If you’ve ever purchased a drone, you know how challenging it can be to find a good one that will last.
In our quest to find an affordable model for our kids, we’ve purchased more than one dud over the years. That’s why we’ve made the effort to explore the details of dozens of options. We then created this incredible, info-packed resource.
We’ll help you find the best drones for kids. In this article, we focus on key features, performance, and safety. We’ll also review the seven coolest and safest kids drones currently available.
Our comprehensive guide will enable you to decide which flying toy is the best option for your children.
- Good performance
- Great for all pilot types
- One key start
- Amazing 3D flips and rolls
- Hard to lose
- Headless mode
- Wi-Fi transmission
- Foldable design
- Easy to control
- Simple and fun for kids
- Great safety features
- Smart control and selfies
- Stable flight
- Easy to fly
- Perfect for beginners
- X5C control
- Four operating directions
- Six axis gyroscope
- Easy drone control
- Great to play together
- Colorful LEDs
Review Methodology: At Mom Loves Best, we prioritize your child’s enjoyment and safety. Our hands-on experience and meticulous research into the world of kid-friendly drones offer you a comprehensive review. We meticulously test, compare, and rank each drone based on clear criteria and standards, including performance, durability, safety features, ease of use, and price. This careful analysis allows us to provide you with the data and facts to make the best decision possible. Our assessment goes beyond mere feature comparison. We delve into the product’s design choices and their impact on the user, providing a thorough evaluation from a user’s perspective. We identify key decision-making factors, such as battery life, camera quality, and controller design. Our recommendations are backed by first-hand evidence, ensuring you can trust our findings.
The Best Drones for Kids of 2023
We spent hours comparing products recommended by industry-leading blogs, reading reviews from parents, and referring to our research and insight.
Here are the top seven drones for kids on the market.
Holy Stone HS340 Mini FPV RC Drone
Easy to Maneuver
This drone is beautifully designed and features a one-key start, which is a must for those curious newbie drone enthusiasts.
It is also interesting to fly and quick to master. The headless flight system guides the quadcopter directly through the controller, enabling pilots of any level to enjoy it.
With its intelligent flight system, the drone easily performs waypoint fly and circle fly. Plus, its camera is designed to capture photos or video with a specified hand gesture.
At the push of a button, the drone will flip and roll. The owner will be entertained for hours playing with this neat aircraft.
What We Like
Good Performance
Users report the drone is sturdy and wonderfully constructed. Its control range is 65 to 131 feet, and its battery lasts up to 20 minutes with a spare of two modular batteries, allowing it to deliver a good performance.
Great for All Types of Pilots
This drone features three speed modes, making it suitable for beginners or advanced pilots who may want it to go faster.
One Key Start
We like how a neophyte toddler could easily manage this drone with its one key landing and takeoff. Apart from being beginner-friendly, the drone is also ideal for capturing moments with ease.
What We Don't Like
Windy Performance
Although this drone has powerful and responsive motors, it won’t work best in windy circumstances as it is quite lightweight. We advise you to perform this operation with caution when working in windy areas.
Product Specs
| Size | 6.73 inches by 6.22 inches by 3.35 inches |
| Weight | 1.76 ounces |
| Cell phone control | No |
| Camera | Yes |
| Recommended age | 14 years and up |
Our Ratings
Community Feedback
Holy Stone F181W RC Drone
Best for Flips and Tricks
This drone is a good pick for your older kids, ages 14 to 17. With a powerful 1080P 120-degree wide-angle HD Wi-Fi camera, the user can record their drone flights in superb quality.
It features a one-key engine start and multiple speed control modes, making it great for both beginners and advanced pilots.
The aircraft comes with a powerful motor and batteries. It also features controllable LED lights that can help find the drone at night. Moreover, it is a great drone because it allows first-person view transmission of live videos captured by the drone and directed to your mobile device via an app.
What We Like
Amazing 3D Flips and Rolls
With the simple push of a button, your child can make this drone do amazing flips and rolls. Great for beginners, the one-key, 360-degree, four-way flip allows your kids to turn it left, right, forward, and backward easily.
Hard to Lose
This drone comes with one-key return, so you won’t need to worry about it getting lost. By simply pressing a button, the drone will go back to the location it was launched from. Read the instructions carefully so you know how to use this feature correctly.
Headless Mode
The headless mode makes it easy for beginners, allowing easy control of the aircraft, no matter what direction it is facing.
Steady Flight
Powerful air pressure ensures that the altitude hold function keeps the drone hovering at a steady height. This makes it easier to get high-quality images and videos.
What We Don't Like
Limited Speed and Stability
Some reviewers say this drone is not as fast as other similarly priced ones. It’s made of lightweight plastic, making it hard to fly if there is wind.
