12 Best Drones Under $300
- Can launch and land with a single button press
- Great video resolution and view angle
- Uses a standard remote with phone mount
- Future proofed radio transmission via 5G connectivity
- Modular battery is easy to swap out and offers a great flight time
- Customized flight paths via the GPS and free app
- Supports voice and camera gesture controls
- Makes use of the well featured Snaptain Era app
- 3D view mode offers a more immersive experience in virtual reality
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
- 2. Holy Stone HS700 FPV Drone
- 3. SNAPTAIN S5C WiFi FPV Drone
- 4. DBPOWER FPV RC Quadcotper
- 5. DJI Tello Quadcopter Drone
- 6. Potensic T25 GPS Drone
- 7. Holy Stone HS110G GPS Drone
- 8. SNAPTAIN A15 Foldable FPV WiFi Drone
- 9. Potensic D80 GPS FPV RC Drone
- 10. Hubsan X4 H501S GPS FPV RC Drone
- 11. EACHINE E58 WiFi FPV Quadcopter
- 12. Holy Stone GPS Foldable Drone
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.
Key Features
- Can launch and land with a single button press
- Great video resolution and view angle
- Uses a standard remote with phone mount
- GPS enables smart waypoint options
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.
Key Features
- Future proofed radio transmission via 5G connectivity
- Modular battery is easy to swap out and offers a great flight time
- Customized flight paths via the GPS and free app
- Returns home when it loses its connection or reaches low battery
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.
Key Features
- Supports voice and camera gesture controls
- Makes use of the well featured Snaptain Era app
- 3D view mode offers a more immersive experience in virtual reality
- HD footage can be uploaded directly to social media
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.
Key Features
- Capable of performing 3D flips
- Batteries are easy to swap out
- One button takeoff and landing
- Includes a low battery and remote distance alarm
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.
Key Features
- Intel core image processor produces superb video
- Comes with protective cage and propeller guards
- Includes three batteries and a dedicated charger
- One touch social media sharing through your smartphone
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.
Key Features
- One key takeoff and landing, altitude mode, and hold mode
- Maneuvering handled by controller, camera controls handled by app
- Automatically returns home on low battery or when out of range
- Automated follow me functionality
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.
Key Features
- Powerful but easy to use controls
- GPS and camera enable swipe path routing
- Visible LED lights for safe night flying
- One touch emergency stop function
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.
Key Features
- Tremendous value for a low price
- Easily executed 360 degree flips and rolls
- Comes with two modular batteries for longer flights
- Supports three different speed modes
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.
Key Features
- Can reach speeds of up to 25 miles per hour
- Packed with great GPS-enabled features
- Functions with electronic speed controllers
- Compatible with virtual reality goggles
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.
Key Features
- Available in white and black
- Hefty controller is high powered
- Includes headless and return home modes
- Can be set to orbit or follow your location
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.
Key Features
- 120 degree camera is adjustable
- Folding design lets you take it anywhere
- 3D rolling and flipping and strong stability
- Control the angle of the drone by tilting your phone
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.
Key Features
- Supports the latest 5G Wi-Fi protocol
- Durable and compact folding design
- GPS supports follow me mode and automated routing
- One button takeoff and landing
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.