Best Camera Drones Under £100
Have you ever wanted to experience the thrill of flight — without the expense and danger? A camera drone is the closest that you can get to becoming a pilot without taking to the air yourself. Fly your drone anywhere you like using the included radio controller or your smartphone — and use the drone’s built-in camera to document your journey. For many people, buying a camera drone even leads to a lucrative career as a freelance photographer!
Camera drones typically use artificial intelligence and sensor arrays to maintain awareness of their surroundings. Thanks to the extensive safety features of drones, you can buy one and fly it without any prior experience.
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Ready to get started? These are the best camera drones under £100.
PARROT Mambo Drone
Specification
- iOS 7 and up / Android 4.3 and up
- Up to 9 minutes flight time
- Bluetooth V4.0 BLE connection
- 65 ft / 20 m with smartphone
- 200 ft / 60 m with Parrot Flypad
- For more information, visit Parrot website.
With its ability to pick up and carry small objects — and shoot plastic balls from a built-in cannon — the PARROT Mambo is a quad copter designed for pure indoor and outdoor fun. Control it with your smartphone, or purchase the PARROT FLYPAD separately to control the Mambo with a physical controller.
Pros
- Includes Cannon and Grabber accessories
- Built-in camera doubles as a sensor that allows the drone to return to a previous position
- Stable flight; release the controls to make the drone hover in place
Cons
- Built-in camera is 0.3 megapixels and only points down
- No live camera feed
- Carrying capacity limited to 4 gramme
- Flies in two modes; Quadcopter & plane
- Fly indoors and outdoors
- Amazing stunts, Looping, U-turn, barrel Roll
- Flies up to 19 mph/ 30 km/h
- Up to 7 minutes Flight time
PARROT Hydrofoil New Z
Specification
- Battery life: 9 mins (7 mins with frame)
- Connection: Via Bluetooth® Smart / Bluetooth V4.0 BLE
- For more information, visit Parrot website.
Have you ever wanted to play with a quadcopter that glides over the water as effortlessly as it flies through the air? The PARROT Evo is an excellent choice for you. Take off from and land on the water — and snap pictures in midair with the bottom-mounted camera. The PARROT Evo uses Bluetooth connectivity control from your iOS or Android smartphone.
Pros
- Amphibious drone operates on water or in the air
- Reaches a top speed of 11 mph in the air or 6.2 mph on the water
- Performs midair flips automatically
Cons
- Fixed camera only takes vertical photos
- Not waterproof — drone could be damaged if inverted in the water
- May require a firmware update before use
- Remarkable flight stability and removable nautical structure
- A 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis gyroscope A vertical camera for geat snapshots : 300
- A vertical camera for geat snapshots : 300,000 pixels
- Rechargeable battery lasts up to 9 min
- Speed : Up to 18km/h in the air or 11km/h on water
KAISER BAAS Alpha Drone
Specification
- Built in HD 720P Camera for Video & Images
- 4 Ch 2.4Ghz RF controller with 60M Range & LED Status Screen
- For more information, visit kaiserbaas website.
One of the few drones in its price range with a true HD camera, the KAISER BAAS Alpha records 720p videos and takes 2.0 megapixel still photos from its fixed bottom-mounted camera. The BAAS Alpha includes its own radio controller with a maximum range of 60 meters. It also features six-axis gyroscopic stabilisation for better camera imagery and flight characteristics.
Pros
- True HD camera records videos and high-resolution photos
- Camera continues to record when outside the controller’s range
- Push a button on the controller to make the drone flip in midair
Cons
- Fixed camera takes pictures from one angle only
- Shorter flight distance than some drones in its price range
- Flights limited to seven minutes
- Built in HD 720P Camera for Video & Images
- 4 Ch 2.4Ghz RF controller with 60M Range & LED Status Screen
- Rechargeable 600mAh Battery
- Superior stabilisation with In-built 6-axis gyroscopic control
- Includes 1 spare set of Rotor Blades & Rotor Guards
ARCADE Orbit Cam XL Drone With Controller
Specification
- Up to 7 minutes flying time
- 3MegaPixel Camera
- For more information, visit Arcade Orbit website.
The ARCADE Orbit Cam XL is one of the few drones in its price range that includes a physical controller rather than relying on your smartphone’s Wi-Fi signal. The controller helps the drone maintain a signal from further away than most drones under £100. On the downside, the Orbit Cam XL’s battery life is slightly below average. You can expect a total flight time of about seven minutes per full battery charge. The Orbit Cam XL charges in one hour with the included USB cable.
Pros
- Flashing lights make nighttime flight easier
- Includes a physical controller with a maximum range of 100 meters
- Gyro stabilizers ensure level flight in windy conditions
Cons
- Lacks an HD camera
- Maximum flight time is seven minutes
- Four AA batteries for controller not included
- 【3 rechargeable batteries】: 3 Drone batteries can extend the flight time and allow more time to flight this mini drone. The indoor drone is an ideal flying toy for children and families.(After 4/27 will be upgraded from 2 batteries to 3 batteries)
- 【Ease of operation for kids】: With one-touch take-off or landing, headless mode and altitude hold function, you can control the drone without any operational difficulties. A stable flight can be achieved with an air pressure sensor. Good for children playing.
- 【Headless mode and 3-speed settings】: Easy to use in headless mode! When using the headless mode, the front / back / left / right is assessed from the operator's point of view and not from the point of view of the drone. A setting for high speed / medium speed / low speed is possible, suitable for beginners, children and professionals.
- 【APP Control and Gravity Induction Mode】: You can also use your phone to control the drone, and the gravity induction mode allows you to fly your mini drone forward/backward, left/ right along with the direction you move your phone.
- 【Low Power Alarm】: The transmitter will emit “di-di-di…” sound and the drone rear indicator LED will continuously show “flash once and power off for 1s” to remind you that the batteries are low.
U818A WIFI FPV Drone
Specification
- Up to 9 minutes flying time
- 2MegaPixel Camera
- For more information, visit Arcade Orbit website.
The GoolRC UDI U818A captures true high-definition video and 2.0-megapixel photos — and since it returns home with a push of a button on the controller, it is a perfect drone for new pilots. The UDI U818A includes a function that makes it dance automatically in the air. It also features six-axis gyroscopic stability.
Pros
- Rotors are flexible to help avoid accidental damage
- Only drone in its price range with return-to-home and a true high-definition camera
- Includes a second battery to extend flight times
Cons
- Camera is fixed and can’t change position
- Maximum battery life of eight minutes is a bit short
- Can’t return home automatically without signal from the controller
- Phone direct control with transmission OR transmitter contorl with Smart phone. Apple IOS / Android phones compatible.
- Altitude Hold. You can release the throttle stick and the drone will keep the current height. One key take off and landing, super easy to fly & easy to shoot quality images or videos with WIFI Real-Time HD carmera.
- Headless Security Mode. The pilot can fly the drone to any location without worrying about which diretion the drone is facing. Help bignner to prevent from losing the direction.
- Foldable Design. Bring it anywhere,saves the space with folding size: 130×90×45mm.
- Range: About 80-100 Meters. Flight Tim: About 8-11 Minutes. Charging Time: About 90 Minutes.
Best Camera Drones Under £100: Conclusion
If you want to begin dabbling in radio-controlled flight and aerial photography, there’s no need to spend a fortune. Camera drones under £100 may lack some of the advanced features of more expensive drones, but they have all of the important stability and control features that make the flight as easy as possible for rookies. Buy one of these drones to train yourself for a more expensive drone later — or simply bring it on your weekend adventures for added enjoyment.
