Sure, state-of-the-art drones sound cool and drool-worthy – but what about spending hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars to get one? 

Yeah, I didn’t think so. 

And you know what? You don’t need one of those hyped-up models to have fun, anyway – the best mini drone can pack just as much fun and excitement but at a fraction of the price. 

Besides, drone technology has come a long way these past few years – and despite what you may initially think based on their size, miniature drones have gotten a lot more versatile and sophisticated, too. 

There are quite a lot of things you can do with a small Nano, pocket, or micro drone – from improving your piloting skills to performing intricate mid-air stunts and having full-blown indoor drone races. 

You see, once you’re confident enough in your skills, no one’s stopping you from getting one of the best drones for under $1000. But if you’re relatively inexperienced, do yourself – and your budget – a favor, and start with something a bit more compact and maneuverable, such as the mini quadcopters I have for you today.

So, are you ready to have your mind blown by these tiny – but mighty – drones? Okay, then, let’s get to it!

In a Hurry? THIS is the Best Mini Drone with Camera:

Potensic Upgraded A20 Mini Drone Easy to Fly Even...

Potensic A20 Tiny Drone

What makes it stand out?

4 / 5

The most popular mini-drone for 2024, great user reviews, long flight time, and doesn't get blown away by a light breeze!


What Is a Mini Drone: Basic Features & Overview

Let’s not overcomplicate things: 

A mini drone is exactly what it sounds like – a drone that’s miniature, almost like a toy aircraft. 

And as I've pointed out, they're considered to be an excellent entry-level option. On that note, they're highly recommended for those exploring the world of drones for the first time. 

They’re not only reasonably priced but a bit more crash-proof, as well, making them a perfect choice for those who’d like to work on their piloting skills before they move onto something bigger – and more expensive, too. 

You see, tiny drones are known for their compact, lightweight frames, often constructed entirely out of molded plastic. And while that might not sound as impressive at first, it’s what gives them their resistance to crash-related damage. 

And when you do crash one, it won’t cost an arm and a leg to repair it! 

in search for best mini drone

Granted, they might not have all the latest bells and whistles of their bigger relatives, but as I hope to show you today, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As long as you keep your expectations in check, you can be amazed by what these little aircraft are capable of doing. 

There are several essential features you can typically expect to find on the best mini drones – and these include: 

  • Pocket drones usually come fully assembled and ready-to-fly out of the box 
  • The average battery life of the best mini drones offers around six to eight minutes of flight time per full charge, and take about an hour to recharge  
  • They come with remote controllers which allow you to control their direction and perform mid-air stunts
  • They’re mostly designed for indoor use, but some can fly outdoors, too, as long as there’s little to no wind
  • There are mini drones that come equipped with cameras capable of capturing both videos and still photography, as well as providing an FPV experience. 

Best Mini Drones: Top 3 Picks of 2024

Our #1 Rated

Potensic Upgraded A20 Mini Drone Easy to Fly Even...

Potensic A20

"Editor's Choice"

  • Great for kids, can fly and crash without the drone immediately falling apart.
  • A true mini drone, the A20 does not have a camera, but only costs a fraction of the other drones in this review .
  • This drone takes our no.1 spot because it delivers exactly what we expect from a mini-drone, cheap, care-free flying.

Our #2 Rated

DJI Mavic Mini 2

"Best High-end mini drone"

  • The Mavic Mini 2 has a 4K UHD Camera that can shoot videos at 30fps
  • It offers a very good flight time of around 31 minutes. That should be more than enough to satisfy any customer!
  • The Maximum control distance caps at a whopping range of 10 kilometers!

Our #3 Rated

Altair #AA108

"Coolest Drone in the Review"

  • #AA108 with AHP - Unique to Altair Drones - Autonomous Hover & Positioning system which keeps the drone in place.
  • DOUBLE FLIGHT TIME - 2 Batteries included with 8-10 minutes of flight time each.
  • LIVE VIDEO CAMERA DRONE - The #AA108 carries a 720p live video camera and allows for video as well as still photography.

Best Mini Drones For All Budgets

And now, let’s get to why you’re genuinely here – to check out my round-up of the best mini drones in 2024!

