Cheap Drones for 2018: 21 Options Under $200

Parrot AR Drone 2.0

The Parrot AR Drone 2.0 is quite easily one of the most feature packed drones in the under $200 price range. For the price, you really won’t find a drone in this price range that has the feature set that the AR 2.0 has, nor will you find a more reliable flier.

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Eachine Racer 250

With the rise in interest in consumer drones, a new use for the technology among hobbyists has emerged: racing.

All-in-all, if you’re looking to get into racing but you’re not ready to build your own drone, then this is a good option to start.

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UDI U28-1 FPV

The UDI U28-1 is another option if you are looking for a decent drone that is capable of letting you fly from a first-person point-of-view.

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Ionic Stratus

The Ionic Stratus is a really solid budget-friendly quadcopter that can hold a GoPro. No, it won’t deliver the high-end experience of a 3DR Solo or a DJI Phantom 3, but you also won’t have to spend an arm and a leg on the Stratus either.

Perhaps the coolest feature of the Stratus, as I already mentioned, is for well under $200 it can carry a GoPro camera. This makes it a great option for anyone who already owns a GoPro and who wants to get a decent budget-friendly quadcopter to stick it on.

The Stratus doesn’t have any option for a camera gimbal and so you shouldn’t expect perfectly stable video, but it does come with a rubberized mount with should help a little bit.

Ultimately, you can do a lot worse in this price range and I’d recommend the Stratus for anyone who has a moderate budget and who is looking for something a little above the entry-level drones available.

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Syma X8G

While top dogs like DJI, 3DR, Yuneec, and Parrot push the boundaries of drone technology further, perhaps one quadcopter manufacturer is doing something just as important—if not more so—than those three…

And, that is to make quadcopter/drones affordable to the masses. Syma has staked out a major claim on the sub $200 price range for quadcopters and drones… and for good reason, too.

Syma, unlike other manufacturers who produce quadcopters and drones in this price range, has somehow been able to put some great cameras on such affordable machines.

The X8G for example has a camera that is capable of taking 8-megapixel stills and recording at 1080p at 30 FPS (and 720p at 60 FPS). And, that comes on a quadcopter that costs around $150.

Is the camera high-end quality? Not quite… and it doesn’t come with a gimbal to stabilize video, but the 8-megapixel/1080p camera trumps anything else in this price range by a long shot. And, you can replace the camera it comes with with a GoPro as well…

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a solid quadcopter that has a decent camera setup, the Syma X*G is probably the best you will do for under $200.

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UDI U818A HD+

UDI has a few different offerings of the U818A. There’s the U818A, the U818A-1, and the UDI U818A HD+. The HD+ model comes with an extra battery, a return to home feature, and a 720p/2-megapixel camera.

All of this add up to making the U818A HD+ one of the better options for anyone looking for an entry-level drone that they can use to get into flying quadcopters and UAVs.

It should be noted that, while the camera will record in 720p, it won’t deliver the high-quality video that a high-end drone will… not just because of the 720p resolution (which is decent), but because there is no camera gimbal and, therefore, the video won’t be very stable.

Another great feature of the UDI U818A HD+ (and same goes for the other U818A models) is the fact that, because it ways under 0.55lbs, it does not need to be registered with the FAA.

In the end, the U818A HD+ is a great starter drone and it really sits somewhere between an entry-level quadcopter and a mid-range quadcopter.

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Holy Stone X400C

Holy Stone’s X400C another decent option in the $100-$200 range. It doesn’t have the camera that the Syma X8G has, but it does have some other pretty important features…

For starters, the X400C will let you fly in FPV mode, which can be setup with an app on your smart phone. The quadcopter is also a very solid flier and will do flips at the click of a button.

The X400C comes with a return-to-home button which is an important throw-in for beginning fliers who may or may not have the best grasp on how to control their quadcopter.

And, another cool feature of the X400C that makes it appealing to beginners is the fact that it has “headless” mode, which basically means that regardless of which direction the quadcopter is pointing, the controls will remain the same.

Ultimately, where the Holy Stone X400C lacks in the camera department, it makes up for with some really beginner-friendly flying features.

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Holy Stone F181

We just took a look at Holy Stone’s X400C, which by all means is a decent quadcopter. And, one of its main selling points is the fact that it comes FPV-ready. If FPV isn’t your style, though, you could always save a few bucks and get the Holy Stone F181…

The F181, while featuring a slightly different body and design than the X400C, has a lot of the same features of the more expensive Holy Stone quadcopter.

For instance, they both have headless mode, they both can do flips at the click of a button, and they both have a return to home button.

