2023 Best Nano Drone Buyer’s Guide: What to Consider Before You Buy

Nano drones are a great way to capture stunning aerial footage, but with so many options out there, it can be tough to know which one to choose. In this blog post, we’ve rounded up the top nano drones of 2023, based on customer reviews, expert recommendations, and overall quality. Whether you’re looking for a model that fits in the palm of your hand or one with advanced features, we’ve got you covered.

Drones are very popular right now, both as serious filmmaking tools and as entertaining toys. Miniature flying quadcopters are the best drones for children since they can be flown safely and easily in confined spaces like homes.

One of the greatest advantages of nano drones is their low price. If you happen to break one, no big deal; just go out and buy another one. In the long run, you might want to move up to a bigger drone with a better camera, but these are great for getting started.

Although they are fun to give and receive, there is a major flaw in their design. Many companies have begun producing nano drones due to the low barrier to entry involved in doing so. As a result, certain low-quality manufacturers’ drones begin to break down or become useless. They may lose connection in the middle of a flight, leaving them stranded without a drone or remote. Drones available for a lower price tend to be more chaotic.

That’s why Josh and I took the time to compile this list of the best nano drones. Just because they’re the best doesn’t imply they’re capable of shooting 4K video. They are still low-end toys designed for fun aerial exploration rather than, say, filming the summit of Everest.

Look no farther than our recommended nano drone if you’re looking for a nano a single excellent quadcopter that meets all the criteria we’ve laid out: it’s inexpensive and safe to fly, weighs less than 250 grams, and doesn’t trigger FAA regulations.

Best Nano Drones: Quick Overview

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Syma X12

Our ratings

 4/5

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Eachine E010

Our ratings

 4.4/5

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Cheerson CX-10

Our ratings

 3.6/5

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Holy Stone HS190

Our ratings

 4.4/5

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Hubsan Q4 Nano H111 Quadcopter

Our ratings

 4.4/5

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Sky Viper M500 Nano Drone

Our ratings

 4/5

Best Nano Drone Reviews

1. Syma X12 (My First Nano Drone)

Here is a great nano-sized drone that can perform 360-degree barrel rolls and other remarkable maneuvers: the Sky Viper M500.

It works very well, with great stability and movements that are easy to set up with easy-to-use buttons. The user’s ability to regulate both slow and rapid motion has been enhanced.

Spread-spectrum technology, which is supported by the 2.4 GHz radio, allows for flights to take place with minimal interference. With a 30-minute charge, this gadget can stay aloft for 6–8 minutes. Green, silver, black, and white versions are all available for purchase.

What we like

What we don't like

2. Eachine E010

First of all, nano drones and low-cost quadcopters don’t usually come with propeller guards. This makes the Eachine Trashcan stand out. In and of itself, this makes this one of the safest drones for interior use. Toy drones may not be capable of high speeds, but they can nonetheless move quickly in and out of the living room. In actuality, though, they move slowly enough that a quadcopter protected by something like the Eachine E010 is unlikely to be stolen.

Also, the propeller blades are protected by a spherical prop guard, making them a safe option for use. In fact, they are risk-free enough that a child could use them. Guards have the drones’ propellers locked down, so there’s no risk of injury.

Finally, the design and construction of these items is excellent. To a child’s eye, these drones look slightly more appealing than the alternatives. Plus, you can get them in a wide range of vibrant, trendy hues. A safe, long-lasting, and excellent option, whether you’re buying it for a child or yourself.

What we like

What we don't like

3. Cheerson CX-10

My very first drone was the Cheerson CX 10, and looking back on it, it was also one of the most abused. I had no idea how to pilot a quadcopter when I bought this pocket drone, so I promptly crashed it into every available surface in my home.

In particular, it measures 1.57 x 1.57 x 0.79 inches (4 x 4 x 2 cm) and weighs only 0.32 ounces (11 grams); however, it is not a camera-equipped drone (9 grams).

It has a 6-axis gyro, so it can stay steady in the air, but it lacks GPS or anything else, so you’ll still need to tweak the course occasionally.

Like other drones of a similar size, this one has a limited flight time of only 5 to 7 minutes before it needs to be recharged for another 30 minutes.

I used to have it in two colors, but now you can buy it in four (including pink) on Amazon.

You can afford to buy several of these drones so that you and your friends can all learn to fly together. The fact that it seems virtually invulnerable is its crowning achievement (besides propellers, which tend to break).

What we like

What we don't like

4. Holy Stone HS190

Although small in stature, it conceals considerable strength. Because of its compact size, it can be used on both indoor and outdoor trips.

With its three classic flight modes and six-axis gyroscope, even new pilots will find it much easier to keep the camera steady while filming.

