A drones is basically an unpiloted aircraft which is also called an UAV (stands for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). It is available in a huge variety ranging from its purpose, size, toa lot of other factors. While flying a heavy duty drone is not allowed in all parts of the world due to security issues, you may use mini drones which are programmed for lighter flights and domestic purposes.
Despite being mini, these drones are heavily equipped and boast some of the best cameras to shoot highly stabilized videos and images. They also have GPS enabled hardware and programs to follow the owner and one touch return to home functionality. You can have amazing shots using drones as prominent brands like DJI have mastered the skill of manufacturing high quality drone cameras with 3-axis gimbal and image stabilization for unmatched output.
Drones are also available without cameras and they are purely for fun purpose and meant to be used by kids. We have compiled a list of 20 best mini drones to buy in 2021 which includes drones for every purpose. Have a look:
1. METABIRD by BIONICBIRD - Hight-TECH BIOMIMETIC Drone Bird Controlled by Smartphone to Fly Indoors and Outdoors
This drone is purely a toy. It doesn’t boast any camera or propellers, rather it flies with the help of wings. It is shaped in the form of a bird and it flaps its wings like a live bird. It is built with high quality material and best engineering to work repeatedly. It has an amazing wing flapping mechanism which is attached to a 6mm coreless motor. There is a speed limiter in between which keeps the flapping speed optimum. This drone is accessible from your smartphone and hence there is a bluetooth receiver placed in it.
- Light weight
- Coreless motor
- Bird shaped
- Strong build quality
- Good for flying and hovering
- Bluetooth connection
2. DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo – Ultralight Foldable Drone, 3-Axis Gimbal with 4K Camera, 12MP Photos, 31 Mins Flight Time, OcuSync 2.0 10km HD Video Transmission, QuickShots, Gray
DJI is humongous in terms of technology. They have been super successful in making imaging equipment like different types of cameras and its accessories. DJI has been making some of the best quality drones. Their every single drone is packed with amazing build quality and features. The DJI Mini 2 Fly more combo comes with a foldable drone equipped with gimbal enabled 4K camera that can be operated through smartphone devices. The camera resolution is 12 megapixel and it can fly for a continuous 30 minutes. It is compact to fit in your palm and weights less than 250 grams.
- 4K 12 MP camera
- 3 Axis Gimbal
- 31 minutes flight time
- 249 gram weight
- 10km video sync
- Highly compatible
3. DJI Mavic Mini - Drone FlyCam Quadcopter UAV with 2.7K Camera 3-Axis Gimbal GPS 30min Flight Time, less than 0.55lbs, Gray
This one is another masterpiece from DJI. The DJI Mavic Mini is an excellent foldable drone from the Mavic series. It has a 4-propeller system and weighs as low as your smartphone. With its 250 gram weight, it can be an easy to carry gadget if you are taking it with you on an excursion. It has a 10 km range for high quality video transmission. The 2.7K gimbal enabled camera is super good for its purpose and lets you have shake free videos every time you create your masterpiece.
- 2.7K video output
- Lightweight with only 250 grams
- 3 axis motorised gimbal
- Powerful motors
- Ultra smooth footage
- 30 minutes operation
4. Ryze Tech Tello - Mini Drone Quadcopter UAV for Kids Beginners 5MP Camera HD720 Video 13min Flight Time Education Scratch Programming Toy Selfies, powered by DJI, White
Today’s kids are well versed with technology knowledge. From driving remote controlled cars to flying drones, they know it all. Ryze Tech Tello has come up with a mini drone quadcopter specifically for kids. This drone quadcopter is filled to the brim with amazing features and technological advantages. It has 4 propeller systems which are assisted with protection guards for safety during flight. It has a 5 megapixel camera which shoots highly stable images and videos thanks to a high tech image processor. This drone can fly for 13 minutes with single charge and can be controlled via smartphone.
