Ultimate Guide: 10 Best Mini Drones With A Camera

If you’re in a hurry and just want to find out what the best mini drone with a camera is, then I’d recommend the following:

• Best Cheap Mini Drone Under $100: DEERC D20 or Holy Stone HS110D
• Best Mid-Tier Mini Drone: Holy Stone HS165 or RyzeTech Tello
• Best Premium Mini Drone: DJI Mavic Mini

As with all of my Ultimate Guides, my goal is to do all the work for you and to make sure you have all the information you need!

To do this, I sorted through all the mini drones I could find and set strict requirements on the “must-have features” a mini drone had to have to be included. These must-have features included:

• Weighs under 250 grams.
• Has a camera that can capture video at a minimum resolution of 480p.
• Headless mode or another way to see what direction the drone is flying.
• Ability to fly in a first-person view (FPV).

Why Trust Me?

As with all of the Ultimate Guides I create, I have poured countless hours of research into this article to make sure you have all the information you need to make the best decision.

In my opinion, to truly understand what makes a good drone, you need to have used them day in and day out in a variety of different situations.

I’ve been a professional filmmaker and photographer since 2018 and have been lucky enough to work on projects all over the world with brands such as Alaska Airlines, Kayak.com, Prague Tourism, Visa, Airbnb, and many more. If you’re curious to see the full list of companies we’ve worked with, just head over to our Work With Us page.

I have used drones for both filmmaking and photography since I started and I used one to capture all the aerial scenes in my award-winning short film Spirit of Matsu. 

From these experiences working with drones in a variety of different situations, I think I’m in a good position to help you find the best mini drone with camera. 

Most importantly, I’m just a message away. So, if you have any questions, just leave a comment below, email me at [email protected], or send me a DM on Instagram @tom.shu.

P.S. I answer every question that is sent 🙂

Reviews of the 10 Best Mini Drones with Camera

1. DEERC D20

The DEERC D20 is one of the smallest mini drones in this article and is a great beginner drone if you’re planning on flying mostly inside. Of course, you can fly it outside too, but because of the tiny size of the drone, it gets pushed around by the wind pretty easily. Not to mention, it has a maximum range of about 131 feet so you won’t be able to fly it that far away from you.

That’s not to say this isn’t a good drone. For the price point, the DEERC D20 has packed a ton of features into such a small package.

The camera records in 720p resolution and it comes with many of the same features that you can expect in more expensive drones. You can fly the drone in FPV mode, there is 1 button take-off and landing, and you can also do 360 flips with the touch of a button.

My favorite part, though, is the small size as it fits in the palm of your hands when folded.

PROS

• Great value for the money. It’s one of the best mini drones at its price point and comes with a good amount of features for how small it is.
• Incredibly small size. It fits in the palm of your hand.
• 720p camera resolution which is good for its price point.
• Includes features such as FPV mode, one-touch 360 flips, one-touch take-off and landing, and gravity induction mode which allows you to control the drone by tilting your phone.
• The maximum flight range of 131 feet is average for this price category.

CONS

• Because of its tiny size, it’s primarily made for indoor flying and doesn’t perform the best outdoors.
• No GPS which means no “return to home” functionality, but that can be expected at its price point.
• There is no camera stabilization so the footage can be pretty shaky.
• Estimated flight time of up to 10 minutes is slightly below average.

2. DB Power X400W

The DB Power X400W is a fixed-wing lightweight drone that is a good choice for beginners who are planning to do the majority of their flying outside and want a longer range. When compared to the other drones that are under $75, the DB Power X400W gives you almost double the range with a maximum reported range of about  328 feet.

On the features side, it comes with all the features that you can expect in a drone in this price range. You can fly through a real-time FPV video feed, it has one-touch take-off and landing, a headless flying mode, and the ability to do 360 flips with the touch of a button.

Unfortunately, the biggest downside with this drone is its camera resolution. It has a 0.3-megapixel camera which is equivalent to a 480p video resolution making it the worst in the article from a resolution perspective.

