Children's drone - Christina Cherry

Drones for children are usually a good birthday or Christmas gift, but why you should still take care of your child and which are the best children’s drones, I will discuss in this article.

The risk with drones?

The rotors turn very quickly and large drones can even leave deep cuts in a man’s trained arm. If you are not careful, drone pilots also make mistakes that can lead to injuries.

We are talking about mini quadrocopters with mostly very small rotors. These can still cause cuts, especially in children’s fingers to lead, but are mostly suitable for entry into the quadrocopter world.

However, it is important that you keep your child safe Dealing with teach the toy and be there for the first time and take care of the correct handling. The best way to decide is whether your child is old and mature enough for a child drone.

The flying toys are usually recommended for children aged 14 and over, of course it would be possible to use them beforehand, but only in your care and if you think your child is capable enough. There is no need to be ashamed here, because it is about the safety of your child.

A legal provision in 2017 says that you cannot fly drones with a take-off weight of more than 2 kg without a pilot’s license. However, most of the toy drones mentioned do not weigh 200 grams, so this is not a problem.

The best drone for children in comparison

€ 29.99

€ 25.99

€ 17.99

€ 29.99

€ 54.26

€ 39.99

€ 55.99

€ 59.99

€ 29.89

€ 74.59

€ 84.96

€ 44.90

€ 99.50

€ 89.99

€ 115.00

€ 139.99

€ 99.99

€ 79.99

Inexpensive plane for max 20 €

For around 20 € you get a drone without a camera and with an approximate flight time of 4 minutes. There is also a range of 30-50 meters, which is perfect for the first few hours of flight.

Maxxrace Mini foldable drone

The wing and fuselage of the foldable drone from Maxxrace is made of ABS plastic and can withstand one or the other fall. There is a small rotor protection at the four corners and so that the mini quadrocopter really fits in any pocket, the arms can also be folded in. Finally, the 360 ° flip mode should be mentioned, because this makes the drone roll at the push of a button and inspires both young and old.

The Maxxrace can be flown for almost 5 minutes and then charged for 45 minutes. It can be controlled over 50 meters.

Potensic mini drone

The Mini Drone from Potensic offers the cheapest entry into the action tracking drones. In order for that to make sense, of course she needs a camera. The picture is not 4K quality and a bit muddy, but it should reach 720p. Quite impressive for the price.

There are three speed levels, it can maintain the height itself, but not the position, so you always have to correct something. It lands and takes off at the push of a button and warns of a low battery and too great a distance. So everything is prepared for the start of an action career for the little ones.

The Potensic can be controlled for just under 5 minutes, and this within a range of almost 15 meters. Perfect for a small garden, then it has to be charged again for 30 minutes.

JJRC H36

The JJRC H36 is reminiscent of the drone for children from Potensic, only in a little cheaper. For the price you get an additional 360 ° rollover, but unfortunately you lose the camera and the tracking mode. The hull also looks a bit thinner and less stable. The H36 is therefore a slimmed-down, but also cheaper Potensic for testing the flight skills of our children.

The JJRC H36 offers a flight time of 5 minutes with a range of 15 meters. Also perfect for a room or a small garden. Then you charge it for almost 45 minutes.

SNAPTAIN H823H

I personally liked the H823H from SNAPTAIN. The look of the rotor protection reminds me a little of Star Wars spaceships, although I can’t say exactly why – you can still get a suitable lightsaber. It also has the headless mode and, especially important for children, offers the 360 ° flip – in every direction.

The rotor protection of course offers good protection against falls, but this will also break at some point. The H823H also has a floating mode, which allows the child to let go of the throttle stick and only concentrate on flying. The small LED on the front of the children’s drone warns of a low battery and an alarm sounds.

Around 6-10 minutes of flight time can be reached with the H823H from SNAPTAIN, then you have to charge it for 60 minutes. The flight range was specified at 100 meters.

Mid-range copter for 30-50 €

For around 50 € you can already expect a camera with 0.3 to 2 megapixels. It looks a bit mushy, but it is usually enough for the little ones. There are also 5 to 7 minutes of flight time and a range of approx. 50 meters.

