Whether you're buying a drone for a kid or simply for someone who's never owned a drone before, there are a few considerations you want to keep in mind — cost, size, range, and durability. If you're buying for a young'un, you'll definitely want to keep the first three down, but that will invariably also affect the drone's durability as well. Crashing is part of the learning process, so we've highlighted some options that include built-in guards for the blades.
The Holy Stone Predator drone is a fun, palm-sized drone that's ready to fly right out of the box. Extra batteries are cheap, and you'll surely want them. A six-axis gyro system helps to keep balance while flying and you get about 8 minutes of fly time from each 45 minute charge.
This pocket-sized drone is the definition of kid-sized at just 2 inches across. It comes ready to fly out of the box with a kid-friendly controller. It comes with two detachable batteries and has three different speed levels, making this a great option for beginners or veteran pilots.
This palm-sized drone is perfect for any young kid that they can have fun flying indoors or outside without worrying about it taking or doling out damage. Featuring both high and low speed options, this drone can also perform rollovers midair. You can also use a single key to have the drone return to you while it is in flight, and has access to a compass mode.
Bottom line
A mini drone makes a great gift for any kid interested in flying a bigger drone one day, and by the time they're ready to move onto something more professional, there might even be able to make a career out of the hobby.
Our top pick is the Holy Stone HS170 Predator which is a sporty option that's really fun to fly for all ages. We do recommend picking up some extra batteries because a fully charged battery delivers about 5 minutes of flight time, but you can hot-swap them out quickly and easily.
Another great option for young kids is the Force1 UFO 4000 Drone which absolutely does look like a UFO with those glowing LEDs in the night sky. The rigid protectors around the spinning props ensure that a bump against the wall won't knock it out of the air.
