Having trouble deciding which toy drone to buy for that discerning RC enthusiast friend or family member this Christmas? Or are you looking for a nice RC toy gift that would delight any child?
With so many toy drones “carolling” in the market, it can be really hard deciding which one to buy as a gift this holiday season. The list can be endless, really, so we’ve decided to come up with a compilation of 5 toy drones that make fantastic gift ideas for both adults and children alike.
These are the top 5 toy drones that we would love to find under our Christmas tree when Santa’s doing his rounds. Many of them feature the latest trickle-down technology in toy quadcopters such as 5.8GHz FPV and 2-axis motorized gimbals which we reckon would be the norm for sub-$100 toy quadcopters next year.
Side-by-side Comparison
WLToys Q242-G
The Q242-G is WLToy’s latest mini FPV toy quadcopter that packs a lot of fun in one tiny little package. It does away with the gimmicky WiFi FPV that is featured in most sub-$100 toy quadcopters and instead features 5.8GHz FPV — the choice of most FPV enthusiasts. 5.8GHz is simply more superior than WiFi FPV because of its low latency. Anyone familiar with WiFi FPV will tell you that WiFi isn’t exactly the best frequency to broadcast video due to its high latency — a problem which can cause video broadcasts to look like delayed slideshows.
Another impressive feature of the Q242-G is its transmitter which looks like it was inspired by Parrot’s Skycontroller. Taking center stage on the transmitter is the large LCD screen with built-in sun shade. The Q242-G also features slide-in batteries that don’t require you to manually connect power connectors. To install the battery, all you need to do is just slide the battery in until it clicks.
It’s amazing that all these neat features can be found in a package that costs $81. With the WLToys Q242-G and other similar models, real FPV has finally arrived in the toy drone scene.
And that is why the WLToy’s Q242-G tops our list.
The WLToys Q242-G can be bought for $80.99 at GearBest.
JXD 509G
Just a few days ago, we reviewed the JXD 509W which is the WiFi version of JXD’s new 509 series of toy quadcopters. The 509G features 5.8GHz FPV and is the best model that JXD offers in its 509 lineup. However, being the flagship model doesn’t mean it comes with a hefty price tag — the JXD 509G actually costs less than $100.
Why did we pick the 509G? Because it flies great thanks mainly to its altitude hold feature — a feature that was once only available on more advanced drones. Flying a drone that has altitude hold is a whole world of a difference than flying one that doesn’t have this feature. Simply put, a drone that has altitude hold is a lot easier to fly.
The 509G is also very stable in the air and can take a lot of abuse. With a diagonal motor size of 227mm, it is significantly larger than the WLToys Q242. Its appearance may invite contrasting opinions. Some may hate the fact that it looks like a mini toy gimmick of the popular Yuneec Q500 but we’re guessing children probably don’t care about its copycat appearance and will be drawn to its sporty futuristic looks.
The JXD 509W can be bought for $89.99 at GearBest.
Cheerson-CX-33W
The Cheerson CX-33W is the most unusual looking model in this list. At a glance, the CX-33W looks like a tricopter and indeed this is what Cheerson is marketing it as. But look carefully and you’ll realize that the CX-33W actually has 6 propellers paired to 6 motors in a 3-arm configuration which actually makes it a hexacopter disguised as a tricopter!
So what does 6 motors mean? It means plenty of propulsion power and a drone that is the equivalent of a mini muscle car in the air. Like the JXD 509G, the CX-33W also has altitude hold which probably means impressive flight performance. With 6 motors and altitude hold, this is one toy quadcopter that can take on the wind like no other in this list.
The CX-33W also features one-key landing and takeoff which takes out the guesswork when it comes to landings and takeoffs. This feature is especially useful for pilots who are still inexperienced in flying multirotors and keeping them upright.
The only obvious flaw we can see in the CX-33W is its WiFi FPV camera which is certainly no match for the 5.8GHz FPV drones in this list.
The Cheerson CX-33W can be bought for $79.99 at GearBest.
JJRC H11D
The JJRC H11D is yet another 5.8GHz toy quadcopter that comes in a very sporty package and has a claimed control distance of 300m. Although we can’t verify this claim, some reviewers have tested the H11D to a distance of no more than 50m.
This is not surprising since JJRC does have a reputation for making dodgy claims in the past although occasionally the company does score some credibility by releasing decent toy quads such as the JJRC H22.
Despite the poor control range, there are still some things to love about the H11D like its very well-implemented FPV camera. For a start, the camera not only transmits video via the 5.8GHz frequency, it can also record videos and photos on a memory card that’s installed on the camera itself. Most other sub-$100 toy quadcopters record videos on your smartphone or tablet via an app although this is not exactly the best approach. Even more impressive is the camera’s built-in motor that lets you tilt the camera angle via controls on the transmitter.
Camera drones generally draw a lot of power due to heavier overall weight so the H11D comes equipped with a large capacity 3.7V 1100mAh battery that gives it a flight time of about 10 to 12 minutes. Not only that, its FPV camera has its own built-in battery and doesn’t draw any power from the quad’s main battery.
The JJRC H11D can be bought for $89.99 at GearBest.
JJRC H26W
The JJRC H26W has got to be one of the most ambitious toy-grade aerial photography platforms to date, if there is such a term. It comes with a 2-axis gimbal that can be controlled remotely via the transmitter. The gimbal is not exactly a hobby-grade gimbal that helps dampen camera shake but rather one that merely allows control of the camera’s tilt and yaw angles. Still, it is one of the first of its kind to be featured in a toy quadcopter below $100.
A weak point in the H26W is its HD 720P camera which transmits FPV over WiFi. For a quad with lofty ambitions in aerial photography, we would expect to see a 5.8GHz FPV version of the H26W but strangely JJRC doesn’t offer such a model in its lineup.
The JJRC H26W can be bought for $85.99 at GearBest.