- 5 MP camera
- HD resolution camera
- Shake free video and images
- Propeller guards
- 13 minutes flight duration
- Easy to fly
5. Cheerwing U12S Mini RC Helicopter with Camera Remote Control Helicopter for Kids and Adults
Helicopter drones look like a real helicopter and they are fun filled for kids. The Cheerwing U125 is a tough looking one which flies with the help of 2 propeller fans. It has a high resolution camera on the front to shoot whatever comes in its way. This camera is WiFi enabled and you can live stream the video to your respective screen or smartphone. It has one key take-off and landing and it can hover at one place too if you wish to have a video of a specific location.
- Built in WiFi camera
- One key take-off/landing
- Hover function
- 2 Speed modes
- 2.4 GHz remote control
- Multiplayer support
6. Usmile GX140 140mm Drone Frame Designed for Rumcam Split Mini 2 Caddx Turtle V2 1080P HD FPV Camera Micro 3 inch Quadcopter Frame Carbon Fiber FPV Racing Drone Frame (GX140)
While flying a drone could be a lot entertaining, building your own drone and making it take off for you would be the next level of excitement. Usmile GX140 is a knocked down drone that you can build on your own following the instructions mentioned in the manual. This kit comes with a 3 inch drone frame which is made out of high quality carbon fibre. Along with this, the upper plate is a 4mm unit while the bottom one has 2mm thickness to avoid damages due to crashes. It comes with brushless motors for best performance and long lasting operations.
- Carbon fibre chassis
- 3 different sizes of plates for strength
- Easy to assemble
- Brushless motor
- Durable build
- HD camera
7. DJI Mavic 2 Pro - Drone Quadcopter UAV with Hasselblad Camera 3-Axis Gimbal HDR 4K Video Adjustable Aperture 20MP 1" CMOS Sensor, up to 48mph, Gray
As we already discussed about DJI in our previous points, it’s quite tough to enter into its periphery in terms of competition. The DJI Mavic Pro 2 is a handy drone that’s filled with high tech features. WIth its 31 minutes of total flight time you can enjoy the 20MP camera to capture some amazing images. This camera is blessed with a CMOS sensor which lets you capture blur and shake free videos and images every time you get this drone taken off. This drone has a 3 axis gimbal inbuilt to avoid any jerks to the images and videos.
- 20MP CMOS camera
- 31 minutes flight time
- 44 mph speed
- SD card support upto 128GB
- 8 GB internal memory
- Hyperlapse and no noise design
8. Drones with Camera for Adults Long Flight Time Mini Drone Folding Body Quadcopter Drone Remote Toys for Adults (Black(1080P Camera))
If you want a drone which can easily integrate with your smartphone and also has a remote controller, this would probably be your end of search. This drone has a powerful camera upfront. This camera can record high resolution pictures and clips that can be used for any purpose afterwards. This drone just needs 1 minute to get started. It is smart enough to calculate barometric altitude and positioning to hover at a defined place. WIth the gesture control feature, you can face at the camera and make appropriate gestures to execute different functions.
- Gesture control
- High resolution camera
- Foldable design
- 360° stunt
- Modular battery
- 15 minutes flight time
9. Parrot PF728000 ANAFI Drone, Foldable Quadcopter Drone with 4K HDR Camera, Compact, Silent & Autonomous, Realize your shots with a 180° vertical swivel camera, Dark Grey
Parrot as a brand is doing good making technologically advanced products. The Parrot PF728000 ANAFi drone is a well balanced package. It has a sturdy build and can be folded to fit in a sleek box which comes bundled with the drone. The built-in camera can record 4K resolution images and videos through its 21 megapixel camera. It also has a burst mode to capture 10 simultaneous pictures in one go. With the 25 minutes of flight time it can be your fun filled companion.
- 4K Videos
- 21MP camera
- Sturdy built
- USB type C charger
- -10° to 40° operational range
- Unfolds in 3 sec
10. Holy Stone HS720 Foldable GPS Drone with 4K UHD Camera for Adults, Quadcopter with Brushless Motor, Auto Return Home, Follow Me, Long Control Range, Includes Carrying Bag and one Extra Battery
Drone’s camera is one of the major buying points and hence, it should be really in over all performance. The Holy Stone is an emerging name among the technologically advanced products. The HS720 foldable drone is backed with GPS support and has a 4K ultra high definition camera with motor controlled rotation purpose. It has 4 brushless motors which remain noise free and offer decent performance. The camera has various awesome features which include 90° swivel, shock absorption, image stabilisation, etc.
