Best Drone for Under $200 2023: Our Top 5!

Introduction to our Guide to the Best Drone For Under $200

You're reading our guide on the best drone for under $200!

Fact of life: cheap doesn’t necessarily mean tawdry or easily disposable. In these days when we truly appreciate the value of the money we earn, we tend to be more penny-wise when it comes to the stuff that we buy for either work or leisure.

Take drones, for example. Over the past decade, drones have proven their worth beyond the fields of experimentation, espionage, and military science. They have proven themselves a valuable tool for photographers, architects, filmmakers, and engineers.

However, not everyone can afford the expense of buying a state-of-the-art drone, especially if the cost runs to around $500 or more. So those who are just starting out in their drone experience end up making do with shoddy bargain-basement products – but this shouldn’t be the case.

Believe it or not, you can actually get an excellent drone for $200 or less. That’s the crux of today’s rundown of the best drone for under $200.

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Our List of the Best Drone For Under $200

1. Tactical X Drone – best for professionals 🏆
2. Maji Air Drone – best for casual photographers
3. Shadow X Drone – best for beginners
4. Raptor 8K Drone – best for architects and real estate agents (🎖️Editors’ Pick!)
5. Drone X Pro – best for hikers and trekkers

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Best Drone For Under $200 Comparison Table

Note: Prices are subject to change over time. Please click the links to check for current pricing.

Specifications	🏆 Tactical X Drone (Top Pick!)	Maji Air Drone	Shadow X Drone	🎖️Raptor 8K Drone (Editors Pick!)	Drone X Pro
Price	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price
Camera	1080p HD	1080p HD	1080p HD	8K @ 30fps	720p HD
Flight Time	15-20 minutes	15 minutes	10-12 minutes	25 minutes	10 minutes
Range	300m	120m	50-70m	8 km	80-100m
Max Speed	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	72 kph	Unknown
Weight	2.4 lbs	0.45 lbs	0.15 lbs	3.6 lbs	0.3 lbs
Size	11.4 x 11.4 x 4.3 inches	7.5 x 6.7 x 1.6 inches	6.7 x 5.5 x 2.2 inches	17.7 x 16.5 x 9.8 inches	5.3 x 2.6 x 1.4 inches
Features	3-speed modes, Altitude hold, One-key takeoff/landing	Gesture control, Optical flow positioning, One-key takeoff/landing	6-axis gyro, Altitude hold, One-key takeoff/landing	Object avoidance, Follow-me mode, Return-to-home	Foldable design, Altitude hold, 3-speed modes
Customer Reviews	4.3/5	4.5/5	4.2/5	4.4/5	3.5/5

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1. Tactical X Drone (editor's choice!)

Best for Professionals

Key Features

• Portable construction.  The Tactical X Drone can easily be folded thanks to jointed arms and flexible blades. This lightweight device is also easily portable;
• Gravity sensor. This feature enables both beginners and experts to fly their drones and use them to shoot impeccable footage almost straight out of the box;
• High-definition imaging technology.  The Tactical X Drone records videos at 120 frames per second and has a still image resolution of 12 megapixels;
• Long-lasting battery capacity. Unlike most drones, the Tactical X Drone lets you shoot up to fifteen minutes of active footage without needing to recharge.

This drone works best for professional filmmakers and videographers. The Tactical X Drone is a compact, state of the art aerial photography / videography device that relies on an advanced gyroscope system for exceptional stability in flight, as well as high resolution imaging technology for clear, richly detailed footage.

Why we love it as best drone for under $200: Considering the price point, the Tactical X actually does offer value for money in the sense that it actually stays in the air longer than most budget-friendly models and the image quality is almost as good as that of the bigger players in the market.

Pricing

Click here to check current discounted pricing of this best drone for under $200.

Money-back guarantee 

If you are not satisfied with Tactical X Drone as the best drone under $200, you can return it within 30 days after purchase to get your money back.

Where to Buy It? 

We recommend buying Tactical X Drone only from their official website. This way, you can avail Tactical X Drone discount code and get the product for less than the usual price.

