Every kid has a drone on their wish list. But what are the best drones for kids? That depends on their age and how they plan on using them. Drones have some really cool features — cameras, GPS trackers, remote controllers — but not all are easy to use for kids of all ages.

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Best outdoor Drone for kids : Snaptain A15H Foldable FPV WiFi Drone

Best Drone for Tweens Age 8-12 : Zing Go Go Bird

Best-Reviewed Drone : Snaptain S5C WiFi FPV Drone with 720P HD Camera

Best drone with a remote : SANROCK U52 Drone with 1080P HD Camera

Best Drone for Beginners : SANROCK H818 Drone for Kids

Best Drone for Young Kids : Exfunny UFO Drone

Best Drone with a camera under $500 : DJI Mavic Mini Drone FlyCam Quadcopter UAV with 3-Axis Gimbal GPS 30min Flight Time

Best Drone for Teenagers : Holy Stone 2K GPS FPV RC Drone

Best mini drone for kids : RC Mini Drone with LED Lights

Best quadcopter Drone for Kids : SANROCK U61W Mini RC Quadcopter

There are drones for just about every age, from toddlers to adults (even seniors enjoy flying them!). But there are certain features to look for — and to avoid — depending on the age of the kid you're shopping for.

If you're buying for younger kids, it's important to consider the drone's ease of use. Many come with intuitive remote controllers that can be effortlessly mastered by kids of all ages. Some drones are completely sensor-reliant, so you don't need a remote at all (one less thing to lose!). Also important for young flyers is that drone propellers are covered — not just for finger protection, but also to protect the drone from the inevitable crash landing.

If you're buying for older kids and teens, you probably don't want to spend a lot of money on a drone that could easily break or get lost. The good news is there are plenty of affordable, durable drones with features that automatically return the drone home when the battery is low or it's veering out of range (like Holy Stone 2K GPS FPV RC Drone). You can also buy drones that have foldable propellers for safe storage in cluttered rooms. While some drones come with rechargeable batteries, USB charging is a handy feature that's simple for kids and teens who are already used to plugging in their iPads and Nintendo Switches.

If you're new to the drone world, look for features that make your drone easy to fly and difficult to lose and break (like SANROCK H818 Drone for Kids). One-button launch-and-land and altitude hold functions will keep your drone from going astray. Some higher-end drones come with a built-in Trajectory Flight feature that allows you to draw your drone's flight path on your smartphone or tablet, meaning you won't need to struggle to maintain control of your drone during its flight. Also, drones with multiple speeds allow beginners to start slow and gradually increase their speed as they get more comfortable flying.

See more of our best product recommendations.

Best outdoor Drone for kids

120-degree Wide-Angle 720P HD Camera and Voice Control

This camera drone can do everything. It shoots high-definition photos and video, flips 360 degrees, holds its altitude, and more – all with voice commands. The drone's multiple speeds and gravity sensor mode that follows the movement of your smart phone makes it ideal for all skill levels. Plus, if you have VR glasses, you can use the included free app to "fly" with your drone, experiencing the adventure safely from the ground.

Promising review: "This drone has various functions which makes you feel unimaginable enjoyment: Gravity sensor mode, 360° flip and roll, headless mode, one-button start/landing/return, stop, 3rd speed mode adjustment. What makes me shocked is that its wide-angle 720P HD camera gives you an immersive experience, as well as a 120° wide-angle camera, which is very interesting and can record good moments. It comes with two detachable batteries, which makes the drone fly longer. It is great. What also surprised me is that the battery is built into the module and not exposed like the other batteries, which makes installation and charging safe. I highly recommend SNAPTAIN A15 Foldable Drone. Once you have it, you will not put it away."

Best Drone with a camera under $500

Suggested age: Teens and older

12MP aerial photos and 2.7K HD videos

30-min flight time with superior camera stability

DJI Mavic drones are some of the best-reviewed on Amazon. This one is pricey compared to some of the other drones on this list, but affordable for a higher-end camera drone (most run upwards of $2,000). With a 12 mega pixel camera that shoots 2.7K HD videos, you can create professional-looking cinema with just a few clicks on your phone. And speaking of phone, the Mavic Mini is as lightweight as the average smartphone, which allows it to stay in the air longer. For kids under 14, this one should be operated with an adult, but teens should be just fine navigating this easy-to-use flyer.