While I couldn’t find, specifically, what the recording resolution was for the X400C, the F181 can record at 720p (and so I’m assuming the X400C can as well.) It also sports a 2-megapixel camera and because it weighs less that 0.55 lbs, it does not need to be registered with the FAA.

Overall, the F181 is a solid entry-level quadcopter that has a few cool features that should keep you entertained while you learn how to fly.

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LaTrax Alias

While the LaTrax Alias may not be the best option in this price range (at least, in my opinion, anyways) it is still a very solid quadcopter.

It doesn’t come with a camera (although, LaTrax sells a 720p/12-megapixel add-on camera that is compatible with the Alias), but it is ready-to-fly, is light enough to not require registration, and is a pretty good flier.

And, since the Alias is fairly durable it can sustain some crashes… which is ideal for beginners who will likely see their fair share of crashes before they get the hang of how their quadcopter handles.

The biggest thing that the Alias has going for it is that it can sustain longer flight times (up to ~15 minutes) than other quadcopters in its class.

Ultimately, the Alias is a solid option in this price range, although, in my opinion, it’s not the best. It’s a little expensive for what it offers, especially seeing as how you don’t get a camera.

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Blade Nano QX

The Blade Nano QX is one of the more popular sub-$100 drones on the market and it is definitely a solid entry-level quadcopter.

It flies well, it’s small and light (and therefore doesn’t need to be registered), and it has a stability mode that will make flying easier.

However, it doesn’t come with a camera and it is too light to be able to add any kind of decent camera to it as well.

But, if your main purpose is to get practice before you step up to a bigger quadcopter, then there is definitely nothing wrong with choosing the Nano QX.

In the end, though, there are other quads in this price range that fly just as well and have a camera. So, if you want more bang for your buck, you might want to look elsewhere.

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Syma X8C Venture

If you don’t want to spend over $100 on an entry-level quadcopter you still have quite a few options to choose between. One such option is the Syma X8C venture.

The X8C Venture comes with a 720p camera that can take 2-megapixel stills, which is on par with some of the ~$150 quadcopters mentioned on this list.

However, there are a couple of downsides with the X8C, namely it’s short flight range and the fact that it needs to be registered with the FAA.

While these factors aren’t too detrimental, there are other options in this price range that give you a longer range and that are light enough to where they don’t have to be registered.

Still, though, Syma is arguably the biggest brand in affordable quadcopters and, as such, can be depended on if you have a problem with your drone.

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Dromida Ominus

The Dromia Ominus UAV Quadcopter is similar to the LaTrax Alias in that both are dedicated to being entry-level fliers and neither carry cameras.

The lack of a camera is probably a little disheartening to some beginner drone fliers and will likely sway them to choosing other entry-level quadcopters that do have a camera on them.

However, since the cameras that come on sub $100 drones aren’t spectacular to begin with, it’s not essential to have one as you should be using such quads to practice your flying skills.

But on the other hand, most of the quacopters in this price range that have cameras are just as good of fliers and just as good of machines to help you practice your flying skills.

So, in my opinion, there is no reason to go with the Ominus when you can get a similar flier and get a camera to go along with it too.

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Holy Stone F180C

The Holy Stone F180C is yet another solid mini quadcopter under $100. The F180C comes with a 1280×720 camera, and extra battery, and eight extra propellers.

The extra battery is a nice throw-in, as it will allow you to fly the F180C for longer sessions.

It also comes with prop guards and eight extra props so that you can protect your props and, in the event that they do get damaged, you have plenty of backups on hand.

The quad also comes with a charge that can charge both batteries at the same time. In total it takes a little over 40 minutes to charge the batter.

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a great entry-level quadcopter that you can practice your flying skills on and you don’t want to spend over $100, then add the Holy Stone F180C to your list of options to consider.

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UDI U818A

The UDI U818A is one of the more popular quadcopters in this price range. It’s built on prop guards give it a unique style that makes it distinct from the other drones in this price range.

While the HD+ version of the U818A (see above) has a few extra features, the standard U818A is still essentially the same drone in terms of how it flies.

The camera on the U818A is only able to shoot video at 480p, which is not too inspiring. If that’s a deal-breaker, there are quite a few other drones above or below the U818A that have a 720p camera.

Although, since none of the drones in this price range have a legitimate gimbal, or software to digitally stabilize the recorded video, there really isn’t a good option if your main concern is producing high quality videos.

Still, though, the U818A stacks up similarly to other quads in this price range and perhaps even exceeds them due to the fact that it is one of the better fliers under $200.

Ultimately, at just over $100, the U818A is a perfect entry-level drone that will allow you to get your quad-flying feet wet before you are ready to move onto something bigger and better.

