Best Drones for Kids This Summer

Spring is in full swing, and before we know it, summer will be here. Summer brings warm weather, and for many families, kids will be out of school, looking for activities to keep them occupied.

While some screen-based activities keep kids trapped inside, others can have them spending their summer hours outdoors. One screen-based activity worth looking into is flying drones.

Drone technology continues to advance each year, with safer, easier-to-fly UAVs hitting the market all the time. Whether your child is new to flying or a seasoned pilot, drones can be a fun and educational way to spend some of their summer vacation. In addition to building hand-eye coordination, drones can lead to a new hobby or even inspire kids to pursue a career in STEM-related industries.

If you’ve already started searching for a drone, you’ve probably noticed that there are hundreds of options available. With so many choices, it can be overwhelming. If you are not familiar with drones, you can easily make the mistake of getting a drone that doesn’t live up to its marketing hype or forces you to spend more than you feel comfortable with.

To make things easier for you, FLYING has put together a list of five drones that we think both parents and children will love. We have compiled it with factors such as cost, safety, ease of use, and durability in mind. Any of these selections are sure to make your kid’s drone flying summer a blast.

What to Look for in a Drone

You can’t go wrong with the drones we’ve selected, but it’s good to know what to look for in a drone for kids. This will help you select the drone that best fits your needs. There are six key factors to consider when choosing a drone:

Age appropriateness
Safety features
Ease of use
Durability
Battery life
Camera capabilities

Before buying a drone for a child, check the manufacturer’s recommended age range. Drones designed for younger children are typically packed with safety features and are much easier to fly. Those designed for older kids offer more challenging flight controls and extras that allow for greater creative interaction, like intelligent flight modes and the ability to program the drone.

Safety features are also important, especially for kids. Some of the safest drones have cages surrounding the propellers to prevent cuts or other injuries. They will also have features that help to launch and land the drone. These are perfect for new pilots and help avoid running into obstacles during the start and end of flights.

As you move toward higher-end drones, they are sometimes a little harder to control. Kids need drones that are intuitive to use. Look for drones that have reviews highlighting how easy they are to fly. Some models can even be controlled with hand gestures or voice commands, making the learning experience more enjoyable.

Anyone who has been around children knows that anything they are playing with needs to withstand a few bumps and tumbles. Some drones, especially those with high-end cameras or specialized sensors, can easily break if not handled delicately. Look for drones made of flexible material with reinforced frames. They’ll withstand more abuse than drones made of cheap plastic or other materials.

Battery life is crucial when selecting a drone for kids. Some drones offer a wide range of features, but if you read the fine print, you’ll see the battery only lasts a few minutes. Who wants to see the joy in a kid’s eyes as they fly a drone for the first time disappear when the battery dies in five minutes? We certainly don’t. Look for drones with a flight time of at least 10 minutes, or consider buying multiple batteries.

When selecting a camera, your best bet is to find one that matches your child’s interests. If they mainly want to fly the drone, there is no need to pay for a high-end camera. On the other hand, if their interest is in photography, the camera should be your primary focus.

With all our drones, we recommend supervising your kids until they feel safe and comfortable flying the UAV on their own.

Our Top 5 Recommendations for Kids This Summer

Here is FLYING’s list of the top five drones for kids this summer:

Best budget drone: Holy Stone HS210
Best drone for family outdoor adventures: DJI Neo Fly More Combo
Best drone for kids looking to share Summer fun with friends: DJI Flip (DJI RC-N3)
Best drone for photographers: DJI Mini 4 Pro Fly More Combo Plus (DJI RC 2)
Best drone DIY kit: Quadrotor Drone DIY Kit

Holy Stone HS210: $39.99

If you’re looking for a summer drone without breaking the bank, the Holy Stone HS210 is a great option. This drone is only $39.99 on Amazon and is loaded with nice features. The HS210 is a pilot-friendly beginner UAV perfect for young kids, ideally between the ages of 8 and 12.

Holy Stone Mini Drone [Courtesy: Amazon]

Notable features include the following:

One-key takeoff and landing
Altitude hold for stable hovering
Headless mode for simplified orientation
360-degree flips and circle fly capabilities
Three speed modes to match skill levels
Propeller guards for added safety
Includes three batteries, each providing approximately seven minutes of flight time

Parents should consider getting this drone for its price, safety features, and ability to fly indoors or outdoors. While the flight time isn’t the best, the drone comes with three batteries, making it a great deal for under $50. It’s sure to be a fun start to any kid’s summer.