Promising review: "Almost a month of intense everyday flying and my mind is blown. It has very similar technology to the Mavic Air, which is almost double the price. Extremely stable drone and 3-axis gimbal. All your expectations from a DJI drone will be matched in a compact tiny 449g body. Perfect for travel cinematography and photography and really anything else you want to do. Personally, the photo quality seem to outmatch the Mavic Air, and the video quality is just amazing. No need to register with the FAA, which is one of the primary goals that DJI wanted to achieve. It's not a toy in any aspect, although it may look like one compared to other DJI drones... I never flew a DJI drone before the Mavic Mini and it did not take long for me to fall in love with flying drones and achieving cinematic footage."

Best Drone for Tweens Age 8-12

Flaps wings and changes directions to avoid obstacles (like a real bird!)

The Go Go Bird drone not only looks like a bird, it acts like one, too! It flaps its wings and uses obstacle recognition to guide it away from walls and other obstructions. It will even turn around on its own to avoid a collision! It flies up to 200 feet and, thanks to its seven LED color lights, can fly at night. The bird uses two rechargeable batteries that charge in just 20 minutes. It even comes with a display stand, because it's too pretty to store away in a box!

Promising review: "This is an absolute fun [drone] for kids and parents. But make sure you are in an area with a huge open space!"

HD Camera and Wide-Angle Live Video

With more than 7,000 5-star reviews, this Amazon best-selling drone is more affordable than we ever expected. With easy-to-use voice control, you can command your flyer to hover, flip, take off, and land. The high definition camera shoots quality photos and video, and the high transmission WiFi signal allows you to upload your media directly — and instantaneously— to your smart phone (perfect for the Instagram addict). The Trajectory Flight function lets you draw your drone's flight path on your cellphone or tablet, and propeller guards keep fingers safe from harm.

Promising review: "This new, larger Snaptain drone is pretty amazing. [My 9-year-old son] was able to master it pretty quickly, as well. He loves that it will do flips. I like that the build quality seems to be pretty good and that the materials are lightweight yet durable enough that you don't really need to worry about rough landings. Having the phone clip on the controller is a cool feature and he likes hooking his (wifi-only) phone to it and flying it around the yard. The phone app is really nice because is lets you see your photos and videos without having to take the card out of the drone and put it in a computer. Battery life is around 8-10 minutes per pack, which is plenty for a drone like this, especially given how inexpensively you can purchase additional batteries. Overall, it's a cool-looking drone that he really has fun with and I think was an excellent value."

Captures high-quality video and aerial photos

Teens will love this mid-level drone for its simple controls, powerful engine, and built-in, wide-angle HD camera (ideal for selfies). Parents will love it because it's hard to lose — the Return To Home feature senses when its battery is low or its signal is weak, and changes its course to return to the user. The Follow Me feature automatically follows you, capturing your adventure and staying within range. The blades are foldable for easy storage (and protection from messy rooms).

Promising review: "Absolutely incredible product! I fell in love with Holy Stone products after purchasing the HS160 Shadow drone a few months back and experiencing the incredible customer service. This drone just arrived this morning and I was already able to get it up for the first test flight. Calibration takes a minute or two to learn to do properly - just follow the directions on the app and user manual. I was very pleasantly surprised at how nice the video and photos came out and how steady this remained even in beginner mode with GPS. I purchased this as I wanted something I could utilize for higher quality aerial photos at an increased distance and this does it all. Easily comparable to a DJI Phantom line that I've had the privilege of experiencing, but this one provides a huge bang for the buck!"

Best mini drone for kids

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The glowing LED strobe lights on this mini drone are enough to make it a hit with kids of all ages. Offering two speeds for varying skill levels (beginners are encouraged to use the low speed until they get the hang of flying), this drone can flip and roll 360 degrees with the flick of a remote control. And with one key to launch and land, it's easy to fly and almost impossible to lose.

Promising review: "I have been having a blast with this since yesterday. It's awesome and fun. It has three speeds... so that you can get increase speed as you learn how to fly it better. It has an auto take off / and auto landing button which is very nice. I have crashed it a couple times and it is perfectly fine. Highly recommend. I am probably going to buy another for a gift."

