We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Until recently, drones belonged in the professional gear category, and made sense only for movie directors. They were big, complicated to fly, and easy to crash into a tree. Not to mention the laws and regulations you need to know about. Fast-forward to 2026, and consumer drones aren’t a headache anymore. There’s something special about capturing an aerial shot of Mount Fuji that you simply can’t get with a phone camera alone. So, if you’re in the market for a cheap drone before your next trip, I recommend getting the DJI Neo 2.
It was one of our best beginner drone recommendations, and for a reason: it costs $259 without the controller. That makes it a less painful purchase if you’re worried about losing or crashing your first drone. Of course, a catastrophic crash is pretty unlikely, thanks to the fully caged propeller design. It’s also one of the few budget drones with omnidirectional object avoidance. I’ve flown with the Neo 2 for a few months now, and not once have I had to worry about hitting a pole or a tree. I did hit a shrub once, but the drone survived without a scratch.
Gesture controls and image quality
The real reason why the Neo 2 is my top recommendation is controls. You can launch it directly from your palm. A small display lets you choose from preprogrammed flight modes, such as having the drone follow you on a hike or circle around you. You can also use hand gestures to control the drone more creatively. For example, it recognizes your palm and moves in that direction. Hold both hands in front of you and move them apart to send the drone backward. Clever stuff, but I’d recommend shelling out for the controller.
As for the image quality, the 12MP ½-inch CMOS sensor, stabilized by a two-axis gimbal, can shoot 4K footage at up to 100 FPS. While the lack of any Log video support is a bummer, videos from the Neo 2 are really good. They retain plenty of detail, and DJI’s color science is pleasing. You can also capture Dolly Zoom shots for a more cinematic effect. Just know the Neo 2 doesn’t support high-capacity SD cards. Instead, it has 49GB of built-in storage, so keep that in mind.
DJI Mini 4K: For hands-on flying
It’s no secret that the Neo 2’s autonomous controls are convenient, but some people actually love flying a drone themselves. If that’s you, then go for the Mini 4Kwhich costs $259. It has a traditional drone design, with no propeller guards or an object-avoidance system. If this is your first drone, practice with the RC-N1C controller in open spaces first. You get three flying modes: Normal, Sport, and Cine. DJI has also bundled pre-programmed camera shots like Dronie, Boomerang, Circle, and Rocket. If you’re new, check out some tips for getting the best drone shots.
The Mini 4K uses a 1/2.3-inch sensor that records 4K video at 30 fps or 2.7K video at 60 fps. The quality? If you’re shooting in daytime, then it’s pretty good. I found the camera captured smooth, crisp footage with good colors. Nighttime shooting, however, will be a problem because of the small sensor. It doesn’t let in enough light, so the footage loses detail and colors can look washed out. Like the Neo 2, the Mini 4K also lacks Log video support.
Methodology
As always, getting a cheap drone isn’t straightforward because there are so many options. Everyone’s needs are different. Some want the smallest drone, while others are looking for a travel camera. My recommendation for both the DJI Neo 2 and the Mini 4K comes from extensive testing and flying in different conditions. I selected them because they capture good-looking footage without costing a fortune, while still being accessible enough for beginners.