1. Potensic A20 Tiny Drone - The Best "True" mini drone -

best mini drone - Potensic A20 Tiny Drone

"The most affordable one, a true mini drone for indoor use"

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There are three things a starter drone should be – easy to use at all levels, durable enough to survive accidental crashes, and cheap enough to not lose sleep over damaging it. And yes, the Potensic A20 drone checks out all three boxes. 

So, if you’re not quite ready to splurge on one of those state-of-the-art models until you’ve worked on your piloting skills a bit, this tiny, toy-grade drone might be perfect for the job!

Design & Performance  

The first thing you’ll notice is how small it is – it measures a mere 3.1 x 3.5 x 1.25 inches, and is barely the size of your hand. Surprisingly enough, despite its tiny, toy-like appearance, it feels relatively well-made and sturdy. 

The drone uses a detachable battery with an average life of five to six minutes. It’s not something to call home about, but they’re five minutes of pure fun, nonetheless. 

You’ll be glad to know that it does come with a backup battery, though. Also, you’ll get low-battery notifications for both the controller and the drone – the former will emit a beeping sound, and the latter will show it’s time to recharge the battery by blinking continuously.

There’s a reason why this drone’s so popular among beginners – and it mostly comes down to its user-friendly operation. 

Seriously, it’s so easy to use that even first-time users – I’m talking folks who never owned a drone, let alone operated one – will manage to get it off the ground, and keep it there. 

The secret is in its handy features, including the one-key take-off and landing, and the so-called Altitude Hold function. It doesn’t get much simpler than that – push a button for take-off, enable the Altitude Hold mode, and the drone will stay at its current height until you figure out what to do next. 

Furthermore, the three-speed adjustments and the Headless Mode feature are there to ensure a smooth, worry-free experience for all skill levels. 

And if you ever feel like you’re losing control, you can always turn to the Emergency Stop function for help – it will turn the drone off automatically. 

Not bad for a cheap, toy-like drone, huh? 

PROS

  • Easy to control and loaded with user-oriented features
  • Three-speed settings for all skill levels 
  • Comes with an extra battery for up to 12 minutes of flight time 
  • Excellent budget-friendly option 

CONS

  • Doesn’t hold up well in breezy conditions 
  • The propellers are partially exposed and prone to damage

2. DJI Mavic Mini 2

best mini drone - mavic mini 2

"The best high-end mini drone"

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DJI just launched an upgrade to the biggest gamechanger in the drone industry, the Mavic Mini.

The foldable, under 250 g drone, is getting all of it's specs and features improved with the new Mavic Mini 2.

I’m sure you have already heard, seen or even flown a DJI Mavic drone. It is one of the most recent products by the famous brand DJI.  

Well right now the Mavic Mini 2, brings the high quality video resolution and stabilty, plus class leading flight range and duration from the Mavic series to the under $500 price range.

Shipping for the original Mini started on the 11th of November 2019. Moving forward to 2024, this model remains the best drone for the money.

Extremely easy to carry around in a backpack, it’s one of the best for holidays, filming outdoor events, vlogging, or pretty much anything.

Very compact and lightweight, not only it can be carried anywhere, it’s also the almost as good as the Mavic 2 Air, which goes for $1000 and can not be classified as a mini drone due to its size.

Everything you need to truly experience an out of this world performance. From beginners to experts, the Mini 2 is a wonder in any hands. Even a baby can fly this thing.

Specifications:

The Mavic Mini 2 also presents some amazing specs, such as the 10km max control range, an upgrade from the previous 4km. Flight time is also quite impressive if we take into consideration how small the drone is. Per battery, the Mini has a max flight time of 31 minutes.

Camera:

Housed on the drone’s front is a camera supported by a three-axis motorized gimbal, and fitted with a 1/2.3-inch sensor

The Mavic Mini 2 camera’s video-capturing capabilities cap out at a 4K HD resolution, with a 30fps frame rate. The alternative here is a 1080p video at 60fps. Moreover, it’s capable of capturing 12MP images, as well. 

The drone of course, can also transmit Live Video in high-quality, real-time with 0 latency. The best FPV experience you can get from a drone within this budget.

Features:

Another thing it doesn’t lack is safety-oriented features:

For instance, the integrated altitude limit prevents you from getting carried away, and a return home function kicks in automatically when the battery gets critically low – and ensures that your drone comes home safely.

