The best drones for every level of pilot (2024)

The DJI Mavic 3 is for serious aerial photography enthusiasts. It comes equipped with a specially designed and built-in Hasselblad camera, which combines hardware performance and state-of-the-art algorithms to deliver next level image quality.

It captures photographs at 20 megapixels and 5.1K HDR video, with intelligent zoom options. Not to mention a flight time of 46 minutes and speeds of up 42 mph.

The DJI Mavic 3 features intelligent flight modes with an omnidirectional obstacle sensor that helps prevent crashes — plus, an upgraded O3+ transmission system that beams back footage at distances of more than nine miles.

There’s added safety, too. To prevent your drone from getting lost or running out of juice, there’s an advanced "return to home" feature that figures out the fastest route and navigates the drone back to you safe and sound.

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FPV drones (First Person View) are their own thing entirely. They put you in the figurative pilot’s seat by beaming a real-time video to either your smart device or pair of VR-style goggles.If that sounds like your sort of adventure, drone fans rate the Holy Stone HS175D as one of the very best FPV models.

It has a superb 4K camera, so you can pilot using a crystal clear image, plus GPS positioning for safety, a handy “follow me” mode (so it, well, follows you), and 5Ghz transmission for a continuously stable transmission. Circle fly is another cool feature, not to mention its incredible flight time — a whopping 46 minutes.

There are other versions available — including the more expensive Holy Stone HS720E — which have their own specifications. This is a great way to get started though.

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Kids love drones. But not all parents love drone prices. That’s why the AVIALOGIC Q9 Drone is a great option for kids. It’s affordable and packed with kid-friendly features — and not just the cool green and blue LED lights.

This drone takes off (and lands) at the push of a button. It also hovers in altitude mode, with headless mode, three speeds for learner pilots, and three lighting modes. It also does 360 flips and high-speed spins, which the kids will love.

What you really want from a kids’ drone is a reliable build. Because you know they’ll fly it into the wall repeatedly (and they will). Not only is it sturdy, but the Q9 also has protective guards around each of the four propellors.

If there’s a downside, you might need to be careful outdoors — reviewers say it gets caught in high winds — and there’s no speed listed. Which probably means it’s not very fast.

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AVOALOGIC makes the list again. And once more, it’s because the brand’s drones are an absolute bargain. The Q10 Drone is geared specifically to kids, but it’s definitely a kid-friendly price — literally hundreds cheaper than the top models.

You still get a good amount of oomph for your money, with headless mode, an emergency stop, gravity sensor control, and trajectory flight mode, which allows you to map a route via the app. Another cool feature is gesture control. Wave at the drone and it starts to fly, or make a scissors gesture to take a photo. Not bad for under £50.

Ultimately, it’s a budget kit, but it you’re looking for drone-based fun and don't need the most technologically advanced bells and whistles, this is a great buy.

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The brilliant DJI range makes the list again. How could it not? Among the brand's fantastic selection of drones is the DJI Mini 2 — a small, foldable, and ultralight camera drone that also happens to be perfect for beginners.

It fits in your palm and weighs only 249 grams. That’s just a gram below the CAA’s regulation weight, so there’s no admin involved with getting this up into the air.

Sure, it’s small but that doesn’t mean it’s not packing some impressive power. It captures brilliantly sharp still photography and shoots 4K footage. A 4x Zoom feature allows you to get perfect shots from a safe distance. You can rely on its stability too, with level 5 wind resistance and a 3-axis gimbal that keeps all footage consistently smooth.

If you’re big on instant sharing, this uploads your footage directly to social media.

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Propel Toys have created this Star Wars drone, which looks exactly like Luke Skywalker's X-Wing from the climactic dogfight in Episode IV. This drone features solid controls with a top speed of 35 mph, up to eight minutes of flight time, and three speed settings for Rebel pilots of all abilities. The Force is strong with this drone.

Each one is hand painted and numbered for collectors, while it also features the iconic sounds you know from the Star Wars Saga. There's also a companion app for iOS and Android smartphones that hosts virtual battles and flight simulators, and tracks stats.

There are other drones in the range too — including a speeder bike and TIE Fighter — in case you're the kind of flyer who leans more towards the Dark Side.

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The DJI Ryze Tello is a lot of fun. It can be easily programmed via an app and handles like a video game thanks to easy-to-master controls — up, down, left, and right. Though you can also get it flying with a handy “Throw and Go” feature. As the moniker suggests, you just toss it into the air and away it goes.

And if you want to master tricks, the Ryze Tello can do all sorts — it bounces up and down in the palm of your hand or performs flips with a simple finger swipe of the app.

The Ryze Tello does indeed fit in the palm of your hand (or even in your pocket) but it still has impressive tech. It comes with a 720p/5mp camera that streams footage to a device within a WiFi range of 100 metres. Impressive for the price.

It also has a series of EZ Shots features — choose from Circle, 360, and Up functions — which all help take professional level aerial pictures.

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