So, here’s what I think. If the quality of your videos is most important to you and you plan to mostly fly outside then the Holy Stone RC HS110D (which we cover next) is the better choice since it has 1080p video resolution. However, if you want the most range possible at under $75, then this drone might be the best option.

PROS

• Good value at this price point especially with its longer range.
• Includes features such as FPV mode, one-touch 360 flips, one-touch take-off and landing, and gravity induction mode which allows you to control the drone by tilting your phone.
• The maximum flight range of about 328 feet is above average compared to the other drones in this price category.

CONS

• It is not a mini drone in size. Both the drone and controller are large which will make it more difficult to carry around than a tiny drone-like the DEERC D20 or Potensic A30W.
• Estimated maximum flight time of 8-9 minutes is below average.
• Not the best value when it comes to camera quality as the Holy Stone RC HS110D has a 1080p camera and it is just a little more expensive.
• No GPS which means no “return to home” functionality, but that can be expected at its price point.
• The controller runs off 4AA batteries and they are not included in the package.
• There is no camera stabilization so the footage is pretty shaky unless you’re hovering in place and slowly rotating the drone.
• There is no altitude hold functionality in this drone.

3. Holy Stone HS110D

In my opinion, the Holy Stone RC HS110D is probably the best value mini drone with a camera that is under $100 as its camera can record in 1080p resolution which you don’t find in the other drones in this price category. Having 1080p vs 720p does make a big difference, so if the quality of the video is important to you, 1080p resolution is the way to go.

Other than the better camera, it has many of the same features that you find in other drones in this price range. It has FPV mode for flying, a headless mode for easier navigation, one-touch engine start and landing, altitude hold, and the ability to draw and fly custom flight paths.

The one potential downside is that it’s a fixed-wing drone. So, if you’re looking for a foldable mini drone that you can easily carry around, this drone is probably not for you.

PROS

• The best value mini drone under $100 as the camera can record video in 1080p resolution.
• Includes features such as FPV mode, one-touch 360 flips, one-touch engine start and landing, and gravity induction mode which allows you to control the drone by tilting your phone.
• Has altitude hold and the ability to draw custom flight paths for the drone to follow.
• Holy Stone has very good customer service in case you have any questions or if anything goes wrong with your drone.
• The maximum flight range of about 164 feet is average in this price category.
• The estimated flight time of 8 – 13 minutes is average.

CONS

• It is a fixed-wing drone and is not small in size. If you’re looking for a smaller foldable drone under $100, the DEERC D20 Mini Drone or the Potensic A30W RC Mini Quadcopter is a better choice.
• No GPS which means no “return to home” functionality, but that can be expected at its price point.
• The controller runs off 4AA batteries and they are not included in the package.
• There is no camera stabilization so the footage is pretty shaky unless you’re flying the drone in one direction or slowly rotating it.

4. Potensic A30W Mini Quadcopter

The Potensic A30W is a cool little drone that has a tiny size like the DEERC D20 and a solid build with built-in propeller guards like the UDI RC Drone ( which we will cover next).  Because of its tiny size, the drone performs best when flying indoors, so if you’re looking for a drone to fly outside, this might not be a good fit.

I’ll get into the negatives with this drone first. At its current price point and it’s tiny size, the DEERC D20 is the better value. Both the DEERC D20 and this drone have the same camera resolution at 720p and nearly the same features. However, the DEERC D20 comes in at a cheaper price point and it has foldable wings making it even easier to carry around.

That’s not to say the Potensic A30W is a bad drone. It still has great features including FPV mode, custom flight path which allows you to draw and fly the flight path, altitude hold, and headless mode for easier flying navigation.

Here is what it comes down to. If you want the smallest drone possible with the best value, get the DEERC D20. However, if you like the design of the Potensic and could benefit from its durable build, this isn’t a bad choice either.

PROS

• Very small and compact size that is easy to carry around.
• Has headless mode which makes it easier to fly from any orientation.
• Nice durable design that will be able to survive a crash or two.
• Includes features such as FPV mode, a custom flight path that allows you to draw and fly the flight path, and altitude hold.

