These cheap drones under $500 are great gift ideas for first time flyers

Date:
Wed, 13 Dec 2023 12:09:10 +0000

Description:
Take to the skies this Christmas with one of the best drones for less than $500.

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If youre late to the drone party fear not, because now is the perfect time to embark on airborne photo and video adventures. The best drones offer the most advanced features and camera functionality, but you dont have to spend big to get started with this fun hobby. Whether youre looking for an indoor model, a regulator-friendly sub-250g option or a ready-to-fly FPV drone kit, the perfect drone for you is available at an affordable price.

The type of drone that's best for you depends on your intended use and you
can often discover whats best by asking yourself a few simple questions; do you want to capture photos and videos do you want or need 4K video? Would
you like an autonomous drone that tracks subjects? If so, the Potensic Atom
is a superb option that's now also a cheaper DJI Mini 3 alternative in
festive deals, now just $369.99 at Amazon (US) or 329.99 at Amazon (UK).

Would you like to learn how to fly FPV drones? Might you prefer the most inexpensive indoor drone for learning the basics in a controlled space? Something like the BetaFPV Cetus X FPV Kit could be your best bet, now just $247.99 at Amazon (US) or 246.94 at BetaFPV for shoppers in the UK.

We've handpicked the five drone models below as the best options in their respective categories, and what's better is that they all cost less than $500 / 400 either in holiday deals or the original list price. For even more great holiday and Christmas gift ideas , do check out our guides to the best Christmas sales in the US and Boxing Day sales in the UK, plus the Christmas deals listed at the end of this article. Drone deals under $500 (US)

Ryze Tello: $199 at Amazon
The Ryze Tello is an inexpensive indoor drone that comes with propeller guards and is controlled via a smartphone app or can be connected to
Bluetooth controllers. At just 2.8oz / 80g its incredibly small and lightweight and can capture 5MP photos and video at 720p, but although its
not a drone for image capture outdoors it can take off from the palm of your hand and can perform flips for fun and is a great learning drone as well as one thats suitable for children. Please note, currently delivery is noted as after Christmas. View Deal

HoverAir X1: was $479 now $379 at Amazon

The HoverAir X1 is a foldable autonomous drone that uses intelligent tracking algorithms to track the user and the people around them. Its small, lightweight and incredibly easy to use with palm take-off and landing. The propellers are enclosed in permanent propeller guards for safety and the HoverAir X1 can capture 2.7K video and 12MP photos using the basic point-and-shoot camera. It can only be flown 98ft / 30m away from the user, but it performs extremely well when subject tracking. This deal is for the Combo package that includes an extra battery and charging hub. View Deal

DJI Mini 2 SE: $469 at Amazon

The DJI Mini 2 SE is DJIs most basic drone model and sits within the sub-250g category of regulator-friendly models. It may be inexpensive, but it benefits from DJIs market-leading build quality and stable performance. The camera can capture video at up to 2.7K at 30fps and 12MP photos in both JPEG and Raw formats. Theres no collision avoidance, but you do get Quickshots automated flight patterns for professional-looking video making it a great model for beginners. View Deal

Potensic Atom Combo: was $449.99 now $369.99 at Amazon

The Potensic Atom is more of a direct competitor of the DJI Mini 3 but with a price closer to the DJI Mini 2 SE. This makes it an attractive option for beginners who would like an inexpensive sub-250g drone, but with camera functionality that will meet their needs for the foreseeable future. The Atom can shoot video in up to 4K at 30fps and can capture 12MP photos in JPEG and Raw formats. Build quality is great, and although theres no collision avoidance it does offer Quickshots. View Deal

BetaFPV Cetus X FPV Kit: was $279.99 now $247.99 at Amazon

FPV drones take a lot of getting used to in terms of flight, not to mention theyre typically self-build. The BetaFPV Cetus X is a ready-to-fly FPV kit that comes with everything you need to get started including analogue the Cetus X, FPV goggles, a controller, batteries and other accessories, and its design means it can be flown safely both indoors and out. The flight modes also allow you to build up to the most difficult manual/acro flight mode as your skills increase, making it a fun option. View Deal Drone deals under 500 (UK)

Ryze Tello: 139 at Amazon

The Ryze Tello is an inexpensive indoor drone that comes with propeller
guards and is controlled via a smartphone app or can be connected to
Bluetooth controllers. At just 2.8oz / 80g its incredibly small and lightweight and can capture 5MP photos and video at 720p, but although its
not a drone for image capture outdoors it can take off from the palm of your hand and can perform flips for fun and is a great learning drone as well as one thats suitable for children. Please note, currently delivery is noted as after Christmas. View Deal

