Top 10 Quadcopter Drones 2018

Reading a list of Top 10 Quadcopter Drones 2018 can be a great help if you’re not sure what you are looking for. There are so many different quadcopter drones available to buy, if you’re not an expert then it’s hard to know where to start. We’re not looking today at professional quality high cost drones but at more affordable machines that can be flown even by a beginner.

Our Top 10 Quadcopter Drones 2018 give a variety of small drones that cover most budgets and can give a great deal of enjoyment for any flyer. We’ve looked a 3 things that you need to take into consideration when reviewing a quadcopter. In our top choice the DBPOWER UDI U818A Wi-Fi FPV Quadcopter Drone Headless Mode with HD Camera with Battery-video we think it can cover most of what people want in a quadcopter for a good price.

3 Considerations for choosing the Top 10 Quadcopter Drones 2018

#1 – Do you want an on board camera

One of the first questions you need to ask yourself is do you want to take aerial photographs or videos with your quadcopter drone? Some drones don’t have any camera on board, especially the mini drones. Some have cameras on board but they don’t have a memory card as they are linked to your phone with an app and the footage is stored on your phone. The last option is a camera on board and a memory card but it isn’t controlled by your phone.

#2 – Where do you want to fly it

The next thing you need to think about is where you want to fly your drone. If you want a camera for aerial video then you’ll be wanting to fly it outside, size and stability can help how it handles outside but the duration of flying time is also a consideration when looking at the distance you might want to fly.

A lot of people want to buy a quadcopter drone for their children but don’t want them chasing after it outside. If you prefer to have a drone that can be flown indoors then you will need something small that won’t cause damage and can manoeuvre in small spaces. This is a great option for beginners while they are learning the controls.

#3 – How much do you want to spend

The money you want to spend can be the deciding factor on the other 2 areas that you have to decide upon. Indoor mini quadcopter drones are more affordable, which is important if you are buying them for kids or if you’re just learning. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money they might be the majority of drones available. There are camera carrying drones in the cheaper range but the price goes up the more options available. We’ve covered different price ranges here so you can see what you can get for your money.

Don’t forget to check out no 1 product DBPOWER UDI U818A Wi-Fi FPV Quadcopter Drone Headless Mode with HD Camera with Battery-video we think it can offer a bit of everything that you might want in a quadcopter.

Top 10 Quadcopter Drones 2018

#1 DBPOWER UDI U818A Wi-Fi FPV Quadcopter Drone Headless Mode with HD Camera with Battery-video

The DBPOWER UDI U818A is a quadcopter drone with an on board camera. It is a bestseller on Amazon.com but it does come in over $100 so not the cheapest option. The drone is made from durable materials and is designed with a reinforced frame which makes it tough and able to withstand impacts because it is more flexible.

The drone is controlled with a wifi remote control and the camera is controlled via an app which is downloaded onto your smartphone. You can attach your phone to the remote control so that you can see the aerial view as you fly. At the touch of a button on your phone you can take a photo or start a video recording. You can set the video to 720p quality via the app.

This drone is for flying outside, but you need to be aware of the wind conditions because it’s light and can be picked up by the wind. The flying time is between 6-10 minutes, this will depend on whether you use the camera while in flight. You have a flight range of 50 to 80 meters and a video range of 30 meters. There is an alarm to let you know when you’re battery is running low to you can bring the drone home in time. There is a spare battery included so that you can have double the fun.

This quadcopter has ultra responsive motors so it only requires small movements on the remote control levers to move it. It has a one button take off and land, an altitude hold option which is great when videoing or taking photos. It also has headless mode, useful for beginners and once you get the hang of it you can do 360 flips. This is advertised for 14 years and upwards and is a great all round choice.

Read our full review of the DBPOWER UDI U818A Wi-Fi FPV Quadcopter Drone Headless Mode with HD Camera with Battery-video

Buy the DBPOWER UDI U818A Wi-Fi FPV Quadcopter Drone Headless Mode with HD Camera with Battery-video at Amazon.com

#2 Cheerwing Syma X5SW 4 Channel Remote Controlled Quadcopter with HD Camera

The Cheerwing Syma X5SW is another quadcopter drone with a camera included. This is a cheaper drone coming in at under $50 so making it more affordable. The 4 propellers have guards to protect them from collisions. It’s made from hard plastic and has a small amount of assembly to install the landing legs and the guards, screws and screwdriver supplied.

