Drones are an excellent tool for hobbyist RC pilots, filmmakers, and photographers. They offer a unique perspective of the world that was previously limited to expensive helicopter footage, and the technology is only improving over time.
Despite these advancements drones can be expensive, with some high-end models costing thousands of pounds.
In this article, we will take a look at some of the best drones under £500 UK, covering cost effective options without compromise.
Best Options At A Glance
Product Summaries
DJI Mavic Mini Portable Drone
- Brand - DJI
- Dimensions - 23.6 x 17.9 x 8.9 cm
- Weight - 250 g
- Resolution - 1080P
- Special Feature - DJI Fly App
Firstly we have the DJI Mavic Mini Portable Drone. It’s currently selling for £352/$587 on Amazon.
The Mavic Mini is really impressive when it comes to the camera specifications. It supports 12MP aerial photos and 2.7K Quad HD videos. The included 3-axis motorized gimbal provides improved camera stability and crystal-clear footage.
DJI have engineered the Mavic Mini with weight in mind. At just 250 grams, it’s almost as light as the average smartphone! This makes it extremely portable and places it in the lowest and safest weight class of drones. Not only that, but the light weight makes it easier to manoeuvre in flight.
The Mavic Mini’s dedicated remote control is capable of maintaining HD video at a distance of up to 4 km! It’s detachable control sticks can be stored inside the remote controller to improve portability.
If you’re looking for a premium drone from a reputable brand, the Mavic Mini is an ideal choice.
Buy the DJI Mavic Mini Portable Drone from Amazon for only £352/$587:
Potensic ATOM Combo 4K GPS Drone
- Brand - Potensic
- Dimensions - 24.2 x 30 x 5.8 cm
- Weight - 250 g
- Resolution - 2160P
- Special Feature - 3 Batteries & Charging Hub
Next we have the Potensic ATOM Combo 4K GPS Drone. It’s currently selling for £370/$480 on Amazon.
The Potensic ATOM SE supports 4K resolution video capture at 30fps, as well as stunning 12MP photos. Additionally, the 78° FOV and vertical adjustment of +20° to -90° give you even more control over your shots. Despite the high quality, it’s capable of providing up to 96 minutes of flight time with 2 smart batteries.
Potensic’s SurgeFly flight control system provides pilots with an easily accessible flight control experience. There are 3 flight modes – Video, Normal and Sport. In Sport mode, the drone is capable of max speeds up to 16m/s in 2.8s. SurgeFly provides optimized navigation for the drone, combined with the ToF sensor to help achieve high accuracy positioning and more stable control, whether you’re flying indoors or in GPS-denied environments.
The QuickShots function makes it easy to take excellent photos and videos even as a beginner. The 5 modes include Pull-away, Rocket, Circle, Spiral, and Boomerang. This allows you to take stunning shots with a single click! If you want a bespoke shot , you can always take over using the manual controls.
If you want a high-performance drone with a variety of flight modes and automatic shots, the ATOM Combo is a great option.
Buy the Potensic ATOM Combo 4K GPS Drone from Amazon for only £370/$480:
Holy Stone HS600 2-Axis Gimbal 4K Drone
- Brand - Holy Stone
- Dimensions - 37 x 26 x 8 cm
- Weight - 541 g
- Resolution - 2160P
- Special Feature - Level 6 Wind Resistance
Next we have the Holy Stone HS600 2-Axis Gimbal 4K Drone . It’s currently selling for £400/$519 on Amazon.
This drone is capable of 4K video at 30 fps and 12MP still photos, boasting a 2-axis motorized gimbal as well 4K EIS (Electric Image Stabilization) Camera. This all means that the HS600 produces stunningly-stable footage without the need for additional equipment. The flight time is impressive as well with 56 minute of uninterrupted aerial filming.
The HS600 is also equipped with powerful flight instructions. This includes commands like Follow Me, Waypoint Tracking, and Auto Return Home, resulting in instant hands-free flights. This makes take-off and landing even then ever, even for beginners.
It’s really portable as well. The innovative foldable design of the HS600 make it easy to fold away and carry. This is made even easier with the included carrying case, which protects the drone during transport.
If you’re looking for an easy-to-use 4K drone, take a look at the Holy Stone HS600.
