I wish drones were commonly available when I was a teenager, but unfortunately, we were still in the era of blackberry’s and flip phones! Nonetheless, a drone is an excellent investment for any teenager looking to learn about flying, take incredible footage, and have fun!
I’ve been operating drones for years, and as a veteran flyer, I know an excellent drone when I see one. I have spent countless hours researching and comparing aircrafts to figure out the best drone for teenagers. The Ryze Tech Tello is the closest thing to a perfect drone for a flyer looking to have fun and explore the skies. It stands out for its impressive flight time and photo capabilities.
This article will take a deep dive into the features and functions that make for the best drone for a teenager. So, keep reading and find out which one is right for you!
The Tello Boost is a small, easy-to-use drone made by Ryze Robotics using DJI flight technology.
It's safe, with features like failsafe protection and low battery protection, and it has a visual positioning system for precise hovering.
It's compatible with mobile VR headsets and has a 13-minute flight time. The Tello App simplifies the flight process and offers a fun Bounce Mode. It's a good value for beginners who want to learn how to fly.
After some careful consideration, the overall best drone for teenagers is the Ryze Tech Tello.
It has an auto takeoff feature to get you into the air quickly and has functional propeller guards to prevent unfortunate accidents. In addition, the drone comes equipped with a 720p camera to capture excellent photos and videos while in flight. The drone has an approximate flight time of 13 minutes but will not perform well in the wind. So, use this drone inside or only on sunny and clear days! The drone is very compact and portable, so you can easily bring it along on vacations or small trips. It doesn’t need an additional controller, which makes packing hassle-free.
It also has several fun acrobatic modes, like ‘throw and go’, where you can simply toss the drone into the air and watch it fly. Its 8D flip functions let it roll forwards, backwards, or to either side. The final mode is ‘bounce,’ where your hand becomes the controller, and it will descend or ascend based on the movement of your palm. The drone can reach a top speed of 17mps, which is impressive for its size, but it will start to drain its battery. Fortunately, the kit comes with 3 batteries, so you can enjoy flying for nearly 40 minutes before the need to recharge. A drawback to this drone is that it will occasionally lose connection if flown at higher altitudes, but if you remain inside, there should be any problems. Nonetheless, this affordable and fun aircraft is definitely the best drone for teenagers!
The DJI Mini SE is a lightweight drone that can record HD video and capture 12-megapixel images.
It has a 3-axis gimbal for smooth video and it can fly for 30 minutes and has a 2.5-mile transmission range.
It's easy to carry and wind-resistant, making it a good choice for beginner pilots who want to create content.
If your biggest concern is functionality, the DJI Mini SE might be your ideal choice on the best drone for teenagers list. The drone comes with 4 Quickshot modes, which include Dronie, Circle, Helix, and Rocket so that you can create fun and share-worthy videos taken from the sky.
The Mini SE boasts three flight modes, which include position mode, sport mode, and CineSmooth mode. The most significant difference between these modes is the drone’s top speed; in the Position and CineSmooth modes, you can reach speeds of up to 17.8 and 8.9mph. In comparison, the sport mode allows the drone to fly at 29 mph. The Mini SE comes with an automatic return-to-home feature that will come into effect if the drone losses connection or goes into low battery mode. The Mini SE offers an approximate flight time of 31 minutes and a maximum transmission range of around 4km, making it a great aircraft to bring on trips or hikes.
A list of the best drones for teenagers wouldn’t be complete without mentioning this drone and the excellent functionality it offers despite an affordable price. I highly recommend this aircraft for beginners looking to get into flying. You won’t be disappointed with its ease of use and basic features.
This is probably the most compact and most durable drone out there. Its intuitive controls allow anyone to become a master pilot almost instantly.
As the name suggests, it's a selfie stick on steroids! Ideal for taking photos and group selfies when out and about.
Flying a drone isn’t an easy thing to do, and it will take many hours of practice and experience before you feel comfortable navigating difficult terrains. The best drone for teenagers should be easy-to-fly and offers adequate safety features. In this case, the Air NEO is an excellent choice and deserves a spot on the list.
It is capable of holding 6 minutes of video or taking hundreds of pictures on a single charge. Additionally, the drone offers an AirSelfie app that allows for sharing pictures and images to social media instantly. If that’s not cool enough, the drone comes backed with AI facial recognition, so it can find and track you as you perform your daily or exciting tasks! As a result, this drone doesn’t need a controller but uses AI facial and body tracking to fly around.