Hubsan X4 H107 C

The classic among the children’s drones is the X4 H107 from Hubsan. It can be flipped in all 4 directions to bring in some action for the little ones. A small camera is installed, which of course does not get Full HD recordings, but for muddy 720p recordings, which the little ones are still happy about, it is enough.

Due to its robust construction, it is suitable for indoor and outdoor use and even a live video can be transmitted using FPV. It stays in the air for about 5-7 minutes and can be checked at 70 meters.

Holy Stone HS170

Over 200 reviews and still 4.5 stars on Amazon. Holy Stone’s HS170 is highly praised as a beginner drone. This is probably due to their robustness, which is mentioned in almost every second comment. The control commands should also be implemented well and precisely, especially with the headless mode.

Of course, it can also do a 360 degree looping, which Holy Stone calls “3D looping” and it is recommended for children from the age of 12, not like most people only from the age of 14. In addition, it comes with three speed levels so that you can start slowly with the child.

With the HS170 you get a flight time of 6-8 minutes with a range of 30-50 meters. Then you have to let the drone charge for up to 80 minutes.

DoDoeleph Syma Drone X15W

The DoDoeleph Syma Drone X15W still looks very much like a children’s toy. The large, red button on top of the roof alone would not be installed in a product for adults. However, a camera would be installed on an adult drone and so is the X15W. This will not make HD recordings either, but it even supports live broadcasting, which is great fun even for the grown-ups.

Automatic landing is installed, but I would recommend flying very close to the ground beforehand because the DoDoeleph Syma takes up a lot of speed when landing. Otherwise, it can hold itself at the same height and of course perform 360 ° flips.

The Syma Drone X15W stays in the air for about 7-8 minutes and has a range of almost 70 meters. You have to plan 100 minutes to charge the batteries.

DROCON U31W

The DROCON U31W, on the other hand, sees itself more for training to control large drones. It was equipped with a wide-angle camera that can record 120 ° and record the whole thing in 720p. This is still not enough for crystal clear recordings, but for training and trying out everyone. However, the recordings can be transmitted in real time, making it easier to fly.

For emergencies there is an alarm when the battery is empty and the distance is too great. Also a good hover function, so that you can take selfies with it – according to the manufacturer. The headless mode is of course also built in and in the biggest emergency there is an emergency stop.

The DROCON U31W has a flight time of approx. 12 minutes and a flight distance of approx. 50 meters. Then you have to recharge the drone for almost 30 minutes.

Revell Control 23877 RC

The 23877 from Revell Control looks like a toy drone again and, according to the manufacturer, is suitable for children from 8 years. As always, make sure that your child does not get into the rotors, because that would be very painful. The children’s drone comes without a camera, which is understandable given the price. But it should be easy to fly because it has been equipped with a good stabilization system.

3 speed levels can be set via the controller, it is best to let the child start slowly so that he can get used to the movements. In between you can use the flip function, which always creates a lot of shouting and joy among the children. To make it easier to control, there is also headless mode and LED lighting to indicate where is in the front and where is in the back.

Good entry-level drones for € 60-100

For around 100 € you usually get a multicopter with a camera up to 5 megapixels and an 8-10 minute flight time. The range in this price region starts at 50 meters and ends at 100+ meters. Small gadgets are also often installed, which have nothing directly to do with a flight drone.

Blade Nano QX

The Nano QX from Blade is still one of the mini quadrocopters, but based on the price you can already notice the change in the flight characteristics and the built-in quality. Also included are the batteries for the remote control, an additional 4 propellers and even a new hood in case it should break.

A hover function is built in, with which you only have to operate the gas, but the drone hovers at the same height and it is suitable for flips and rolls in the air if you have a little more practice in flying. However, a battery was not installed.

The flight time of the mini quadrocopter is 8 minutes and can be flown over a range of up to 100 meters. There is currently no information about the loading time.

Syma X5C

The Syma X5C is usually the bestseller among the children’s drones and fights a bitter battle against the Nano QX. It was equipped with a 720p camera, which is an absolute standard for the price. Although this is no longer the ultimate in today’s world, it is always surprising that you can take aerial pictures with a small toy.