Best quadcopter Drone for Kids

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Propellers are wrapped up by four protective frames

Quadcopter drones make hovering a breeze, which is important when you're shooting photos and videos. The high-definition camera on this quad drone has an adjustable, 90-degree wide-angle setting for striking arial landscape shots. This model is recommended for kids over 14, but with four protective frames encasing the propellers to keep fingers safe, younger kids can operate with an adult as well.

Promising review: "My whole family was so excited when this arrived, as we've had some simple hand operated "drones" but this is the first one we can actually drive using a remote control. The camera feature is amazing, it's been excellent in helping me teach my kids about the concept of "perception" and how the exact same place can look very different depending on where you're viewing it from. As our first drone, this was very easy to use with simple instructions. Once we got the hang of the steering controls, we could work it just as well as any of our other RC toys. My favorite feature is being able to set a height lock so it can be flown indoors without crashing up to the second story foyer or into the chandler."

Best indoor drone for kids

Perform tricks and program your own flight

Compatible programming app for coders

Record pro-level photos and videos

This small, lightweight drone can be flown indoors or outdoors, but reviewers claim it works better inside where there is no wind. With a five megapixel camera that shoots HD720 videos, the photo quality is professional-level. For kids and adults who like to code, the Tello mobile app allows you to command your drone by dragging coding blocks to program its flight. Avid programmers can even develop games and challenges for their drone!

Promising review: "The drone was smaller than I was expecting. However, the camera takes clear pictures and clear video. The boost pack comes in handy for extra fly time. I bought this for my teenager to use. It was so easy to handle and fly that I bought a second one for my 9-year-old. Even my husband likes to fly it. Very pleased with the price range and over all good drone for beginners or casual drone flyers."

Best drone with a remote

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The remote on this helicopter drone is so easy to use, kids of just about any age can figure it out. You get a ton of features for under $100, too — an HD camera, voice control, 3D flip and roll technology, and custom route creator to name a few. If there's a weak signal or the battery is low, the drone uses it's smart alert to automatically return the drone home before the battery dies.

Promising review: "I was skeptical at first, a beginner drone for under $100, but, I was looking for one so I can teach my 4-year-old son how to fly them. I am actually surprised on how well it works. The remote is very easy to use, is pretty responsive, and if you have a cell phone, you can use the app to stream the onboard camera to your phone. (And the picture quality is actually pretty good!) My 9-year-old daughter saw how much fun my son and I were having that she wanted to get in on the action. It actually gave me a very good opportunity to give my daughter a lesson in physics."

3 speed switches, low speed suitable for kids and beginners

One Key Start/Landing button for easy take-off and landing

If you've never flown one before, this is a great drone for beginners with all the features you could possible want. With three speeds, you can start on the lowest setting and work your way up as you gain more experience. It comes with a 720-pixel camera that instantly transfers your selfies and arial shots via WiFi to your smart phone or social media channels. To protect your drone from crash landings (it happens!), this one has four propeller guards. Plus, it does tricks, flipping and rolling up to 360 degrees!

Promising review: "This has proven to provide hours and hours of fun, not just for my kids but everyone in my family. I bought this for my nephew and his friends to use and am going to purchase another one because it didn't end up leaving our house. It is definitely something that anyone can learn on as it is not hard to figure out. It is very user friendly and anyone that doesn't even have experience can have fun learning how to fly this. I thought these were something that only the elite crowd had as I thought that they cost so much money, but this one was very affordable and I really like the looks of it. It is the perfect size and it is very sturdy, as I have crashed into so many things from trying to do more advanced moves and it has stood strong. I am very impressed with the overall battery life as well, it barely needs to go on the charger, but it does need to between uses that is for sure."

Best Drone for Young Kids

5 motion sensors and 360° sensing control

Freely flies with hand control

These sensor drones are perfect for young kids because they require no remote or tools — just your hands! Simply turn on the drone and toss into the air. The drone will then start flying on its own. Kids can then push, catch, or chase it, meaning hours of indoor or outdoor fun for kids (that doesn't involve a screen!).

Drone Promising review: "I got this for my nephews along with a more expensive round one. They liked this one better and were able to play with it together. The oldest is autistic and got a lot out of it. Great gift, it made their aunties look cool."