- 5GHz FPV transmission
- 4K UHD camera
- Image stabilisation
- 90° rotational camera
- Follow me
- Tap Fly
11. Holy Stone 2K GPS FPV RC Drone HS100 with HD Camera Live Video and GPS Return Home, Large Quadcopter with Adjustable Wide-Angle Camera, Follow Me, Altitude Hold, 18 Minutes Flight, Long Control Range
After a high resolution camera, GPS has found its place in the primary requirement list of a drone. It is a very good inclusion and can be used in multiple ways. The Holy Stone RC Drone is a GPS and camera enabled unit which performs its function quite efficiently. The follow me function is amazing as it doesn’t need any human support and it keeps making videos while you are moving ahead of it. Talking about the camera, it has a 2K resolution camera for your imaging needs.
- 2K resolution camera
- 120° FOV
- 90 ° adjustable camera angle
- GPS assisted flight
- Built in return to home
- Follow me feature
12. 4DRC V9 Mini Drone With 720P HD Camera for adults, Foldable Quadcopter with FPV WiFi Camera Kids Toys Gifts for Boys Girls with Auto Hover,Trajectory Flight/3D Flips/One Key Return/3 Modular Batteries
4DRC drone has come up with its V9 mini drone that has a 720p high definition camera that can record shake free videos and click blur free images. It can record rich quality aerial shots. The FPV transmission system is quite efficient to live stream the video shot by the camera to be viewed on a smartphone screen. To amaze people in your vicinity, this drone can flip 360° and do high speed rotations. It has a 30 minutes of backup which comes from 3 batteries placed inside it.
- 720P HD camera
- WiFi image transfer
- FPV transmission
- 360° flip
- High speed rotation
- 30 min flight time
13. DEERC D20 Mini Drone for Kids with 720P HD FPV Camera Remote Control Toys Gifts for Boys Girls with Altitude Hold, Headless Mode, One Key Start Speed Adjustment, 3D Flips 2 Batteries, Black
Though 720 pixels may sound less in 2021 but the real world quality may differ from device to device. Deerc D20 mini drone has a 720 pixel HD camera that can record your shake free videos and error free images. It has an FPV camera that live streams the video to the parent screen which could be a smartphone too. With an enormous range of FPV, you can watch the live stream from a distance of upto 98 feet. It has an auto hovering function with an altitude hold system.
- 720 pixel camera
- 98 Feet live stream
- FPV transmission
- 3 Speed modes
- Altitude hold system
- 20 min flight time
14. Holy Stone HS190 Foldable Mini Nano RC Drone for Kids Gift Portable Pocket Quadcopter with Altitude Hold 3D Flips and Headless Mode Easy to Fly for Beginners
While the last drone was quite small in size, this one is even smaller. It comes with a remote control and its size is so small that it fits inside the remote itself. It has 4 headless motors that make negligible rotation noise. It has an altitude hold function which allows you to stick at one location. It has a foldable design and can be stored in tight places, though it has its case in the remote. It uses smart looking colours which adds to its sportiness.
- Altitude hold function
- Foldable design
- Remote built-in case
- Head-less motor
- One Key return
- High speed rotation
15. Holy Stone HS170 Predator Mini RC Helicopter Drone 2.4Ghz 6-Axis Gyro 4 Channels Quadcopter Good Choice for Drone Training
Holy Stone HS170 is a good gadget for gadget enthusiasts. It has 4 propeller systems and has a headless security system. It comes with a remote control to control the drone which works on 2.4G wireless technology. It doesn’t get confused with other frequencies in between and remains in its range. It has 6 axis gyroscopes which keep it stable and have a straight flight. It has propeller guards which look smart and protect the fan blades in case it collides to the wall or falls off to the ground.
- Headless security system
- 2.4 GHz technology
- 6 axis gyro stabilization
- 6-8 minutes charging time
- 45-60 minutes flight time
- Propeller guard
These are some of the best mini drones available on the market today. If you are looking for a drone to take light flights or for domestic use, any of these would be a great option. Do you have a favorite mini drone? Let us know!