The best drone under 200 can help you take your videos and photos to an entirely new level, without costing too much.
While it's true that investing in a drone under 200 might come with a few concessions, our list shows that they can still offer some great features, such as GPS guidance systems and high-resolution cameras with wide-angle lenses.
In fact, we've even picked out a device that allows you to shoot in 6K, while another comes with a 4K resolution. That means there will be no issues with the quality when going for a budget-friendly choice, which is great if you're a keen video or photographer.
While these options won't always match the best drones for battery life most of the time, one of our picks can actually last up to 56 minutes on one charge, which is still pretty good.
With all this in mind then, there's a strong case to be made that these are some of the best beginner drones you can get your hands on. Of course, you can upgrade down the line, but as a starting point, we feel our selection, based on specs, price, and reviews, is hard to beat.
Best drones under 200
1. Holy Stone GPS Drone
Best drone under 200
Camera resolution: 1080p
Additional features: GPS
Weight: 0.63oz
Dimensions: 12.05 x 7.6 x 3.6 inches
This Holy Stone drone looks to be an excellent all-round option that's definitely worth considering on a budget as it's packed with a ton of great features.
Firstly, its GPS Location means the drone should be able to remember where you set your 'home' destination, and then automatically return to that point whenever it loses signal or power, or when you press the auto-return button on the controller.
This feature should also allow the drone to follow you automatically wherever you go, so you don't have to use the remote control if you want to check your phone, for instance, while flying this machine.
You can also set a custom flight path using the GPS signal, which is great if you already know which places offer the best photo opportunities. Simply send the drone to each of them to take some snapshots and then set it to return home.
The camera itself has a 1080p resolution and the ability to take photos and record videos. Plus, the drone comes with a dedicated app, through which you can instantly share any images or recordings as you take them.
It's worth noting, too, that this device has a flight time of 26 minutes, which should be a decent amount of battery power to cover short distances.
All in all, we feel the number of features this drone has at its disposal helps make it one of the best budget drones on the market.
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2. SYMA X500
Best drone under 200 for flight time
Camera resolution: 4K
Additional features: GPS, wide-angle lens
Weight: 2.2lbs
Dimensions: 9.4 x 9.4 x 2.8 inches
If you're looking for a drone under 200 with a longer-than-average flight time, then we'd say the SYMA X500 could be your best bet.
This drone has a battery life of 56 minutes, which should allow you to fly it fairly long distances to find the best shots possible.
Another great thing about this device is that it allows you to shoot in 4K. This means any photographs or videos you do capture should come out in crisp, clear detail.
It also has a wide-angle lens and offers a 90-degree vertical gimble movement to give a wide field of view for capturing as much incredible scenery as possible in your shots.
One of the unique features of this drone is that, when it's within 3,000 feet of you, you can actually use hand gestures to signal to the device that it needs to take a photo or a video instead of needing to use the controller.
Its GPS also means the drone should be able to return to whichever location you set as home when it's low on battery or the signal is lost, or when you press the button on the controller instructing it to come back.
There is also a follow me feature that means it will automatically follow you without the need to control it yourself, and a custom path feature, which should let you map out a flight route if you want to send it anywhere in particular to take photos.
Overall, this drone seems like a great choice if you're looking for something with a long battery life for more prolonged shoots.
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3. Potensic T25
Best 2K drone under 200
Camera resolution: 2K
Additional features: GPS, wide-angle lens, One Key take-off
Weight: 3.72lbs
Dimensions: 13.7 x 10.9 x 6.2 inches
The Potensic T25 looks to be a great pick if you're specifically after something to capture at a 2K resolution.
To aid your photography and videography, it also has an adjustable wide angle and fluent transmission, which allows you to capture more scenery in your frame whilst keeping the drone stable.
Intelligent features like GPS Assist Fly should make this drone extremely convenient and easy to use.
For instance, it has the ability to automatically follow you and take photos, thus keeping your hands free, plus you can customise your own flight path so, once again, you don't even have to control it.
It has an Auto Return To Home function, which is designed to ensure the drone returns back 'home' whenever you press the return button. This is helpful if you fly it out of sight so you don't accidentally lose it.
The drone also has a One Key feature, which essentially means all you have to do to make it take off is press the designated button on the controller.