A start and landing button and an emergency stop were also installed in the supplied controller. When the batteries are empty, there is an alarm notification and of course a headless mode, perfect for beginners. In the linked package there is even an additional battery to double the flight time directly!

The flight time with a battery is about 10 minutes to about 80 meters range. Then you have to charge the battery for almost 60 minutes.

UDI RC U818A-1

The U818A is one of the acclaimed entry-level drones. Due to their construction and the size of the propellers, they fly fairly stable in the air. She was also recognized as a GALILEO X-Max test winner on Pro7 and has earned a little credit among all the others.

A 720p camera was installed, which looks like you can control it freely, but unfortunately you can’t. The video quality is okay, just 720p and not full HD. The scope of delivery also includes 4 replacement propellers in the event of a major accident.

The flight time is about 7-8 minutes and that at a range of about 60 meters. Then you have to recharge them for up to 120 minutes.

Ryze DJI Tello

A very hyped drone is the Ryze DJI Tello. It originated from a collaboration between Intel and DJI, which, despite its low price, takes decent pictures and can be easily controlled using a smartphone. For this purpose, a 5 megapixel camera was installed, which is rare or never in this price range.

In addition, some funny flight modes have been installed, which makes it definitely a hot candidate for the best drone for children. And the parents of hobbyists were also considered. The Tello SDK program is included, which allows you to intervene in the control and programming of the drone.

In addition, the small plane has a flight time of approx. 13 minutes, despite the integrated live image on the smartphone. It can be flown at a distance of about 100 meters and takes about 90 minutes to charge.

Parrot Mambo Mission

The Parrot Mambo Mission is already in the somewhat higher-priced category, but I still wanted to mention it due to its functions. In the Lego principle, a cannon can be attached at the top and a gripper at the bottom. The cannon fires small balls, which allows you to reenact great battles from Star Wars. I don’t know what would make the little ones more fun.

A camera was not added, but it is one of the most stable drones in the price segment. The controller is also important to mention, because for this price it looks quite professional and is more like a controller of a console than a flight control. It can also be used to implement beautiful maneuvers and artistic aerial acrobatics.

Overall, the flight time is 6-8 minutes, which is impressive when you consider the additional cannon. In addition, it has a range of approx. 100 meters and can be charged in just under 30 minutes.

JXD 509G

It looks more like a helicopter, but it is not the JXD 509G. It was equipped with a 2 megapixel camera, which unfortunately is not freely controllable, but can only be adjusted at an angle. This enables real-time photos and videos to be transferred directly to the supplied controller.

As mentioned, the controller has an LCD display, which, however, loses a bit of contrast in too strong lighting conditions and is no longer so easy to see. It can be used to make beautiful 360 ° rolls. The scope of delivery also includes 4 replacement propellers in case something breaks.

The flight takes about 8-10 minutes with a range of about 100 meters. Then you have to recharge the battery for almost 70 minutes.

Holy Stone FPV HS230

Holy Stone’s HS230 is again one of the more expensive quadrocopters, but it is used in small races, so I want to introduce it again. A 120 ° 720p wide-angle camera was installed, so that nothing can be seen, but it should be enough for small races. The small flying object can also compete in these races at speeds of up to 45 km / h, thereby beating many of its competitors without any problems.

Will it still be a drone for children? You have to decide that, but I find some variation in the performances quite good, so I packed them with it. Of course, they provide real-time transmission of the images on a small LCD display in the controller. The scope of delivery also includes an additional battery, for twice as much fun. Otherwise, it comes with all the usual functions, including the 360 ° looping and headless mode.

The racing drone has a flight time of 14 to 20 minutes! Undefeated in this price segment and still with a range of 100 meters. The 45 km / h machine must then be loaded for approx. 60-90 minutes.

The built-in camera of the s-idee® 01628 delivers the image in real time to a smartphone of your choice. This can then be clipped perfectly into the controller and thus treated like an LCD display. The RC Quadrocopter manages to levitate automatically, which means you only have to accelerate, even with an action camera. Yes, the drone can e.g. add a GoPro!

Functions such as headless mode and flip function are of course also available. Although I might not do it with an action camera on board. : D

The 01628 has a flight time of approx. 6 to 10 minutes and up to 100 meters. The loading time is unfortunately not specified.

