Full sized drones are fun but with the miniaturization of modern electronics means that you can have a drone that can take off or even land in your hand. It’s truly an amazing time to live in. So, how do you separate the good minis from the bad? We’ve taken the liberty of selecting a few of our favorites to share with you so that you can easily choose a quality mini to spend a little time with. Let’s talk about the best mini drones of 2020.
So, what should you look for in a mini drone?
There are a number of factors that are important in selecting a mini drone. Factors such as:
- Durability
- Flight time
- Camera Quality
- Charging time
- Stunt factors
Simply put, you want something that you can spend a little quality time with that isn’t going to take all day to charge, takes good pictures, is fun to fly, and isn’t going to disintegrate the first time that your cat catches it flying by and bats it into the wall.
Can I fly my mini drone anywhere?
Mini drones are best for indoor flights or flights outside when the wind is light. Yes, these are ‘real’ drones but you have to keep in mind the weight factor. Mini drones can take off or land in your hand and they simply don’t weigh enough or possess enough power to withstand a flight in high winds. That said, there are quite a few things that you can do with a mini that is much harder with a larger drone. For those minis that have first person view, a few cardboard boxes, some glue, and a little creativity can make an obstacle course or your very own version of the famous ‘Death Star’ trenches in Star Wars. The limit is your imagination. If you want to go outdoors, however, that’s not much of a problem. Just pick a wooded area where the trees are dense enough around to absorb the major portions of any high winds and you’ve got an ideal environment. Just stay out of wide open spots with high winds and you should be golden.
Here come the drones!
With quite a bit of search and comparison we have come up with a list of our 3 favorite drones in the mini category. These drones are fun, tiny, and packed full of features that reflect the amazing technology of today. Let’s take a look and see what you think of them!
SIMREX X300C Mini Drone RC Quadcopter 
Our first entry is the Simrex X300C Mini quadcopter and it is indeed quite mini. Measuring in at a modest 2 x 1.2 x 3.9 inches, this drone provides about a 10 minute flight time but with some extra batteries this is not going to be much of an issue and it has plenty of extra features that you will enjoy. Back flips, front flips, even side flips… you can really have a lot of fun with this mini. It has three speeds and a number of modes, such as a one-key instant return and a headless mode.
Tello Quadcopter Drone with HD Camera and VR
View this item on AmazonOur second entry is the Tello Quadcopter and it’s definitely a high-ranker when it comes to the fun factor. Measuring in at 3.9 x 3.7 x 1.6 inches this drone is a little bit bigger than the Simrex but still very much a mini drone. First, let’s address the toss and fly. That’s right. You can simply toss this drone up into the air and watch it go! Its fun and you’ll find yourself smiling each and every time that you do it but that’s not all that this drone can do. Despite its diminutive size, this mini has VR headset compatibility just like the big drones, and it also has a 13 minute flight time which is pretty good for tech that is so tiny. It also does tricks, like bouncing, flips, auto takeoffs and landings. As far as video, you can take snapshots and short videos (even setting the drone to circle first for some really cool video magic). Overall, it’s a whole lot of drone in a little bitty package and we can wholeheartedly recommend it.
DJI Mavic Mini – Drone FlyCam Quadcopter with 2.7K Camera
We’ve saved the best for last. The DJI Mavic mini is the veritable monarch of minis, measuring in at 6.3 x 3.1 x 0.4 inches. This makes it the biggest mini on our list but the extra space is needed for all of it’s juicy features. For instance, this unit has the longest flight time of any of the minis, with an impressive 30 minutes of usage before you need to swap out the battery. Like the full sized Mavic, this mini sports a very good camera, taking 12 megapixel photos with ease along with 27k quad high definition videos. There is still more to this drone, however, like it’s excellent range. Your remote allows you to fit your
“Stream your HD flight at a distance of up to 4 km”
favorite smartphone to it so that you can stream your HD flight at a distance of up to 4 km. Best of all, in the United States and Canada you can fly this little drone without registration, as despite its power it is simply too small for government micromanagement. It’s the priciest drone on the list but with all of its features we can say with confidence that this little drone is the best of the best when it comes to minis.
How Does Headless Mode Work on Mini Drones?
Headless mode on drones allows beginners to fly without worrying about orientation. When activated, the drone’s controls become relative to the pilot’s position, rather than the drone’s. By doing so, the drone moves forward when pushing the control stick forward, regardless of its actual direction. This simplifies maneuvering and enables smooth flying experiences for beginners.
Some final words
In this article we have shared our opinion as to what we feel are the best mini drones of 2020. We hope that you will take a closer look at some of these and if one of them piques your interest then consider obtaining one of your own. Minis are less common than the full sized models but they can offer you just as much fun with a substantial savings, so check them out for yourself! You’ll be pleasantly surprised, we guarantee.
