Best drones for kids that are easy to fly and simple to control
by Ruth Doherty, https://www.mirror.co.uk/authors/ruth-doherty/Many children are, unsurprisingly, fascinated by drones (something that flies and can take selfies from the air? What’s not to love?).
But if your kids are pestering you for one or, worse, attempting to fly your very expensive version, it could be time they learn on their own one.
The best drones for kids should be affordable options that will allow them to learn the basic skills of flying them before investing a fortune in more advanced versions.
They’ll be easy to fly, and may feature some basics like one-button take-off and landing.
The more you spend, the more bells and whistles and fancy functions you’ll get, but altitude hold (that keeps the drone in the air without controller input) and headless mode (to automatically help with direction) are good to haves for kids.
Whether you're looking for a brilliant basic for beginners or fancy features like in-built cameras and night flight mode, there's something for everyone in our roundup of the best drones for kids below. Ready for take-off?
Best drones for kids
1. Avialogic Q9 RC drone
Light up the sky with these blue and green LED light-illuminated drone that’s lots of fun for everyone.
With complete propeller-guard cover, the kids are protected and the drone itself can withstand plenty of crash-landings and rough and tumble.
It’s easy to navigate with just one button for take-off and landing, and boasts an altitude hold feature that allows the drone to hover automatically in the air with your hands off the joystick, making it great for beginners. Kids will also love the 360-degree flip and roll spin.
Price: £29.99, Amazon - buy here now
2. Snaptain H823H Plus Mini Drone for Kids
Let your kids join the quad squad with this easy-to-fly drone that features everything you need for a fun and hassle-free experience.
Headless mode means the onboard flight computer aligns the drone's movements to correspond to the user no matter what direction it's facing; altitude mode means it can hover automatically, and one-key landing and take-off is very user-friendly. There's a 360-degree fun flip and three different adjustable levels of flight the more advanced you get.
This is a small drone that's perfect for flying indoors on a rainy day.
Price: £36.99, Amazon - buy here now
3. Revell GO! Wifi Quadcopter 1.4MP Camera Drone
Perfect for kids from around 12 and up, this smart drone features all the bells and whistles that are super-exciting for children.
You can stream live video to your smartphone, and take pictures and videos with the 480P camera.
There's headless steering, flip features, and three skill settings and you can fly it using only your smart phone. One word? Cool.
Price: £69.99, Argos - buy here now
4. Oaxis myFirst Drone
Brilliant for encouraging STEM learning, this beginner drone is perfect for young kids, aged four and upwards.
Blending good old-fashioned fun with modern gadgets, this drone sees kids use their hands to control it, so they get up and running as they try to keep it in the air.
It boasts anti-crash sensors, altitude hover, and enclosed propellers for a safe bit of fun.
Price: £35, Currys PC World - buy here now
5. Smyths Aerial Quadcopter Drone Black
If it's sleek looks you're searching for this all-black drone should fit the bill.
It also offers a really fun flying experience, with headless steering, seamless reverse, flip and turns in a 50-metre flying radius. Powered by a rechargeable battery pack, you'll get up to seven minutes of flying time with each charge.
Price: £24.99, Smyths Toys - buy here now
6. Syma X11C
Flying a drone isn't always easy to start with, and the slow-mode on this Syma drone for kids is a really handy function for beginners.
Once it's switched on, the six-axis stabilisation keeps the drone steady and easier to control.
What's more, there's a built-in camera, 360-degree action roll, and colourful flashing light so you can keep flying into the evening.
Price: £45.99, Amazon - buy here now
7. Parrot Airborne Night Blaze Minidrone
There's something ultra-exciting about being able to fly a drone at night and this nifty little number will provide endless amounts of fun.
Powerful white LED lights illuminate the night sky, and the drone is activated via the FreeFlight 3 application for smartphones and tablets. It can go up to 11 miles per hour and perform inflight aerobatics, 180-degree turns and flips.
It also has an in-built vertical camera to take aerial selfies that can be transferred onto a computer.
Price: £18.97, Appliances Direct - buy here now
8. JoyGeek Mini Drone for Kids
Are your kids looking for super-cool stunts? This drone is the business - it boasts rolling special effects and a four-way flip function.
But it’s also great for beginners as it has a headless mode built-in positioning system to help prevent losing direction, a one-key take-off and land function, and excellent stability.
What's more, it's fitted with LED lights for night time flying opportunities, and high/low speed shifts to go faster when they've earned their pilot's stripes.