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10 Best Drones Under $100 – 2018 Buyer’s Guide

 Looking for an affordable drone?

This article breaks down our top picks for the best drones under $100 for sale in 2018.

Drone technology has come along way in the last year, and it has trickled down to the recreational models as well. Many of the quadcopters in this list come with cameras, first person view (FPV) capability, and more.

You can get an overview of each drone in this list using the table below. Or scroll down to start from the beginning.

Note: The drones are listed in order from smallest to largest size.

This is the first post in our “Best Drones Under $” series:

Table of the Best Drones for Under $100

#

Model

Price

Description

1

GoolRC T10 Nano

2

Cheerson CX-10

3

EACHINE E010 Mini

4

Holy Stone F180C with Camera

5

Hubsan X4 (H107L and H107C)

Check current price (H107L,H107C)

6

DBPOWER X400W FPV Quad

7

UDI 818A HD+

8

Syma X5C

9

Cheerwing Syma X5SW FPV Quad

10

QCopter QC1 with Camera


1. GoolRC T10 Nano



The GoolRC T10 is one of the least expensive nano quadcopters available. And it comes with a surprising amount of features.

First off, it’s small size means it can be flown indoors no problem. It also comes with headless mode, meaning there is no need to adjust the drone’s position before flying. And with One Key Return you can bring the drone back to you with the push of a button.

The T10 Nano  can do 360-degree flips in any direction, comes with two speed settings, and it comes with a 6-axis gyro flight control system to help with stability.


2. Cheerson CX-10

The Cheerson CX-10 is one of the most fun drones to fly.

At a size of 4.2cm x 4.2cm x 2cm, it’s great for indoor flying. The CX-10 can also handle outdoor flight in moderate winds due to its 3 speed levels.

It can perform 360 degree flips in either direction, and you can buy a propeller guard to protect it during crashes.

For the money, the Cheerson CX-10 makes building your pilot skills quite affordable.


3. EACHINE E010 Mini

The EACHINE E010 is a fantastic mini drone.

For less than $20, it’s one of the cheapest drones for under $100. It also comes with strong propeller guards built into the frame. This helps reduce the impact of crashes when you’re first learning how to fly.

The E010 comes with One Key Course Reversal — with a push of the button the quadcopter returns back to you. But our favorite feature is Compass Mode. In this mode, the drone will change directions as you change the direction of the remote control.

For an inexpensive little quad, the E010 comes packed with fun features.


4. Holy Stone F180C with Camera

The Holy Stone F180C is an awesome drone for less than $100.

It comes with a 1280×720 pixel photo/video camera standard, and its controller contains an LED screen for viewing flight telemetry data (like battery percentage).

The F180C also has a solid 15-minute flight time to maximize your sessions. (It made our list of the best drones with the longest flight time.)

The F180C small enough to fly indoors, and big/powerful enough to take videos and pictures outdoors.

For less than $100, this Holy Stone quadcopter is one of the top small camera drones.


5. Hubsan X4 (H107L and H107C)

The Hubsan X4 is regarded as one of the best drones for beginner pilots.

It handles nicely, is small enough to fly indoors, and is powerful enough to fly outside in moderate winds.

Two of the best versions are the H107L and H107C. The H107L is their standard version, and the H107C comes with a camera as its defining feature. Both can do 360 degree flips in either direction, and the 6-axis stabilization system helps new pilots get in the air quickly and efficiently.

This quadcopter is a great option for new pilots, and a fun one for more experienced flyers as well.


6. DBPOWER MJX X400W FPV Drone with Wifi Camera

The DBPOWER MJX X400W is one of the top drones on Amazon in this price range, with 4.5 stars and over 600 reviews.

It’s one of the only small quadcopters with FPV capability. You can connect the drone’s camera to your phone via WiFi and see what your drone sees in real time, via the MJX FPV app. Or you can use your own virtual reality headset.

The MJX X400W also has a range of 100 meters, giving you ample range to get an aerial view of the world around you.


7. UDI 818A HD+

UDI is a fantastic drone manufacturer. And the 818A is one of their most popular models.

This version (the HD+) from USA Toyz is an upgrade of the original. It comes standard with sturdy propeller guards and an upgraded camera for taking aerial images and videos. The package also comes with a 4GB Micro SD card to store your shots.

Despite its size, this quadcopter can do 360-degree flips in any direction, and it comes with two LiPo batteries to extend your flight time.

This UDI 818A HD+ package is perfect for beginners who want to test their skills with a larger quadcopter.


8. Syma X5C

The Syma X5C is one of the most popular personal drones for sale on Amazon.

It’s cheap for a camera drone, so if you crash you aren’t risking a large investment. And it offers image capture with its built-in 2 megapixel camera.

You won’t get the best quality shots, but you will be able to learn how to fly indoors, outdoors, and practice the necessary skills to step up to a more advanced rig.


9. Cheerwing Syma X5SW FPV Quadcopter

If you’re looking for a larger drone that’s packed with features and won’t break the budget, look no further than the Cheerwing Syma X5SW.

This quadcopter sports a DJI Phantom-like design and comes with WiFi FPV (first person view)You can stream a live feed of what your camera is seeing to your mobile device. This allows you to fly accurately, get a bird’s eye view of the world around you, and take great pictures and videos.

The remote control comes with a holder for your smartphone, and this package comes with extra propellers and propeller guards.

You can’t get FPV flight at a much better price than the Cheerwing Syma X5SW.

Make sure to have a look at their sleak black version as well. 


10. QCopter QC1 with Camera

The QCopter QC1 is one of the best quadcopters under $100 for one reason:

It comes with a 15 minute flight time.

That’s extremely long for a drone in this price range. Not only this, QCopter put an extra battery in the package, bumping up your flight sessions to 30 minutes. Battery life has long been the number one complaint of drone pilots. QCopter knows what they’re doing in this department.

Other than battery life, the QC1 comes with a camera, LED lights for low-light conditions, and propeller guards standard. It’s a great quad for getting your feet wet.


What drones would you include in this list? Feel free to comment below.

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