There is an easy to use remote control which also has a holder for your smartphone so you can use the FPV for flying. There is an app to download on your phone to control the photographs and the video footage.

At 12 x 12 inches it can be flown inside but it’s not ideal unless you have a lot of space. When flying outside you need to be aware of wind conditions as stronger winds will mean you losing control. The flying time is around 5-7 minutes and you have a control range of around 50 metres.

This offers headless mode so if you lose sight of where the front of the quadcopter is you can switch on and the front will always be in front of you so you can easily return home. This is helpful for beginners who have problems with the orientation of the drone. You also have the option on this drone to do 360 degree flips. You can buy spare batteries if you want the option for longer flying times. This is a good choice if you don’t want to spend too much while learning.

Read our full review of the Cheerwing Syma X5SW 4 Channel Remote Controlled Quadcopter with HD Camera

Buy the Cheerwing Syma X5SW 4 Channel Remote Controlled Quadcopter with HD Camera at Amazon.com

#3 EACHINE E012 Mini UFO Quadcopter Drone

The EACHINE E012 Mini is a very small drone with no camera included. The size of this drone is 2.5 x 2.5 inches which is perfect for indoor flying. The body of the drone is made from strong and flexible plastic with inbuilt blade protection. The weight is only 15g with the battery installed so it can be flown outdoors but any wind could take it away with it being so light.

This mini drone is priced under $30 which makes it a great gift for children if they want to learn to fly a drone.

The remote control is very simple without too many buttons and pairing it with the quadcopter is as simple as lifting the left controller up then down, you should hear a beep to let you know it has successfully paired.

The flying time on this drone is around 5 minutes, this is depending on if you do lots of flips or just straight flying. The range is around 30 meters.

The 6-axis gyro means there is good stability when flying and there is the option of 3 speeds so you can build up as you become more experienced.

There is a return to home button for quick return and there are led lights which help with visibility and to identify the front and back of the drone. Once you know how to get it in the air you can do 360 flips too.

With this being light it makes it relatively safe to fly indoors and although you might find yourself scrabbling around the furniture to retrieve it, it is not as difficult as climbing a tree and much safer for youngsters.

Read our full review of the EACHINE E012 Mini UFO Quadcopter Drone

Buy the EACHINE E012 Mini UFO Quadcopter Drone at Amazon.com

#4 DBPOWER MJX X400W FPV Drone with Wi-Fi Camera-video

The DBPOWER MJX X400W is a quadcopter drone with a camera included. It’s made of sturdy plastic with guards to protect the blades and steady landing legs for easy take off and landing.

The size of this quadcopter is just less than 12 x 12 inches. It can be flown indoors but it’s better flown outdoors. The drone is wifi controlled and the camera is used via an app which can be downloaded onto a smartphone. The phone is attached to the radio control so that you can use the FPV video to control where you fly. It’s easy to take photographs or start videos with the touch of a button on your app and you can send it directly to social media to share with your friends.

This drone comes in under $70 so middle of the range. The flying time is around 8-9 minutes and the flying range is about 100 meters which is a good range.

The controls offer headless mode which takes the need to be aware of orientation out of the mix if you’re just learning. There is also a one button return so that you can bring your drone back automatically. Once you have the hang of the controls you can do a bit of stunt flying by doing 360 degree flips and rolls. Being able to record birds eye views are great if you want to video a special occasion. You can adjust the speed once you are a bit more experienced as there are 2 speed modes.

Read our full review of the DBPOWER MJX X400W FPV Drone with Wi-Fi Camera-video

Buy the DBPOWER MJX X400W FPV Drone with Wi-Fi Camera-video at Amazon.com

#5 Holy Stone HS170 Predator Mini RC Helicopter Drone

The Holy Stone HS170 Predator is a mini quadcopter drone without a camera. It’s a small drone of just over 5 x 5 inches so can be flown indoors and out although you will need to be careful of wind conditions. The Predator has blade guards to protect them and a 6-axis gyro stabilization to help keep it level and stable when flying.