I had my doubts about its mid-air performance, considering its lightweight frame. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong: 

It felt stable and precise at all times, partially due to the downward vision sensors that allow it to detect the ground for safer landings, as well as more stable flights and hovering. 

It can stay stable at an altitude of 4000 meters while in level 5 winds!

Not to mention its foldable too!

Are there any downsides, though? 

The one trade-off that I should mention is that it doesn’t come with object tracking. I wouldn’t be too surprised to see this feature added as a part of a future update, though.

For a better comparison between the two, see our in-depth DJI Mavic Mini review here.

PROS

  • Very Easy to Fly 
  • Amazing Set of Autonomous Features 
  • Foldable and Easy to Carry
  • 12MP Built-in Camera, 4K Video
  • Class Leading Specs and Performance

CONS

  • This package doesn’t include spare battery

3. Altair #AA108 Pocket Drone Good all-rounder

best mini drone on the market 2024 - Altair #AA108 Drone

"The best mini drone on the market right now"

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Let me introduce you to my absolute favorite mid-sized drone of all – the Altair #AA108 Pocket Drone

Why? 

Because I can’t wait to show you what this tiny wonder has to offer – that’s why!

Design & Performance  

Open up the box, and you’ll be greeted by a compact, fully assembled, all-black drone, complete with a set of pre-installed propeller guards. If you’re confident enough in your piloting skills, feel free to remove them – it’s super easy to do so. 

The whole thing measures 7.8 x 7.2 x 1.7 inches, so it’s certainly more substantial than some other miniature drones you’ll see today but is still reasonably lightweight at 3 ounces. 

As far as battery capacity goes, you can expect to get up to 10 minutes of flight time per charge. But since no one likes to sit around and wait for the battery to charge, the #AA108 comes with two batteries, bringing its flight-time total to 20 minutes. 

Oh, and did I happen to forget to mention that it comes equipped with a 720p camera with a 120-degree viewing angle, capable of capturing both live video and still shots? 

When it comes to the actual mid-air performance, let me start by saying that the#AA108 comes with one of those no-nonsense controllers. Intuitive and simple, it’s designed to make flight operation even more straightforward. The added smartphone mount is a nice touch, too – it attaches to the controller for some first-person action. 

On that note, the Custom Flight Routing Mode is something you might want to try – you get to decide on a flight route, and then sit back, relax, and watch the Falcon go. 

The AHP in its name stands for Autonomous Hover & Positioning, a feature that is unique to Altair drones. This system removes the up-and-down, left-to-right variations out of the equation, and keeps the drone in place mid-air – even when you let go of the controls. 

Of course, the list of beginner-oriented features doesn’t end there – the Headless Mode and one-touch take-off and landing also deserve mention here. 

It’s all about care-free operation, smooth flights, and ease of use at all levels – and that’s what makes it a perfect fit for any drone pilot, new or experienced!

PROS

  • Comes with pre-installed, easy-to-remove propeller guards 
  • Features Autonomous Hover & Positioning system 
  • Two rechargeable batteries with 10-minute flight times each 
  • Amazing Performance

CONS

  • Not suitable for use in windy conditions
  • The battery takes a bit longer to recharge 

4. Holy Stone HS340 Mini RC - Close Second -

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"The close competitor - extraordinary value"

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The best way to describe the HS340 would be as a small and lightweight quad-rotor drone – nothing too special, but certainly within reasonable expectations considering its price tag. 

Design & Performance  

Measuring a mere 6.73 x 6.22 x 3.35 inches, there are but a few places where you wouldn’t be able to bring it. Granted, this can be somewhat of an issue if you decide to take it outside – small and light as it is, it’s highly sensitive to windy conditions

The drone boasts four rotors, with the front one featuring white propellers, and the back ones having black blades.

In addition to the color-coded propellers, it also comes with LED lights – blue in the front, red in the back. I loved the flexible landing feet, too – their curved design allows them to absorb quite a bit of impact in case of not-so-smooth landings.

The Holy Stone HS340 comes fitted with a removable rechargeable battery, and you’ll get up to eight minutes of continuous flight time on a single charge, with recharge time being approximately 45 to 60 minutes. It’s a shame that it doesn’t come with extra batteries, though. 

