In this comparison we’re going to take a look at some of the best drones for market for under £300.
Everyone knows household names like DJI and Parrot, but almost all of their models are outside of the £300 price range (especially if you’re looking for something with 1080p or 4K resolution).
We’ve put together this list of top contenders for the best drone under £300. All of the drones on this list are capable of 1080p recording or better and then all available on Amazon. We’ll cover topics like still photo vs video capture resolutions, battery life, unique control features and more to help you identify which drone is best for you.
Check out the FAQs at the end of the article if you’re still unsure as to which model is best for you – we’ll do our best to help.
Let’s jump straight in.
Best Options At A Glance
Product Summaries
Holy Stone HS280 Foldable Drone
- Brand - Holy Stone
- Dimensions - 13.5 x 9.8 x 5.3 cm
- Weight - 151 g
- Camera Resolution - 1080p
- Special Feature - Voice and Gesture Control
Firstly we have the Holy Stone HS280 Foldable Drone. It’s currently selling for £120/$150 on Amazon.
This drone from Holy Stone is excellent value for money. It features an ultra-clear 1080P HD camera with innovative FPV real-time transmission. This allows for vivid photography and videography for less than £100!
Holy Stone give you loads of control modes on the associated HS FPV V4 app. This includes drawing your route on screen (trajectory flight mode), controlling your drone via voice commands (voice control mode), controlling your drone by tilting your phone (gravity sensor mode) and more! The wide range of modes makes it easy for any beginner to get started.
The HS280 comes with 2 batteries as standard. Each battery gives you 13 minutes of non-stop flight time, and you can charge each battery to full in as little as 70 minutes.
It’s also extremely portable. The lightweight foldable design makes it easy to take you with on any adventure – it weighs less than the average smartphone!
If you’re looking for a well-rounded drone for less than £100, the Holy Stone HS280 is a great choice.
Buy the Holy Stone HS280 Foldable Drone from Amazon for only £120/$150:
DJI Neo 4K UHD Mini Drone
- Brand - DJI
- Dimensions - 15.7 x 13 x 4.9 cm
- Weight - 135 g
- Camera Resolution - 4K
- Special Feature - Voice Commands
Another great drone is the DJI Neo 4K UHD Mini Drone. It’s currently selling for £169/$212 on Amazon.
The DJI Neo Drone is lightweight and regulation-friendly at just 135g (that’s lighter than most phones!). There’s no need for a pilot certificate and you can take it anywhere, fitting easily in your backpack or pocket.
Palm takeoff and landing make it easy to fly at a moments notice. Neo’s AI subject tracking and QuickShots make the cinematography easy too, allowing you to capture professional vlogs effortlessly with eight creative modes.
You can controller-free with voice commands (EN/CN), the mobile app, or just use a traditional remote controller, giving flexible options for any occasion. This versatility is support by DJI stabilization tech, level-4 wind resistance, and 4K UHD ensuring smooth, high-quality video in any environment.
Full propeller guards offer added safety for both indoor and outdoor flying. The standard package includes a battery, propeller guards, and more allowing you to get started without any additional equipment.
The Neo combines affordability and quality, and it’s no surprise household name DJO.
Buy the DJI Neo 4K UHD Mini Drone from Amazon for only £169/$212:
Ruko F11MINI Drone
- Brand - Ruko
- Dimensions - 25 x 15.4 x 11.9 cm
- Weight - 245 g
- Camera Resolution - 4K
- Special Feature - Optical Flow Positioning
Next we have the Ruko F11MINI Drone. It’s currently selling for £220/$275 on Amazon.
The F11MINI from Ruko has some really impressive specs, especially when considering the price tag. It features an ultra HD camera that’s capable of 4k still photos, 2k video at 50fps, or 2.7k video at 25fps. The combination of shock absorption and image stabilization ensures clear footage no matter the conditions that you’re flying in.
Ruko give you loads of options for control via the Ruko Mini app. This includes dynamic voice control, optical flow positioning (allowing the drone to hover stably indoors), and GPS based tracking (where the drone will either circling the controller or follow a pre-set route). These intuitive control features make it easy for anyone to pick up this drone and get flying.
It also has a smart return to home feature. Once the battery level drops below an acceptable threshold, the drone will automatically return to the take off location to ensure it doesn’t run out of battery during flight.