It’s easy to switch between responsive, quick, and stable modes, which can add hours of fun to your flight. Its capacity to conduct a daring rollover in all directions is its best feature.

It takes 60 to 80 minutes to fully charge the battery, but you’ll only be able to use it in the air for 6 to 8 minutes.

What we like

What we don't like

5. Hubsan H111 Quadcopter (best Nano drone with camera)

Given how uncommon nanocopters are, this one stands alone as the only one equipped with a camera.

The inclusion of a camera on a drone of only 2.68 inches (6.8 centimeters) in length is very astounding.
Despite having only 0.3 mega pixels, the phone’s image quality is quite good. And you can get live FPV by linking it to your phone via an app.

It can perform flips and rolls at the touch of a button, go headless, be thrown into the air (which actually looks pretty neat), and light up in a rainbow of hues (LEDs), just like the rest of them.

The controller is reminiscent of the Cheerson CX10, and it can record both still images and moving ones to your mobile device.

What we like

What we don't like

6. Sky Viper M500 Nano Drone

The name of this widely used drone, the Sky Viper M500 Nano, says it all. This micro drone can cover ground quickly and is fun to pilot. It has a great box and a reliable controller, and it can travel up to 60 meters in the air.

It has a length of 2.75 inches (7cm) and can execute flips and barrel rolls with the push of a button.

What we like

What we don't like

Nano Drones Are Great Toys For Kids

Those are the only topics we’ll cover today. There are many nano drones on the market. You can find a small remote-controlled airplane that can fit in a child’s hand by going to an electronics store or even a grocery store.

Because these small planes can’t do much, it’s more important that the parts are good than that they come from a well-known brand. Miniature drones tend to be low-priced models. Please keep a close eye on your purchase and think about getting a LiPo bag for safety, as faulty cables and connectors pose a fire hazard in addition to a motor burning out or not connecting properly. The Apex RC Products Lipo bag from Amazon is only $12, so that’s what I use.

Finally, they are quite entertaining little gadgets. Most children can fly without worry, within the age restrictions. Toys in this category are typically built of cheap materials, are not meant to last, and are extremely difficult to repair. We hope you find these suggestions helpful, and we urge you to stay safe while traveling by air.

Best Nano Drone Buyer's Guide

Size

Several factors are dependent on the quadcopter’s size. Due to their diminutive size, miniature drones are ideal for new pilots just starting out. Drones are meant to be flown by people, so crashing one is an important part of learning how to fly one. Keep in mind that you will be doing the majority of your flying indoors, so keep the size of the drone in mind when shopping for a nano quadcopter.

A further justification for keeping it on the ground is that nano drones aren’t exactly armed to the teeth when it comes to stability or throttle, making them unsuitable for outside operation. If you’re looking for a large and inexpensive drone, you’ll likely end up with something that’s difficult to maneuver and barely has enough power to get off the ground.

So, the smaller the drone, the easier it is to fly indoors. A large nano drone, on the other hand, will give you a drone that can’t fly outside because it’s not powerful enough and can’t fly inside because it’s too big.

You can trust that a nano drone is the right size if it fits in the palm of your hand, but if you’re not sure, err on the side of caution and measure it.

Speed

Each drone is customized to its intended recipient’s speed. You wouldn’t want to buy a kid a drone with a lot of speed. However, if you or another adult you know wants to learn how to fly a drone or perform intricate maneuvers with it to enhance their expertise, a drone with a fast speed will be ideal.

Just keep in mind that even the quickest nano drones will move painfully slowly in the open air, so consider that speed to be relative here. It’s because these drones don’t have enough juice to overcome the wind’s resistance.

There is no point in continuing to fly your drone unless you intend to do so in the wind’s direction. It is not advisable to fly a nano drone outside.

Like most drone parameters, the speed of a nano drone can be adjusted via the controller. That being said, if you buy a fast nano drone and hand it to your kids, they will discover the settings button on the controller, activate high-speed mode, and promptly destroy the device. For this reason, it’s best to get a child a drone that moves slowly and safely. Check out the top-rated Eachine E010, which can travel at high speeds while also providing a secure and reliable flight.

Durability

Durability refers to both the quality of the drone’s construction and its ability to stand up to the effects of time. In most cases, these two things are intertwined.

Toy-grade drones aren’t made to take a lot of abuse, so they usually don’t last very long before they break. The lifespan of these Nano drones is thus quite limited. This also explains why the cost of such drones is so low. For example, if a company makes a Nano drone with a price tag of more than $50 but a high-quality build, it has very little hope of selling many of them. People who are in the market for a toy quadcopter usually have a certain budget in mind.