CONS

• At its price point, the DEERC D20 is a better value for a drone in a microform factor.
• The maximum flight range of about 49 feet is well below average.
• The estimated maximum flight time of 6-8 minutes is below average.
• It cannot perform flips like most of the other drones we have covered.
• No GPS which means no “return to home” functionality, but that can be expected at its price point.
• There is no camera stabilization so the footage can be pretty shaky.

5. UDI U818A

The U818A is a solidly built lightweight drone that is great for beginners who are planning to do the majority of their flying outside. It has built-in propeller guards which are sturdy enough to protect the drone in a crash, so you don’t have to worry as much when flying it.

From a straight physical perspective, this drone has fixed wings like the DB Power X400W and Holy Stone RC HS110D. So again, if you’re looking for a foldable drone that fits in the palm of your hands like the DEERC D20, then the UDI RC Drone U818A is probably not for you.

On the technical side, the U818A has a camera that records in 720p for video and 2 megapixels for pictures. It also shares many of the same features that we have gone over so far.

There is FPV mode (it also includes an FPV headset where you can place your phone for a VR type of FPV view), one-touch 360 flips, one-touch take-off and landing, altitude hold, the ability to draw and fly custom flight paths, and built-in led lights for night flights.

PROS

• Solid build with built-in propeller guards that makes this a great learning drone that can survive a crash or two.
• Includes features such as FPV mode, one-touch 360 flips, one-touch take-off and landing, and gravity induction mode which allows you to control the drone by tilting your phone.
• Has altitude hold and the ability to draw custom flight paths for the drone to follow.
• It has built-in LED lights to help you fly in dark conditions.
• Includes additional accessories such as FPV headset, 4 GB SD card, SD card reader, and external power bank.
• The maximum flight range of about 131 feet is average in this price category.

CONS

• It is not a mini drone in size. Both the drone and controller are large which will make it more difficult to carry around than a tiny drone-like the DEERC D20 or Potensic A30W.
• The estimated maximum flight time of 6-8 minutes is below average.
• Not the best value when it comes to camera quality as the Holy Stone RC HS110D has a 1080p camera and it is just a little more expensive.
• No GPS which means no “return to home” functionality, but that can be expected at its price point.
• The controller runs off 4AA batteries and they are not included in the package.
• There is no camera stabilization so the footage is pretty shaky unless you’re flying the drone in one direction or slowly rotating it.

6. RyzeTech Tello Powered by DJI

The RyzeTech Tello Drone is our first drone at around the $100 price and the extra bump in price does give you additional features that you don’t find in the other drones that we have already gone over. It doesn’t have GPS capabilities, however, it has a downward position sensor and acts as if it is a GPS drone.

What I mean by this is that when the Tello is flying, it looks like it can sense where it’s located and can adjust itself when hovering even if there is wind or if you touch it. This makes it extremely easy to use especially if you’re a beginner flyer and is more stable than the other drones we have covered.

On the camera side, it can record video at 720p resolution and take photos with 5-megapixel resolution. The Tello also has electronic image stabilization which will give you much smoother footage than drones 1 – 5 in this article.

It’s a bummer this drone only has a 720p camera for video given the higher price point, however, on the features side, it is jam-packed with different modes that you don’t find in other drones.

Here are some of my favorite flying modes to give you an idea of what it can do:

• Throw and Go: gives you the ability to start flying by tossing the Tello into the air.
• 8D Flips: slide your finger on your screen to perform flips in any direction.
• 360 Circle: tells the drone to fly around you in a 360 circle which you usually don’t find in a drone without GPS.

There are some negatives with this drone, though. First off, the Tello doesn’t come with an external controller so you’re stuck with flying the drone through its mobile app. You CAN connect a Bluetooth controller to the Tello and fly it that way, but that means you have to spend extra money.

Secondly, the Tello doesn’t have built-in storage and doesn’t allow you to insert a micro SD card, so you will have to save all the footage you shoot directly to your phone.

