RC drones have seen a meteoric rise in popularity of late. Most of the best drones, like the DJI Phantom 4, will cost you upwards of $1000. And while those high-end have their purposes and are a great deal, they aren’t intended to be used as toys. So, we’ve compiled a list of the best toy drones under $100 to help our readers find low-cost, high-reward drones that they (or their children) can have fun with without having to worry about breaking (since they’re not as expensive as anything DJI or Parrot releases into the wild).
When you’re buying one of these toys, there are a couple of things you should keep in mind. First, all drones have mediocre battery life at best, and you won’t find one that flies for 20 minutes without having to pay a premium price. Second, there are a few different sizes of drones, ranging from micro (fits in the palm of your hand) to full-size drones (intended for capturing footage).
So without further ado, here are the 9 best toy drones available (some of which we included in our list of the 100 best gifts for boys):
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Price: $73.49 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Price: $53.99 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Price: $98.95 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Price: $139.99 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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1. Altair Falcon
Pros:- Cool Look
- Easy to Use
- Fast
Cons:- Over $100 (but worth it)
- No other color options
- Very little to find fault with
Take to the skies and see the world from a new perspective with the Altair Falcon AHP. A leading name in gadgets and technological entertainment, Altair’s drone is accessible without having to sacrifice quality.
Equipped with a 720p camera, the Falcon AHP is great for recreational use and if you want to showcase your land from a higher vantage point. Fly and record family gatherings, a day at the beach, and a host of other occasions using the live video and 120-degree viewing angle still photography. Insert up to 32 GB of memory in the memory slot and save your photos and videos to be transferred to your PC.
The Altair Falcon is ready to fly right out of the box, even if you’ve never handled a drone before. This isn’t like one of those overcomplicated drones, which take hours to learn and even longer to master. Fully assembled and equipped with autonomous hover and positioning systems, the Falcon is a cinch to fly.
Take it easy and enjoy a casual flight or make things a bit more advanced with custom routes. Altair’s Falcon AHP drone keeps the user in mind, regardless of what you’re using it for. Ample flight time (up to 10 minutes per charge) and pre-calibrated controls ensure you can have fun while getting the feeling of flying one of those thousand-dollar drones.
For a more immersive experience, attach your smartphone to the remote control and man the drone with FPV flying. It’s the top of the line drone-flying experience without the usual price tag that comes with it!
Altair made it as easy as possible to start flying the Falcon, even if it’s your first time picking up a drone. The Altair Falcon comes with two batteries so you can stay in the air longer.
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2. Sky Viper Journey Pro Drone
Pros:- Professional Look
- Return to Home Function
- Super easy to Fly
Cons:- Requires smartphone for streaming
- Camera usage requires intermediate knowledge
- Only one colorway available
When it comes to the best toy drones for kids, I think it’s time to officially say that the Sky Viper brand has things on lock; their drones are perfect for beginners.
This year, they’ve introduced a small handful of new drones to choose from, but our favorite is the new Sky Viper Journey Pro. It has impressive firmware that allows for simple and stable flight. It also has a single-button return to home feature – which is typically only found in high-end drones from companies like DJI.
This baby also has unique position hold capabilities while hovering, so it won’t drift away as easily as most other toy drones tend to do. It also comes with an adjustable wide-angle camera lens for streaming live footage directly from the drone.
Note: We also included the Sky Viper Journey Pro on our list of the 10 best drones for kids this year.
Find more Sky Viper Journey Pro Drone information and reviews here.
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3. Hubsan X4 H107C
Pros:- Flies in the dark
- SD Camera included (A pro when considering price)
- Flight modes for beginners and experienced pilots
- Fun to fly
Cons:- 7 minute flight time
- Battery takes awhile to recharge
- Bad camera quality
The Hubsan X4 H107C uses the newest 6-axis flight control system available. It’s intended for stunts, and you’re able to flip it four ways (left, right, forward and backward). It has both an advanced flying mode and a beginner’s flying mode. This little drone packs a big punch for its size and has surprisingly powerful motors.
There’s an SD camera included, which records at 720 x 480 resolution, but obviously, this drone isn’t intended for photographers. It has a flight time of around 7 minutes and has a control range of nearly 100 meters. There are other Hubsan X4 models available, like the Hubsan H107D X4 mini, but when you consider the bang for your buck factor, the H107C is the best of the bunch. Best of all, it comes in at under $50, which is what makes it one of the best drones for kids and beginners. (We also included the X4 H107D on our list of the best racing drones).
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4. Syma X5C
Pros:- Can Fly High
- 50m Distance
- Most Commonly Used Drone
Cons:- Boring White Color
- 7-minute Flight Time
- Poor camera quality
The Syma 5XC is the best selling RC hobby drone on Amazon right now, and has 61% of reviewers rating it a full 5 stars. It measures just 31cm x 31cm x 8cm, so it’s not quite micro and it’s not quite a full-size drone. It has a flight time of roughly 7 minutes, and takes around 100 minutes to charge fully.
It is controllable up to 50m (which is great for a toy drone). This drone comes with an HD camera that records 720p, and there’s room for a microSD card. It’s great for beginners, and comes in at less than $70. We also included the Syma X5C in our list of the 50 best toys for boys, as well as our list of the hot toys from 2015.
Read More about the Syma X5C here.