Holy Stone HS160

The Holy Stone Hs160 looks a bit like the DJI Mavic drone, but unfortunately cannot keep up technically – but it is cheaper. It was also equipped with a camera, but only with 720p. For beginners and children the perfect introduction to camera work and getting the right shot – if they are already interested in it.

The drone’s arms can be easily folded in, making it easier to transport and the images are transferred in real time to a smartphone, which can be clipped into the controller at the top. Functions such as automatic landing or a hover function are of course also installed. Finally, there are 4 different speed modes, perfect for beginners and experts.

The flight duration is a bit 7-9 minutes with a maximum range of 70 meters. It then takes about 50 to 70 minutes to charge.

Parrot AR Drone 2.0

Finally, I would like to introduce the Parrot AR Drone 2.0. Due to its design, it is very robust and the large propellers promise good stability in the air. As usual, a 720p camera was installed, which should usually be enough for the little ones, after all, they take themselves from the air.

The little aviator can be controlled via smartphone with the free “FreeFlight” app. A real-time transmission can also be viewed via this, which was very impressive for the year of publication.

The flight takes about 12 minutes for a range of about 50 meters. A loading time is unfortunately not specified.

Children’s drone guide

What is a drone for children?

The word "drone" may be known from the news as "unmanned aerial vehicle". However, in this case a toy with a camera and LEDs is meant and not an attack unit. The propellers are attached to 3-8 arms that are equally spaced to the side and the rotors point vertically downwards to create lift. By pressing the remote control in a particular direction, you take some power from the propellers pointing in this direction and the drone flies in the selected direction.

I will go into the different types of children’s drones later, but the number of rotors is very important for the name. "Quadro" stands e.g. for the number four, a drone with four rotors is called a quadrocopter. A tricopter has only three and a hexacopter six. Under the label "Multicopter" you will find all aircraft with more than two rotors – therefore you will read this term often.

On many other drone sites you will find all types of multicopters and therefore no specific selection for the best drone for your child. Here, however, I would like to give you an overview of the best Give drones to children. Functions such as GPS, 4K cameras and ultrasonic barometric sensors are therefore not used. This would only skyrocket the price and are usually not suitable for children’s hands.

How is a multicopter built??

children drone	camera	flight time	Range
Inexpensive plane for max 20 €
Maxxrace Mini foldable drone	approx. 5 min	approx. 50 m	details
Potensic mini drone	approx. 5 min	approx. 15 m	details
JJRC H36	approx. 5 min	approx. 15 m	details
SNAPTAIN H823H	approx. 6-10 min	approx. 100 m	details
Mid-range copter for 30-50 €
Hubsan X4 H107 C	approx. 5-7 min	approx. 70 m	details
Holy Stone HS170	approx. 6-8 min	approx. 30-50 m	details
DoDoeleph Syma Drone X15W	approx. 7-8 min	approx. 70 m	details
DROCON U31W	approx. 12 min	approx. 50 m	details
Revell Control 23877 RC	–	–	details
Good entry-level drones for € 60-100
Blade Nano QX	approx. 8 min	approx. 50-100 m	details
Syma X5C	approx. 10 min	approx. 80 m	details
UDI RC U818A-1	approx. 7-8 min	approx. 60 m	details
Ryze DJI Tello	approx. 13 min	approx. 100 m	details
Parrot Mambo Mission	approx. 6-8 min	approx. 100 m	details
JXD 509G	approx. 8-10 min	approx. 100 m	details
Holy Stone FPV HS230	approx. 14-20 min	approx. 100 m	details
s-idee® 01628	approx. 6-8 min	approx. 100 m	details
Holy Stone HS160	approx. 7-9 min	approx. 70 m	details
Parrot AR Drone 2.0	approx. 12 min	approx. 50 m

component	description
chassis	All components are installed in and on the chassis. It is the basic structure of the drone, so to speak. With mini-quadrocopters in particular, attention is paid to a light material.
control unit	The control unit receives the signals from the remote control and converts them into control commands for the four electric motors.
battery pack	The battery usually offers only 5-10 minutes of flight fun. This is mainly due to the size of the battery, because it has to be as small and light as possible.
drives	Four propellers provide buoyancy and control. By controlling the individual propellers differently, the drone can fly degrees, curves, flips and other flight maneuvers.
landing gear	Many mini quadcopters do not have a landing gear, but either fly directly from the hand or are sufficiently stabilized. However, there are still some drones with a landing gear, which serves to safely land the aircraft.
camera	With a few drones, a small camera is also installed, with which video recordings can also be partially made. However, one cannot imagine SLR camera quality here.
remote control	The signals are transmitted to the drone with the remote control. These are processed there by the control unit.

