Hello, drone enthusiasts! Welcome to my review of the best micro drones in 2023.
Looking for a micro drone to give to your kid? Or you just want something small to practice your piloting skills without splashing money on a high-end drone?
If your answer is yes to any of the questions, then I’ve got you covered. I’ve compiled a list of the best micro drones you can purchase right now. And the best part of these drones is that you don’t have to register them with the FAA because they weigh less than 250 grams.
These drones are great for beginner, intermediate, and professional drone pilots that simply want to fly a micro drone without spending big bucks on premium drones or facing the hassle of FAA registration.
QUICK FACT: The best micro drone is the Potensic A20. It’s a good bet for its weight class and escaping FAA resgistration that gives you a fun flight and a good user experience overall.
Below is a quick summary of all the best micro drones I’ve hand-picked for you after my research.
Quick Summary of the Best Micro Drones
- Quick Summary of the Best Drones Under $500
- What Are The Best Micro Drones In 2023?
- 1. Potensic A20 (Best Overall Micro Drone)
- 2. Force 1 UFO 4000 (Best Micro Drone for Battery Life)
- 3. Neheme NH330 (Best Micro Drone for Beginners)
- 4. Emax Tiny Hawk 2 (Best Racing Micro Drone)
- 5. Dwi Dowellin D10 (Best Long Range Micro Drone)
- 6. Cheerwing U46S (Best Indoor Micro Drone)
- 7. LANSAND 2 Pack Mini Drone (Best 2-in-1 Micro Drone)
- 1. Potensic A20 (Best Overall Micro Drone)
- Micro Drone Buying Guide: What To Look For in a Micro Drone?
- F.A.Q. on the Best Micro Drones
- Final Thoughts on the Best Micro Drones
What Are The Best Micro Drones In 2023?
Here, I’ll dive into the top 7 best micro drones.
I read lots of posts on Reddit, Quora, and other drone forums to cut through the noise and pick the best micro drones for you.
I also watched lots of YouTube videos and read through hundreds of product reviews on Amazon to come up with this list.
Each review will contain the features and benefits of the products, the pros and cons, the specifications, and my final verdict on the product.
The aim of this section is to help you make a smooth and easy decision about which drones suit your needs and your budget.
1. Potensic A20 (Best Overall Micro Drone)
The Potensic A20 is the best overall micro drone for both kids and adults looking for a starter drone to launch their flying hobby without losing sleep over their money going down the drain after a crash.
It comes with triple batteries for triple fun time, although each battery doesn’t last more than 7 minutes. It will still give you plenty of time to practice flying before the battery runs out.
The warning beep sound caught my attention. It warns you when the drone battery is low and tells you to fly the drone back home to charge or replace the battery.
The Potensic A20 remote controller is small but simple to use. It comes with a 2.4 GHz transmission frequency, which makes the drone very responsive due to the stable transmission speed.
It also has some special features like an LED light, headless mode, 3-speed mode, altitude hold to provide stability in the air, and an emergency stop that lands the drone immediately in case of an emergency.
Potensic A20 Specifications
- Included Components: 10
- Skill Level: beginner
- Item Weight: 0.19 kilograms
- Control Type: Remote Control
- Battery Cell Composition: Lithium
- Are Batteries Included: Yes
- Product Dimensions: 3.5″L x 3.11″W x 1.26″H
- Batteries: 3 lithium metal batteries
Potensic A20 Pros and Cons
My Verdict on the Potensic A20
Overall, the Potensic A20 is my best overall micro drone. The remote controller fits in the small hands of a kid and is easy for them to maneuver. However, it shouldn’t be flown in windy conditions, as it can be easily blown away and you’ll experience difficulty operating it.
You should check out the button below for more information on the Potensic A20.
2. Force 1 UFO 4000 (Best Micro Drone for Battery Life)
What I like the most about the Force 1 UFO 4000 is the relatively long battery life when compared to other mini drones on this list. You can go the distance with 9 minutes of flight time for each battery.
