Best for 6 Year Olds

The Syma S107G 3

If you’ve ever wondered how far your $20 can go, the Syma S107 is a perfect example. Absolutely safe to fly for kids of ages 6 and over, this coaxial RC helicopter is insanely easy to fly and charges over USB. It is available in several exciting colors including red and yellow, and is extremely stable in the air, making it a great fit for kids and even parents starting out with RC flying. Charging this RC helicopter takes roughly 30 minutes, after which your child can enjoy around 8-10 minutes of flying time.

Apart from charging the Syma RC helicopter by connecting it with your PC, it can also be charged by mating it with the dedicated slot on the controller. Take note that the helicopter itself is fitted with a rechargeable battery, while the controller uses 6 AAA batteries. Measuring just 18.5cm long, this palm-sized RC helicopter is crafted of aluminum, making it robust and able to withstand a fair bit of wear and tear. Furthermore, the Syma 107 helicopter arrives with a 3 channel remote controller, which allows you to move this aircraft in 6 directions namely rotate clockwise/anti-clockwise, move forward/backward, and up/down.

The controller of the Syma helicopter is outfitted with 3 primary controls – a central knob and 2 control sticks. The control on the left is to accelerate the propeller to send you up or down, while the right control stick can be used to turn left or right or lean forward or backward. You can twist the knob located in the center to offset constant turning tendencies, meaning to improve stability.

Although it is designed for indoor and outdoor use, it is important to note that this aircraft is extremely light so the slightest gust of wind will detract it from its course. If you’ d like to introduce your kids to world of RC flight without paying over the top prices, the Syma S107G is definitely worth exploring.

Best for 7 Year Olds

KiiToys X-10

Brought to you by KiiToys, the X-10 quadcopter makes a great first RC quadcopter and also a great gift for children more than 6 years of age. Weighing in at just 4 ounces, this kid’s drone is fairly lightweight, and is built robust to resist a fair amount of wear and tear. The drone can be ordered in several exciting color variants such as blue, orange, gold, pink, white and green. Adding to this, getting started with the X-10 quadcopter is easy as first attaching the included USB cable to the aircraft and then to your computer to charge it. The cord lights up when the drone is charging, which takes roughly 15 minutes to get a full charge.

Claimed to be the smallest drone in the world, the included user manual of the KiiToys X-10 drone is filled with comprehensive information on taking off, hovering and even a few tricks such as somersaults and flips. When fully charged, your child can enjoy roughly 10 minutes of flight time, which is double of what you get other drones in this segment. The drone is easy to control with the included 4 channel game pad style controller.

Speaking of the controller, it features 2.4 Ghz technology that provides a fairly long range (20-50M), and can even be fine tuned to fly several other drones at once. The X-10 quadcopter is equipped with a 6 axis gyros system, which makes the drone extremely stable in the air and allows your child to perform hovering, 3D flipping and tumbling action. Even with its inexpensive price tag, KiiToys even includes an extra set of blades in the event damage occurs.

The LED lights on the X-10 drone indicate the front and back of the aircraft, and also great for lightshows and low light flying. For a drone will truly excite your child, the KiiToys X-10 quadcopter is an excellent choice.

Hero RC H911

The Hero RC H911 RC helicopter might not be as advanced as other aircraft in its segment, but showcases superior agility in a lightweight, good looking frame. The Hero walks a fine line owing to its single highly maneuverable tilting rotor. You can literally move the aircraft from side to side without ever changing its rotation.

One of the noteworthy features of this Hero RC helicopter is that it features two modes so it works well for kids as well as seasoned RC enthusiasts. When engaged, the secondary mode basically doubles its speed and is more responsive, allowing you to do potentially more with the aircraft. The RC H911 features a carbon frame and is one of the lightest kids RC helicopters in the market. And of course the price also included a RC controller and not just any one, its one that’s appointed with an LCD screen.

This screen displays a wide range of information including signal strength of the helicopter and transmitter, throttle output level, battery life of the transmitter, trim indicators and more. Before getting started with the Hero RC helicopter, you will first have to pair it with the transmitter – a process also known as binding.

This process is complete in three easy steps, and are as easy as inserting the battery into the helicopter. After inserting the batteries, turn on the transmitter and ensure the throttle is in its lowest position and you’re all set to take flight. All in all, the Hero RC H911 RC helicopter might not be as stunt ready as other RC helis in its segment, but still scores high owing to its lightweight stance and affordability.

