Drones for beginners: Smart, lightweight models to fly in Singapore

If you’ve always wanted to capture aerial shots of your adventures from East Coast Park to Entalula Beach, there are a host of drones for beginners that make the hobby more accessible.

Many of these compact beginner drones have automated features that make it easy to get airborne. They’re also equipped with cameras that have trickled down from high-end models.

WHY CHOOSE DRONES UNDER 250G?

To help you choose your ideal beginner drone, we've shortlisted lightweight models from DJI, HoverAir, Holy Stone and BetaFPV that weigh less than 250g. Why this number? If you are flying your drone for recreational purposes in Singapore, you’ll need to register it if its total weight exceeds 250g. Most of these models also include smart modes that make it easy to either perform aerobatic manoeuvres or fly preset paths to capture epic shots.

Holy Stone HS210 Mini RC Drone (S$42; Usual Price: S$55; 24% off)

This palm-sized nano-quadcopter is aimed at first-time pilots and kids. It weighs 22g, ships with three battery packs offering a combined 21 minutes of flight time. It also includes beginner-friendly features like altitude-hold, headless mode, toss-to-launch, circle-fly and 360° flips. Prop-guards and low-battery auto-land minimise indoor mishaps. The 2.4GHz transmitter has a maximum range of about 50m – though this will vary if you’re flying indoors.

Pros

• Ships with three batteries
• One-key take-off/landing and altitude-hold smooth the learning curve
• Fully enclosed propellers add kid-safe durability

Cons

• 50m control range limits outdoor use
• No camera or FPV feed. This is strictly a flight trainer
• Each cell lasts about seven minutes before recharging

Specs

• Weight: 21.8 g (with battery)
• Dimensions: 80mm x 80mm x 30mm
• Flight time: 7 min × 3 batteries (up to 21 min)
• Range: Maximum: 50m, 2.4 GHz link
• Dimensions: 80mm x 80mm x 30mm
• Battery: 250mAh 1-cell Lithium-ion ploymer (USB-charge)
• Charging time: 40–60 min per cell

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DJI Neo, No RC package (S$229; Usual Price: S$249; 8% off)

DJI has cornered the consumer drone market with a range of capable offerings like this beginner-friendly flyer. It can launch from the palm of your hand and packs a 4K/30 fps camera and has an effective operating range of 50m. Its 135g take-off weight makes this ideal for daily vlogs or short travel clips. It uses voice and gesture controls to get airborne, fly preset paths and record clips. You don’t need a remote control to fly it, though you may want to consider the Fly More package which includes additional batteries.

Pros

• Ultra-light 135g (no UA registration)
• Voice + gesture controls, no remote control necessary
• 4K stabilized footage

Cons

• 18-min flight time
• No obstacle sensors
• Controller sold separately

Specs

• Weight: 135g
• Dimensions: 130mm x 157mm x 48.5mm
• Camera: ½-inch, 12 MP sensor, 4K 30 fps
• Flight time: 18 min (rated)
• Wind resistance: Level 4
• Storage: micro-SD up to 256 GB

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BETAFPV Cetus Lite FPV Kit (S$245)

This tiny FPV (first-person view) drone is aimed squarely at first-timers and kids. The 36g brushed quadcopter hovers on its own thanks to a barometer-based altitude-hold system. The ready-to-fly bundle throws in a LiteRadio 1 controller, VR02 box goggles, two 300mAh Lithium-ion polymer packs and a USB charger. With only one self-levelling flight mode and two gentle speed settings, it’s more of an indoor trainer than a racer. Still, it offers a taste of true FPV goggles and its full ducted frame protects the props and your home.

Pros

• Complete FPV bundle (drone, radio, FPV goggles, two batteries)
• Altitude-hold and auto-disarm reduce crashes for beginners
• 36g airframe with full prop guards minimise indoor damage

Cons

• FPV camera only. No camera for recording photos or video
• 4–5 minute flight time mean frequent battery swaps
• Single flight mode; you’ll outgrow it once you master basics

Specs

• Weight (with battery): 36g
• Dimensions: 90mm x 85mm x 45mm
• Battery pack: 300 mAh Lithium-ion Polymer (BT2.0)
• Flight time: 4–5 min per pack (approximately 10 min total with two)
• Control / video range: up to 80m

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DJI Mini 4K, standard package (S$349; Usual Price S$409; 14% off)

The DJI Mini 4K packs 4K/30 fps capture, up to 31 minutes of flight time and level-5 wind resistance in a sub-250g airframe. The Fly More Combo packs extra accessories including two additional batteries, a charging hub and shoulder bag for S$479. Whichever option you choose, that’s a lot of capability for the money.