Motor Control Issues
Some customers report having issues with the motor, making the drone hard to control and land. But customer support is exceptional, with parents reporting that they quickly received a replacement.
Product Specs
| Size | 12.6 inches by 3.3 inches by 12.6 inches |
| Weight | 5.7 ounces |
| Cell phone control | Yes |
| Camera | Yes |
| Recommended age | 14 to 17 years old |
Our Ratings
Community Feedback
Drocon Spacekey DC-014 Drone
Panoramic Views
This foldable model is a good beginner’s drone for older children and teenagers.
It features a 120-degree, wide-angle lens that can capture true color and panoramic views. It’s great for parties, sports, adventures, or any outdoor activities.
With the possibility of controlling it through your phone via Wi-Fi, it records high-definition images to be shared with friends.
Because this drone’s aerofoil and fuselage are made of sturdy and durable PA plastic, it’s convenient for flying either indoors or outdoors.
What We Like
Wi-Fi Transmission
With the Wi-Fi Real-Time FPV Transmission feature, your child can operate the drone with an iOS or Android app. The high-definition images can be viewed in real time while piloting this cool drone.
Foldable Design
We love the structure design with foldable blades that make this drone easy to carry around.
Easy to Control
You and your kids can control the drone using a smartphone. Piloting is easy, as all the controls are operable from within the app screen.
What We Don't Like
Short Battery Life
Battery life might not be long. As it only comes with one battery, you will have to wait for the battery to recharge to continue flying.
App Permissions
This drone relies on control through an app that has a large set of permissions. You need to give a lot of information to get it to fly.
Extremely Lightweight
You will have to be careful not to fly it on windy days. We found that even a light breeze can be enough to blow it away.
Product Specs
| Size | 5.4 inches by 5.4 inches (folded: 3.92 inches by 2.75 inches) |
| Weight | 15.5 ounces |
| Cell phone control | Yes |
| Camera | Yes |
| Recommended age | 12 years and up |
Our Ratings
Community Feedback
Deerc D20 Mini Drone
Best for Video
Your kids will have endless fun with this mini drone. It provides HD pictures and live videos, so you can watch what you’re capturing as you go. The 720p HD Wi-Fi camera takes incredible aerial photos and videos, which you can view through the phone app.
It’s also great fun for adults! It has a range of neat features. It’s super easy to use and control. It’s full of helpful safety features, can do cool flips, and even uses voice control.
What We Like
Simple and Fun for Kids
This drone was designed with simplicity in mind. No one wants a new gadget that causes more stress than fun! Thanks to the one-key start, you can quickly get this drone in the sky, and it has a landing button. The Altitude Hold mode makes it stay exactly where you want it.
Safety Features for Parents
Kids aren’t too concerned about the safety features, but we parents are! This has a low-power alarm, propeller guards, and an emergency stop. You can rest easy that this ensures a safe flight for everyone in the surrounding area.
The emergency stop works by automatically stopping the drone if it hits something. Therefore, the blades won’t keep spinning or be subject to damage.
Smart Control and Selfies
We love that you can control this drone with your voice. Simply say things like “takeoff” or “landing,” and the drone will follow your command.
It’s never been easier to take a selfie! Make a “V” sign with your hand in front of the camera, and the drone will automatically take a photo!
What We Don't Like
Short Battery Life
The drone lasts about 10-15 minutes with the batteries. This is great for short flights, but if you fly it for longer than this, the drone could die mid-flight! Some customers lost their drones in a pond because they didn’t land them in time. Oops!
Not the Highest Quality
This isn’t the most high-quality drone. It’s made of cheap plastic, and the propellers may break quickly. It’s not the most expensive drone, so remember that the build resembles that.
Product Specs
| Size | 7 inches by 4.7 inches by 1.7 inches |
| Weight | 2.43 ounces |
| Cell phone control | Yes |
| Camera | Yes |
| Recommended age | 14 years and up |
Our Ratings
Potensic Upgraded A20 Drone
Most Fun for Beginners
This easy-to-fly drone is fast and agile, allowing a thrilling flight experience for both beginners and advanced pilots.
It’s a favorite of parents and kids, and we love that it comes with an altitude hold function, which makes it easy to control the aircraft.
Four round propeller guards protect the drone upon collision, making it durable for kids to play with.
It has an emergency stop button that quickly lands the drone if it experiences any issues. This is a great feature that ensures children’s safety.
What We Like
Stable Flight
Controlling flying height is effortless with the altitude-hold function. Your children can have stable flights both indoors and outdoors.
Easy To Fly
The drone has one-key control for takeoff and landing, an important feature that makes it extremely easy to fly. Your kids will grasp how to use it pretty quickly.
