Drone |  | 4.6/5 | |
| DJI Phantom 4 v2 Drone |  | 4.8/5 | |
| Contixo F24 Pro UHD Drone |  | 4.4/5 | |
| XIAOKEKE v4 4K Drone |  | 4.7/5 | |
| Amcrest A4-W Skyview Drone |  | 4.2/5 | |
| Parrot Anafi PF728000 Drone |  | 4.5/5 | |
| PinPle SJRC F11 Drone |  | 4.8/5 | |
| AOKESI X7 4K Drone |  | 4.4/5 | |
| DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone |  | 4.1/5 |
1. Holy Stone HS170 Mini Drone
If you are a beginner or trying to find a gift that will suit a kid, you can find this one to be one of the best options. There are multiple features and options that the drone has to offer through its highly intuitive interface. This mini drone will allow beginners to maneuver it quite easily.
The compact build and the lightweight form factor will make it a better option in terms of portability. As it’s more of a kids’ drone, the brand has also applied some significant security measures where you will get the propeller guard so that it can bear some minor crashes. Though it comes in a very small form factor, the drone has a 6-axis gyroscope that you will find quite helpful in stable flying.
The remote control that is provided to you by Holy Stone here will give you a range of controls and an easy interface. You will also be able to pair it up with your smartphone and the camera on this drone will offer you quite crisp results.
- The beginners can turn on the headless mode and it will help them in easy maneuvering without worrying about the drone’s direction.
- The included remote controller will allow you to establish the connection easily.
- In the package, Holy Stone is also including a spare set of propellers. You will be able to easily swap them.
- The 6-axis gyroscope will allow you to fly the drone with extreme precision.
- The brand is also offering wind resistance but the lightweight build isn’t very helpful.
- The flying time is limited to just 7 minutes on a single charge.
2. DJI Mavic Mini Drone
If you are looking for a professional drone, there is not a very long range of options that will fall under your budget. DJI has quite a few options and you will be able to find one in your budget. The DJI Mavic Mini is a drone that you will find quite easy to travel with and it will fit snug in your backpack.
The design language opted by the brand here will allow you better ergonomics. It has become one of the favorite choices for the content creators.
The camera that you will get is the biggest contributor to fetching it to become one of the best drones to buy this Christmas. It will be able to record up to 2K and the sensor size is 12MP.
The camera also sports a 3-axis gimbal that will give you a much stabilized result. The remote controller that you will get on this drone will also allow you to attach your smartphone. It will be significantly helpful in giving you better FUP.
- The auto-return feature will allow you to bring the drone back without any hassle.
- The integrated GPS will give you the option of setting the path. The drone will reach the destination on its own.
- The speed that you will get here will be quite fast and you can also use it in casual races.
- Once the smartphone is attached, you will be able to get the best FPV in the segment.
- There is no feature related to obstacle avoidance and it can become a deal-breaker for beginners.
- The internal storage can be limited to some people at just 8GB.
3. DJI Phantom 4 v2 Drone
This is the drone that a majority of creators are using for commercial purposes. There are many settings that DJI offers and the highest camera settings that it will be able to record is up to 4K.
The build quality that you will get here is quite sturdy. And you will be able to use it for years just by paying a little bit of extra care. The design language and the optics offered here are quite good where it will record detailed images/videos even in the low light.
When it comes to the onboard features, the drone is able to give a very good competition to the other ones present in the same price segment. The biggest plus point of this DJI Phantom 4 is it offers a high range of 7km.
The users will also be able to fly it for a long time of 30 minutes on a single charge. It can easily be doubled by keeping a pair of extra batteries. The camera that you will get here will give you a wide view of 94-degrees.
The app will allow you to share the captures files in a matter of moments.
- The drone is highly responsive and it is intelligent enough to not get crashed that easily.
- The camera comes with an inbuilt gimbal and you will get much better shots in terms of stabilization.
- The spec-sheet that you will get here is quite good and you will not find one like this in the same price bracket.
- There are multiple features that the pilot can enable to fly the drone autonomously. The performance along with the range is also a major selling point for this DJI drone.
