Buying Your First Quadcopter? What To Look Out For...

Only a few years ago, if you thought of ‘remote-controlled vehicles’, you probably imagined toy cars and boats, right? Now, thanks to new and exciting tech innovations, you can ‘get behind the wheel’ (or behind the remote, should we say) of a whole host of unmanned machines - most exciting of all, perhaps, is a drone. By ‘drone’, we don’t mean the type associated with the military; we mean the small and zippy gadgets you see zooming around the skies nowadays. While there are loads of different types of drones, the most popular for recreational use is the humble yet highly sought-after quadcopter. These incredible flying machines have opened up the possibilities of flight to everyday users, small businesses, and content creators all over the world. The quadcopter segment has seen an explosion in growth over the past several years, and these small but powerful drones have really, well, taken off! 

If the thought of flying your very own quadcopter drone has piqued your interest, read on! In this buyer’s guide, we’ll delve into the wonderful world of quadcopters, point out some of the most popular models on the market, and dissect each of the options to help you make the right choice for you. Ready for liftoff? Let’s do it!

Quadcopters are a type of unmanned aerial vehicle. These UAVs fly using the thrust provided by four motors mounted at each corner of the aircraft - that’s where the ‘quad’ in ‘quadcopter’ comes from. You might see them described as drones, quads, multi-rotors or multi-copters. These small aircraft have seen a huge rise in popularity in the last few years, and as the tech built into these drones continues to get more and more advanced, now is the perfect time to jump into the hobby. 

Thanks to the multiple rotor layout, quadcopters are much easier to fly smoothly than traditional remote-controlled helicopters, and the increase in thrust means that some quads can achieve impressive speeds and feats of control like aerial stunts and flying in close quarters. Many quadcopters even make use of some next generation smart technology. Built-in barometers, altimeters and gyroscopes mean that some quads boast features like automatic hovering, obstacle avoidance, and return to home features. Some can pretty much fly themselves. Amazing! 

Why are these mini quadcopters gaining popularity so quickly? Allow us to answer this question with some questions of our own. Have you ever wished you could fly? Have you ever dreamed of soaring through the air, untethered from the ground and free to go where you please? With a drone, you can make this dream come true! Before the advent of quadcopters, the human dream of flight was nothing but a pipe dream, but thanks to companies like DJI, these experiences are now firmly within the reach of everyone.

Due to the explosion of popularity that quadcopters have seen in the last few years, you might be asking yourself what exactly quadcopters are used for. Quadcopters come in a variety of different sizes, styles, and designs. Many quadcopters are simply designed to be fun and fast flyers for recreational pilots; others are optimised for smooth flying, carrying extra weight, or deploying specialised equipment to hard-to-reach places. These drones are now very advanced and often come with high definition cameras built into the fuselage or suspended below the aircraft to capture amazing video or stunning photographs. YouTube is now overrun with footage that was, only a few years ago, exclusive to Hollywood film crews with helicopters and cinema cameras. Drone tech has put these possibilities into the hands of small businesses and content creators all over the world and it’s fair to say that these mini quadcopters are changing the face of filmmaking and photography forever. With a drone and a skilled pilot, a camera can be placed anywhere in 3D space. If you can imagine it, you can film it. With tech like this, it’s easy to see why quadcopter drones are gaining so much popularity! 

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the potential uses of quadcopters, though. Despite the misconceptions of some, who seem keen to characterise quadcopters as nothing but expensive toys, drones continue to see massive growth. The largest segment of drone users are certainly hobbyists - people who are just out to fly their drones for fun and maybe capture some great footage or photos of their local area - but professional use is on the rise too. With their HD cameras, quadcopters are often used by research teams and members of the agricultural community for surveying and mapping, or by the emergency services for site management, suspect tracking, and disaster relief efforts. Even building companies and engineering firms have turned to drones for inspection of bridges, offshore structures, and other large structures. Using quadcopters with cameras lowers the risk involved in sending human operators and often offers a much more comprehensive overview thanks to the high-quality live feeds.

With so much growth in the quadcopter market, there are a lot of companies and products out there that are vying for your attention, and as new models and technologies are constantly being developed, it can be hard to make an informed decision as to what quadcopter is right for you. At time of writing, there’s a whole host of different options available from OnBuy alone, so how can you be sure that you're getting the best quadcopter for you?

Luckily for you, we’re here to help! Our team has sourced six of the best quadcopters on the market today and put them in a handy list below. We’ll go through each option one by one, listing off their features, functions, pros, and cons, to help you find the perfect one for you. So, what are you waiting for? Dive right in! Your airborne adventure awaits...