Another feature that attracted me to the Force 1 UFO is its ultra-bright neon-colored LED light, which would illuminate your room at night when flown indoors. It can also fly at high and low speeds to fit your preference and avoid crashing into obstacles if you’re still a novice at piloting drones.
Comes with propeller guards to safeguard your child against injuries. Plus, your kids can launch, land, and perform 360° flip drone stunts with just the push of a button on the remote control.
Force 1 UFO 4000 Specifications
- Connectivity Technology: Remote Control
- Included Components: Remote Transmitter, UFO 4000 LED Drone, USB Charging Cable, (2) 3.7v Lithium Batteries, Spare Propellers (Set of 4),
- Skill Level: Intermediate
- Remote Control Technology: Remote Control Technology
- Control Type: Remote Control
- Media Type: No
- Material: Plastic
- Battery Cell Composition: Lithium Ion
- Product Dimensions: 8.3″L x 7.1″W x 4.2″H
- Item Weight: 15.5 ounces
Force 1 UFO 4000 Pros and Cons
My Verdict on the Force 1 UFO 4000
In summary, I love the bright LED light the Force 1 UFO emits at night; it makes the room very colorful and puts a smile on your kids’ faces whenever they’re flying the drone.
You should check out the button below for more information on the Force 1 UFO.
3. Neheme NH330 (Best Micro Drone for Beginners)
The Neheme NH330 came out on top as the best micro drone for beginners. It’s easy to operate. You simply have to toss the drone into the air for it to turn off, and it’s super convenient to travel with.
It comes with full protection guards to prevent damage to the propellers in the event of a collision with an object, as well as injuries to you or your children if you come into contact with them.
You can have a ton of fun with the Neheme NH330 by performing a 360-degree flip stunt in the air. It also has impressive features like high-speed rotations and various flight speeds to give a unique user experience when flying the drone.
Neheme NH330 Specifications
- Weight: 32g/1.13oz (FAA NOT Required)
- Remote Battery: 3 * AAA Battery (Not Included)
- Control Range: Around 120 Feet
- Drone Battery: 3.7V 300 mAh (Come with 2)
- Charging Time: 30-45 Mins
- Playing Time: 5-7 Mins (Per Battery)
- Product Dimensions: 3.7 x 3.5 x 0.8 inches
- Batteries: 2 Lithium Polymer batteries
Neheme NH330 Pros and Cons
My Verdict on the Neheme NH330
Overall, kids will enjoy learning to fly the Neheme NH330. It has excellent response speed, a nice control range, and fun small maneuvers you can perform with it. My eight-year-old adores it.
As battery life is so limited, my only recommendation is to keep both batteries regularly charged.
4. Emax Tiny Hawk 2 (Best Racing Micro Drone)
The EMax Tiny Hawk 2 came out on top of my list for racing drones under $200. It comes with a propeller guard that prevents the propeller from being damaged on impact with obstacles.
It has a FPV 1080p camera attached to the top of the drone, which transmits FPV video to the goggles or an external monitor to give you some high-quality footage when racing indoors with your buddies.
The motor beeper function, which aids in locating the micro drone if it lands in a crowded area, is another considerate feature. The drone weighs just 42 g, which is a lot considering that it is somewhat larger than some of the other drones on the list.
The Emax Tiny Hawk 2 travels at a speed of 35 mph, making it the fastest micro drone. The controller for the quadcopter has three FPV flight modes: Level, Horizon, and Full Acrobatic.
The one drawback is that, at four minutes, its battery life is the lowest among the micro-drones I have on this list.
