The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.Love them or think theyre the sign of a coming dystopia, commercial drones arent going away anytime soon. The good news is that theyre pretty fun to play around with. And if you have more professional aims, you dont need us to tell you about the opportunities they enable.So with the holidays season upon us, nows as good a time as any for the drone-curious to take the plunge. Our best drones guide goes into more extensivedetail about our favorite quadcopters currently on the market, but below weve put together a quick and dirty guide to the drones that are worth your attention.DJI Phantom 3 AdvancedWhen you factor in value for dollar, the DJI Phantom 3 is the best drone on the market today. All but the newest of flyers should be able to control it without too much trouble, its decked out with useful features, and its camera takes smooth, crisp footage. It doesnt support 4K capturing like the higher-end Phantom 3 Professional, but its more than $200 cheaper, and plenty of people dont have anything capable of displaying the benefits of 4K shots in the first place. At $1,000, its still pricier than the $700 Phantom 3 Standard, but that models dated remote makes it trickier to use. If youre willing to commit hundreds to a drone, the Phantom 3 Advanced is simply the most sensible choice. DJI Phantom 3 Advanced, $999, available at Amazon.Blade Nano QX RTFIf youve never touched a drone in your life, though, our favorite drone for beginners is the Blade Nano QX. That shouldnt be a shocklike the Phantom 3, its received near-universal acclaim from a whole lot of reviewers and hobbyists. Its tiny enough to fly indoors and out, its relatively sturdy, and it flies in a way thats simultaneouslyaccessible and instructive. For $80, its not too expensive either. If you aim to upgrade to something like the DJI one day, or you just want an affordable way into hands-on drone flying experience, its a great buy. Its also worth noting that theres an FPV version of the Nano, too, which is naturally more expensive but serves as a similarly enjoyable introduction to first-person flying.Blade Nano QX RTF, $78.98, available at Amazon.Hubsan X4 (H107C)Like the Nano, the Hubsan X4 is another lauded tiny trainer drone. It isnt as sturdy or responsive in the air, but its not finicky, and it goes for about $40 less. This particular model, the H107C, is currently marked down to $40 outright, even though it has a built-in camera. Its not a particularly good camera, sure, but if you wanted a cheap route into taking your first aerial shots, it works well. Hubsan X4 (H107C), $39.99, available at Amazon.UDI U818A-1Another beginner-friendly option, the UDI U818A-1 is a heftier quadcopter with thick propeller guards that help it bounce off of trees and walls without getting totally destroyed. (Just dont push your luck.) While its not all that fast in the air, it is fairly smooth. Again, its included 720p camera isnt mind-blowing, but for a sub-$100 quad, the footage it takes is actually usable. UDI U818A-1, $65.99, available at Amazon.Parrot MiniDrone Airborne CargoIf youre willing to trade nuance for ease of use, Parrots kid-friendly line of MiniDrones are worth a look. Like other Parrot quads, the MiniDrone Airborne Cargo is fully controllable from a corresponding app, which is both the best and worst thing about it. It doesnt do much to help your flying skills, but it makes the act of flying eminently simplistic. Throw in a couple of cameras, and you have something useful for people who just want to get in the air. Parrot MiniDrone Airborne Cargo (Mars), $99.19, available at Amazon.Yuneec Typhoon GThere arent too many reasons to buy anything other than a Phantom 3 if youre shopping in the high hundreds, but because its (admittedly very good) camera is non-removable, it may feel like a waste to those whove already splurged on a GoPro. If that includes you, the Yuneec Typhoon G is worth a look. Its bulkier and less nimble than the DJI, but it flies smoothly enough, its cheaper, and its has many of the same smart features. Using it is very similar to using Yuneecs higher-end Q500 4K. As PCMag notes, it cant transmit video for as far as the Phantoms integrated camera, but knowing that you can actually use your prior investment with it might make that easier to swallow.Yuneec Typhoon G, $699.99, available at Amazon.Syma X1The Blade, Hubsan, and UDI are our preferred starter drones, but if youre not sold on the look of those quads, the Syma X1 is another miniature, straightforward, and highly affordable pick that plays nice indoors. Its more of a toy than anything else, but its a lower-risk choice for kids as a result.Syma X1 (Spacecraft), $28.99, available at Amazon.Traxxas LaTrax AliasThe Traxxas LaTrax Alias is yet another intuitive beginner-focused dronetheres more than a few of them, if you couldnt tellbut its big hook is that its supremely durable. At $100, it costs more than the steadierBlade Nano, but if youre in that market and you dont want to feel on edge every time you fly, that premium could be worth it.Traxxas LaTrax Alias, $99.95, available at Amazon.Lumenier QAV250If you fancy yourself an experienced flyer already, you might be interested in diving into world of drone racing, or at least DIY-style tinkering and customization. The Lumenier QAV250 is a dependable, high-performing choice if thats the case. The model linked below is ready to fly out of the box, but you can also buy it as a frame and supply whatever parts you see fit. Lumenier QAV250-G10-RTF (Black), $549.99, available at Amazon.DJI Inspire 1Its probably not a stretch to say the $2,700 DJI Inspire 1 is out of reach for most people. But if youre a professional filmographer of some sortor youre just really loose with cashthe highest-end drone in DJIs lineup is about as good as it gets. Its a heavy-duty, smart, and very well-made machine with a removable camera capable of taking stunning 4K pictures and video. If money is truly no object, its superb.DJI Inspire 1, $2,699, available at Amazon.SEE ALSO:16 tech gifts under $100 for everyone in your lifeREAD THIS:Guys, if you're going to let your beard grow out, here's what you need to do to maintain itIN CASE YOU MISSED IT:Here's how you can score early access to Amazon's Black Friday dealsJoin the conversation about this story
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