There are a lot of good drones on the market today, figuring out what you want and need of a flying machine is a smart place to start, as is finding your ideal budget. We’re here to help – complimenting our other priced drone lists, let’s explore the best drones under $200.
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- 10 - Minutes
- 720p - 30FPS
- 11 - MPH
- 300 - Meters
The Hubsan H502S Desire is a great starter drone. It offers stable basic flight and some GPS functionality, usually unheard of in a sub-$100 drone. -
- 8 - Minutes
- 720p - 30FPS
- 11 - MPH
- 50 - Meters
The UDI U818 is a series of toy drones that you can find online or at your local store. These are not fantastic drones, but... -
- 6 - Minutes
- FPV
- 45 - MPH
- 100 - Meters
The Walkera Rodeo 110 is the smallest in the Rodeo line of racing drones. A great beginners drone for the racing world. -
- 20 - Minutes
- 1080p - 30 FPS
- 45 - MPH
- 300 - Meters
The Hubsan H501S was one of the first GPS-enabled drones from Hubsan with brushless motors and a 1080p camera. -
- 9 - Minutes
- 720p - 30FPS
- 11 - MPH
- 200 - Meters
The Syma X8 Pro is an impressive drone for the Syma line, with GPS, FPV video and a camera gimbal, but it's still a toy-class...
Unlike our list of drones under $100, we’re stepping up from simple toys today, but, of course, we’re not getting as advanced as the machines on our list of drones under $500.
Best drones under $200
- Hubsan H502S Desire
- UDI U818A HD+
- Parrot AR Drone 2.0
- Walkera Rodeo 110
- Hubsan H501S Brushless
- Syma X8 Pro
What can you expect from a $200 drone?
A $200 drone in today’s market is going to be the higher-end of the toy class quadcopters. These will be simple machines with lower-end cameras, but may offer GPS or other tools to allow stable flight and even an autonomous hover mode.
Let’s be clear, a drone at this price point should be thought of as a fun way to experience flight, and you certainly will. Drones in this range, however, are not ideal camera drones.
Safety first
As you add more features to a drone, you add more weight. It is likely that your $200 drone will weigh more than 0.55 lbs, which means that you are fully subject to the flight laws of the FAA in the United States. You do not have to register your drone, but all the rules apply. Know where and when you can fly before you head out, fun can be had, but getting into trouble is easy if you fly in the wrong places.
Things to know before you fly
- You must register your drone with the FAA before you fly
- You must affix your drone registration number to your craft
- Coming soon: The FAA will require you to pass a test before you fly your drone
- You must acquire your Part 107 certificate if you are to receive any compensation for your flight
- You must follow all of the FAA’s airspace rules if you are flying outdoors
- Hobby flights have different requirements from commercial flights
- In the eye’s of the FAA, drones are aircraft. Period.
- You need to acquire authorization to fly in controlled airspace