I’m thinking of getting a budget-friendly drone as a Christmas gift for myself. I live in a city, so it needs to be compact enough to carry in my backpack. Realistically, this would be a toy I’d only use a couple of times a year. My current drone is an old Holy Stone model with poor video quality and it’s frustrating to operate.
Does anyone know of a reasonably cheap drone that’s fun to use and won’t cost too much? I’d prefer one that doesn’t depend on an app that might stop working after a few years. I’m also open to refurbished models if that’s a safe option.
For $100, you’d likely end up with a toy drone that’s hard to control and lacks useful features. A DJI Neo for $200 is a better option since it offers features like autonomous flying, auto-hover, and is beginner-friendly.
My advice is to avoid toy drones. You’ll end up wasting money and eventually buying a real drone anyway. Something like a Mini 3 or Mini 4 would suit your needs. You can find used Mini 3s for a few hundred dollars, sometimes less, and they come with a controller.