DJI Neo Fly More Combo: $418

Summer finds many families traveling and experiencing the great outdoors. From warm days on the beach to roasting marshmallows around a campfire, memories are made that will last a lifetime. The DJI Neo is the perfect drone to capture those moments with. The Neo is compact and easy for kids to use. You can launch the drone from your hand and control it with voice commands, making it ideal for introducing kids to drone technology without taking away from everyone in the family enjoying their summer vacation.

Key features include the following:

4K/30fps ultra-stabilized video with RockSteady and HorizonBalancing
AI-powered subject tracking and six QuickShot modes (e.g., Dronie, Circle, Boomerang)
Multiple control options: RC-N3 remote, smartphone app, or voice commands
Palm takeoffs and landings for ease of use
Full-coverage propeller guards for enhanced safety
Approximately 18 minutes of flight time per battery; includes three batteries
22GB internal storage for up to 40 minutes of 4K footage

While the drone is designed for ages 12 and older, advanced features like voice commands and AI tracking make it easy for younger children to use with supervision. It’s a great drone for learning how to fly and for mastering the basics of aerial photography. The DJI Neo is sure to help make the memories of this summer last forever.

DJI Flip (DJI RC-N3): $439

These days, everyone is on social media. Teenagers are especially good at posting their latest adventures on a wide range of platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. The DJI Flip was specifically created for vloggers, making it the perfect drone for kids looking to share their adventures with friends this summer.

The drone is compact and full of features that content creators will love:

1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor capturing 48MP photos and 4K/60fps HDR video
Three-axis mechanical gimbal for stable footage
Dual Native ISO Fusion for enhanced dynamic range
Intelligent shooting modes: Dronie, Circle, Rocket, Spotlight, Helix, Boomerang
Subject Tracking for keeping subjects in frame
Foldable full-coverage propeller guards for safety
Up to 31 minutes of flight time per battery; Fly More Combo includes additional batteries and a charging hub

The DJI Flip offers kids a good balance between safety and creativity. With excellent flight times, your kids will have time to capture new content and build solid flying skills that can easily transfer into larger, more complex drones.

DJI Mini 4 Pro Fly More Combo Plus (DJI RC 2): $1,159

Aerial photography can be a great hobby, even a career. The most expensive drone on our list is the DJI Mini 4 Pro and is perfect for kids looking to capture stunning stills of summer sunsets or film each moment of their own endless summer. Budding young photographers will love the professional-grade features, and parents will love how many safety features are packed into this drone.

The Mini 4 Pro includes the following and more:

1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor capturing 48MP photos and 4K/60fps HDR video
10-bit D-Log M and HLG color modes for over 1 billion colors
Omnidirectional obstacle sensing for enhanced safety
ActiveTrack 360° for dynamic subject tracking
True vertical shooting for social media-friendly content
Up to 34 minutes of flight time with the standard battery; up to 45 minutes with the Plus battery
DJI O4 video transmission system with up to 20-kilometer range
Includes three Intelligent Flight Battery Plus units, RC 2 controller with built-in screen, charging hub, and shoulder bag

If you are looking to inspire your kids this summer, the DJI Mini 4 Pro is an excellent drone to help them begin a lifelong love of photography. It’s easy to fly, portable, and at the entry-level of professional drones, guaranteeing high-quality digital image and video capture.

Quadrotor Drone DIY Kit: $69.99

Our last drone is a little different than our other recommendations. While this one isn’t a ready-to-use aircraft, it can be a great way for your kids to learn about drones this summer. The Quadrotor Drone DIY kit teaches kids how drones work as they build their own quadcopter. This drone is best for teenagers and requires some patience when putting everything together. Through building the UAV and remote controller, your child will walk away with an understanding of drone mechanics and flight principles.

Key features include the following:

Complete DIY assembly, including every component and screw
High-power brushless motors for efficient performance
Optical flow positioning for stable hovering
One-click takeoff and landing, headless mode, and 360-degree flips
Approximately 30 minutes of flight time per charge
Includes spare propellers and an instruction manual
Modifiable PPT courseware for educational purposes

This drone can be difficult to build. There are many small parts, and admittedly, the instructions aren’t the best. While some of the build can be frustrating for some builders, the experience will leave your kids walking away with a better understanding of drone technology. Once built, they’ll experience the joy of flying a drone they built themselves and a summer time memory they can share with their own children in the future.