Emax Tiny Hawk 2 Specifications
- Wheelbase: 75mm
- Dry Weight: 31.2g
- All Up Weight: 43.5g with 1x 450mAh 1S battery
- Frame Material: Polypropylene MOTORS:
- Stator Size: 0802
- Propeller Mount: Push-On Avan TH-style
- Propeller: Avan Turtlemode 4-Blade ALL-IN-ONE (AIO) FLIGHT CONTROLLER:
- Flight Controller: F4 (MATEKF411RX Firmware)
- ESC: 4-in-1 5A BlHeli_S
- Receiver: EMAX SPI Receiver (Compatible with FrSky D8 mode)
- Battery Connector: JST-PH2.0 FPV SYSTEM
- VTX Power: 25/100/200mw Switchable
- Channels: 37CH, incl. Raceband
- Camera: RunCam Nano, 2 1/3″ 700TVL CMOS
Emax Tiny Hawk 2 Pros and Cons
My Take on Emax Tiny Hawk 2
The Emax Tiny Hawk is a great choice if you want a micro drone to race with your buddies in an indoor environment. However, you may experience some difficulty if you want to fly them outdoors.
You should check out the button below for more information on the EMax Tiny Hawk 2.
5. Dwi Dowellin D10 (Best Long Range Micro Drone)
The Dwi Dowellin is the most attractive micro drone on this list. Your kids will love how the blinking lights illuminate their room at night. Plus, it has the longest range of 80 m out of all the drones.
It comes with three speed modes that can be adjusted to suit your needs. When you release the throttle stick, the drone automatically hovers at its current height, making flips and rolls easier to execute.
It has propeller guards to protect your child against injury and dual batteries to extend your fun time.
With the one-key takeoff button, you can launch the drone and execute 3D flips, one-key spins, and rotations. This is a lot of fun to do with your children or friends.
When the drone is in headless mode, you won’t have to worry about its orientation, especially if it flies away from you.
Dwi Dowellin D10 Specifications
- Item Weight: 76 Grams
- Mirror Adjustment: Remote Control
- Media Type: SD
- Maximum Range: 260 Feet
- Material: Plastic
- Battery Cell Composition: Lithium Polymer
- Flight time: 10-11 minutes per battery
- Charging time: 80-100 minutes
- Drone Battery Capacity: 850mAh
- Max transmission distance: 200-260 feet
- Remote Battery: 3 * AAA Battery (Not Included)
- Drone Dimensions: 6.3” x 6.3” x 2.95”
Dwi Dowellin D10 Pros and Cons
My Verdict on the Dwi Dowellin D10
Overall, I love the feeling the drone gives the room when you’re flying it at night. It’s also great for flying long distances without losing connection to the remote control.
You should check out the button below for more information on the Dwi Dowellin D10.
6. Cheerwing U46S (Best Indoor Micro Drone)
The Cheerwing U46S is the best indoor micro drone. It comes with 4 propeller guards, which prevent the propellers from being damaged after collision and also protect the kids from the spinning propellers.
The Cheerwing U46S is an easy-to-use remote-control drone for children, beginners, and professionals. It has one-key takeoff and landing, headless mode, and an altitude hold feature.
This micro drone’s lightweight and robust build make it appropriate for a variety of settings, including parties, school, fishing, and hiking. It’s also a wonderful gift for Christmas, a holiday, or a birthday.
This micro drone has a longer flight time of up to 15–21 minutes and comes with three batteries. Alarms for low battery levels eliminate lost drone toys and ease anxieties.
This Cheerwing U465 features three variable flight speeds—low, middle, and high—so that pilots of various expertise levels may enjoy a variety of flying activities. Additionally, the 2.4 GHz remote control technology enables simultaneous operation of this micro drone by many users.
Cheerwing U46S Specifications
- Product Dimensions: 3.54 x 3.54 x 1.25 inches
- Item Weight: o.44 LBS
- Batteries: 3 lithium polymer batteries.
- Flight Time: 6-7 minutes per battery
Cheerwing U46S Pros and Cons
My Verdict on the Cheerwing U46S
I’m quite impressed with the Cheerwing U46S. It’s a great drone for practicing your piloting skills before moving up to high-end drones. However, it lacks a camera, which is something I’m not a fan of.
You should check out the button below for more information on the Cheerwing U46S.
