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What is the most economical beginner drone? As a beginner you are likely to crash your drone many times, so when making your first purchase you should look further than just the price tag. You will likely require many extra parts over the life of the drone such as propellers, batteries and possibly motors. Below we detail our top three picks for the most economical drones and break their cost of ownership down.
The Cheerson CX-10 costs $19.99 to purchase. It can be flown both indoors and outdoors, features 3 speed modes and can perform 360 degree flips. A full set of 4 replacement propellers costs around $2.99, however if you buy a set of 40, the cost falls to $1.00 for 4 propellers, the lowest of any other drone by far. The CX-10 drone does not come with a drone guard, something that costs $3.99 but will reduce the amount of damage the propellers receive, and in turn the cost spent on replacement propellers. The CX-10 does not have a removable battery however, so the cost of batteries cannot be included. Instead, you will need to wait a full charge cycle between each flight, or buy more than one drone. Click here to see more information about the Cheerson CX-10 or to purchase one.
The Eachine H8 drone costs $24.99 to purchase. It can be flown both indoors and outdoors, features 2 speed modes, a return to home function and can perform 360 degree flips. A full set of 4 replacement propellers costs around $2.50, the cheapest of all the three drones, however you can only buy a minimum of 16 propellers. The H8 drone is the only one of the three to come with a drone guard included, saving you $3.99 (Cost of a CX-10 propeller guard). The propeller guard reduces damages to the propellers and in turn the cost spent on replacement propellers. The Eachine H8 drone uses a removable battery and buying an additional one will cost $7.99. Buying additional batteries will let you swap a dead battery out and keep flying rather than needing to wait for a full charge cycle before being able to fly. The Eachine H8 has the bonus of having replacement parts available for almost every major part unlike the other two drones. Click here to see more information about the Eachine H8 or to purchase one.
The Syma X11 can be flown both indoors and outdoors, features 2 speed modes and can perform 360 degree flips. The Syma X11 costs $24.99 and is small enough to be held in your hand. Click here to see more information about the Syma X11 or to purchase one.
The Syma X12 drone costs $19.99 to purchase. It can be flown both indoors and outdoors, features 2 speed modes, LED lights, and can perform 360 degree flips. A full set of 4 replacement propellers costs around $2.99. The X12 drone does not come with a propeller guard however or have the option to purchase one. The lack of a propeller guard option means you are much more likely to break propellers while practicing flying and will spend a large amount of money on spare propellers over the life of the drone. The Syma X12 drone also features an enclosed battery, so you cannot buy additional batteries and will need to wait a full charging cycle in between flights. Click here to see more information about the Syma X12 or to purchase one.
Overall, despite the slightly higher price tag, I believe the Eachine H8 to be the most economical beginner drone. As a beginner who is likely to crash many times, the Eachine H8 comes with an included propeller guard, has cheap propeller replacements, a battery that can be changed if you damage it and a bonus of having more features than the other 2 beginner drones.