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UTO Drone U960

One of the few hexacopters on the market, the UTO Drone U960 offers beginners and experts a slightly different type of drone.

And, you won’t have to pay an arm and a leg to get the hexacopter-designed drone. At a little under $100, the U960 is easily the most affordable hexacopter currently on the market.

With an HD camera and the ability to fly in FPV mode, it definitely has enough features to keep you entertained. You also won’t have to register it with the FAA as it comes in just under the minimum weight requirement of 0.55lbs.

Ultimately, if you’re tired of your quadcopter and you want to play around with a hexacopter without spending a ton of money, you’ll definitely want to check out the UTO Drone U960.

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Syma X5SW Explorers2

Another Syma quadcopter, another solid option for beginners looking for an entry-level drone. The Syma X5SW Explorers2 provides one different features in comparison to its popular brother, the Syma X5C Explorers quadcopter.

And, that difference is that the X5SW will allow you to fly in FPV mode.

Unfortunately, though, the X5SW has a little bit weaker camera than the X5C and it costs a little more as well. So, basically you’re paying a premium for the ability to fly in FPV mode.

And, the bad part is that the FPV mode on this quad is so delayed that it really isn’t something to write home about.

So, in my opinion, rather than choosing this quadcopter, you should save a little bit of money and go with the better all-around option, the Syma X5C Explorers.

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Syma X5C

While we have listed multiple Syma quadcopters on this list, perhaps none are more popular than their X5C model.

If I had to make a guess, I would say that the Syma X5C is currently the highest-selling quadcopter on the market. It currently has over 3,500 reviews on Amazon and the next closest is the UDI U8181A at about 3,200.

The Syma is also currently priced at ~$50, which makes it the perfect entry-level quadcopter for beginners to learn on.

It comes with a pretty awesome camera (for this price, anyways) that can record at 720p and can take 2-megapixel stills. And, it weighs under 0.55lbs, so you do not have to register it with the FAA.

Ultimately, if you’re looking for the perfect price-to-performance entry-level quadcopter, it would be hard to look past the Syma X5C.

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Hubsan X4 H107L

Another good little entry-level drone is the Hubsan X4 H107L. It doesn’t have a camera but it comes in at under $40 and it is a very capable flier.

Like all of the rest of the drones and quadcopters on this list the H107L comes ready-to-fly out of the box and it also comes with a 4 channel 2.4Ghz controller.

It also comes with prop guards and extra props in case you take a hard crash with the quad (which you most likely will if you are a beginner.)

While the H107L doesn’t have a camera, it’s hard to knock it too much for that reason simply because of its price.

In the end, the H107L is designed to be a flying-only entry-level quadcopter… and really, an entry-level drone should be about the flying part anyways, seeing as how the cameras on most sub-$200 drones just aren’t that good.

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Hubsan H111 X4 Nano

The Hubsan H111 X4 Nano is yet another miniature quadcopter geared towards beginning-fliers.

With a tiny and lightweight design, don’t expect the world out of this thing, but rather see it for what it is… a very basic and entry-level quadcopter.

It doesn’t have a camera and it can’t hold any significant payload. And, it probably shouldn’t be flown outside…

At least not in milder or worse conditions. (I’m sure it will do fine outside on a completely clear day with little to no wind.)

Ultimately, if you’re looking to purchase a toy for your kids, or you just want something that will teach you the basics of quadcopter-flying, then the H111 X4 will do its job.

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UDI RC U839

If you want to go even more affordable on a nano quadcopter, the UDI RC U839 comes in at under $30.

The U839 has everything you’d expect of a mini drone in terms of flying ability and functionality.

It doesn’t come with a camera but at this price that’s not really expected and if a camera was included it would be of such a low quality that it wouldn’t be worth mentioning anyways.

Overall, the U839 is just another small quadcopter in a long list of options you have if you are looking for a beginner drone.

It won’t blow you away with any kind of advanced features, but you should have some fun flying it indoors and chasing your cats.

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Cheerson CX-10

Last but not least we have the Cheerson CX-10. At under $20, this is the cheapest quadcopter on this list.

With this mini quadcopter you get up to 8 minute flight times, the ability to perform flips and stunts, and a decent little entry-level quad.

No, the CX-10 isn’t going to give you a high-end drone-flying experience… but then again it’s not priced to do so.

Rather, this quad is best used as a fun little toy to pass the time, or as a quadcopter that you can use to practice your flying skills.

In the end, you shouldn’t expect anything too incredible from the CX-10. But for under $20, it’s a good place to start if you’re a beginner.

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