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The latest in the Drones and Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Special Series, in which Kike profiles interesting information, research, and thoughts using drones, UAVs and remotely piloted vehicles for journalism and photography. 

Shopping for a “drone-obsessed” friend, family member, or yourself? I have decided to update my article The Best Drones for Beginners that was enjoyed by thousands of readers, and think of a general guide (list is not in order of preference) to help you choose your first drone.

I recommend you read my Drones and Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Special Series before buying any aerial platforms, including:

• So You Want to Fly Drones?
• So You Want to Shoot Aerial Photography Using Drones?
• So You Want to Backup Your Aerial Footage Taken From Drones?
• So You Lost Your Drone Again?
• So You Want to Fly an FPV Racing Mini Quadcopter?
• So You Want to Keep Track of All Your Drone Flights?
• So You Want to Create Maps Using Drones? (New book)

 

1.  Byrobot Drone Fighter GX100: 2.4GHz RF two-way communication with six channels mini drone. Remove the rotor guards in expert mode to cut down on the weight and you can even do 360 flips. It has infrared transmitters and receivers on it, so if you have two or more, you can assign them to different teams. If your Drone Fighter is “hit” by an infrared shot, its LEDs flash and your controller vibrates in your hands. Get hit six times, and the game is over.

 

2.  Sky Viper Video Drone: With a Super Tough Duraflex Body made of resilient polypropylene, it’s easy to perform easy one-tough stunts. Perform barrel rolls in mid-flight with a simple tap of the Stunt button. Experience a true bird’s eye and record 720p High Definition pictures and video. Be sure to check the Sky Rocket S670 Sky Viper Stunt Drone too.

3.  Holy Stone RC Quadcopter Drone with HD Camera: A key 360 four-ways flip (left, right, forward, backward), continuous roll for perfection action and wonderful performance. It’s equipped with a key return and “headless security system” to prevent from losing the copter.

4.  Cheerson CX-10 Mini RC Quadcopter: The 29mm 4CH 2.4Ghz-6-Axis Gyro LED RC Quadcopter incorporates a 6-axis design which makes the gyroscope adjustable, promoting flying stability. Flight time is up to 4-8 minutes and it includes a 3-level adjustable speed flip function.

5.  Syma X5C Explorers 2.4G 4CH 6-Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter with HD Camera: Equipped with HD camera, it performs flips at the press of a button with 360 degree eversion. Wind resistant, the X5C can be flown indoors or outdoors for about a 7 minute flight. A 6-axis Gyro stabilization system ensures maximum stability. For an FPV version, look at the Syma X5SW WiFi FPV, working with both Android and Apple iOS mobile phones.

Check out the rest of Kike’s drone recommendations and the full article here, and don’t forget to head on over to Amazon and iTunes to pick up a copy of his new book, So You Want to Create Maps Using Drones?