We’ve all seen breathtaking footage from sky-high drones. Many onlookers think that an awesome drone like the ones seen on TV is too expensive to buy and too hard to fly. Fortunately for the wanna-be drone pilots among us, they are wrong on both fronts. In 2024, it’s possible to buy a really cool drone for less than you might think. Here’s what you should consider before buying one of your own.

Your Experience Level

Most people like to make us think that drones are easy to fly. Which they are after you get accustomed to them. But before you do, you will want to get a drone that is suited to your skills, with features such as auto-take-off and auto-landing capabilities. The thing with cheap drones is that they can be harder to control and can be overwhelming when trying to fly a drone for the first time.

Purpose of the Drone

If you are a pilot starter or an intermediate flyer, you will need to have basic flying skills. This way, you can enjoy flying instead of crashing your drone every two minutes. There are different types of drones directed at fulfilling different purposes. They range from casual drones, photography, racing, and many others under the $500 price range.

A racing drone will have better maneuverability and stability as opposed to high definition cameras for great photography. If you are a hobbyist, you are also looking to have better speed and agility in your drone.

Another type of drone that is conquering the market and having its share of fun is the selfie drone. It is usually a pocket drone or a selfie stick on steroids. It is foldable and will fit in your pocket so that it will be ready for your next Instagram shot.

RTF vs. DIY Drones

Ready to Fly, or RTF drones come fully assembled as opposed to DIY designs that come as kits that can need minimal or extensive assembly. An RTF is the type you should pick if you are an absolute beginner and the only thing you can get down to doing is charging the battery and installing the propellers.

With DIY drones, you may be needed to install the motor, battery and various other parts. You’ll also have to find the right flight controller to go with your drone. DIY drones are usually more flexible, so if you want professional results, you’ll want to look here first.

Sensors

Knowledge about the sensors onboard your drone is essential so that you can know how the environment will affect flying your drone. The GPS receiver is one of the most critical as it tells the drone its location. A drone will need to establish the position of four GPS satellites to get an accurate location.

The location affects things such as search and rescue or building of 3D images since it has to be the exact location of an object. It is also essential for recording the return to home feature.

The compass works hand in hand with the GPS sensor so it can tell the drone the direction that it is facing to help it use the GPS correctly. Compass interferences is a significant cause of crashes as it brings about a situation where your drone cannot find the direction, and it goes in circles, which eventually leads to a crash.

• Range of Drone
  How high and how far can the drone reach? Most consumer drones have a range of only 30 meters. If you are looking to take professional videos and photos, you may need a higher altitude. This is something you will need to watch out for before deciding on if a particular drone is for you.
• Replacement Parts
  Eventually, your drone will require replacing of some parts. You will want to check the availability of the components and if you can perform the repairs by yourself. Some drones do not give you the option of replacing any parts. As such, it is not ideal to invest too much in a model that you will only use until it breaks down.
• Extra Features
  You can always keep an eye out for drones with more features like a first-person view for live feeds and obstacle avoidance to allow for smooth navigation. With obstacle avoidance, the drone will hover when it senses an obstacle instead of smashing into a tree.

Other examples of extra features include: follow me, 3-gimbal axis, propeller guards, track target, headless mode, etc.

Final Words

A high-quality quadcopter is not straightforward to find. We have researched the Best Cheap Drones to present this list with the top models. These are drones that come from remarkable brands to suit various categories. You will find a photography drone, FPV, selfie, beginner, and drones to fulfill use in many other categories.

Don’t watch on the sidelines. Get one of these drones and be part of the action.