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2. Maji Air Drone

Best for Casual Photographers

Key Features

• App-based controls that you deploy through your mobile phone, regardless of whether you're running Android or iOS;
• Track setting to determine your flight path well beforehand;
• 120° wide angle Full HD camera that takes 12MP stills and 120fps videos;
• 360° panorama mode;
• One-key takeoff; and 
• Multiple flight modes

The Maji Air Drone is a remote-controlled portable drone that is foldable and lightweight. It’s a drone that can be used by both professionals and amateur drone enthusiasts who will appreciate the fact that it is foldable, lightweight, offers an extensive range of motions, as well as high-precision image capture technology.

Why we love it as a best drone for under $200: Two words – panoramic photography. We appreciate that this one is a drone that young photography enthusiasts can cut their proverbial teeth on in terms of learning how to shoot, angle, and sweep footage from the air.

Pricing

Click here to check current discounted pricing of this best drone for under $200.

Money-back guarantee 

If you are not satisfied with Maji Air Drone as the best drone for under $200, you can return it within 30 days after purchase to get your money back.

Where to Buy It? 

We recommend buying Maji Air Drone only from their official website. This way, you can avail Maji Air Drone discount code and get the product for less than the usual price.

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3. Shadow X Drone

Best for Beginners

Key Features

• Several pre-programmed flight / shooting modes;
• Surprisingly durable construction; and
• Blow-by-blow slow motion mode for review

The Shadow X Drone is a compact, state of the art device that is also one of the best drone for under $200. It was created for professionals on the go. This particular device was designed with a six-axis gyroscope system for exceptional stability in flight, as well as high resolution imaging technology for clear, richly-detailed footage.

Why we love it as a best drone for under $200: If the Maji Air is the darling of embryonic drone photographers, the Shadow X stands to be the darling of amateur cineastes. Those who want to learn the basics of cinematography and motion picture camera work will love how different pre-programmed shoot modes will help them get a feel of how to shoot action sequences or panoramic presentations.

Pricing

Click here to check current discounted pricing.

Money-back guarantee 

If you are not satisfied with Shadow X Drone as the best drone for under $200, you can return it within 30 days after purchase to get your money back.

Where to Buy It? 

We recommend buying Shadow X Drone only from their official website. This way, you can avail Shadow X Drone discount code and get the product for less than the usual price.

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4.  Raptor 8K Black Drone

Best for Content Creators

Key Features

• Increased flight time compared to similar models;
• Flight speed of around 12 meters a second;
• Tri-axis gimbal stabilizer;
• 720p maximum image resolution;
• Panorama mode; and 
• Built-in anti-collision system.

The Raptor 8K Drone is present in this list of the best drone for under $200. Why? Because it's a precision-engineered drone that can be safely used in or out of doors. This particular drone was crafted to have exceptional stability in flight, as well as high resolution imaging technology for clear, richly detailed footage.

Why we love it as best drone for under $200: This is definitely a drone for architects and real estate photographers. The Raptor 8K’s primary selling point for us is that you can use it indoors, essentially allowing you to capture a complete impression of interior settings. This is a particularly keen feature to have for those working on restoration initiatives in terms of art, renovations, or even virtual staging for real estate.

Pricing

Click here to check current discounted pricing.

Money-back guarantee 

If you are not satisfied with the Raptor 8K Drone as the best drone for under $200, you can return it within 30 days after purchase to get your money back.

Where to Buy It? 

We recommend buying Raptor 8K Drone only from their official website. This way, you can avail Raptor 8K Drone discount code and get the product for less than the usual price.

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5. Drone X Pro

Best for Hikers and Trekkers

Key Features

• Altitude hold mode that enables users to take footage from an extensive variety of angles;
• Android and iOS compatibility along with WiFi FPV and basic smartphone controls;
• 6-axis gyro self-stabilization technology for smoother flights and stability;
• 12-megapixel / 120 frames per second (fps) HD camera; and
• Panorama mode for sweeping landscape shots.