7. LANSAND 2 Pack Mini Drone (Best 2-in-1 Micro Drone)
The LANSAND Mini Drone is the latest craze in the world of consumer drones. Not only can you race in the air with it, but you can also race on land with this baby thanks to the four wheels attached to each.
It offers you a significantly superior performance experience compared to all other micro drones now on the market. It costs the same as a mini drone and lets you experience both flying and racing pleasure.
This drone has a racing car shape to it. It functions more like a cool flying race car than just a drone while it is in flight. The mini drone also has a fantastic, eye-catching running LED light, which gives it a feeling of sophistication and mystery.
This indoor drone’s one-key emergency stop feature may be quickly used to prevent harm to the device, neighboring furniture, humans, or animals.
This drone’s body is composed of durable PVC, the same material used in racing car toys, so it can endure impacts while traveling at 35 miles per hour.
The propeller guards are composed of nylon and ABS plastic and completely cover all propellers to protect kids from being wounded by whirling propellers,
One kit contains two drones and four batteries. One is colored blue, while the other is colored red.
With the 2.4GHz remote, two players may race while flying at the same time. Four batteries give 28 minutes of playtime, with each battery lasting 7 minutes.
LANSAND 2 Pack Mini Drone Specifications
- Flight Time: 28 Mins in Total (7Mins/Batteries)
- Frequency: 2.4GHz
- Size: 5×3.3×1.4″
- Charge Time: about 60-70 minutes
- Control Range: 100-164FT
- Item Weight: 65 Grams
LANSAND 2 Pack Mini Drone Pros and Cons
My Verdict on the LANSAND 2 Pack Mini Drone
The LANSAND 2 Pack Mini Drone will undoubtedly be an excellent family activity to bring everyone closer and create beautiful parent-child time. It’s a wonderful present for your grandchildren, children, other family members, acquaintances, or business associates.
You should check out the button below for more information on the LANSAND 2 Pack Mini Drone
Micro Drone Buying Guide: What To Look For in a Micro Drone?
Shopping for micro drones on a budget doesn’t need to be a hassle. But not every micro drone will suit your needs. Going for micro drones means that your drone won’t have some of the unique features that can be found in high-end drones like DJI, Autel, and Skydio.
But, here are some things to look out for when shopping for the best drone micro drones
Drone Price
Let’s get this out of the way. Your micro drone won’t be as high-quality as those high-end drones. I’m sure you’re already aware of that. But that doesn’t mean we can’t get a micro drone of high quality.
If you want to get your money’s worth out of your drone, don’t buy one for less than $20. Drones below that price range may not have some of the features you’re looking for and may break easily.
The sweet spot for micro drones is around $25 to $70. Within this price range, you can get a high-quality drone that’s durable and has some features that would make flying fun.
Also Read: Best Mini Drone in 2023.
Drone Size
The size and weight of a drone are one important factor to look out for when buying a micro drone.
Most micro drones won’t be bigger than the palm of your hand. They should be portable, lightweight, and small enough to fit inside your pocket or backpack.
Camera Quality
Micro drones aren’t for you if you’re looking for a premium-quality drone with a camera. You’re better off going for a drone under $300 to suit your photography needs without breaking the bank.
Micro drones will never come with a camera. Even at that, the ones with cameras will rarely have a 1080p resolution. You’ll be stuck with a resolution of 720P for the ones that come with cameras.
This isn’t all doom and gloom. Some micro drones come with first-person viewing (FPV) using real-time relay. These drones offer this kind of service, which you can sync with your smartphone.
If you already have a high-quality camera like a GoPro, you can check out the best drones for GoPro to see a list of drones that come with a mount for cameras, or check out the best drones with cameras if you simply want a drone with a premium-quality camera.
Flight Speed
Most micro drones won’t be able to compete at a drone racing tournament. However, there are some micro drones that can be used for racing like the Emax Tiny Hawk 2
Micro drones are for you if you simply want a drone to do simple tasks for you, such as stalking your previous lover (LOL… just kidding) or distracting your gaming friend while playing Call of Duty.