HoverAir X1: was 469 now 395 at Amazon

The HoverAir X1 is a foldable autonomous drone that uses intelligent tracking algorithms to track the user and the people around them. Its small, lightweight and incredibly easy to use with palm take-off and landing. The propellers are enclosed in permanent propeller guards for safety and the HoverAir X1 can capture 2.7K video and 12MP photos using the basic point-and-shoot camera. It can only be flown 98ft / 30m away from the user, but it performs extremely well when subject tracking. Currently, there's a 74 discount coupon to apply at check out. View Deal

DJI Mini 2 SE: was 309 now 269 at Amazon

The DJI Mini 2 SE is DJIs most basic drone model and sits within the sub-250g category of regulator-friendly models. It may be inexpensive, but it benefits from DJIs market-leading build quality and stable performance. The camera can capture video at up to 2.7K at 30fps and 12MP photos in both JPEG and Raw formats. Theres no collision avoidance, but you do get Quickshots automated flight patterns for professional-looking video making it a great model for beginners. View Deal

Potensic Atom Combo: was 369.99 now 329.99 at Amazon

The Potensic Atom is more of a direct competitor of the DJI Mini 3 but with a price closer to the DJI Mini 2 SE. This makes it an attractive option for beginners who would like an inexpensive sub-250g drone, but with camera functionality that will meet their needs for the foreseeable future. The Atom can shoot video in up to 4K at 30fps and can capture 12MP photos in JPEG and Raw formats. Build quality is great, and although theres no collision avoidance it does offer Quickshots. Apply the 40 coupon at checkout. View
Deal

BetaFPV Cetus X FPV Kit: 246.94 at BetaFPV

FPV drones take a lot of getting used to in terms of flight, not to mention theyre typically self-build. The BetaFPV Cetus X is a ready-to-fly FPV kit that comes with everything you need to get started including analogue the Cetus X, FPV goggles, a controller, batteries and other accessories, and its design means it can be flown safely both indoors and out. The flight modes also allow you to build up to the most difficult manual/acro flight mode as your skills increase, making it a fun option. If you sign up to BetaFPV's email there's a 5% discount to be had. View Deal More US holiday sales
Amazon: 70% off Kindle, TVs, tablets & clothing Apple: AirPods, Apple Watch & iPads from $79 Adidas: 40% off running shoes & clothing Beauty: 51% off makeup, skincare & hair tools Best Buy: $800 off TVs, laptops & headphones Cheap TVs: big-screen 4K TVs from $269.99 Christmas: 40% off decor, pajamas & trees Dell: Inspiron and XPS laptops from $260 DreamCloud: 40% off all mattresses Family pajamas: Christmas PJs from $12.99 Gaming: console bundles from $289.99 Lenovo: 76% off laptops, desktops & printers Lowe's: up to $800 off major appliances Nectar : mattress deals starting at $359 Nordstrom: 40% off Nike, Levi's & UGGs Patagonia: pullovers starting at $64.99 Samsung: $2,000 of TVs, phones and appliances Shopbop: 25% off sitewide with code Holiday Target: 40% off Christmas decor, TVs & toys Toys: Disney, Barbie & Lego from $14.99 Walmart: cheap TVs, air fryers, PS5 & toys More Christmas sales in the UK Amazon: up to 65% off tech and gifts Adidas: up to 60% off outlet clothing, shoes, apparel AO: up to 40% off vacuums, appliances, and tech Argos: up to 70% off toys, Christmas decor, and tech Boots: half-price gift sets, gift cards, and fragrances B&Q: cheap Christmas trees, lights, decor, wreaths Carphone Warehouse: 120GB data for 12 per month Currys: up to 40% off TVs, air fryers, laptops and more Cotswolds Outdoor: up to 50% off Patagonia, Rab, North Face Debenhams : up to 70% off home, fashion, gift sets Disney: up to 60% off Christmas jumpers, toys, decor Ebuyer: up to 40% off laptops, desktops, and components John Lewis: 300 off TVs, Apple, plus Christmas decor Jessops: up to 1,000 off Sony, Canon, Nikon, and Fujifilm O2: up to 600 off iPhone, Samsung and Google Samsung: up to 600 off TVs, phones and appliances Shark: up to 100 off best-selling vacuums Very: discounts on tech, appliances, furniture and beauty Vodafone: six months half-price SIMs from 11.50

Not in the US or UK? Find the best Echo Show deals in your region, below.

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Friday deals!



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