Considered one of the most compact drone models currently available, the DroneX Pro was designed to be folded for easy transport and is easily one of the best drone for under $200. This particular drone is made up of a self-stabilizing copter equipped with a high-definition camera, better app control, real time transmission capability, a gravity sensor, and virtual reality support.

Why we love it as best drone for under $200: This drones is best for hikers and travelers who want to do away with standard controllers. It offers a Bluetooth-driven mobile interface for both Android and iOS devices is one way to cut the cost, but it also gives users more freedom in terms of being able to control the device using something as simple as one’s smartphone.

Pricing

Click here to check current discounted pricing.

Money-back guarantee 

If you are not satisfied with Drone X Pro as the best drone for under $200, you can return it within 30 days after purchase to get your money back.

Where to Buy It? 

We recommend buying Drone X Pro only from their official website. This way, you can avail Drone X Pro discount code and get the product for less than the usual price.

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The Case for Reasonably Priced Drones

Is it worth it to buy the best drone for under $200?

Let’s say you have some experience in handling a drone. You know how to fly one and you know the basics of using one for aerial photography and active cinematography. In which case, you’ve outgrown the very basic features – or cumbersome lack thereof – of the most basic or least expensive models. 

However, you may feel that your skills still need a lot of work and, perhaps, your budget may still not be enough to cover the cost of a truly sterling kind of pro-drone. So, what do you do?

The $200 price threshold for a drone opens up a number of options for those willing to look for diamonds in the rough. For the most part, drones within this price bracket tend to offer value for money in terms of features like flight stabilization, image clarity and quality, and overall performance.

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How Did We Choose the Best Drone for Under $200?

In order to determine the items that made into our list of the best drone for under $200, we took into consideration the following factors during testing:

• Ease of Use – Our choices are drones that are ready to use from the get go and are so easy even a kid under the age of 10 can create their own amazing videos and photo montages;
• Reliability – To determine their worth in this aspect, we took a close look at each brand’s flight time, image stability, image and video quality, audio clarity, and how well they hold up regardless of terrain and weather conditions;
• Features – We like items that give us more bang for our bucks, so drones that do a whole lot more than what you expect always gets more points than those that just fly and take pictures from the air; and 
• Value for Money – We made it a point to consider items that were within a reasonable price range yet offer a whole range of features and functionality that can step up one’s game in terms of photography and video production.

Likewise, our testing team also took into consideration the compatibility of certain best drone for under $200 in our list with specific professions. In doing so, we would like to present how even a reasonably-priced device can help users in their work or serve as teaching tools for those who want to build up their experience in specific skills.

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Conclusion to our Best Drone Under $200 Guide

Our team of experts carefully tested the items presented in today’s list of the best drone for under $200. We want to ensure that readers will have an excellent array of options when it comes to the best drones under $200 regardless of whether one will use it for work or a hobby.

Please note that, in the interest of getting authentic high-quality products, we recommend that you shop for the best drone under $200 through their official websites where you may also get great discounts for multiple purchases. Beware of purchasing from marketplace sites claiming to be resellers so to avoid issues with refunds and returns in the future!

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FAQ

What is the best drone for under $200?

Based on our criteria such as ease of use, features, and value for money, we recommend getting the Tactical Drone X or Raptor 8k Black Drone.

Is it worth getting the best drone for under $200?

Yes, it is. However, we need to point out a caveat at this point: security is something you will need to consider when choosing a drone in this price range. For one thing, concerns have been raised in the United States regarding how drones manufactured in China are being suspected of transmitting sensitive data. For another, the possibility of a mid-range drone getting hacked by unscrupulous individuals also comes into play. In any case, buyers need to be careful regardless of what drone brand they eventually purchase. 

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If you've read all the way through this best drone for under $200 guide, we are grateful. We have reviewed all these products in detail, feel free to check them out;

1. Tactical X Drone Reviews
2. Maji Air Drone Reviews
3. Shadow X Drone Reviews
4. Raptor 8K Drone Reviews
5. Shadow X Drone Reviews