- It can feel a bit pricier and not everyone will be able to easily afford it.
- There are no propeller guards on this drone and it can be a huge deal-breaker, especially for beginners.
4. Contixo F24 Pro UHD Drone
When you step out in the market to get the drone that fits perfectly on your requirements, it’s obvious that you will get confused and it’s not that easy like it sounds. You will find a range of options. It’s important that you narrow down your search to get the one for yourself.
This one from Contixo is capable of recording up to 4K. And it will give you very detailed results in terms of sharpness and clarity. The controller that you will get here will allow you to add a smartphone and then you will get much better FPV.
It will be significantly helpful in framing the shot that you want to take and you will also be able to easily maneuver it. The controls that you will get here are very easy and you will not need to waste any time in learning.
The interface is kind of self-explanatory and the drone is also a fully foldable one. Contixo is also providing a carry bag in the package. Before you move on to the next one, it is important to weigh down all the pros and cons.
- The materials used in the construction of the drone offers a very sturdy and robust build that will last for years.
- The drone is a fully foldable one and you will be able to keep it easily in your bag.
- The remote controller comes with very easy controls and you will find the drone quite responsive.
- The camera sensor of the drone is also a significant factor that makes this Contixo drone one of the best drones to buy this Christmas.
- The gesture controls that you will get here will not be always very responsive and you should rely more on the remote controller.
5. XIAOKEKE v4 4K Drone
For all those people who are out and about looking for a drone to gift someone, this one is a very affordable option, and you will not find any huge complaints in terms of operation. The compact form factor of the drone will allow you to keep it anywhere. And it won’t take large space in your luggage.
The overall build quality and the materials used in the construction of this XIAOKEKE drone will give it a very premium look and feel. This is best drones to buy this christmas and gifts on this festival.
The brand has also equipped the drone with an onboard GPS. You will be able to use it for better maneuver. It will be helpful in setting the path beforehand and the drone will then reach the destination on its own.
This option will also bring the drone back to its take-off location in case the battery is low or it’s getting out of the range. The users will also be able to track object tracking and the drone will follow you without any hassle.
It will automatically avoid any kind of hurdles and obstruction.
- The 4K camera on the drone will allow you to capture the details and you will be able to set the resolution according to the available space.
- The matte finish of the drone will give it a very premium look. The propellers are also quite robust and will not wear and tear easily.
- The camera present on the drone will also easily pan and you will get highly stabilized shots.
- The brand has also included a carry case and it will become very handy for the travelers.
- The propeller guards that are included in the package are not very sturdy and the protection isn’t quite enough.
- The flight time is also limited to 15 minutes on a single charge.
6. Amcrest A4-W Skyview Drone
This drone from Amcrest is one of the best ones available in the market and you will see a range of features that will be quite helpful while flying. The build quality of the drone is quite good and you will not see any use of cheap materials.
The camera that Amcrest is offering comes with a 720p resolution and it will be sufficient enough to capture details.
The plastic quality on offer here is the ABS one that is known for its high durability. It will not come apart that easy easily on minor crashes. The propeller guards that you will get here are also quite sturdy. And You can easily compete with the other best drones to buy this Christmas in the same price segment.
However, there is also a downside to it and that’s the added weight. It will reduce the drone’s speed significantly. If you are buying it specifically for racing, this one is not the one for you. Let’s dive into the pros and cons of A4-W Skyview.
- The wireless controller that you will get here is quite sturdy and it will be able to get a stable connection.
- There is also a microSD card slot and it can take up to 32 GB cards.
- The camera present on the drone is a 1.3MP one and you will get a flying time of 7 minutes.
- The remote controller will make use of the 2.4GHz radio waves which will be more than enough for a responsive connection.
- The range offered here is not up to the mark and it’s just 100m.
- The supported microSD card can go up to only 32GB.
7. Parrot Anafi PF728000 Drone
As we have already mentioned, once you are in the market in search of a drone, there will be multiple ones and you should narrow down the search according to your requirements. The brand is known for the quality that it has to offer and you will not be able to find any complaint while using.
