These Kid-Friendly Drones Can Race, Take Videos and Encourage STEM Learning
- 1/9
These Kid-Friendly Drones Can Race, Take Videos and Encourage STEM Learning
A generation ago, kids asked for remote-control planes. Now they want drones — the kind they see adults flying at the beach or in the park. There are plenty of beginner drones out there with easier-to-use features at a way lower price than professional drones. These drones might have a camera or act as racing drones that are simply fun to fly. The vast majority of beginner drones are age-graded for teens and adults. Another class of "drones" are more like flying spaceship toys made for school-age kids to play with. Generally, when shopping for a drone for kids, your options are:
- A flying indoor toy for ages 4+ or 8+
- A beginner camera drone
- A racing drone
- A stunt drone labeled for ages 14+
A drone can make an exciting holiday toy. But note that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would like families who are flying recreationally to register each drone and learn the federal rules for flying one. When working alongside an adult who explains the rules and demonstrates the controls, most tweens can fly drones safely.
The same team that judges Good Housekeeping's Best Toy Awards — plus our in-house engineers at the Good Housekeeping Institute — regularly test new drones for kids. We tested our drones predominantly inside with children ages 8 and up but occasionally we took certain drones outside and tested some with younger children as well. Our experts note that drones are somewhat fragile across the board, and learning to fly them takes some patience (flight time usually lasts for less than 20 minutes) and care (one needs to avoid walls, trees, water and all other hazards). When we have tested drones marketed for children, we've frequently watched junior pilots younger than age 8 crash them readily. (They fly into walls, objects, you name it!) Luckily, many drones have spare parts in the event of a broken or lost propeller. And with practice, kids will be rewarded with new motor skills and that familiar unique zoom that will keep them coming back for more.
The picks in this story are from brands that have performed well in our lab, new models with impressive features and drones with tons of rave online reviews.
Our top picks:
At the end of this guide, you can find more information about what you should consider when shopping for drone toys, how to approach playing with them with kids and more on how we tested drones for beginners.
Hearst Owned - 2/9
1) Mini Drone
Holy Stone
amazon.com
$36.99
With over 5,000 Amazon reviews, this mini drone is popular for being easy to set up and fly indoors. The manufacturer says it is for ages 14 and up, but in our tests, we found that kids as young as 8 could fly it with some guidance. It features altitude hold, which keeps it stable in the air even if a child lets go of the controls. With practice, it can even do aerial flips! In headless mode, you don't have to worry about the drone facing any specific way, making it much easier to fly.
There is no camera onboard, but this is a great first racing drone for kids who want to learn to fly one, and it flies well indoors so it's easier to keep it safe. The propellers are well-protected against bumps into furniture, walls and the ceiling. Many Amazon reviewers mention buying more than one so that siblings or families can race. Note that this tiny drone is not suitable for the outdoors, where it is likely to get lost in a tree or bushes.
Holy Stone - 3/9
2) Gravitor
Air Hogs
amazon.com
$12.99
While other, more expensive "real" drones may be sturdier, once the price was factored in, this toy drone flew to the top of our list. Using hand gestures to make this drone zip around makes kids feel like magicians. They get it going by turning it on while holding the "trick stick" and gently tossing it into the air. Once it floats, kids can learn to make it do tricks by propelling it with their hands or feet. It's a perfect indoor flying toy that gets kids up and moving around, reaching high to make the drone fly higher and dipping low to make it descend. We named it one of our best gifts for 9-year-old boys but younger kids of any gender are likely to love it as well.
amazon.com - 4/9
3) HS110D RC Drone with 1080P HD Camera
Holy Stone
amazon.com
$62.99
Beginners who want to learn how to capture images from above need a drone with a camera. This model from Holy Stone has a 1080P HD camera with a 120-degree wide-angle lens for images and videos that can export straight to your smartphone or to an SD card (not included). You can also use your smartphone to control the drone once you download the app. The drone also offers voice control, trajectory flight options and auto-hover.
Flying this takes practice, but that's the whole point; this is a great first drone to learn with. Like most drones with a camera, this is age-graded for teens 14 and up who presumably have their own smartphone, but younger kids could learn to use it with assistance from an adult.
Holy Stone - 5/9
4) Glow Up Stunt Drone with LED Lights
Sharper Image
walmart.com
$39.99
Here's a racing drone that's also a great stunt drone, with lights so you can track it in the dark. Users can learn to make it tilt and flip forward or backward. It also flies impressively high — up to 150 feet — so families have fun making this soar outdoors, even above their home. Practice lower flights first to ensure you can get it back down safely on its four landing pegs.
Online reviewers note that this 5-inch drone is surprisingly powerful — it makes some noise and might sting if it hits you while going at top speed. On the plus side, it's a very stable flying drone, and users find it easy to learn to lift it gracefully off the ground to start a flight.
Sharper Image - 6/9
5) RC Helicopter
SYMA
amazon.com
$62.99
The SYMA RC Helicopter combines the fun of a toy helicopter with the features of a racing drone. In our tests, we found it easy to use for kids as young as 8, though the official age grading recommends it for 14 and up. Designed for both indoor and outdoor play, there are propeller guards and a landing base to prevent damage while flying. Reviewers love this model as you can keep learning new tricks — like 360-degree turns and hops in the air — as you play with it. Though there's no camera, this is a great drone for learning to fly and practicing new stunts.
SYMA - 7/9
6) Glow Drone LED Stunt UFO
FAO Schwarz
target.com
$49.99
Lovers of all things outer space will flip for this glowing stunt drone that looks like a retro UFO. It's particularly fun to use indoors with the lights turned off. Like other stunt drones, you can learn to flip this one and make it spin in the air. A well-executed 360-degree spin especially makes it look as if aliens are invading your living room!
This can also be used outdoors, and the extraterrestrial glow will help you spot it. But online reviewers note that it drifts in wind, which is why we recommend it for inside flying.
FAO Schwarz - 8/9
7) Star Wars Quadcopter X-Wing
Propel Toys
amazon.com
$169.99
Star Wars fans can finally fly an X-Wing of their own, just like the heroes in the movies. And if you round up a few of these flying RC spaceships, you can battle them in a laser-tag-like fight mode — the drones will keep track of stats like how many hits each one lands and receives. The brand says you can interact with up to 12 of the flyers in one game, but we have not tried that! Most families rave about the unboxing experience, which is complete with movie music. We like that this drone is zippy and that it's built to look authentic to the Star Wars universe.
Start in training mode, so the flying is easy and you're less likely to crash as you get the hang of it. It can be used both indoors and outdoors, but like most beginner drones it is not waterproof and won't fly well in wind.
RELATED: The Most Out-of-This-World Star Wars Gifts for Kids and Adults
Propel Toys - 9/9
8) Ryze Tech Tello Mini Drone
DJI
amazon.com
$99.00
For drone enthusiasts who are starting to get serious, this model is a way to step up without paying the hundreds of dollars it would normally cost to get a pro drone. For starters, its 5-megapixel camera is much sharper than most others for under $100. If your tween or teen has flown other drones before, this one will be a no-brainer to learn and master. It can be fun to make it perform tricks and flips.
Just note that Android users are not happy with the app, and because the photos from the camera can only go straight to a smartphone, that can be a problem. We recommend this for users with an iOS device.
DJI
