When looking for a unique drone flying experience flying mini/micro FPV drones would be a great choice. However, not all of the mini drones provide equal great FPV experience. Some can lack stability, while others have poor video quality or limited range.
Hello everyone! My name is Lavelle and I am a licensed drone pilot and a long-time drone enthusiast. Over the past decade or so, I have flown my drones across the United States for both professional and recreational purposes. During that time, I also tested and used mini FPV drones.
In this article, I will go over some of the things you should consider when looking for mini drones. I will also share with you my list of the best mini/micro FPV drones that I’ve come across.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- Look for features such as camera quality, FPV goggles, long battery life, and durability when considering the best mini/micro FPV drones.
- Additional features like altitude hold, multiple speed modes, and headless mode make the drone more stable in the air and much easier to control.
- Remember that mini/micro drones are much lighter than other drones and are more susceptible to heavy winds and wind gusts.
Mini drones are usually bigger and more powerful than micro drones. Mini-drones are also more suited for outdoor use than micro-drones, even though there are some micro-drones that are suitable for outdoor use.
How small can a drone be?
The smallest commercially available drone is 1.5 inches wide and is known as a Nano drone. This is the tiniest drone made for sale in the drone industry.
How much is a micro drone?
You can find micro drones for as little as $20 and the price goes up from there. The price of the drone typically depends on the features found on the drone.
What to Look for in a Mini/Micro FPV Drone
Camera Quality: FPV mini/micro drones typically have front-facing cameras that give you a first-person view. However, it is important to note that not all cameras are made of equal quality. To enhance your flying experience, you want to look for a camera with high-quality resolution. I suggest looking for at least 720p resolution, anything less will produce a low-quality experience.
FPV Goggles: FPV goggles enhance your flying experience by putting you front and center when flying, giving you a bird’s eye view from the drone’s perspective. It is important to note that not all FPV mini/micro drones come with goggles. In many cases, you have to purchase them separately.
Battery Life: One thing that is certain is that you’re not going to get hours and hours of flight time on any drone battery. This fact is even more emphasized with mini/micro drones since they are much smaller and hold a lower single charge on their batteries. It is important to consider FPV mini/micro drones that give you the longest amount of flight time on a single charge so that you can enjoy as much airtime as possible.
Durability: One of the most important factors for drones in this category is durability. Since these drones are flown indoors and outdoors and they usually don’t have a GPS, they are more likely to crash. You should look for drones in this category that are designed to withstand normal impacts.
The 5 Best Mini/Micro FPV Drones
Below is my list of the best picks, along with quick reviews on each of them.
1. SIMREX X500 Mini Drone (Best Overall)
- Camera Quality: 720p
- FPV Goggles Option: Yes; goggles are included
- Battery Life: 12-minutes
- Weight: 13.4 ounces
My top choice for an FPV mini/micro drone is the Simrex X500 Mini drone. This remarkable mini drone is made of high quality and is very affordable. It’s a great option for kids and beginner-level users and is easy to travel with. It is also easily controlled by both Android and iOS devices.
Some of the things that I like about this drone are the quality 720p resolution camera with its wide angle lens. This camera produces some nice pics and takes good quality video footage. I also like the advanced features of this drone such as the one-key return, headless mode, and altitude hold feature.
The battery life of this mini is remarkable, giving you approximately 12 minutes of airtime which is above the industry average for this category. Its 13.4-ounce size is also heavy enough to keep it stable in the air and light enough to enjoy the experience of a mini drone.
The drawback of this drone is that the propeller guards are not that durable. Upon impact, they crack or fall off easily. While the drone itself seems fairly durable, the accessories are not.
My Verdict: This is the best overall choice for a PFV mini/micro drone. It gives you a good quality camera, a nice design, good flight time, and some nice intelligent features.
2. OKYUK Mini FPV Drone (Best Camera)
- Camera Quality: 1080p
- FPV Goggles Option: Yes; goggles are not included
- Battery Life: 8-minutes
- Weight: 14.6 ounces
The next choice on my list is the OKYUK Mini FPV drone. This mini drone is easy to use, has an exceptional camera system, and also has an obstacle avoidance system. It gives you excellent flight time as well and is quite durable.