However, you shouldn’t fly your drone at its maximum speed if you want to have a long flight time or if you don’t have enough experience flying drones at high speeds.
Flight Range
Most micro drones won’t be able to go a long distance without losing connection with the remote controller. The general range for drones with this price tag is between 50 and 200 feet.
You should keep this factor in mind when creating a budget for a micro drone. You should take your time to check out the features of the drones to know what you’re getting.
You can check out the best drones for long distances if you want a drone that can travel far without losing connection with the remote controller.
Flight Time
Drones in general don’t have a long battery life compared to other remote-controlled devices. Cheaper drones will always have a shorter battery life than more expensive drones.
This happens because cheap drones tend to be small and long-lasting batteries tend to be big. Big batteries won’t fit into small drones. Hence, the need for small batteries with short battery lives.
This isn’t all doom and gloom; the majority of micro drones can achieve a flight time of around 5-8 minutes. You can extend the flight time by flying at a low speed or buying an extra battery if your drone has a detachable drone.
You can check out the best drones with long flight times if you want a drone with a long battery life.
Maneuverability
They can be difficult to control due to their size and weight, and they love to flip and crash land into your sofa, garden furniture, or fence.
What this is good for, though, is mastering the art of maneuverability. Larger, more technical drones will come with built-in stabilizers and GPS technology, which makes them far easier to fly. So, if you get good at flying a micro drone, you’ll pretty much be a pro with a higher-spec drone.
Drone Durability
Well, most micro drones won’t be able to withstand wear and tear like other expensive drones. Cheaper drones are easily damaged and more likely to be blown away by the wind.
You can reduce the frequency of repairs by either purchasing a drone with propeller guards to protect the propellers from damage or purchasing a propeller guard for your drone if it has a spot for attaching the propeller guard.
Availability of Spare Batteries
Most drones on this list have spare batteries, so you can spend more time flying them when recharging the extra batteries. More often than not, drones with this price tag tend to come with extra batteries.
Ease of Use
Drones that are relatively easy to fly make the flying experience easy and less stressful. The drones on this list come with one-push autonomous features that let the drone take off, land, or return to base with the push of a button.
Warranty
Warranty is an important factor when selecting the best drones to purchase. Your drone needs to be covered by a warranty so you can get it repaired or replaced when something goes wrong with it within the time limits of the warranty.
Availability of Replacement Parts
Your drone should come with easy access to other parts and accessories that need to be replaced after damage. The best drones often have an abundance of spare parts that are easily accessible at a moment’s notice to the drone pilots if something goes wrong.
Other Features
The majority of micro drones won’t have the awesome features that can be found in high-end drones like DJI, like collision detection, GPS, obstacle detection, camera stabilization, and many more.
In summary, think carefully about what you want before you go shopping for a drone.
F.A.Q. on the Best Micro Drones
What is a micro drone?
A micro drone is a drone that’s bigger than the nano drone but smaller than the mini drone in terms of size and weight and can be flown indoors as well as outdoors.
What is the difference between a micro and a nano drone?
Micro and tiny drones are comparable in size and construction, and although they are designed for indoor usage, you may fly them outside in calm winds. Contrarily, nano drones, are far smaller than micro drones.
How long can a battery in a micro drone last?
The model you select will determine the battery life of each drone. Nano drones are generally powered by 3.7V batteries. They can last anywhere from 5 to 7 minutes, and occasionally even up to 8 minutes, depending on various factors.
Can micro drones be flown indoors?
Both nano and micro drones are suitable for interior use and may be flown there. They are lightweight and small enough to be flown within your house.
Final Thoughts on the Best Micro Drones
We’ve come to the end of the road on the best micro drone in 2023
The Potensic A20 came out as my first choice on this list. It has everything you need for a drone under this weight class. It’s durable, portable, has a good battery life, and many more.
You won’t go wrong with it if you choose to go for it.
Can’t seem to find what you’re looking for? Check out my comprehensive list of the best drones for the year. It contains many drones for different categories and purposes.
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