Perfect For Beginners
This is an excellent drone for beginners. Because of the headless mode, it operates smoothly and easily, going where you aim it. It’s also sturdy, and it handles repeatedly hitting the ground or walls without damage.
What We Don't Like
Low Battery Life
This drone has a short battery life. Fortunately, it comes with a convenient USB charger and two rechargeable drone batteries.
If you need to recharge the drone, you can plug its battery into your car or laptop, and your kids can quickly continue their fun.
Hard-to-Swap Batteries
Changing batteries might not be so easy, as it has a tiny plug that is hard to insert. It also might take a little while to swap them after recharging.
Motors May Sometimes Cause Trouble
We found that the motor can quickly lose its greasing, which may cause it to stop working. If this happens to you, contact customer support; they’ve been good about sending a replacement.
Product Specs
| Size | 3.5 inches by 3.1 inches by 1.25 inches |
| Weight | 6.4 ounces |
| Cell phone control | No |
| Camera | No |
| Recommended age | 8 years and up |
Our Ratings
Community Feedback
Syma X5C Explorers Quad Copter
Best for Playing Indoors or Outdoors
On rainy or windy days, you can use this drone indoors. Of course, you can also use it outdoors. You can fly your drone no matter what kind of day it is.
This drone is great for beginners and experienced users alike. It has a range of fun features but is also easy to use. It can do impressive flips, so you can wow folks at the park! You can also link it to your phone to take pictures and videos.
It takes 100 minutes to charge this drone for a good seven minutes of flying time, which is pretty generous for these types of toys.
What We Like
X5C Control
The X5C control uses spectrum technology, which allows you to fly it further away from you without anything interfering with it.
Four Operating Directions
Your kids will love the flexibility and control this drone offers. They can hover it up and down, move forward and backward, turn left and right, or fly sideways.
Six Axis Gyroscope
This super cool technology means you can throw the helicopter in the air, and the gyroscope will immediately level it out. This makes it perfect for beginners, as it’s easy to get the hang of.
What We Don't Like
Noisy Motors
The motors are very noisy, so if you’re trying to take an atmospheric video, the motors will overpower any sound in your video.
Mind of Its Own
A few customers have reported that the drone just flew off on its own! This is a glitch for sure, and there seems to be nothing you can do to prevent this. This con might be a bit hilarious when looking back, but at the moment, it can be really upsetting for kids.
Product Specs
| Size | 16.5 inches by 12.2 inches by 3.8 inches |
| Weight | 25.6 ounces |
| Cell phone control | No |
| Camera | Yes |
| Recommended age | 14 years and up |
Our Ratings
Community Feedback
Force1 UFO 3000 Drone
Best Mini Drone
The UFO 3000 is designed for kids and is easy to fly. It features a one-key start/stop and an easy joystick to control flight direction. Your toddlers will only need to press one button to perform cool 360-degree flip tricks.
This mini drone can fly during the day or at night while glowing with its bright green and blue LED lights.
It comes with sturdy propeller guards that protect its copter blades during flights. It includes two rechargeable batteries, which are handy as your kids will want to play with it for hours.
What We Like
Easy Drone Control
With the altitude hold feature, your kids can keep the drone hovering at a stable height. Headless mode makes it easier to orientate the mini drone with the remote. These two features make this fun aircraft easy to control.
Great to Play Together
You can use the 4-channel remote transmitter to race several drones. This is great for multi-playing with friends or family.
What We Don't Like
Low Battery Efficiency
Some parental reviews indicate that the battery takes a long time to charge. It also has a short flying life of around 5 to 7 minutes.
Propellers Break Easily
Although it’s quite a sturdy drone, the propellers can break easily. If this happens, we advise you to contact customer support, as it can be due to a quality control issue.
Product Specs
| Size | 8.3 inches by 7 inches by 4.2 inches |
| Weight | 12.8 ounces |
| Cell phone control | No |
| Camera | No |
| Recommended age | 14 years and up |
Our Ratings
Community Feedback
| Product | Best | Size | Weight | Cell phone control | Camera | Recommended age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holy Stone HS340 Mini RC | Easy to Maneuver | 6.73″ x 6.22″ x 3.35″ | 1.76 oz | No | Yes | 14 yrs and up |
| Holy Stone F181W RC | For Flips and Tricks | 12.6″ x 3.3″ x 12.6″ | 5.7 oz | Yes | Yes | 14 – 17 yrs old |
| Drocon Spacekey DC-014 | Panoramic Views | 5.4″ x 5.4″ | 15.5 oz | Yes | Yes | 12 yrs and up |
| Deerc D20 Mini | For Video | 7″ x 4.7″ x 1.7″ | 2.43 oz | Yes | Yes | 14 yrs and up |
| Potensic Upgraded A20 | Beginners | 3.5″ x 3.1″ x 1.25″ | 6.4 oz | No | No | 8 yrs and up |
| Syma X5C Explorers | Playing Indoors or Outdoors | 16.5″ x 12.2″ x 3.8″ | 25.6 oz | No | Yes | 14 yrs and up |
| Force1 UFO 3000 | Mini Drone | 8.3″ x 7″ x 4.2″ | 12.8 oz | No | No | 14 yrs and up |
How to Choose the Best Drone for Kids
In this buying guide, we will dive into the main points to consider while deciding on a drone for kids.
