12 Best Drones Under $300

Looking for the best drones under $300? We have reviews and detailed reports on 12 of the best consumer models available in 2020. There are a lot of reasons as to why you’d want to invest in a drone. They can be fun toys, great ways to expand your flexibility as a photographer, a means to learn programming, or even a way to transition into a new career. And you don’t need to spend a small fortune to find good drones worth your time.

While drones under 300 dollars aren’t going to be top of the shelf models, they do offer an impressive amount of features. That’s why we’ve put together drone reviews under 300 dollars for 12 of the best models in 2020. And if you’re looking for options that are a little cheaper, be sure to check out our guide to drones under 200 dollars.

The Best Drones Under $300

1. Holy Stone HS120D FPV Drone

The Holy Stone HS120D comes with a lot of beginner friendly features and a tantalizing price tag well under $200, but there are also great drones for adults. That's due to the 1080p resolution that the mounted camera can produce. As far as live video drones go, they're one of the best options in this price range, and they don't require much experience to use. The inclusion of headless mode, GPS positioning, and a following function mean that you can focus on capturing the perfect shot rather than learning the intricacies of flight control, and the camera supports a 120 degree field of view with an adjustable wide angle of 75 degrees.

2. Holy Stone HS700 FPV Drone

Holy Stone's beefier HS700 model may push closer to our $300 price ceiling, but it's worth the money for serious photographers. If you're looking for the best drone with camera under 300 bucks, this is the model for you. While it maintains the same 1080p resolution as the HS120D, it also makes use of a 5G connection, effectively more than tripling the potential flight distance. And the brushless motor ensures this cheap GPS drone will fly nearly silently and rarely require any meaningful maintenance. Apart from that, it includes the full suit of features offered by its cheaper sibling.

3. SNAPTAIN S5C WiFi FPV Drone

The Snaptain S5C isn't the best drone under 300 bucks, but it's easily one of the best options in its price range. Available for right around $70, it's one of the more affordable outdoor drones with camera available today. It trades a 1080p camera for a 720p resolution but supports one key takeoff and landing and an altitude hold mode to steady your camera as you capture stills or video. Additionally safety features come in the form of the shock resistant propeller guards and signal warning features, and it's even compatible with a virtual reality headset.

4. DBPOWER FPV RC Quadcotper

Looking to cut your teeth on a good beginner drone? DBPOWER offers cheap drones with cameras that also make it easy to learn the fundamentals. The 720p camera streams directly to your phone's screen using Wi-Fi and the free FLYINGSEE app, and they include both headless and altitude hold modes as well. These drones with cameras will also scale well as you start to become more comfortable using them. Two separate flight speeds let you work up to more difficult maneuvers, and the accompanying joystick is easy to use. This budget drone comes with two batteries, so you can extend your flight time even longer.

5. DJI Tello Quadcopter Drone

The DJI Tello is a great FPV drone under 300 dollars, but it's got another important trick under its sleeve. This drone is built as a coding education tool. Built in integration for the Scratch programming language allows even kids to learn the fundamentals of what coding can accomplish and see the fruit of their labors immediately. But it's also a pretty serious photography drone. The double antennas offer more stable video transmission, and it comes with protective caging to prevent damage in the case of an accident. The inclusion of an EZ Shot system makes it easy to shoot video and upload it to social media without having to be an expert pilot.

6. Potensic T25 GPS Drone

If you're looking for a drone under 300 with GPS, you'd have to search hard to find a stylish or more capable model than the Potensic T25. It actually makes use of a dual GPS system to provide more accurate results than most of the GPS-enabled drones on the market, and there's a lot more complexity in the controller than most models offer. Luckily, all of the most important ease of use features are centered and easy to understand, so that complexity doesn't equate to confusion. It's also one of the longest range drones available to consumers.

7. Holy Stone HS110G GPS Drone

The Holy Stone HS 110G is neither the best nor the worst drone Holy Stone offer. But it's a cheap remote control drone that covers all the bases and does that well. A respectable flight time and distance range are accompanied by core features like headless mode, and the inclusion of GPS functionality makes it easier for new users to fly. That GPS functionality also makes it a top choice for budding photographers since it will automatically stabilize the drone while you look to line up the perfect shot for video or stills. This quadcopter with camera is a well rounded choice if you're looking for an entry level model.

8. SNAPTAIN A15 Foldable FPV WiFi Drone

The Snaptain A15 certainly doesn't look like one of the most inexpensive drones available. The sleek chrome design is stylish and futuristic, but what's especially cool is the way it can fold into itself for easy carrying. And for a drone available for under $100, it's absolutely loaded with features. The standard safety features are all included, but it can also respond appropriately to a number of simple voice commands. The app doesn't do anything special, but it functions as well as you could expect and even allows you to ditch the included controller and navigate the app with the movement of your finger.

9. Potensic D80 GPS FPV RC Drone

Potensic's D80 UAV isn't the most inexpensive model around, nor is it the easiest drone to fly. It's not supposed to be. But if you're looking to step up your game and step into the hobbyist or semi-professional realm, this is a great stepping stone. It offers a great flight time and dual GPS for pinpoint accuracy, and it's one of the fastest categories in its class. It also sports an incredibly long range. Whether you're looking to use it for racing or photography, it's sure to be up to the task. Just be careful about adjusting the speed, because there's a lot of power at your disposal.

10. Hubsan X4 H501S GPS FPV RC Drone

The first thing that stands out about the Hubsan X4 H501S is how good it looks. The angular design and gold accents offer a level of personality that's not common in affordable drones, and neither is the chunky and serious looking controller. But this is more than just a pretty face. The dual antennas on the controller allow this drone to go respectably long distances without losing touch, and the video streaming is integrated right into the controller rather than requiring you to use your phone or tablet. It shoots video in Full HD and includes GPS functionality.

11. EACHINE E58 WiFi FPV Quadcopter

Eachine produces some serious and expensive racing drones, but this quadcopter demonstrates that they can compete in the budget market as well. Available for under a hundred bucks, it includes a 720p camera and can also fold into itself for safe and compact carrying. It also covers all the bases: functioning decently as a photography, acrobatic, or racing drone. Surprising for a drone in this price range is the ability to control movement directly on the camera screen. It comes with three batteries to provide you with more flexible flight times.

12. Holy Stone GPS Foldable Drone

Holy Stone offers an exhaustive catalog of drones, but this model is easily the most portable. Its foldable design lets you take it with you on the go without worrying about damage, but there are some pretty meaty specs beyond that cool gimmick. The 1080p camera covers a 90 degree field of view, and it supports 5G connectivity for longer distance and more stable connectivity with your mobile device. Video is automatically saved to the app, and you can upload it to your social media accounts with a single button press.

Final Thoughts

While there are a lot of cheap drones available, opening yourself up to a price range of $300 provides you with significantly more options. Here you start to see a lot more specialization in drones and the ability to start treating them as more than toys. If you’re looking to get seriously involved in working with drones, let our reviews guide the way.