The best drones for beginners

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Whatever activity you try your hand at, you always start off as, well… a beginner. Hey, even the likes of Lionel Messi or Simone Biles were newbies once upon a time. And who knows? Maybe you’ll reach the heights of an elite droning competition one day.

For now, it’s all about learning the ropes — or rotor blades in the case of drones. To help you get started, we’ve looked for the best, most capable drones available.

Picking a drone isn’t as easy as it sounds. There’s more to this droning lark than just pressing takeoff. There are different types of drone-based activities plus regulations (not to mention — yawn — administrative costs) to know about before getting your frequent drone flyer miles. That applies whether you’re interested in drone photography or racing or mastering the art of the 360° roll. Here’s everything you need to know, along with a roundup of select drones for beginners.

What is a drone?

It seems simple but it’s worth reiterating. In basic terms, drones are remote-controlled aerial vehicles. They can be controlled and utilised in a variety of ways — not to mention flown at various distances and heights, depending on how advanced they are. You’ve probably heard a lot about drones in recent years. Drones sometimes make headlines thanks to their use in military and aerospace technologies.

Are there different types of drones?

In terms of the kind of drones listed here — i.e. drones used for leisure activities — the most popular type is the multi-rotor drone. They’re often small and lightweight and have four rotors (sometimes called quadcopters). Some of the drones on the list are also “mini” — palm sized flyers that are easily portable, but still come equipped with decent camera equipment and other features.

What is drone photography?

The most common use for drones is photography. In basic terms, you can fly a drone and capture aerial footage, but photography features and functionality go way beyond simple birds-eye-view shots. Drones are used by filmmakers and professional photographers, and they offer all kinds of shooting modes that can track, follow, and spiral around your photography subject. This is usually controlled in a smart device app. Some drones also have advanced cameras that are capable of recording and transmitting 4K quality footage. Depending on the drone, they may be able to transmit this footage in real time or even post straight to social media. But you don’t have to be a pro to use a camera drone. They’re also great for fun snaps and general use.

What is an FPV drone?

FVP drones (“first person view”) allow you to control your drone by beaming a real-time video to your device or a pair of VR-like googles. In other words, it puts you in the pilot’s seat. FPV drones are usually used for drone racing, a popular trend among drone hobbyists, so they tend to be built for speed and agility. Also look out for “tiny whoop” drones — micro-sized FPV racers.

What flight features to drones have?

There are all kinds of flight features to know about. Some drones (depending on how advanced they are) will allow you to map a predetermined route and fly using GPS, for instance. Common features include one-button takeoff and altitude hold, which means the drone can hover in the same spot mid-air. There’s also headless mode, which allows your drone to fly in any direction, and 360° flips at the push of a button. Most decent drones will have return to home (RTH) technology, which means the drone will automatically fly back to you when you’re finished flying or the battery is low. Hi-spec drones may also have obstacle avoidance sensors to prevent collisions.

How far does a drone fly?

Most beginner-level drones fly from a range of anything between 80 and 500 metres. Some models, however, will fly out several kilometres. It all depends on the kind of tech you want and how much you’re willing to spend.

How do you register your drone?

It may come as a surprise but if your drone weighs over 250 grams, you have to register it with the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) for a small fee. Piloting an unregistered drone is against the law. Go to CAA.co.uk for all the rules and regulations and CAA Consultations for drone registration. Once you’ve done that, you can start thinking about which device you actually want.

What is the best drone for beginners?

We’ve put in the air miles and landed on the very best models. There’s something for every type of budding drone pilot on this list. Just read on and pick a favourite.

These are the best drones for beginners in 2025.