The drone has several AutoFly modes, like Wide, Zoom, Video, 360, and Orbit. These modes make it easy for the user to capture great selfies and videos. For example, the Wide mode has the drone fly out and take two photos, whereas the 360 mode has the drone fly out and rotate 360 degrees while taking a video. If you’re looking for the best drone for teenagers, the Air NEO is a great choice and easy to use! The drone is limited in its manual capabilities and shouldn’t be used in high winds. Still, it’s the perfect option for teens looking to take many selfies and social media-based videos from different angles.
Buying Guide
If you’re searching for the best drone for teenagers, you want to ensure that it’s an optimal choice for beginners and includes all the necessary safety features. Additionally, the drone should be fun to use while taking great photos and videos!
Ease of use
The difficulty of your drone can make or break your relationship with an otherwise fun activity. If you’re new to flying drones, you want to invest in an aircraft that is easy to fly and comes with lots of fun features. A drone like this must be equipped with strong sensors and an excellent vision system. A good feature to look out for is APAS or Advanced Pilot Assistance System, which will help you to control the aircraft and stop it from accidentally colliding with any nearby objects. So, look for a drone with forward, backward, and downwards-facing sensors for the easiest flight experience.
Safety
The last thing you want is to take your drone out of the box and start flying only to have it crash and fall out of the sky, nowhere to be found. To avoid this, it’s important to look at the safety features that are included with the drone you’re thinking of buying. This list of the best drones for teenagers includes several aircrafts that have strong safety functions like obstacle avoidance and return to home.
Prop guards
If a drone has propellers, then it’s not going to be able to fly if they get damaged. So, if you’re flying around and crash into a wall, you risk permanently damaging them and losing the functionality of your drone. A great way of countering this is through investing in a sold pair of propeller guards. These plastic covers are meant to go around your drone’s propellers and protect them from damage. However, be aware of the weight of the guards as it may result in more strain on your battery and loss of flight time.
Obstacle avoidance
If you plan to fly your drone outside or in some more challenging environments, then you might be concerned about colliding with objects like low-hanging branches or any other hard surfaces. Therefore, it can be valuable to look for a drone that has adequate obstacle avoidance. This means the drone will use its sensors to detect objects in its path and steer clear of them. If you’re new to flying, this is a highly beneficial feature.
Auto Return-to-home (RTH)
This next feature is commonly found in most drones, particularly those that use GPS. It is probably the best feature you can have for peace of mind when flying a drone outside. What it does is if the drone loses connection or goes into low battery mode, it will automatically fly back to its takeoff spot or your controller, depending on the aircraft. The best drones for teenagers will include an RTH feature, so you won’t need to worry about losing the drone during a fight.
Stability in the air
There is a combination of things that can affect the stability of your drone, but primarily it will be based on its sensors and the power of its motor. However, the drone’s build, balance, battery, propellers, and speed will play a role in the overall stability. For example, a drone that is overly heavy with a weaker battery might not be very stable in the air and wouldn’t be a good investment. Instead, look for a drone that has a solid propulsion system and offers assisted flying modes. You will be much happier flying a slower drone with more safety features and assisted controls when starting out.
Image Quality
One of the biggest reasons that people choose to fly drones is because of the incredible photo and videos you can capture from the air. If you’re interested in travelling, hiking, or simply exploring your neighbourhood, it’s a great idea to choose a drone that’s equipped with a decent lens and photo features. For example, the Ryze Tello Tech has an easy-to-use lens capable of taking videos in 720p and clear images when flying. In addition, it has EZ shots feature that takes high-quality images to be quickly and efficiently shared on social media. Nonetheless, the importance of a quality lens will depend on your interests and goal with the drone.
Final Thoughts
After some thorough research and comparisons, I’ve concluded that the Ryze Tello Tech is the overall best drone for teenagers. It offers all the features you’d look for in a good drone for an affordable price while maintaining a weight under 250 grams. That way, you won’t need to go through the trouble of registering with the FAA and government before you can begin flying. I’m particularly impressed by its long flight time of 13 minutes, despite the low weight. The set comes with three batteries, so you can enjoy flying and having fun for roughly 39 minutes before a complete recharge is needed.
On top of this, the drone comes with propeller guards to keep itself safe from any accidental collisions. The drone is best flown indoors but is a great aircraft to get started with and will teach you all the basics before needing to upgrade to something more professional. The other drones on this list have useful benefits and are worth looking into if you’re still unsure about which one you’d like to go with. Nonetheless, I’m excited for you to start your flying adventures and good luck with whatever drone you choose to purchase!
The Tello Boost is a small, easy-to-use drone made by Ryze Robotics using DJI flight technology.
It's safe, with features like failsafe protection and low battery protection, and it has a visual positioning system for precise hovering.
It's compatible with mobile VR headsets and has a 13-minute flight time. The Tello App simplifies the flight process and offers a fun Bounce Mode. It's a good value for beginners who want to learn how to fly.