The F11MINI is a great drone if you want something with impressive camera quality and beginner-friendly control modes.
Buy the Ruko F11MINI Drone on Amazon for only £220/$275:
Holy Stone HS360S GPS Drone
- Brand - Holy Stone
- Dimensions - 14.1 x 9.4 x 5.6 cm
- Weight - 249 g
- Camera Resolution - 4K
- Special Feature - Auto Return
Next we have the Holy Stone HS360S GPS Drone. It’s currently selling for £230/$287 on Amazon.
Holy Stone have become a market leader in the affordable drone space, and the HS360S definitely lives up to the name. It uses an ultra-clear 4K camera with 85° wide-angle, and the 5GHz FPV transmission allows for consistent live video playback no matter the weather conditions.
It has some really useful flight control features as well. This includes one key take off/landing, altitude hold, and GPS auto return, all of which make it easier to get started with flying this drone right out of the box (especially for beginners).
Some of the cinematic flight modes are really useful as well. The Point of Interest mode makes the drone circle around you with it’s camera fixed in the centre, and the Follow Me mode makes the drone track you automatically without the need for any manual controls. These modes are really useful if you want to record footage without having to monitor and control the drone in real time.
If you’re looking for a drone with high-quality recording and loads of great control features, the HS360S is an ideal choice.
Buy the Holy Stone HS360S GPS Drone on Amazon for only £230/$287:
DJI Mini 4K UHD Drone
- Brand - DJI
- Dimensions - 20 x 16 x 5.5 cm
- Weight - 240 g
- Camera Resolution - 4K
- Special Feature - Level 5 Wind Resistance
Finally we have the DJI Mini 4K UHD Drone. It’s currently selling for £269/$337 on Amazon.
The DJI Mini is an extremely capable drone, especially considering the £270 price tag. It’s impressive 4K camera can capture both 4K stills and 4K video at 30fps – that’s the best specs of any drone on this list!
The camera isn’t the only thing that’s impressive – it’s powerful brushless motors and high capacity battery allow for 31 minutes of continuous flight (again this is the best of any drone on this list!). It also boasts level 5 wind resistance, ensuring controlled flight in harsh conditions.
It also has some great flight control functions. The auto take-off is ideal for beginners, the return to home is perfect for stopping a mid-flight fall, and the stable hovering allows for crystal clear video footage. If you’re an expert drone pilots you may prefer the manual controls, but these options are definitely a convenient alternative.
It’s difficult to find a better drone than the DJI Mini for less than £269, especially from an industry leading manufacturer like DJI.
Buy the DJI Mini 4K UHD Drone from Amazon for only £269/$337:
What is the best drone for videography under £300?
The chart below compares the camera quality of different drones on this list in terms of their max resolution for both photo and video. This can help to give you an idea of which drone is best for you if image quality is your most important criteria.
FAQs
The best drone for you will depend on what you intend to use it for, but the Holy Stone HS360S GPS Drone is one of our overall favourites in the <£300 price range. It’s the perfect balance of affordability and capability with 4K photo and video capture for as little as £230. It also has loads of useful control features like cinematic flight modes, one key take off/landing, altitude hold, GPS return and more.
If you’re willing to spend a little bit more money, the Holy Stone HS720G GPS Drone is a great upgrade option.
4K resolution is excellent quality for a drone – it’s near cinema quality footage with almost four times the pixels of standard 1080P HD. This makes it a great choice for professional applications like videography or surveying.
The time it takes for a ceramic heater to heat up will vary depending on wattage and housing, but they usually reach optimal temperatures within 3-5 minutes. If you have a budget low wattage system, it may take 5 minutes or more to heat, whereas a premium high-wattage system may heat in as quickly as 2 minutes.
The amount you should pay will depend on your intended use for the drone. Toy drones for kids may cost around £30 to £75, whereas entry level camera drones will usually cost around £200 to £500. Mid level camera drones may cost around £600 to £1000, and high-end professional drones might cost £2000 or more.
Thanks for reading our article covering the best drone under £300 UK.
If you’re just getting started with drones, check out our Beginner’s Guide to Drones and Remote-Controlled Models.
If you want to look into some more expensive drones, you may want to take a look at our article covering Best Drones Under £500 .
Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any thoughts or queries that you’d like us to take a look at – we’d be happy to help.
