When looking for the perfect drone for you, the $200-$300 price range is likely to give you everything you are looking for. So much so that you may want to invest in a drone tracker to safe guard you purchase.
This price range offers advanced features and flight capability while leaving behind the more novice features. The more you can afford, the better the features will be. It’s that simple.
The items on this list were carefully chosen for their respective abilities. There were four things we kept in mind when choosing the best drone under 300. The first being the price, followed by the camera quality, range, and flight duration.
Drones Under $300 Reviewed In This Guide
- Ruko F11Visuo XS816
- Potensic D88
- Holy Stone HS720
- MJX Bugs 2w
- Holy Stone HS700D
- Contixo F20
- Holy Stone HS120D
Best Drone Under $300 List
1. Ruko F11
The Ruko F11 is the best drone overall for under $300. This drone stays in the air the longest with one of the longest ranges and best cameras. For the price, you will not find a better drone. The impressive flight time is compliments of the 2500mAh intelligent batteries aboard this drone. The 4K camera allows it to take videos at 2.9K resolution, something you don’t see very often in a drone in this price range. Another great thing about this drone is that is can fold to only 6.9 inches, which makes it great to travel with.
Camera: 4K
Range: 1.2km
Flight Duration: 30 minutes
2. Potensic D88
The Potensic D88 comes in a close second with a high-quality 110-degree wide-angle lens and one axis gimbal to allow the camera to tilt. Along with the incredible flight range duration, this drone features a 2MP CMOS sensor as well as intelligent flight modes with dual GPS modules for extremely easy flying. The one major downside to this drone is the distance of the FPV transmission signal. It only gets around 200-300 meters of transmission distance. Nonetheless, this is a great beginner drone for anyone looking for a new hobby.
Camera: 2K
Range: 1.5km
Flight Duration: 18 minutes
3. Holy Stone HS720
The HStone HS720 may not fly as far as the other two drones before it, but its long battery life keeps it in the air just as long, if not longer. It folds up for easy portability, and can even be controlled by your smartphone. If you are looking to get some action shots, simply set the drone to the convenient Follow Me mode. During this mode the drone uses GPS technology to follow in a path directly behind you. You can even set up the Return to Home option to fly back to you for an easy landing. Those two features make this drone great, but if you want any additional batteries, you have to buy them separately. See a full review of the Holy Stone HS700 here
Camera: 2K
Range: 800m
Flight Duration: 25 minutes
4. MJX Bugs 2w
The MJX Bugs 2w is an upgrade from the Bugs 3 and is still under $300. This new model features a 2K built-in camera with a 5MPX sensor, which means it records in full HD. For those looking to get some beautiful aerial photography shots, this is the drone for you. This drone also features an integrated GPS as well as Altitude Hold and Return to Home to make your photography even easier to capture. You truly won’t find a better drone to begin your aerial photography hobby and even career.
Camera: 2K
Range: 800m
Flight Duration: 18 minutes
5. Holy Stone HS700D
Holy Stone is a renowned brand in the drone industry, and the Holy Stone HS700D is the second drone by this company that’s considered one of the best drones under 300. It has a camera that is marketed as a 2K, but it’s lower quality compared to other 2K cameras. Nonetheless, it is a great drone for beginners because of its brushless motors, which ensure stability.
Camera: 2K
Range: 700m
Flight Duration: 20 minutes
6. Contixo F20
The Contixo F20 is a great pick for those looking for smart features on a drone. Not only does it have GPS, but it also has Follow Me, Altitude Hold, Waypoints, One Key Takeoff and Landing, and Tap Fly, to name a few. Tap Fly allows you to guide the drone in a straight line by tapping to a point on the remote’s screen or phone app. Its camera can take incredible still photos, but the video is often shaky because the camera doesn’t have an anti-vibration mechanism. For a drone priced under $300, the Contixo F20 is a solid choice.
Camera: 1080p
Range: 800m
Flight Duration: 18 minutes
7. Holy Stone HS120D
Finishing out the list is another Holy Stone drone, the Holy Stone HS120D. It doesn’t fly as far or as long as the other drones on the list, but for its price point, a 300m range is still pretty decent. It doesn’t have a motorized gimbal system, but it doesn’t have a rubber platform to fight against vibration for cleaning video recording. Another great thing you’ll find with this drone is object trace, as well as gesture control.
Camera: 1080p
Range: 300m
Flight Duration: 16 minutes
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Common Questions About Drones Under $300
How Reliable Are They?
All of the drones on this list feature a brushless motor. Brushless motors last way longer than brushed ones. Drones with brushed motors start to experience problems shortly after purchase because the brushes wear down, so with a brushless motor, this is one less thing you have to worry about. The above-stated drones are also made from durable materials, so you can trust that you are buying a reliable drone when you purchase one from this list, not to mention the fact that they are technologically advanced.
Enjoy Your New Drone Under $300
Buying a technologically advanced drone could easily run you $1000 or more see here, but with the help of this list, you can get a smart drone with a 4K camera and 30-minute battery life for under $300. In the world of drones, you definitely get what you pay for, but you may not need to spend quite as much as you think. Decide what your needs are first, and chances are you can find what you need without compromising many features and for a fair price too. Leave behind the beginner features and fly like a professional, even if you’re on a budget.
Hal Simmons
When I first started flying drones I was always afraid of damaging my drone. I would always be thinking what if. I questioned myself often and as a result it made me question various aspects of flying drones. In the process I learned a lot. This is why I feel I have a lot of information that will be helpful to beginners and intermediate drone enthusiasts. Of course I still have a lot to learn so join me on this journey and I am sure you will enjoy the adventure ahead of us.Get daily lessons that start with how to choose a drone.