Best for 8Year Olds

Holy Stone HS170 Predator

This is perhaps the only drone that comes in with a rich set of features, and some that can turn young pilots into professionals. For starters, the Holy Stone Predator RC drone tips the scales at a mere 397 grams, but this lightweight also means that it might not be able to combat gusty winds. It features a headless security system that prevents it from going off course or flying backwards. Adding to this, the package of the HS170 Holy Stone Predator drone includes optional protection frames to protect the drone’s propellers.

When shopping for the best quadcopter for kids, you will be spoilt for choice. However, there are a few kid drones that impress in terms and this is where the Predator drone by Holy Stone takes home the gold. It is able to execute four-way flips, and even make 360 degree in all directions. The drone comes with 1 battery, which takes roughly an hour to charge for a flight time between 6-8 minutes.

The HS170 drone features a coreless motor power system aka hollow cup motor, which allows you to control the drone from up to 100 meters away. But the true trait of this system is its cooling system, which prevents overheating and results in safe operation. And to seal the deal, the drone features ultra-responsive and powerful rotors, but you must adjust the throttle in order to maintain control. The HS170 Holy Stone quadcopter is perfectly suited for children of ages 8 years and above, and is a great way to get started with drone training.

UDI U818A-HD

If you’re looking to step it up a few notches and introduce your child to the world of RC photography albeit without breaking the bank, the UDI U818A-HD quad copter is a viable choice. This drone is perfect for both, beginners and those looking to take their drone flying experience to a new level for several good reasons. For starters, the UDI U818A-HD drone is built robust and can take a beating so works great when starting out, and its 6-gyro stabilization makes it an intriguing choice for seasoned RC flight enthusiasts.

The UDI U818A-HD drone is ready to fly right out of the box, after you fully charge it of course. Flight time is roughly 9 minutes, which is on par with other kid drones in this segment. However, if you like your child to enjoy uninterrupted fun, investing in a extra batteries is highly recommended. The camera fitted with this drone takes HD quality photos, and although it doesn’t render the best quality in the market, it is capable of storing hundreds of photos on the included MicroSD card.

With regards to flight performance, the UDI U818A-HD drone doesn’t disappoint, it can fly undisturbed in winds of up to 10 kms per hour. Adding to this, it can also perform stunts such as inversion flips, and works well both in indoor and outdoor environments. The remote controller of the UDI U818A-HD drone is appointed with a screen that renders FPV (first person view) so your child can get a clear view out of the cockpit only in the palm of their hands. Although it lacks certain advanced features, the UDI U818A-HD quad copter is a perfect choice for kids and will allow them to transition smoothly from the beginner to advanced level.

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Best for 10 Year Olds

The Hubsan X4 FPV

The Hubsan X4 FPV is probably no more than the size of a normal palm, but arrives with a ton of features and a price tag that’s appropriate for the budget conscious. It is equipped with a high quality 0.3 mega pixel camera that boasts a 640 x 240 resolution, and the images are rendered on the LCD is 720 x 480. With a live video distance of an impressive 100 meters, the Hubsan X4 FPV camera is excellent for FPV, capturing images and high quality video. In addition, images and videos can be transmitted wirelessly on 5.8GHz, and you can also store recorded images and video on a MicroSD card (sold separately) built into the transmitter.

The controller of the Hubsan X4 FPV makes it easy to fly the aircraft and much easier with RC Models with the same specifications. This 4-channel, 2.4GHz transmitter (TX) can reach up to 50 to 100 m, and is appointed with a 4.3 LCD screen. This intuitive display allows you to monitor the aircraft in real time from the FPV camera and render critical results via flight telemetry data to keep you in the loop about what’s happening in mid air.

Surprisingly for its economical price, the Hubsan X4 FPV boasts a robust build, and the propellers and the drone are crafted from lightweight yet high quality plastic. It ships with a 3.7V 380mAh Li-Po battery that takes 30 minutes to fully charge (with the included USB cable) and delivers 7 minutes of thrilling flight time. As mentioned before, flying the Hubsan X4 FPV is extremely easy for it has a great controller and also its superior FPV performance. There are plenty of videos on YouTube to help you fly the drone, but compared to other top of the line quadcopters, it’s a piece of cake.