If you’re looking for a wallet-friendly drone with some of the advanced features that are often seen on more expensive models (such as altitude hold and auto-hover), then the Syma X8HC is a strong choice! With a 2MP onboard camera, removable battery, and a range of 230ft, this drone is a serious contender for a stunning price. The Syma X8HC features an innovative flight setting that allows the quadcopter to remember the orientation in which it took off, meaning no matter the direction the drone is facing while in the air, if you press left on the transmitter, the drone will move left in relation to your point of view. Clever! This feature can really help beginners fly smoothly and dramatically decrease the learning curve for new flyers. 

The Syma X8HC operates on a 2.4Ghz control channel that’s 100x faster than a traditional radio control link, allowing for safe and secure communication with your drone from greater distances. The controller is included and you can attach your smartphone to the transmitter to view the live video feed from your camera, giving you that immersive flight experience. 

Even aerial stunts and tricks are on the menu! Thanks to the 6-axis gyro, this drone is capable of 360-degree rolls on any axis. Back flips, front flips, barrel rolls, and power loops are all possible with this drone! Impress your friends and take the next step towards arial dominance with this great value drone from Syma. 

If you get started in the drone flying hobby, there’s one situation that you’re absolutely going to run into at one time or another… a crash landing! Even the most advanced drones with auto-fly features run the risk of crashing at some point. A lost radio signal, bad weather, or an unexpected obstacle can all bring your drone crashing down. You can sidestep the fear and make crashing less of a problem by purchasing a drone at a low price point. Enter the Syma X8HC.

The Syma X8HG is the upgraded version of the X8HC quadcopter listed above. The X8HG takes many of the positive design choices made in the X8HC and manages to improve on them in almost every way. 

When this drone was released, the quadcopter community was waiting with baited breath! At the time, the options for a budget-friendly drone that could capture quality aerial video and photography was limited to say the least - that is, until this quadcopter hit the shelves! Syma put the power of aerial photography into the hands of the average drone pilot by releasing the X8HG at a seriously competitive price, causing drone fans everywhere to sit up and take notice. It remains a great step up for those who are looking to move on from cheaper models and is an affordable alternative to more premium models listed here.

Like the other Syma multi-rotors, the X8HG is a very stable flyer, making it easy to pilot and a great choice for beginners. The altitude hold feature makes throttle control a breeze and once this feature is activated, you can concentrate on capturing your perfect photo or video without worrying about your camera drone constantly changing altitude. Simply manoeuvre your drone with the roll and pitch controls to keep your subject in frame. 

The camera on this drone is capable of capturing 720p or 1080p videos at 30fps - that’s top-quality performance levels for this price point! Even still photographs can be captured at 8MP. Sure, it’s not quite GoPro quality, but it will certainly get the job done, especially if you’re just getting started in the hobby. The camera is mounted on the drone using a quick release connector and the mounting plate is fixed, so there are no additional camera pointing controls, but there are some rubber dampers fitted to reduce the amount of camera shake transmitted from the motors. Despite its small size, this camera punches well above its weight, providing great colour saturation and sharp images. 

The X8HG provides a solid upgrade over the X8HC with the addition of the 8MP camera and improved flight characteristics. So for those looking to move up to a drone that can capture decent quality images and reliable video without breaking the bank, this drone is one to watch.

The S9 Mini Pocket Drone is priced so competitively that it’s hard not to recommend one to everyone. This drone is incredibly tiny - so small, in fact, that you can fit one in your pocket! You can even fold the arms in towards the body of the drone to make it even smaller. With the arms folded, the S9 is roughly the same size as a deck of cards. But for an aircraft that is so small, it’s packed with a wealth of cool features, ensuring it flies very well indeed. Essentially, it’s the epitome of small but mighty! 

Incredibly user-friendly, the S9 is perfect for first-time flyers. Just like the Syma X8 series mentioned above, the S9 has a headless flight mode, so the drone will always move in the direction relative to the way you are facing. The S9 also has an altitude hold function so that you can concentrate more on flying and less on managing your throttle.

Being such a small aircraft, the S9 mini quadcopter is perfectly suited for flying around indoors. You can even fly multiple S9 drones in close proximity. This is the perfect mini quadcopter for staging drone races around your house. However, because it’s so small and lightweight, it doesn’t fly too well in windy conditions. This isn’t the end of the world, but it’s certainly something to consider when using outside. The S9 mini quadcopter has a built-in camera and smartphone connectivity, so you can get a live video feed sent straight to your phone to get that immersive experience. Awesome! Just remember that the built in camera is only 0.3MP, so don’t expect stunning footage.

