7 Best Drones for Christmas (2023 Review)

818 Hornet Plus Beginner Drone Review

First on our list is this hobby drone that comes with a ton of great features. The 818 Hornet Plus drone is a great choice for a Christmas gift this year. 

This drone comes with an included 720p HD camera that allows relatively new pilots to enjoy taking aerial photos from a bird’s eye view. While the camera is only average, it still is a solid option for anyone wanting to get to know the basics of aerial photography. 

One really impressive thing about the Hornet drone is that it comes with two rechargeable batteries. With both batteries charged, you can fly for up to 30 minutes which is good for a drone in this price range.

The Hornet Plus drone comes with many other features that pilots of all skill levels will enjoy. These include one-touch takeoff and landing as well as altitude hold for stable flights (this really helps when you’re trying to get a good photograph). Plus, pilots can fly in three different speed modes depending on their skill level.

Outlaw SE GPS Drone Review

The Outlaw SE is a particularly impressive drone for the number of features that are included at this price point. 

Not only is the Outlaw SE extremely powerful and fast, this drone is equipped with a 1080p HD camera that allows users to take excellent aerial photos and videos. The onboard GPS system also produces an exceptionally stable flight which helps you capture better images.

The Outlaw SE also has a 600 meter flight range and 20 minute battery life which gives pilots plenty of time and space to explore and master the features of their drone. 

If you’re looking for a professional level drone this Christmas, but don’t want to spend $500 or more, I think this drone is the one for you.

Holy Stone HS100 GPS Drone Review

The Holy Stone HS100 would make a great drone gift this Christmas if you are looking for a drone with a lot of features at a fraction of the cost. 

The HS100 has GPS capabilities that allow it to stay in place during the entire flight. Plus, there is a return-to-home function which allows pilots to bring their drone back to where they took off at the push of a button. 

There’s also headless mode, altitude hold, one key takeoff and landing, which are essential features for drones at this price point. 

Where this drone shines most is with its camera. The HS100 comes with a 1080p camera that you can use take aerial photos and videos. You can even stream live video to your smartphone while flying which will give you the best possible flying experience!

The HS100 features a battery life of 15 minutes and a control distance of about 500 meters which is average for a drone at this price. 

Altair Falcon Drone Review

The next item we have on our Christmas drone list is the Altair Falcon. If you’re shopping for a younger, beginner pilot then this drone would make a great option as a Christmas gift. 

In my opinion, the Falcon is the easiest drone to fly on the market today. This drone comes equipped with a unique Autonomous Hovering & Positioning (AHP) system that is really helpful for beginner pilots. AHP holds the drone in place both vertically and horizontally, even if the user’s hands come off the controller. 

The Falcon falls a little short with the camera (only 720p), but you are still able to learn some FPV basics when you connect to the smartphone app. 

This is one of the best beginner drones you could buy for Christmas. The drone’s manufacturer, Altair Aerial is known for their outstanding customer service. Unlike many drone companies in the hobby, Altair is based in the USA and they really take the time to answer your questions. They even have a library of how-to videos on their website, if you ever run into technical difficulties.

Overall, I think this drone is really fun and easy to fly. The Falcon would make an excellent Christmas gift this year for younger drone pilots.

EACHINE E520S Drone Review

If you want a fun drone to try out this Christmas, consider the EACHINE E520S Drone. 

This action packed drone comes with an impressive 5G WiFi 4K camera which you don’t often see in drones at this price. Having a 4K camera allows you to see even more clearly as you enjoy taking photos, recording video, and experiencing FPV flight.

There are also GPS features on the E520S as well as follow me mode that allows your drone to capture your every move wherever you go. Other functions that help you fly this drone include altitude hold, one touch takeoff and landing, and headless mode. 

My favorite thing about this drone is that it is foldable. This makes it easy to carry around and travel with as well as store somewhere safe. 

However, one thing that I didn’t like as much was the battery life and operating range. The E520S features a battery that claims to be 16 minutes and the control distance is only 250 meters. 

While the E520S would still be a good drone gift this Christmas, there are some obvious limitations that come with it. 

Force1 UFO Mini Drone Review

Toy drones are typically more affordable drone gifts and make excellent Christmas gift options when looking for kids.

The Force1 UFO is one of the more unique items on our Christmas list this year, and I think kids would love the LED lights that are a feature of this drone.

This Force1 drone comes with easy to use controls like 1-key start and stop which will help users easily get their drone in the air. Plus, the drone propeller guards have blue and green LED lights to help you see the drone in the dark.

And it’s not just fancy lights that give this mini drone its appeal. The Force1 UFO drone also can perform flips and it can be flown in 2 different speed modes. It also has altitude hold and headless mode to help users stay in control while flying. 

The Force1 UFO even comes with two rechargeable batteries giving flyers a total of 18 minutes of flying time which is great for a drone at this price. Just note that the batteries do take more than an hour to charge which some users may find is too long. 

Force1 Scoot Mini Drone Review

The Force1 Scoot Mini Drone is another fun drone gift idea for kids this Christmas. 

What makes this toy drone unique is that it doesn’t require a remote control to operate it. Users simply use their hands to control where they want their drone to go. This is done with motion sensors built into the toy drone.

This drone is easy to use, and the plastic model makes it durable in case you fly into walls or other obstacles. It also comes in several different colors so your child or grandchild can have their favorite. 

Because of its size, the Scoot drone can only fly for about 8 minutes. However, the charging time is only about 30 minutes so you can get it back in the air in no time.