There are a ton of reasons why the Hubsan X4 FPV is a great choice for kids and first time RC Flyers and seasoned RC Pilots alike. Both skill levels will truly appreciate the capabilities this aircraft has to offer and is definitely a great way to dive into the FPV world at a price you can digest. If you’re looking for a RC Quadcopter that comes with almost all the bells and whistles at a fraction of the cost of more expensive and intimidating RC Aircraft, the Hubsan X4 FPV is an unrivalled choice.

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Best for 12 Year Olds

Parrot AR.Drone 2.0

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The A.R. Drone 2.0 by Parrot is just one those flying machines that is not that expensive yet it comes with pretty much all the bells and whistles. A perfect choice for beginners and intermediate RC Hobbyists alike, the A.R. Drone 2.0 can be had in 3 distinct versions, each presenting their own unique significant features. These Parrot Drone models are the feature rich A.R. Drone 2.0, Power Edition and the Elite edition.

The Power and Elite Parrot A.R. 2.0 drones share the all the same features as the original version except that the former comes with 2 sets of batteries for a combined 36 minutes of flight time and features a new all black color scheme. The latter (Elite edition) offers a choice between three stunning color schemes namely sand, snow and jungle. Basically, if you desire more time in the air, much more that is, then the Power Edition is money well spent, and if you’d like to add some pizzazz to your RC venture, the Elite Edition will not disappoint.

The one thing you will find missing in the box is the flight controller because the drone is controlled exclusively with a mobile app. This app is available for Windows, IOS and Android devices including IPhones, tablets and mobile phones. So the more screen real estate you have, the more you will be able to see out of the drone window just like as if you are in the pilot seat. If you must have physical control sticks, you can buy the NVIDIA Shield controller from Amazon and use it with the A.R. Drone app.

The 2.0 UAV automatically generates its own Wi-Fi hotspot and connects to your compatible mobile device. Using your mobile device rather than a flight controller simply doubles up as a point of view display for the Parrot 2.0’s onboard cameras, and the controls as well. This is done by using the makeshift joysticks on the app screen, which also displays a live feed from one of the Drones two onboard cameras in the backdrop.

The app uses a two stick control system by default, where the left stick allows you to control (an area on the left of touchscreen) the drone’s elevation and direction, move it in four directions and yaw, while the right stick allows you to move the drone forward, backward, left or right. This mobile control system might seem challenging, and in all honestly does take some time and skill to get used to, but on a brighter note offers a much better flight experience once you get your feet wet.

The FreeFlight software allows you to pilot and capture footage from the drone, and is also the primary hub for firmware updates. Furthermore, the FreeFlight app is where you would go to install any firmware updates, which unlike with other quads in its segment, is frequent activity with the Parrot A.R. 2.0 Drone. That’s not all, the FreeFlight Parrot app can also assist in uploading your images and photos to Parrot’s A.R. Drone Academy service, browse through other users videos and photos and even geotag your flights.

Parrot’s Director Mode for its app, which not only allows users to adjust the cameras white balance, saturation and exposure, but edit several videos simultaneously. Speaking of updates, Parrot has also introduced a free Rescue Mode, which activates the propellers in two directions, and is particularly handy if this ready to fly quadcopter is caught up in a tree for example.

One of the notable features of the Parrot 2.0, and also one that sets it apart from other models in its segment is that it packs not one but two high quality cameras. The front of the Parrot UAV is fitted with a 720p HD camera and another low resolution camera for bird’s eye view shots. You can record whatever you see through the Parrot A.R.’s cameras, forward or down facing in 720p quality. When fully charged, the Parrot Drone offers 12 minutes of non-stop flight time and 36 minutes collectively with the Power Edition. It can fly up to 50 meters in the sky, which is quite high in practice.

Best for 14 Year Olds or older

Blade Nano QX RTF

The Blade Nano QX RTF by Horizon Hobby is a rather petite quadcopter that is ideally suited for beginner RC Hobbyists, and for both indoor and outdoor environments. It arrives feature rich and with more than one would expect from a drone at this price, and includes Safe technology. There are two QX models available in the market namely the Nano QX RTF and the Nano QX BNF.

The Blade Nano RTF is a ready to fly aircraft hence the acronym RTF, and the Nano BNF is a BNF or Bind and Fly style quadcopter. As the name suggests, RTF drones are ready to get started right out of the box, and in most cases you simply have to charge the batteries, while BNF models are also RTF to some extent except that they do not include a flight controller. The BNF NANO QX allows you to pair or bind your own flight controller with the quadcopter to enjoy added features.