I’m impressed with the overall features of this drone. Firstly, the camera quality at 1080p is outstanding. You get clear images and stable video footage from this drone. The 3-directional obstacle avoidance system is also an impressive feature that keeps the drone from crashing in most instances.
I also like that the FPV goggles are included with this drone and it has a good amount of advanced features including the headless mode, gravity control function, altitude hold mode, and gesture mode.
My only concern with this drone is that it has an 8-minute flight time which is known to decrease when shooting video while flying. The video system drains the battery quicker and lessens the flight time to about 6 minutes.
My Verdict: This is a solid second choice to consider. The features are nice on this drone and it is a durable design. If camera quality is your priority, this is the best option from my list. It also has a nice 100-meter transmission range.
3. DEERC D20 Mini Drone (Best Safety Features)
- Camera Quality: 720p
- FPV Goggles Option: No
- Battery Life: 10-minutes
- Weight: 2.4 ounces
Next up on my list is the DEERC D20 Mini drone. Actually, at 2.4 ounces, this drone can be considered a micro drone.
It has a good quality 720p camera resolution and a respectable 10 minutes of flight time. It does not have the FPV goggle option.
This model comes with some impressive features that include a high-definition camera, gesture mode, tap-fly mode, 3D flip mode, headless mode, and an emergency stop feature. With 10 minutes of flight time, you do get a good amount of airtime with this drone.
My biggest concerns with this drone are the lengthy 80-minute charging time and the fact that it drifts in the air even while in the altitude hold mode. It doesn’t seem that stable in the air and it makes the image and video quality suffer a bit as a result.
My Verdict: This is a good option for a micro drone and it has some nice features that give you the opportunity to have some fun with this drone. It has a decent camera system and the battery life is also decent on it.
4. Cheerwing U61S Mini Drone (Best Intelligent Features)
- Camera Quality: 720p
- FPV Goggles Option: No
- Battery Life: 8-minutes
- Weight: 14.3 ounces
The next choice on my list is the Cheerwing U61S Mini drone. This mini drone has a nice camera system and some excellent intelligent features. It is a fairly durable drone and is quite affordable.
The camera resolution is good, giving you 720p quality. It has a wide-angle lens that gives you some nice landscape-style images.
The drone has some excellent intelligent features that include voice and gesture control, headless mode, one-tap launch, and landing, altitude hold, and 3-speed options. It also has a low-battery alarm and an out-of-range alarm.
My concern with this drone is the lack of the FPV goggle option. I am also concerned with the battery life which is known to drop to about 5 minutes when shooting extended video footage.
My Verdict: This is a good choice for kids and new drone users. It has a good camera system and offers some fun features to enjoy your flying time.
5. Cheerson CX10 (Best Durability)
- Camera Quality: N/A
- FPV Goggles Option: No
- Battery Life: 6-minutes
- Weight: 3.2 ounces
The last drone on my list is the Cheerson CX10. This is a nice option for beginner-level drone users and especially for younger children. While the features are limited, it is a nice, low-cost entry into the drone world.
The best thing about this drone is its durability. It has a 6-axis design that makes the gyroscope adjustable and gives it extremely stable flight control.
It also has a low voltage alarm which is important since it only has about 6 minutes of airtime. It is lightweight, weighing only 3.2 ounces, and is really a micro drone even though it is listed as a mini drone.
My concern with this drone is that the 6 minutes flight time is probably closer to 4 minutes and there is no camera on the drone. It does come with 3-speed modes and has some nice LED lights on the drone.
My Verdict: This is a good choice for younger children and is very affordable. It does give you some decent features and is a good way to introduce children to drones for both indoor and outdoor use.
Final Thoughts
FPV mini/micro drones give users a unique flying experience. You really get more of a virtual experience feeling when flying these types of drones. If you are just curious about drones or want to experience flying drones to gauge your interests, I recommend going the mini/micro route to get started.
The drones I’ve listed here are some of the best mini/micro drones. But you also you’ll find other brands in the market, such as Syma or 4DV2 that also offer good FPV experience.
Have you flown mini/micro FPV drones? Share your comments with us below and ask any questions that you might have. I will respond to you as soon as possible.
Until next time, stay safe and happy flying!