PROS

• Incredibly small, stable, and well thought out design that is a lot of fun to fly.
• Packed with different flight modes that you don’t see in other drones in this price range including Throw and Go, 8D Flips, and 360 Circle.
• Also includes the features that you would expect such as FPV mode, one-touch take-off and landing, and low battery protection.
• A great drone for learning how to code as it’s compatible with MIT’s Scratch programming language.
• The camera has Electronic Image Stabilization which will allow you to capture smoother footage than drones without stabilization.
• The maximum range of about 328 feet is well above average.
• The maximum estimated flight time of about 13 minutes is slightly above average.

CONS

• The camera records video in 720p resolution which is a bummer considering the higher price point.
• It doesn’t come with a controller so you will have to fly the drone through its app. You can connect the drone to a controller through Bluetooth but that will add to the cost.
• The Tello doesn’t have built-in storage and doesn’t accept micro SD cards. This means all your footage has to be saved directly to your phone.
• Doesn’t have headless mode.
• No GPS which means it doesn’t have a true “return to home” functionality, which is a bummer considering the higher price point.

7. Altair Falcon AHP

The Altair Falcon is a well built sturdy drone that has a very similar design to the UDI RC U818A. Like the UDI RC U818A, it has fixed wings with built-in propeller guards that are sturdy enough to protect the drone during a crash.

The Altair Falcon AHP doesn’t have GPS functionality, however, it has what it calls Autonomous Hover & Positioning (AHP) which is an improvement over the standard altitude hold that you find on drones without GPS. AHP works very similarly to how the RyzeTech Tello functions and the drone will self correct if it starts to drift one way or another. This makes the drone super easy to fly.

The downside with the Altair is that at its current price point, the RyzeTech Tello may offer a better value proposition. The Tello is slightly cheaper than the Altair Falcon AHP, it has more unique flying modes, is more compact, and has the same camera resolution.

PROS

• Very easy to use and really stable to fly with its Autonomous Hover & Positioning (AHP) technology.
• Has an above average maximum range of about 410 feet.
• Solid fixed-wing design with built-in propeller guards which will allow it to survive a crash or two.
• Altair is based out of Lincoln, NE, and offers really good customer service.

CONS

• At its price point, the RyzeTech Tello may be a better value as it is slightly cheaper, has more flight modes, and has the same camera resolution.
• The camera is only 720p resolution which is a little bit of a let down considering the more expensive price point.
• No GPS which means it doesn’t have a true “return to home” functionality and is a bummer considering the higher price point.
• The maximum flight time of 8-10 minutes is below average.
• The controller runs off 4AA batteries and they are not included in the package.
• There is no camera stabilization so the footage is pretty shaky unless you’re flying the drone in one direction or slowly rotating it.

GPS Enabled Drones

The next 3 drones that we cover all have GPS functionality. GPS functionality comes with a bump in price, but also a bump in overall performance and the addition of true GPS enabled Return to Home (RTH) functionality.

8. Holy Stone HS 165

The Holy Stone HS 165 is our first GPS enabled drone that we will cover and you can see the benefits of having GPS capabilities right away. With the GPS functionality, you get a much longer range with the Holy Stone having a maximum flight distance of about 984 – 1,312 feet.

It also means that this drone has GPS enabled “Return to Home” (RTH) functionality, which is very nice to have. With RTH, your drone will be able to very accurately return to the exact spot it took off from with the touch of a button. Additionally, if you ever run out of battery or lose connection, it will automatically return to home which is a great fail-safe feature.

Most importantly, though, the GPS functionality will give you a much smoother overall flight as the drone will now be able to tell where it is at all times.

On the features side, you will find the standard features along with advanced flying modes such as follow me mode, circle fly, and tap to fly. The drone also has a 1080p resolution camera which is a step up from the 720p resolution cameras we have seen.

If you’re looking for a compact foldable GPS mini drone, this is one to take a look at.

PROS

• GPS enabled drone at a very reasonable price point.
• GPS enabled Return to Home (RTH), which will precisely return your drone to the spot where it took off from with the touch of a button, when the battery is low, or if you lose connection.
• Nice compact size as the drone is foldable.
• Estimated flight time of about 15 minutes is above average.
• 1080p video resolution, which is a step up from the 720p resolution cameras.
• Includes more advanced GPS only flight modes such as follow me mode along with the standard features you would expect like one-touch take-off and landing.
• Holy Stone has very good customer service in case you have any questions or if anything goes wrong with your drone.
• Includes a thoughtful carrying case to store your drone and accessories in.
• Well above average maximum flight range of about 984 – 1,312 feet.