The 2.4 GHz low-interference controller is ridiculously bulky, and the controls aren’t labeled, at all – you’re left to figure that one out for yourself.

So, what’s it like operating the Holy Stone HS340? 

Well, it comes with three-speed modes, which makes it equally suitable for beginners and more advanced pilots. Also, it’s fitted with 6-Axis Gyro Technology, a stabilization system that adds a layer of flexibility and stability, ensuring that it performs stunts and sudden moves, and recovers pretty quickly, too. It can do cool mid-air flips and rolls, all with a push of a button.

The most significant factor, as far as ease of use goes, has to be the so-called Headless Mode – it keeps the orientation fixed relative to the pilot, regardless of where the actual aircraft is facing. If you’ve never flown a mini drone before, you’ll appreciate the extra boost in confidence that this feature provides. 

PROS

  • Removable rechargeable battery 
  • Curved, flexible landing feet absorb landing impact 
  • Three available speed levels and Headless Mode for ease of use 
  • Features 6-Axis Gyro Technology for stabilization and mid-air stunts 

CONS

  • No labels on the button controls 
  • It’s very sensitive to windy conditions
  • Doesn’t come with extra batteries 

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5. EMAX Tinyhawk RTF Micro Racing Drone - The Fastest Nano Drone -

best mini drone - EMAX Tinyhawk RTF Micro Racing Drone

"For the thrill seekers"

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I was beyond excited to test this one out – and for several reasons, too. 

For one, it’s an all-in-one, ready-to-fly FPV kit – it includes everything you might need to start your new FPV hobby off on the right foot. 

The second reason why I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this EMAX drone was its speed. Did you know that this miniature thing’s capable of developing speeds of up to 35 miles per hour?

Design & Performance  

This drone comes as a part of a full-blown FPV kit, and that means that you’re also getting FPV goggles, a controller, and a small carrying case. You can now bring your drone wherever you go! 

The drone’s polypropylene plastic frame measures only 4.3 x 3.7 x 1.5 inches, and it weighs as little as 1.5 ounces – and that’s counting the camera and video transmitter, and the battery, too. 

Surprisingly enough, it seems to be long-lasting and durable, with all of its vital components – frame, propellers, and electronics – well protected from crash impact. 

The battery life was somewhat disappointing, though. It wouldn’t be fair to expect long flight times from micro drones – especially not in this price range – but only four minutes of air-time leaves a lot to be desired.

In case I haven’t made it clear by now, this is an easy-to-control micro indoor racing drone designed to teach you the basics of flight – all from a first-person point of view. And as such, it brings a few user-oriented features to the table, one of which is the controller being pre-set to three different modes – Level, Horizon, and Full Acrobatic mode. 

Choose the last one if you’d like to put your piloting skills to the test with full, hands-on control. 

Moreover, it’s stable, responsive, and moves with ease and precision that is rarely seen in drones its size. Plus, it is hands down, the fastest Nano drone out of the bunch.

Oh, and if you happen to lose it somewhere due to an “unintentional landing,” the motor beeper function is there to help you track it down. Trust me; with a drone this small – and this fast – you’ll be using this feature a lot. 

PROS

  • Comes ready-to-fly out of the box with controls and FPV goggles 
  • Three different flight control modes 
  • Very lightweight and compact, yet sturdy design 
  • Develops speed of up to 35 miles per hour 

CONS

  • Miserable battery life with four-minute flight time per charge 

6. DJI Air 2S

DJI Air 2S

"the ultimate all-in-one camera drone"

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Compact and lightweight yet powerful in so many ways, the DJI Air 2S is a tiny drone with big features. Additionally, the Air 2S drone is an improvement over its predecessors in many ways:

It offers improved safety features, a handful of flight features, and, of course, some new camera functionalities.

Image and video quality are excellent overall, offering everything a drone pilot needs - whether they are a complete beginner or full-time professional.

Design & Performance 

In terms of the basic design, this drone is pretty similar to another DJI drone - the Mavic 2 Pro - although in a smaller and lighter package.

The propeller arms can be folded in for transportation and folded out when you’re ready to fly.

Build quality is excellent - all of the moving parts are robust and reliable. The Air weighs around 600 grams, with a folded size of 7.1 x 3 x 3.8 inches.

