Drones are propeller-driven aircraft controlled with joysticks that look just like the ones on video games. This is why serious gamers are able to learn to fly drones more quickly than most people.
As the size of the drone gets bigger, so does its lifting ability and battery life. For instance, mini drones make great gifts for beginners; they carry small cameras and are used mostly for training new pilots. Mid-sized drones, on the other hand, are better able to survive crashes because they have stronger components. Large drones have the best cameras and controllers.
Unless you’re already a skilled pilot, you have a lot to learn about controlling a flying machine in three dimensions at once.
It's best to learn to start and stop, turn and go up and down by practicing at low speeds and low altitudes.
Pilots should keep their drones away from people, animals and traffic. The best places are open areas without trees or power lines. Make sure you're not trespassing on private property.
Even if you’re lucky enough to not harm anyone, you will surely damage your drone when it crashes into the ground. Some drones have a beginner mode that restricts speed and altitude to reduce your likelihood of causing harm.
Until you learn your drone’s flying time, operate it close to where you are standing, so you don’t lose it when it falls to the ground. Some drones automatically lower themselves to the ground gently when power is almost gone.
If your drone gets beyond the range limit of the remote controller, it will not respond to any of your commands. A few drones are built with the ability to automatically return to the base station when battery power is low.
Some people fly hobby drones just for the fun of it, just as they would a radio-controlled model helicopter.
Most photo and video drones are built so you can mount your tablet or smartphone directly to the remote control. This gives you a display screen so you can fly it as if you were in the pilot’s seat. Drones without cameras are flown with the pilot watching from the ground, not from the viewpoint of actually being in the cockpit.
Drone racing has become hugely popular, with regularly televised racing events. To be a good racer, you’ll need a fast racing drone with a good camera and the ability to sense and avoid obstacles.
You can fly these drones right out of the box. All the components are designed to work together so they are essentially foolproof. Controls are usually simple to operate.
If you’re handy with tools, electronics and computers, you may enjoy designing and building your own drone. Serious hobbyists buy frames, motors, rotors, controllers, antennas, transmitters and cameras from separate suppliers to build custom drones that meet all their specifications.
This is an RTF/BIY combo. You get to build the drone yourself, but you don’t need to shop for separate components. When you buy an ARF drone, you choose the price you want to pay and you get all the best components in your price range, including transmitters, controls and first-person-view goggles.
You can capture 4K photos and videos with this drone’s intuitive shooting functions. It senses obstacles in three dimensions and has a flying time of up to 34 minutes.
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Holy Stone HS110D FPV RC Drone
You can stream 120-degree wide-angle video directly to your phone with this drone. Set it to hover hands-free for stable, crisp aerial photos. Control it with your voice or gestures through a series of pre-programmed maneuvers over a 20-minute flight time.
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Ruko Foldable Dual-GPS Drone with 4K Video
The ultra-high-definition camera has shock absorption technology built in for clear, stable images. It has one GPS in the drone and the other in the controller, giving it a range of up to 1,640 feet and a 30-minute flight time.
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First-person-view goggles are your portal to immersive flying experiences. The drone sends a constant video to the receiver that converts it into images displayed in real time on the pilot’s screen.
These comfortable, lightweight box goggles have a slot for a microSD card so you can share your drone views with other FPV users.
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Fat Shark Dominator HDO2 FPV1122 Goggles
The outstanding image quality of these 4:3 aspect ratio goggles with a 37-degree field of vision is great for serious racers. The improved interface makes for better switching between HDMI and analog feeds.
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iFlight FPV Goggles with DVR Function
Small and lightweight, these budget goggles have batteries with 3.5-hour charge times. The super-sensitive receiver comes with a three-way adjustable headband in a carrying case with a USB charging cable.
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David Allan Van writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