The camera sensor that’s present on the drone is a 21MP one and it will be able to shoot up to 4K. The camera sensor that you will get here will also be able to shoot RAW images. It will allow you to extract as many details as possible.
In this price segment, there is no other option that has the capability to compete. The propellers on this drone are also quiet enough. It will not create disturbance to the people around the spot.
There are a few bugs that the Parrot app comes with and the brand is resolving them using the OTA updates. There is one thing that you need to know and that’s you will not get any type of collision avoidance and it can become a bit trickier for the beginners to fly.
- The drone is pretty lightweight and you will not need to make any extra space to carry it from one place to another.
- The gimbal on the drone will give you the option of swivelling the camera to 180-degrees. It will allow you to take amazing shots.
- The charging mechanism on this drone is the USB Type-C one and you will be able to use any charger.
- The noise output from the propellers is quite low and it’s one of the most important aspects one will consider while buying.
- The remote controller that you will get is quite big and you will need some training to fit it in your hands.
8. PinPle SJRC F11 Drone
There are multiple drones in this price segment that comes with a 2K camera and you will be able to capture all the details in your frame. The dynamic range on this drone is also pretty good and the design language opted by the brand here gives it a much premium and elegant look.
The sensor size is 2MP and the propellers get completely folded without taking up a large space in your travel bag. The overall weight and the compact form factor make it one of the best drones to buy this Christmas.
The construction material that’s used by the brand here is ABS plastic and it’s known for the durability and robust build. It will be able to easily bear minor crashes and you will find no issue in the long run.
The motors on this drone are brushless ones and it is also a significant factor in extending its life. These motors will also be responsible for the high speed that this drone has to offer.
The top speed will go all the way up to 40km/h. If you are looking for a drone that can also win you some races in the backyard, this PinPle drone is the one to go for.
- The flight time that users will get on this drone in a single charge is 28 minutes.
- The previous model from PinPle offered a 1080p camera and now, you will get a significant upgrade in the form of a 2K sensor.
- The remote controller will allow you to add a smartphone and it will allow you to get a better first-person view.
- The range of this drone goes up to 1.2 km in an ideal situation.
- The build quality of the remote controller can be improved quite a lot.
9. AOKESI X7 4K Drone
This drone from Potensic is one of the best-performing ones that you can buy right now in the affordable segment. The design and build quality of the drone are seen to be quite premium where you will be able to use it for just a little bit extra care. The 4K lens on this drone will allow you to capture the most detailed shots.
Coming to the features, it’s loaded as well. AOKESI is able to offer integrated GPS and the drone will make use of it in auto-return, auto-pilot, etc. Through the companion app, you will be able to set the drone path and set the destination along with the height.
As soon as you will hit the ‘Take Off’ button, the drone will go into autopilot mode and will reach the destination point on its own. There will also be a Follow Me feature that you can enable and the drone will follow you without any hassle. It will also avoid all the hindrances in the way.
- The drone comes with onboard GPS and it’s a very handy feature when a creator is shooting on his/her own.
- The camera can record all the way up to 4K and it will provide some professional-quality results.
- The propellers on this drone will fold into the body. It will be helpful in carrying it from one place to another.
- The wireless connection that the drone will use is the 5GHz one and you will be able to get a very reliable connection.
- There is a huge issue that the propellers will get into the video and it will downgrade the video quality significantly.
- The stabilization is not up to the mark.
10. DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone
This one is the brand’s latest offering and you will be able to get some professional captures from it. As it’s a bit pricey, we will not recommend this drone to beginners. The build quality and the overall design are quite ergonomic.
The interface provided by the DJI on its companion app is also quite intuitive and all the options will be made easily accessible under a single dashboard from the home screen.
The form factor of the drone is quite compact. You will be able to fit it in your bag without any issue. The propellers will fold into the drone’s body and you will be glad to know that the drone is able to shoot crisp clear 8K videos.