The price comes in at under $40 so affordable for beginners. The drone uses a simple transmitter unit and if you calibrate the gyro by pulling the sticks towards you then to the left until the beeping stops you should have a steady flight.

You get 6-8 minutes of flying time and a range of 30 – 50 meters and it does offer some wind resistance when flying outside. Like most of these beginner drones there is the option of headless mode which helps in flying until you understand the basics. You can do 360 degree flips once you understand the controls and there are 3 speed modes so you can start off slow and then speed up with practice. The drone has colorful led lights which help you to identify the front and back when flying and it also makes it easy to see in the night time. Although only one battery is included you can buy spares to give you more continuous flying time.

Read our full review of the Holy Stone HS170 Predator Mini RC Helicopter Drone

Buy the Holy Stone HS170 Predator Mini RC Helicopter Drone at Amazon.com

#6 Holy Stone F181C RC Quadcopter Drone

The Holy Stone F181C is a quadcopter drone with a camera installed, the difference with this drone is that it is not controlled via an app on your phone. This drone is 12.2 x 12.2 inches in size so although you could fly it indoors where you would need a lot of room it’s more for flying outside. It comes with blade guards for protection and has wide landing legs for stability when taking off and landing.

This drone comes in just under $100 so not the cheapest of options but does take away the need for a phone. The camera onboard is HD and is controlled with buttons on the remote control. Because you don’t have a phone to record onto you have a memory card installed which will store all of the photographs and videos.

There is a flying time of 7-10 minutes and this drone comes with a spare battery for double flying time. You also have a range of 50-100 meters.

The drone offers a few functions to enhance you flying experience, there is headless mode and one key return which is helpful for newbies. There is also one key take off and landing so it’s easy to get started flying.

You have the option of 4 speeds so you can get faster as you get better at controlling the drone, and there is an altitude hold function which is great when you want to get videos or photographs.

You can do 360 degree flips and rolls when you want to show off to your family and there are led lights for easy identification when it’s dark although you can turn them off to save battery life if not required. Extra money buys you extra functions.

Read our full review of the Holy Stone F181C RC Quadcopter Drone

Buy the Holy Stone F181C RC Quadcopter Drone at Amazon.com

#7 Force1 U45W Blue Jay Wi-Fi FPV Drone

The Force1 U45W Blue Jay is a quadcopter drone with a camera installed underneath. Its a black drone with bright blue and black propellers which help identify the front and back of the drone. There are guards to protect the blades and it has high landing gear to protect the camera and give stability when landing and taking off.

The drone is 14.17 x 14.17 inches in size so getting a bit large for inside use but a good size for outdoors.

The quadcopter is just under $100 so not the cheapest out there but it does offer different features to make flying easier.

The video is controlled via an app on your smartphone which you can use to fly FPV as if you were in the drone yourself. The video quality is 720p and the video and photograph footage can be stored on a 4gb micro scandisk card using the phone.

The flight time that you can get with this drone is 7-8 minutes but it comes with 2 batteries so you can have a longer flying time. The flying range is around 320 feet which is about average for this size of quadcopter.

To make flying easier you have a 1 key take off and land, headless mode which you can use till you figure out how to recognise the orientation when flying and you also get altitude hold which lets you hover in place so very helpful when taking photographs or videos. You can sync the controls to your phone so you can fly with just that and you have the option to draw a custom route on your phone screen and the drone will follow it.

Read our full review of the Force1 U45W Blue Jay Wi-Fi FPV Drone

Buy the Force1 U45W Blue Jay Wi-Fi FPV Drone at Amazon.com

#8 TOYK Drone – 2.4Ghz 6-Axis Gyro 4 Channel Quadcopter

The TOYK Drone is mini quadcopter suitable for flying indoors and it doesn’t have a camera. You can fly these drones outside and they do have some wind resistance but you have to be aware that their small size makes them liable to be picked up by the wind easily.