Age
We advise you not to gift your little ones with a drone if they are still at a stage where they break things often. Ensure your children are at least 6 years old before letting them handle a drone.
Don’t start by getting an expensive drone for your kid. First, you should try something you won’t mind them wrecking.
Location
Think about where your kids will be operating the drone. This is important, as some small drones can’t fly in the wind and are only meant for indoors.
If your kids are using a drone outside, ensure they fly it in a safe place away from overhead wires and nowhere near airfields. Keep in mind they shouldn’t fly them around pets. It’s also best to avoid trees until they learn greater control over their drones.
Camera
An onboard camera is a nice feature because your kids will love to record videos of their drone’s flight path to show their friends later.
Although most toy drones don’t feature a camera, if you decide on one that does, check the specifications of the image and recording quality.
Some drones feature FPV (first-person view) Transmission, which allows your child to see in real-time what’s happening in the air. If the aircraft has cellphone control, your children can operate it through an iOS or Android App.
Keep In Mind
Easy to Fly
Drones for kids usually come with easy controllers and can be maneuvered by merely pressing a button.
Pick a drone that is lightweight and durable. Ensure it has crash-proof construction. Some toy drones are RTF (ready to fly) and have a controller with beginner and expert modes.
There are some essential features to look for when choosing an easy-to-fly drone.
1. One Key for Takeoff and Landing
Needing to press only one key during takeoff and landing makes it easy for toddlers to enjoy their first flights.
2. Hover Mode
Toy drones usually feature a hover mode, which makes it easier for beginners to pilot for the first time. This mode helps the drone maintain a stable position during the flight. This is also great for taking aerial pictures or videos.
3. Headless Mode
With headless mode, there is no designated front or back. Kids can easily control the aircraft no matter what direction it is facing. It’s also convenient for flying the drone when it’s out of sight.
It’s an excellent choice for beginners as they will only have to focus on maneuvering it toward the direction they want it to go.
4. Altitude Hold
With the Altitude Hold function, it’s straightforward to control the flying height because this feature maintains the drone’s height for the flyer.
5. Return To Home
A return-to-home button ensures that, with the help of GPS tracking, the drone will safely return to where it took off. It’s a great feature to get the drone back if it goes out of sight.
Safety
Always ensure your children are supervised by a parent or guardian while flying drones. Fly the drone in an open area and establish boundaries.
Children should first test their flying skills in an enclosed space like a football field or a park, avoiding trees, people, and power lines. Do not fly near pools or lakes.
Flying early in the morning is a good idea for beginners because there will usually be fewer people around. Once they get confident, they will probably want to go out later when there is an audience to appreciate their skills.
Wearing safety glasses will protect the flyer’s eyes should they lose control.
If you get a drone with lithium batteries, ensure your children don’t puncture them, put them in water, or fly the drone close to heat sources.
Flight Time
Get your kids a drone with the longest battery life possible and a short charging time. Most toy drones usually fly for seven to 20 minutes per battery charge.
USB chargers are convenient because you can use them in many places. A quick recharge from your car or laptop, and your kids can continue their fun.
Rechargeable batteries are also a great idea, as they last longer and are eco-friendly. Purchase spare batteries and fully charge them before your kids’ flying sessions.
Entertainment
It’s always great to remember your kids are doing this for fun. Before buying, check the drone’s features for the tricks it can do. This will also give you the heads-up so you can be the cool parent who gives drone tips.
Some drones can do basic tricks like figure eights, corkscrews, and flips. You can also create an obstacle course so your kids learn new skills.
Your child can use drones with cameras to explore areas that are inaccessible by foot. Afterward, they can view the amazing footage.
If you get more than one drone, you and your kids will be able to drone race.
A fun additional game can be lifting light objects remotely with the drone and bringing them back to the pilot.
Another cool idea is to set up small landing areas and see if your kids can land the aircraft accurately.
Rules and Regulations
Most drones for kids don’t fall into this category, but if your drone weighs between 0.55 and 55 pounds, register it with the FAA’s UAS Registration Service. You can do this inexpensively online (2).