The brand is known for its quality and this latest addition is no exception. If you are an intermediate or pro pilot, your search for the ‘Best Drones to buy this Christmas’ should end here.
The camera stays on an integrated gimbal and you will be able to pan and tilt to some extent. Before we conclude, here are some pros and cons that you must go through.
- The drone offers you the Hyperlapse feature and that too in 8K. It will give you a wide scope to explore creativity.
- The camera sensor is a whopping 48MP one and it will not leave any detail while capturing any frame.
- The DJI Mavic Air 2 has the longest battery life compared to any other drone on this list. It can fly up to 34 minutes on a single charge.
- The range is also exceptional where it can go up to 10 km.
- Compared with its predecessor, Mavic Air 2 is a bit heavier.
- The 8K quality is not supported on all the video modes.
Give the Best drones to buy this christmas ! A short buyer’s guide
Well, after going through the full list of drones, you might be able to find just the right one for you. However, there are still some people who are finding themselves in a confusing spot where they aren’t able to choose one. We are providing you with some key factors that will help you in choosing the right drone for yourself.
Controlling
The drones come with different types of controllers. You will find drones with dedicated remotes and also the ones that will get paired with the smartphone. There are also multiple controllers that are seen to be offering a smartphone connection right on the controller. It will allow you to get a better FPV.
Onboard GPS
The drone that you are getting will be considered as the ‘best drone to buy this Christmas’ only if it comes with integrated GPS. It will allow you to keep the path clearly mentioned. The drone will also be able to stabilize itself at a certain point. You will also get to set the path and the drone will reach the destination on its own.
Camera System
The camera system that the drone has to offer should be capable of recording up to a minimum of full HD resolution. The shots that you are going to take should be crisp. And it must be able to capture smooth aerial shots. The sensors should also be able to capture details.
Regulations
If you are getting a drone for yourself or for anyone, you should know the existing rules and regulations. A drone that weighs above 250 grams should be registered with the FAA and if it’s not, you are not flying it legally. There is one thing that you must know and that’s flying the drone in the national parks is completely prohibited.
Flying Time
The battery life of the drones isn’t quite high and the lithium-ion batteries will give you a flying time of a maximum of 25-30 minutes per charge. However, while buying the drone, you should keep a note of the in-box accessories that you are getting. There are few brands that offer two batteries and it will give you just the double flying duration.
Easy Interface
The interface that you will get on the companion app or on the remote should be intuitive and easy to understand. The features that the drone has to offer should be easily accessible and the users should not go through a complex interface. It will become even more difficult for beginners to learn flying.
Build Quality
The drone that you are buying should be robust enough to bear minor crashes and the materials should also provide the drone a premium look and feel. It should also be pretty lightweight so that it doesn’t become a hassle to get it from one place to another.
Final thoughts: Our top picks
Drones are becoming everyone’s favorite and it’s quite important for you to pick the right one. As we are moving towards the more digital medium in terms of everything, we should keep ourselves updated with all the latest equipment. After going through the full review, it may occur that you are still unable to find the right drone for you and we understand this dilemma. To get you through it easily, we are going to give you our two recommendations so that you can choose even more easily.
The first one to choose from the list of ‘Best Drones to buy this Christmas’ is DJI Mavic Mini. The drone comes with a brand name attached to it. And you will get exceptional results in terms of image quality and stabilization.
The second one that we would like to recommend is Parrot Anafi. It’s one of the best drones to buy this christmas and selling that are available right now. The camera on this drone comes with a 180-degree swivel. And it will allow you to take some amazing pan shots.
FAQs: Clearing your confusion!
- Can I fly the drone above the sea?
Yes, but there is one thing that you need to make sure is to keep it well above the ground. Don’t let it go near the waves as the spray will damage the electronics.
- How to fly the drone in the mountains?
There is nothing specific you need to learn while flying in the mountains. The weather changes quite instantly and you need to keep that in mind.
- What’s the average battery life of a drone?
A drone will last you somewhere between 25-30 minutes based on the quality and how premium are you willing to go. You can extend the battery life by keeping 2-3 batteries with you.