So, yes, it falls into the bigger category if you compare it to some other models on this list. But still, it’s small enough for you to carry with you on your trip.

The maximum flight time of this drone is 31 minutes - pretty impressive considering the small batteries. However, a more realistic expectation for flight times in real-world flying is around 20 minutes.

This fantastic device also features AirSense, which uses unique ADS-B activation technology to receive signals from helicopters or airplanes nearby, displaying their locations on the map within the DJI Fly app.

This feature comes alongside GPS positioning to hold the device in place when hovering if the wind is too strong, so the drone doesn’t get blown away. Additionally, several automated flight patterns allow you to make complex videos, whether you’re a professional or an amateur.

The Air 2S camera is stunning, featuring a 20MP one-inch sensor. On top of that, it features a full-frame equivalent focal length of 22mm and a focus range going from 60cm to infinity.

This drone has a digital zoom that allows you to get as close as possible to the action - without the device actually flying any closer. However, the maximum setting you would generally want to use is 2x since the image quality reduces the more the zoom is applied.

On that note, it goes up to 4x in 4K.

The AIR 2S is the ideal mix of features, size, and weight, making it perfect for people who like to take their drone with them on their outdoor adventures.

PROS

  • Incredible camera quality
  • Advanced safety features
  • Compact

CONS

  • Digital zoom use is limited
  • Fixed-size control

7. Yuneec Mantis Q

Yuneec Mantis Q

"If Mini is not enough for you"

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Using the Mantis Q drone for professional photo and video recording could be one of the best utilization of this drone. Why? Because this model comes equipped with everything you need to do that quickly and efficiently.

This Yuneec drone delivers excellent results even if you use full HD 1080p quality at 30 frames per second. That means it can produce fantastic high-resolution images and videos - and we’re sure that professionals will love flying this drone, too!

Design & Performance 

This drone weighs 500 grams and has a size of 6.6 x 3.8 x 2.2 inches, which is big compared to some other models on this list. Nevertheless, Mantis Q is still compact enough for you to bring on your trip and take some great photos with it.

The battery life of this drone is incredible, too - you can get around 25 minutes of flight time. If there’s no wind, the drone could fly for up to 33 minutes on a single charge.

On that note, it comes with a rechargeable Lithium-ion Polymer battery that gives you enough power.

The range of the Mantis Q is up to 2000 meters. That means it can cover longer distances - and still maintain a good signal.

The built-in anti-collision sensors keep your drone safe from any potential crashes, so there’s no room for any safety concerns.

Mantis Q has a camera that features a 1/3.06 CMOS sensor. The camera takes photographs at 13MP resolution and has HD 4K video recording capabilities - which is quite impressive for a drone of its size.

The Mantis Q also comes with a GPS positioning system that allows real-time device tracking. You can set boundaries for this purpose, and they’ll be done automatically through your remote controller.

This drone also comes equipped with one fantastic feature that makes returning home from far away very easy - the automatic Return Home feature.

You can set a GeoFence boundary or simply push this button on your remote control if you don’t feel comfortable with operating your drone for some reason.

PROS

  • Solid flight time of around 25 minutes
  • Can be used for professional purposes
  • Automatic Return Home feature

CONS

  • Slightly heavier than the other drones on this list

After all is said and done, we recommend:

Potensic Upgraded A20 Mini Drone Easy to Fly Even...

Potensic A20 Tiny Drone

What makes it stand out?

4 / 5

The most popular mini-drone for 2024, great user reviews, long flight time, and doesn't get blown away by a light breeze!


Okay, it’s time to wrap things up – and if there’s one thing I’d like you to take away from this guide, it’s this: 

Sure, some of them might be better suited for more experienced pilots, while others were undoubtedly designed with newbies in mind. However, all these tiny quadcopters have one thing in common – despite their pocket-sized stature, they can be a ton of fun! 

And when you're buying a mini drone, having fun with it regardless of your piloting skills is what matters the most! 

So, what do you think? Have you found the perfect mini drone for your needs? Drop me a line if you’d like – I’d love to hear about your favorite model!


Last update on 2025-02-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API This article contains affiliate links which for which the owner of the site may receive a commision.

About the Author
 Nikola

Nikola studied Mechatronic Engineering at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. He has been designing and building his own drones and preparing to earn FAA certification as a drone pilot.