Up next on our list is another mini quadcopter, this time from 4DRC. The V8 is a lot like the S9 in terms of flight modes and functionality, however the V8 dispenses with the folding design of the S9. Instead of optimising for portability, the team at 4DRC have fitted some sturdy propeller guards to this quad, massively increasing it’s appeal as an indoor flyer. 

With these propeller ducts, you can fly this mini quadcopter with confidence around all kinds of obstacles. Should you collide with anything, your drone will simply bump off and keep flying, rather than falling out of the sky! Like the S9 though, this is a very light quadcopter, so be careful about flying it outdoors. This drone will really struggle if it gets caught in strong winds. 

Another feature that the V8 has which is missing from the S9 is the 5-axis gesture control. The V8 has five proximity sensors spread across the airframe and with the gesture control mode activated, you can dispense with the controller and simply use your hands to guide the drone around. This is a fun novelty feature on this drone and it’s nice to see that 4DRC are trying to offer something that other manufacturers aren't.

This foldable quadcopter provides all the advantages of a genuine camera drone but at a great price. In the aerial photography segment of the drone market, industry leaders, DJI, dominate with their premium semi-autonomous quadcopters. As good as these drones are, due to their high price tag, quadcopters like these aren’t always within reach of the average flyer. This quadcopter provides almost all of the functionality of a much more expensive drone, but at a price that’s much more affordable for first-time flyers.

The nifty folding design means that this drone can be packed down with ease. It’s so compact, in fact, that you could easily fit this drone and some accessories into a backpack and take it on all your adventures. Use the onboard 720p camera to capture all those memories in stunning HD and amaze your friends when you post your footage to social media. 

Like most drones in this category, you control this quadcopter through a wireless connection to your phone. This is particularly useful for those of you who enjoy using drones outside, as you don’t need to pack an extra controller and can simply use the tech that you have with you (although, there is a controller included if you prefer to fly this way). This phone-based control scheme also allows access to the autonomous flight modes. With this drone offering auto-hover, auto-level and automatic return to home functions, you can find new ways to spice up your footage and gain some confidence before you try your hand at manual flight.

The Mavic Air 2 is the goldilocks drone for this guide. This quadcopter is a true all-rounder and it ticks a lot of boxes for both beginner flyers and seasoned pilots alike. Although it’s the most expensive drone in this line up, it also has the most features and it almost makes its way into the professional drone class. The successor to the Mavic Air from 2018, the Air 2 builds on its predecessor’s user-friendly drone concept but with high-end features. The end result is a smaller, lighter, more affordable drone that’s actually better than its predecessor in some important areas. 

Boasting speeds of up to 42mph in sport mode and a flight time of up to 34 minutes, the Mavic Air 2 provides a lot of airtime for your money. Thanks to its powerful motors, the Air 2 is capable of some serious flying! The upgraded receiver over the Air 1 means that the Air 2 supports OcuSync 2.0, which allows the drone to switch between 2.4 and 5.8GHz frequencies when required to provide a stronger link between the drone and the controller. You can fly up to an impressive 10km with this technology!

With obstacle sensors on the bottom of the drone, as well as a downward facing spotlight, this drone can take off and land autonomously and automatically avoid obstacles in the air. With these features alongside the auto-hover, altitude hold, and return to home modes, this drone can practically fly itself should you require it. 

All these features are backed up with a stunning camera capable of true 4k video and 48MP high resolution stills. You can even shoot slow motion video at 240fps - impressive! Drones in this category aren’t just for hobbyist flyers, the Mavic Air 2 could also make a great companion for professional photographers and videographers, too. 

With the release of the Air 2, DJI has brought a quadcopter to market that’s sure to dominate the sector. This spectacular quadcopter has huge appeal thanks to its impressive flight modes, smart features, amazing photo and video functionality, and upgraded design and motors. This drone is a pleasure to fly and operate, and it might just be the best DJI drone to date!

The quadcopter market is constantly growing and changing as new technologies are being developed, so it’s an exciting time to give the drone flying hobby a try! Yes, whether you’re a fledgling flyer or a professional pilot, there’s an endless list of accessible, affordable, and totally awesome models out there to tempt you. Nothing in this guide striking your fancy? You can browse our entire selection of quadcopters here. 

If this buyer’s guide has piqued your interest, there’s a wealth of information available right here at OnBuy. First-time flyer? Check out our ultimate guide to buying a drone to find all the information you need to get started! Looking for something for the littluns? Our guide to choosing the best flying toys for kids has got you covered! If you’ve already picked out a quadcopter and are looking for new ways to use it, take a look at our blog resources. Jam-packed with an array of ideas and information, from a list of the fun things you didn’t know you could do with drones to all the do's and don'ts of flying, we’ve got everything you need to take your drone flying fun to new heights!

Please note: the information in this blog is correct at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.