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5. Sky Viper HD V950 Video Drone
Pros:- Easy to Set Up
- Durable Plastic Parts
- Fast and Fun to Fly
Cons:- 8-minute flight time
- Recharging takes awhile
- Not meant for indoor use
Of course, the award-winning RC Sky Viper Drones deliver hobby-level performance and parts that don’t break easily. The most impressive in their line-up is the Sky Viper HD V950 video drone, which can record full 720p HD footage. But it’s not intended for solely for those who want to snap some footage. Instead, the camera is removable and users are then able to do one-button tricks and maneuvers.
It features a 6-axis digital stabilization, new impact-resistant uni-body design, and variable modes of flight sensitivity (so, whether you’re an advanced pilot or a newbie, you’re able to fly it). The fun factor with this one is pretty high, and the video game-like controller makes it easy to pilot. Obviously, the camera quality pales in comparison to the best camera drones available like the Phantom or Inspire, but let’s not forget that it comes in at just $90.
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6. Traxxas 6608 LaTrax Alias Quad-Rotor RTF Heli
Pros:- Easy Flips
- Fast USB Charger
- Visible in the Dark
Cons:- 10-minute flight time
- Some of the first-manufactured ones have motor issues (don't buy used!)
- Expensive repair parts
Traxxas is mostly known for their incredibly fast Traxxas XO-1 RC supercar, which is one of the fastest RC cars available. But Traxxas also makes toy drones, including the Traxxas 6608 LATrax Alias Quad-Rotor RTF Heli. This little guy has four rotors and an auto-leveling 6-axis flight system that make it incredibly easy to fly. Its clean-sheet design focuses on durability, speed, and responsiveness, making it one of the best drones for the money.
New pilots are able to fly faster and perform aerobatic maneuvers sooner than ever possible with Alias’ unique flight control system. It has a 10 minute flight time, and has a fast USB charger. The transmitter also comes with four AAA batteries. The LaTrax Alias comes ready to fly, so buyers can take it for a spin right when it is shipped to your home. The Traxxas LaTrax also has bright and colorful LEDs for night flying.
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7. UDI U818A UPGRADED VERSION 2.4GHz Quadcopter with Camera
Pros:- Incredibly Fast
- Best Value
- One-Button Flips
Cons:- Controller Batteries Not Included
- SD camera
- No colors, just Black and white
The UDI RC 818A Quadcopter with camera is the best entry-level drone with a camera for sale right now. Its low entry price and durability make it the perfect option for those that have no idea what they’re doing and are just starting out in the wonderful world of toy drones. The camera records at an SD resolution of 640×480.
It doesn’t fly well in wind because of its low weight. The UDI 818A is the perfect drone for learning flips as it does flips at the touch of a button. It also has two flight modes, one of which is for beginners, while the other is for high speed flight. This drone has a flying time of 7-9 minutes and a limited controlling distance of up to 30 meters. The LiPo battery takes approximately two hours to charge, so it recommended if you are purchasing this drone that you buy a spare battery.
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8. Heli-Max 1SQ RTF Quadcopter with 2.4Ghz Radio
Price: $99.99Pros:- Durable
- Works Indoor and Outdoor
- Small and Portable
Cons:- Short Flight Time
- No Camera
- Only one color left available
The Heli-Max 1SQ is another great option that is tons of fun to fly. It has four independently controlled rotor blades and uses Triple Axis Gyro Stabilization for easy indoor and outdoor flight. It doesn’t have a fancy remote or high quality camera onboard — although there is a VCAM version that does have a camera — but what it flies incredibly well.
It’s also one of the best-looking toy drones, having a fierce orange, black and white design. It’s one of the coolest-looking micro drones on the market, we’d say. It’s easy to fly and has an expert and beginner mode. The Heli-Max 1SQ has a very low flight time, with normal flights unfortunately lasting roughly 4 minutes. But you can buy extra batteries to maximize your fun.
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9. Holy Stone mini RC Quadcopter 720p
Pros:- Good HD Camera
- 4 Different Flight Modes
- Price
Cons:- Low Flight Time
- Cheap-Looking Controller
- Plain-Looking
The Holy Stone mini RC quadcopter is also a highly well-received toy drone among Amazon reviewers, with 55% of them rating it at 5 stars. It has an easy flip button, and its controller feels like a video game pad (so it’s familiar and easy to fly). It has a 1280 x 720 pixel video/photo camera that is better quality than Syma’s. It also has 4 different sensitivity modes for any level pilot. It comes with a bonus battery and 12 extra blades. It also comes with a crash cage to protect it.
Pros
- Good HD Camera
- 4 different flight modes
- Price
- Familiar controller
Cons
- Flight time
- Controller Looks cheap
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10. Sky Viper Nano Drone M200
Pros:- Familiar Controller
- Powerful Motors
- Incredibly Small and Portable
Cons:- Controller looks cheap
- Easy to Lose
- Flips over easily
Of course, if you’re looking for the ultimate Nano drone, the Sky Viper Nano Drone M200 is the clear winner.
It’s the best nano drone on the market, in my opinion. Its battery is comparatively long-lasting, and it offers hi-tech performance at a fantastic price ($29.99). I’ve spent an extensive amount of time with this little bugger, as it makes a great desk toy because of its size. It’s just 2.75″ from blade to blade. It works very well indoors, and surprisingly, it can be used outdoors without many issues (although, obviously, a light wind could carry it away).
It has an adjustable sensitivity that offers precision controls for any experience level. It’s American made, and you can find it at most of the big box retailers without any issues.
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