This can be helpful if you’d like to do more with the Nano QX than what the included controller permits, if you own an advanced controller or if you’d like to use the same controller for all your RC Toys. Apart from the flight transmitter, both models share the same features and come with the same accessories in the box as highlighted below. You might also notice a difference in price between the two models.

As mentioned before, the Blade Nano QX is an excellent entry-level small/mid-size quadcopter that makes it easy to get started with RC Flight, but is also powerful enough to ensure you won’t be yearning for another RC Model anytime soon. It measures 5” wide and 1.5” tall, and to compare it with other RC Models in its segment, it is slightly larger than the Hubsan X4, but weighs considerably less at just 16.5 grams as opposed to 544 grams. Considering that the Nano QX does not have an onboard camera, it is able to keep its weight to a minimum, which greatly enhances manoeuvrability and flight time.

The QX drone is crafted from plastic for the most part, and the electronics of the unit are embedded into a small circuit board that is located underneath the canopy. Although the cross arms are made from plastic, they feel sturdy and the motors are fitted in the middle of the frame arms as opposed to at the tip as seen in most quadcopters. The frame arms continue and gradually dip down to form the base that serves as the feet when landing and also propeller guards.

Your child will adapt well and easily with the Blade Nano QX UAV as it appointed with SAFE (Sensor Assisted Flight Envelope) Technology that is geared exclusively towards novice RC Flight enthusiasts. To explain SAFE mode, it simply restricts the power and aggressiveness of a RC Drone to help you gain complete control of the aircraft and hence prevent crashes. The Blade Nano QX quadcopter ships with a 3.7V 150mAh LiPo battery, which when fully charged delivers approximately 7-8 minutes of flight time. Recharging the battery takes 30-40 minutes with the included charger, and is standard with batteries of this size and RC Models in its segment.

The Nano QX RTF version includes a 4-channel DSMX transmitter complete with batteries and is a joy to hold. Even though this is not a top of the line controller, it does justice to the Nano QX, and if you’re unhappy with it, the Bind and Fly Nano QX is always an option.

DJI Phantom 2 Vision

The Phantom 2 Vision is the second generation offering by DJI, and offers a whole lot of bang for the buck. In brief, it is downright easy to set-up and fly, comes with a pre-tuned controller and is regarded as the hottest camera totting RC Quadcopter in its segment. This revolutionary aircraft not only brings onboard a high quality camera, but also offers smartphone compatibility right out of the box. So these unique features allow you to get a fist hand view from the cockpit, while the Phantom 2 Vision hovers 300 feet above your head and all this at an affordable price.

The onsite camera of the Phantom 2 Vision is truly versatile in every way possible starting with its ability to support a wide range of 46mm lens filters to enhance your image quality. In addition, this superior quality 14 megapixel shooter ships complete with a 4 GB Micro SD card and can shoot full HD video at 1080p 30/60i. That’s not all, the camera boasts unique capabilities such as tilt control, which stabilizes the shooter on the tilt axis and can be controlled remotely through the app.

Furthermore, you can also remove lens distortion by an innovative especially developed lens filter by Adobe. Camera settings include ISO, picture quality, white balance, exposure compensation and adjustable RAW and JPEG capture. Just another feature that sets the Phantom 2 Vision Quadcopter apart from other aircrafts in the drone lineup is its app compatibility and its first person vision (FPV) feature. Simply download the app on your IOS or Android compatible device and its screen becomes your eye in the sky, and controls the Phantom 2 Vision camera.

This allows you to tilt the camera up and down and also make amendments to the settings including video and still quality, field of view, metering mode and more. The Wi-Fi repeater or extender module initiates a Wi-Fi connection with your mobile device to monitor real time data from an impressive 300 feet away. You are already aware that if you lose control of your Phantom 2 Vision quadcopter or your transmitter batteries fail, it will return to base automatically. But wouldn’t it be nice to simply pre-program your aircraft to automatically fly for a complete 25 minutes on a selected course.

Well, according to a new camera app update or the Ground Station feature, the Phantom 2 Vision is able to fly autonomously or on its own. Using this feature is as easy as watching pre-programming up to 16 pins or locations on a map for the quadcopter to hit on its flight. Altitude can also be set for these pins also referred to as GPS Waypoints.