What types of drones for children are there?

The main difference between the multicopters is the number of rotors. From a certain price segment you can buy any multicopter with the same variety of functions. You should have heard the following types anyway:

Tricopter (with 3 rotors)
Mini quadrocopter (with 4 rotors)
Quadrocopter (with 4 rotors)
Hexacopter (with 6 rotors)
Quadrocopter (with 8 rotors)

A mini quadrocopter or normal quadrocopter usually makes sense for a child. A tricopter does not give you enough inherent stability, which complicates the flight characteristics and thus reduces the fun. And Hexacopter and Octocopter can only be found in the high-priced segment. In film and series production e.g. RED cameras are attached to these aircraft and ingenious action or landscape shots are made.

What is a mini quadrocopter?

Mini quadcopters, mini drones or nano drones are currently the best choice for budding pilots. They usually impress with a very compact size and low weight. As a result, these aircraft offer flight fun anytime, anywhere. The size of these mini-quadrocopters cannot be specified, but many are not larger than a child’s hand.

What is a quadrocopter for children?

Similar to a mini quadrocopter, a quadrocopter has four rotors. However, there is a wider range of devices available here. From very cheap to very expensive with many functions, there is everything. Therefore, there are also some aircraft that can be fun for your child with the quadrocopters. The size is often four times the size of a mini quadrocopter, and the same applies to the weight. However, if your child can carry a soccer ball, a quadrocopter can do it.

questions and answers

How high can a quadrocopter fly??

Drones for children will hardly reach the German limit, but I would still like to point out that a drone cannot fly higher than 100 meters. In addition, the pilot must always be within sight of the multicopter and, of course, you must not fly in no-fly zones. If your child only flies in the garden, nothing can really happen.

Do you need drone insurance for children’s toys??

In my view, you don’t necessarily need insurance for child drones, but you should clarify this with your insurance broker or liability insurance company before you buy your child a drone.

However, point out that you are buying your child a flying toy and not a professional drone. So there will definitely be an exception to this, similar to the 2kg law when flying.

How to control a quadrocopter?

The control is very simple and works with a controller. Basically there are 2 sticks and while the left throttle is used, the right hand controls the direction in which you want to fly. Many children’s drones still have buttons to keep the game fun high and to make funny flight maneuvers. Some can loop or roll forward or to the side.

How does a drone work??

Two of the rotors turn to the right, while the other two turn to the left. As a result of this effect, the drone does not continuously rotate around itself, but lifts off the ground. The flying object can then be controlled by the motors being individually controlled and slowed down or accelerated by the remote control.

What is headless mode?

The headless mode or headless mode allows the drone to have no head. If you steer forward, it flies forwards, if you steer to the right, then it flies to the right. If you deactivate this mode now, the drone has a fixed head. If this head points to the pilot and you push forward, the drone will not fly away from you, but towards you and you must always align the drone correctly to fly behind it where you want.

There is a test by Stiftung Warentest?

However, the Stiftung Warentest test has to be legitimized somewhat, because unfortunately no drones for children were tested here, but instead the best drone was sought. The best drone costs a mere € 4,000, which you probably don’t want to entrust to your child.

In general, the cheap drones get away very badly, but you cannot expect collision detection or 4K cameras with a drone for € 120. You still get a decent drone for children for the price, with which the little ones can have a lot of fun under the supervision of their parents.

All spellings for drones for children

The following searches are common: drone for children, drone for children, drones for children, drone children, quadrocopters for children, drones for children, quadrocopters for children, drone for children. Usually, however, the word "children drone" used.