So, they aren’t made with durable parts because they aren’t meant to last a long time. In addition, the low price indicates that the maker expects you to replace it with a new one quickly after the first one breaks.

Don’t set your hopes too high for the longevity of nano drones. One of our favorite drones, though, is an exception to this rule. Nano drones have nailed most other critical qualities, but durability has proven more difficult.

Controllability

Another major issue with miniature drones is their difficulty to control. Tiny drones don’t even have the space for most of these functions, whereas larger drones come prepackaged with stabilizing gear and a GPS that helps them stay aligned and fly easily.

Finding a small drone that is easy to pilot presents a significant challenge. Due to their diminutive size, even the slightest acceleration can cause most miniature drones to veer off course, making them difficult to control and perform stunts with. When handling a nano drone, you can tell that the designers didn’t put much thought into the controls just by looking at how they’re designed. The controllers typically use plastic construction that is both inexpensive and amateurish in appearance.

Learn how to pilot drones effectively, and the problem will solve itself. Experts recommend starting with one of these nano drones if you’re just getting started with drone flight. So, you have to learn how to control these drones before you can learn how to control any other drone.

Features

In terms of bells and whistles, nano drones don’t offer much. None of them have a camera, gimbal, or altitude hold. If any of these things are added, production will be harder for the business because costs will go up and demand will go down.

To make matters worse, putting all of these features on such a small drone would make it heavy and hard to move, since it would only have a small amount of power. Nano drones are relatively expensive for what they can do, so it’s best to keep your expectations realistic. The average one costs only a twentieth of what a genuine little drone, like the DJI Mavic Mini, would. In other words, for the cost of a single professional drone, you can purchase 20 nano drones.

The lack of features is not necessarily the case. The majority of these drones feature a headless mode, making it the most prevalent.

Price

Following what has been stated, you should not get a drone that costs more than $100. Why? Is there not a greater quality level available? In a nutshell, no, but in a nutshell, yes.

If they reached that grade level, we’d classify them as miniature drones. Nano drones are often mistaken for small drones. They are two different things. Both mini and nano drones can fit in the palm of your outstretched hand. Due to their small size, extra functionality cannot be safely installed on a nano drone. They lack the power to take off and the durability for use in the great outdoors, so they can’t take on any new responsibilities. When you buy a mini drone, you should know that it is likely to crash and be destroyed. As a learning tool, nano drones aren’t supposed to have the latest and greatest features. Mini drones, meanwhile, are loaded with extras.

Best Nano Drone Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Should I buy a Nano or Mini Drone?

We think the best micro drone is the Eachine E010. It’s decided to be designed for learning to fly, and it’s both sturdy and inexpensive, which is unusual for a micro quadcopter.

It’s hard to say what the best mini drone is because it varies depending on what you want. Get the DJI Mavic Mini if you desire the best of the best, but it’s not cheap. Try the Holy Stone HS100 if you’re looking for a drone that just flies well.

Q. Which is Better: a Nano Drone or a Mini Drone?

Flying a nano or mini drone indoors is a breeze, and you can even take the smaller ones outside. Small drones are notoriously hard to fly because they aren’t stable and don’t have other advanced features. This makes them great for training pilots.

Nano drones, which are both affordable and secure, can be used as excellent playthings for kids. Check out the drones we mentioned above, or just get the Eachine E010 as our top option if you’re in a hurry.

Q. Can nano drones be flown outside?

Of course you can; just keep an eye on the local regulations regarding flights and the weather. If your drone weighs more than 0.55 lbs. (or 250 grams), registration is required before you can take it into the air in most countries, and you must adhere to tight regulations while in the air. Most nano drones are under this weight, so they do not need to be registered but must still adhere to all applicable flight regulations.

Our list of nano drones includes none that can exceed 400 feet in altitude, so they won’t be breaking any laws there. This small, underpowered plane will struggle a lot in the wind unless the weather is very calm. It should only be flown when the weather is calm.

Best Nano Drone Final Thoughts

The Nano Drone is a great choice for beginners and those wanting to learn the basics of drone flying. It is easy to fly, very portable, and has a decent battery life for its size. It also comes with a range of features that help make it easier to fly and control, such as altitude hold and headless mode.

The camera on board is good enough to capture some nice aerial shots, although the video quality isn’t as good as more expensive models. Overall, the Nano Drone offers an affordable way to get into drone flying and can be great fun for all skill levels.

Our recommended choice is Syma X12.

Daniel Wisdom

As an associate staff writer, Daniel Wisdom brings a unique perspective to his writing. His interests in games and robotics have given him a deep understanding of technology and its impact on society. In his spare time, he enjoys participating in robotics competitions and exploring new hobbies.