The drone has a great looking blue bullet shaped body and the blades come with guards to protect it from collisions.

The flying time offered with this drone is 6-8 minutes depending how many acrobatic manoeuvres you do and you can fly it between 30-50 meters. It comes with 2 batteries so you can have double flight time.

The white handset control unit is easy to use, to calibrate the gyros before first flight make sure the drone is on a level surface, move both levers towards you and to the right. You then have the options to use the one button take off and land, headless mode, one key return which is great if you feel you have lost control and you also have a one key emergency stop which will just turn the motors off and it should fall to the ground.

There are 3 speed options so you can start slow if you’re a beginner and you can do 360 flips at the touch of a button. If you like to fly in the dark there are led lights so that you can identify the front and back of the drone. This is a great mini drone for beginners.

Read our full review of the TOYK Drone – 2.4Ghz 6-Axis Gyro 4 Channel Quadcopter

Buy the TOYK Drone – 2.4Ghz 6-Axis Gyro 4 Channel Quadcopter  at Amazon.com

#9 TOZO Q1012 X8tw Drone RC Quadcopter

The TOZO Q1012 is a folding drone which makes it easy to transport around with you and it has an onboard camera. The open size is approximately 13.5 x 12.5 inches and the folded size is 4.8 x 3.7 inches. The drone is wifi controlled using a transmitter with a phone controlling the camera via an app or you can transfer controls over to your phone and fly it with that.

At a price just under $60 it is mid range but the fact that you can easily fold and transport it is a definite advantage over other drones.

You can fly this drone for 8-10 minutes on one battery charge but if you want more flying time you will need to buy some extra batteries which are available on Amazon.com. You also get a flying range of 80 -100 meters.

There is a one key take off and land, headless mode and altitude hold when you release the throttle stick which is great for taking photos or HD videos of the area. You have 3 speed levels so you can work up to fast speed as you become better at controlling the drone. There is also an emergency stop if you find yourself losing control. There are bright led lights which can help with identifying the front and back of the drone when flying and look good at night. If you like to get out and about and want to take your drone with you this would be a perfect choice.

Read our full review of the TOZO Q1012 X8tw Drone RC Quadcopter

Buy the TOZO Q1012 X8tw Drone RC Quadcopter at Amazon.com

#10 JJRC H36 Mini 2.4G 4CH 6Axis Gyro Headless Drone

The JJRC H36 is a mini drone which doesn’t have a camera installed. It’s a great choice if you want to learn how to fly a drone or have kids who want a drone for flying indoors. This drone is only 3.7 x 3.7 inches and the design gives built in propeller guards and the flexible material means you can have collisions without damage. This is a very light drone so if you fly it outside you need to make sure there is very little wind.

The price of this drone is under $25 which makes it a cheap option when you are just starting out learning how to fly a quadcopter.

You get a flying time of around 5 minutes but with only 1 battery included it might be more fun if you buy some spares. These packs are available on Amazon.com.

The transmitter has few buttons to learn and offers headless mode for learners having trouble with orientation and a return button if you lose control. It has 2 speeds so you can start off slow while learning the controls and speed up later. You have the option to do 360 flips and the drone has led lights which help with visibility. This is a great beginner drone.

Read our full review of the JJRC H36 Mini 2.4G 4CH 6Axis Gyro Headless Drone

Buy the JJRC H36 Mini 2.4G 4CH 6Axis Gyro Headless Drone at Amazon.com

Verdict

If you’re looking for a quadcopter drone for you or your children and you find it all too confusing then why not check out our no1 choice first. The DBPOWER UDI U818A gives you plenty of features including a camera but doesn’t break the bank.

If you’re not bothered about a camera then there are some options you can check out above and there are some cheaper drones with cameras if you want to keep the price down. Whatever you need in your quadcopter drone we hope we have covered in our Top 10 Quadcopter Drones 2018 listed above.

If you want to buy the DBPOWER UDI U818A Wi-Fi FPV Quadcopter Drone Headless Mode with HD Camera with Battery-video go to Amazon.com where you can also checkout customer reviews.