Buy the Holy Stone HS600 2-Axis Gimbal 4K Drone from Amazon for only £400/$519:
DJI Mini 3 Camera Drone 4K HDR
- Brand - DJI
- Dimensions - 25.1 x 36.2 x 7.2 cm
- Weight - 630 g
- Resolution - 2160P
- Special Feature - Dual Native ISO Fusion
Next we have the DJI Mini 3 Camera Drone 4K HDR. It’s currently selling for £429/$557 on Amazon.
The Mini 3 can film in 4K HDR at 30 frames per second, and the Dual Native ISO Fusion technology ensures that the image remains crystal clear even in shadowy areas or at night. The battery is impressive too, offering a flight time of up to 38 minutes, so you’ve got plenty of time to get the perfect shot.
This drone is powered by efficient brushless motors, and also offers features like Level 5 wind resistance and a 3-axis gimbal for image stabilisation. These features make the drone capable of recording clear footage in harsh weather conditions, and the motors allow it to take off at altitudes as high as 4000 feet. It’s perfect if you want to record in a variety of locations and conditions.
Similarly to some of the other models on this list, the Mini 3 offers automatic flight patterns to make recording much easier for the pilot. This includes functions like Circle, Helix, Rocket and Boomerang, making the drone follow a flight path without the need for manual control for the pilot. This is great if you want the drone to record you without you needing to operate the controller.
The Mini 3 is a well-rounded drone from industry leader DJI, and it’s difficult to beat for less than £500.
Buy the DJI Mini 3 Camera Drone 4K HDR from Amazon for only £429/$557:
HOVERAir X1 Self-Flying Camera Pocket-Sized Drone
- Brand - HOVERAir
- Dimensions - 12.7 x 14.5 x 3 cm
- Weight - 125 g
- Resolution - 1520P
- Special Feature - Anti-shake
Finally we have the HOVERAir X1 Self-Flying Camera Pocket-Sized Drone. It’s currently selling for £469/$609 on Amazon.
The X1 supports 2.7K video at 30 frames per second or 1080P HDR video, and the 32GB internal storage gives you plenty of room for footage. Each battery supports approximately 20 intelligent flight paths which equates to around 11 minutes of recording. This means you’ve got great video quality, plenty of memory, and enough flight time to capture some excellent shots.
The biggest selling point of the X1 is it’s simplicity. It’s lighter than an iPhone and the foldable design makes it perfect for travelling. It can take from your palm with the click of a button, so it’s ideal if you’re looking for a camera drone that can take great footage without needing an experienced pilot.
Outside of the palm take off, there’s other automatic flight modes as well. Hands-free flying is easy with different modes like Hover, Follow, Zoom Out, Orbit and Bird’s Eye. Of course you have the option to take over using manual controls if you would prefer.
If you’re looking for a capable drone that makes aerial videography simpler than ever, the X1 from HOVERAir is perfect – there’s a reason it’s currently Amazon’s choice for “camera drone”!.
Buy the HOVERAir X1 Self-Flying Camera Pocket-Sized Drone from Amazon for only £469/$609:
Comparison Of Camera Resolution For Drones <£500
The chart below compares the video resolution and flight time of drones that are less than £500.
You can see that the camera performance is somewhat similar for our 3 favourites, but the Potensic has a standout flight time thanks to it’s 3 interchangeable batteries.
The DJI Mavic lags behind slightly here, but it’s the cheapest and one of the most portable drones on this list. There’s also an argument to be made to go with an industry leading manufacturer like DJI instead of one of the lesser known brands.
FAQs
The DJI Mini 3 Camera Drone 4K HDR is one of our overall favourites. It offers 4K HDR videography, impressive battery life, and great bonus features like image stabilisation and ISO Fusion for increased image quality. It’s difficult to beat this model from industry leader DJI for less than £500.
ISO fusion technology has been introduced to make life easy for photographers and videographers. The sensors automatically amplify the image quality by merging two different images captured by separate circuits. This ensures that the videos and photos are of sharp quality, with more precise details in shadows and highlights. By combining the two images, the camera can achieve a detailed version of an image, providing a broader and sharper display.
Yes, drones from reputable manufacturers like DJI usually come with a care package as standard that covers the user in case of any damages within the service period. The user also has the option to extend this coverage by paying for DJI Care Refresh for added protection.
Like DJI, HoverAi, and Potensic provide a similar warranty service for their customers. However, it is worth noting that each company has it’s respective warranty polices uploaded on its relevant websites.
Thanks for reading our article. If you’re interested in drones, you might want to look at our article covering the Best Drones for Beginners in the UK.
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.