CONS

• The camera doesn’t have built-in camera stabilization so your footage can get shaky when you’re flying.
• It doesn’t include propeller guards so you will have to be more careful when flying close to objects or indoors.

9. Altair AA300

The Altair AA300 is another good choice if you’re looking for a budget-friendly GPS enabled drone and it shares many similarities with the Holy Stone HS165.

It has a camera with 1080p resolution and includes the same GPS enabled “Return to Home” (RTH) functionalities that you see in the Holy Stone HS 165. With the RTH on the Altair AA300, you will also be able to precisely call back your drone to the exact location it took off from and it has a fail-safe return in case the connection is lost or your battery is low.

On the features side, you have everything that you would expect. It has an FPV mode, one-touch take-off and landing, and a very good altitude hold.

With that said, since the specs of the Altair are so similar to the Holy Stone HS 165, I think the Holy Stone is the better value because it’s slightly cheaper, nearly doubles your maximum flight range, and is foldable.

PROS

• GPS enabled drone at a very reasonable price point.
• GPS enabled Return to Home (RTH), which will precisely return your drone to the spot where it took off from with the touch of a button, when the battery is low, or if you lose connection.
• Estimated maximum flying time of 15 minutes is above average.
• 1080p video resolution, which is a step up from the 720p resolution cameras.
• Includes more advanced GPS only features such as follow me mode along with the standard features you would expect like one-touch take-off and landing and headless mode.
• Altair is based out of Lincoln, NE, and offers really good customer service.

CONS

• For a budget GPS enabled mini drone, the Holy Stone HS 165 is a better value as it’s cheaper, doubles your maximum flight range, and has the same 1080p camera resolution.
• The camera doesn’t have built-in image stabilization so your footage can get shaky when you’re flying.
• It doesn’t include propeller guards so you will have to be more careful when flying close to objects or indoors.

10. DJI Mavic Mini

The DJI Mavic Mini is by far the most advanced and most expensive mini drone in this article.

Even though it is the most expensive, If you’re looking for the highest quality video and photos possible, this is the best choice. For video, it can capture footage in up to 2.7k video resolution and for photos, you have a 12-megapixel camera. It’s also the only drone camera in this article with a 3 axis gimbal which will allow you to capture super-smooth cinematic footage.

Additionally, as you grow as a drone pilot, you will have the ability to use the more advanced video and photography settings in the camera to achieve more cinematic looks. Unlike the other drones, with the DJI Mavic Mini, you have access to a histogram, can set exposure compensation, and even lock exposure using auto exposure lock.

Within the DJI app, you will also find different flying modes that will help you capture unique, complex, cinematic shots with the touch of a button. This makes the drone one of the best choices if you’re looking to capture moments to share via your social media.

I’ll end it with this. If you have the budget and the quality of your videos and photos is very important to you, then the DJI Mavic Mini is the best choice. However, if you just want a mini drone to fly around for fun, it might not be the best fit because of its premium price.

PROS

• The camera records up to 2.7k video resolution and captures 12-megapixel photos which is much higher quality than all the other drones in this article.
• Has a 3-axis gimbal for stabilization which will allow you to capture super-smooth footage and makes it easier to use FPV mode.
• GPS enabled Return to Home (RTH), which will precisely return your drone to the spot where it took off from with the touch of a button, when the battery is low, or if you lose connection.
• Has almost double the battery life of all the other drones in this article and has an estimated flying time of 30 minutes on a full charge.
• Has the farthest maximum flight range at up to 2.5 miles.
• Advanced video and photography features that will help you capture cinematic footage as you grow as a drone pilot.
• 1-touch flying modes that will assist you in capturing complex looking shots very easily.

CONS

• By far the most expensive drone in this article.
• Can be overkill if you just want a drone to fly around for fun now and then.
• It doesn’t have a headless mode.