So, for ease of use, we'd say this 2K drone is well worth checking out.
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4. DJI Ryze Tech Tello
Best mini drone under 200
Camera resolution: 720p
Additional features: One-tap EZ Shots button
Weight: 87g
Dimensions: 9.21 x 7.8 x 2.09 inches
DJI is a popular pick when it comes to buying drones. Looking at its Ryze Tech Tello, we'd say it's easy to see why.
The drone is extremely lightweight, only weighing 87 grams, which we'd say makes it the perfect option for taking on your travels to capture some amazing photos and videos while away.
The camera has a 720p resolution, which should allow you to take some good HD shots, and it also has two antennas that are said to provide stability when capturing video.
If you're a beginner, it comes with a one-tap EZ Shots button that, according to the manufacturer, allows you to take pro-level photos with a single tap. These images can then be delivered straight to your smartphone, giving you quick and easy access to everything you've shot.
This is all done using the Tello EDU app, which also supports an extension called Scratch, which is typically used for educational purposes and training programmes.
Using Scratch, you can drag coding blocks that issue commands to the drone to make it perform movements with ease, thus making it simple to use for kids as well as adults.
All in all, this DJI mini drone appears to be a simplistic and incredibly portable option to consider.
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5. TizzyToy Drone
Best drone under 200 with dual cameras
Camera resolution: 6K
Additional features: Ultra-wide shooting angle, two shooting modes, RGB lighting, auto-return button
Weight: 1.61lbs
Dimensions: 13 x 13 x 2.7 inches
This TizzyToy Drone has a rather impressive 6k dual camera system, meaning it should be able to offer crystal-clear photography and videography.
It also supports a 120-degree ultra-wide shooting angle, allowing you to fit a ton of scenery into one frame. Also, it comes with two different shooting modes, which you can switch between depending on the photo or video you want to take.
These modes include 'normal angle' and 'top-down angle'. The top-down angle should allow you to take a photo or record a video that looks directly down on whatever is below the drone.
Usefully, you can control the drone through your mobile phone via its dedicated app, and any shots you take can be transmitted directly to your phone so you can share images as you take them.
As with most of the other devices on this list, it also comes with an auto-return option, where all you have to do is press a button and the drone should come back to wherever you're located.
Another convenient feature that this drone offers is RGB lighting fan blades, which means you should be able to see the drone at night - perhaps you wanted to take an aerial shot of some city lights, for instance.
In our opinion, this dual-camera drone seems to be a great pick for capturing high-quality images, thus making it well worth considering.
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Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
There's a lot to think about when buying a drone, which may result in a ton of questions. Don't worry though, we've answered some of the most commonly asked queries below.
Is it worth investing in a drone?
Yes, we'd say it's worth investing in a drone, especially if you're interested in photography and videography. This is because a drone allows you to take unique aerial shots that would be incredibly difficult to capture otherwise.
Many drones these days come with high-quality cameras, too, with some even allowing you to shoot in 4K for more detailed shots. Meanwhile, you can also pick up drones that come with wide-angle cameras, allowing you to fit as much scenery as possible into a single frame.
Plus, even if you're a beginner, many devices are easy to use and have GPS guidance systems and one-touch commands that can help you get started if you're not entirely sure how to operate one.
How long can drones fly for?
The flight time varies significantly from drone to drone, as you can find devices with a flight time of almost an hour, while others may only be able to fly for around 10 minutes or under before they run out of battery.
Generally speaking, beginner drones have an average flight time of about 10 minutes according to JOUAV, while mid-level drones can last around 22 minutes, and professional consumer drones last around 28 minutes.
Having said that, there are some exceptions when it comes to professional drones, as some high-end options can actually fly for up to several hours, but these tend to come with much higher retail prices.
Can a drone be used in the rain?
It's usually not recommended to fly your drone when it's raining because many devices have holes in them for ventilation, which can potentially expose its inner electrical workings to water. This can ultimately end up short-circuiting and damaging your device.
It's also worth noting that you shouldn't really fly drones in misty or high-humidity conditions, as this can also lead to moisture entering the inner components of the drone and damaging it.
The wind is another factor you need to consider, especially if you own a particularly light drone. A drone can often get blown off course when the wind is especially strong, so we'd advise against flying one in these kinds of weather conditions.