Pros

• Native 4K + 3-axis gimbal
• Identical batteries/accessories to Mini 2 SE
• QuickTransfer for phone downloads

Cons

• Still lacks obstacle avoidance
• RAW photo only 12 MP
• No D-Cinelike colour

Specs

• Weight: 249g
• Dimensions, folded (without propellers): 138mm x 81mm x 58mm
• Dimensions, unfolded (with propellers): 245mm x 289mm x 56mm
• Flight time: up to 31 min
• VBideo link range: Up to 10km
• Wind resistance: 38kmh
• Top speed: 57kmh (Sport)

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Potensic Atom SE, Expansion Kit (S$387.38; Usual Price: S$1,291.26; 70% off)

This DJI Mini competitor also weighs in at under under 249g. It also has a 4K/30 camera and shoots 12MP stills in JPG and RAW formats. It also offers up to 31 minutes of flight time and up to 4km transmission range. SurgeFly flight modes let you accelerate up to 16m/s in 2.8s. This is great value if you crave RAW stills on a budget. This expansion kit includes two batteries, a controller and a shoulder bag.

Pros

• 4K 30 fps + RAW (DNG) photos on a budget
• 31-min rated batteries

Cons

• No collision sensors
• Limited accessory ecosystem

Specs

• Weight: <249g
• Dimensions, folded (without propellers): 143mm x 88mm x 58mm
• Dimensions, unfolded (with propellers): 300mm x 242mm x 58mm
• Max range: 4km (FCC)
• Wind resistance: Level 5
• Gimbal: 3-axis mechanical
• Top speed: 57kmh (Sport mode)

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HoverAir X1, Combo, Black (S$549)
 

A pocket-sized, self-flying drone built for effortless aerial selfies, this weighs 125g and folds to just 86mm x 127mm x 31mm. It launches from your palm and captures 2.7K/30fps video and 12MP photos via beginner-friendly preset flight modes. Controlled through the Hover app, its visual inertial odometry positioning and hybrid stabilisation deliver smooth, cinematic footage.

Pros

• Ultra-light, foldable, travel-ready design
• Easy palm takeoff/landing and simple controls
• Hands-free, cinematic filming with intelligent flight modes

Cons

• Only 2.7K max video resolution – no 4K option on standard version
• Limited 32GB built-in storage; no microSD expansion
• No obstacle avoidance; struggles in wind or fast-motion scenarios

Specs

• Weight: 125g; fully enclosed propeller cage
• Dimensions, folded: 127mm x 86mm x 31mm
• Dimensions, unfolded: 127mm x 144.8mm x 29.9mm
• 2.7K/ 30FPS video; 1,080p HDR/ 60 fps options
• 12MP photo capability
• 32GB internal memory
• Flight time: Up to 11.5 minutes; top speed approximately 16 mph

DJI Flip, No RC package (S$519)

DJI’s quadcopter takes off from your palm, weighs less than 249g but packs a 1/1.3-inch 48MP sensor that captures 4K/60fps HDR video. Foldable prop guards mean it can be launched indoors with less worry. Subject-tracking, automated flight modes and a 31-minute flight time make this a great travel companion that slips into a jacket pocket.

Pros

• Sub-249g weight + carbon-fiber flip-out guard
• 1/1.3-inch sensor, 48 MP stills, 4K/60 fps HDR, supports 10-bit D-Log M which captures wider dynamic range
• O4 link streams 1080p/60 FPV out to 13km and supports subject-tracking & QuickShot presets

Cons

• Only forward and downward infrared obstacle avoidance
• Extra 3,110 mAh batteries and 65W hub are sold separately

Specs

• Weight: < 249 g (with battery & microSD)
• Size, folded: 136mm x 62mm x 165mm
• Size, unfolded: 233mm x 280mm x 79mm
• Flight time: 31 min (rated); 28 min hover
• Camera sensor: 1/1.3″ 48 MP CMOS, f/1.7 lens
• Video: 4K/60 HDR; 150 Mbps; 10-bit D-Log M
• Transmission: O4, 13km FCC / 8km CE, 1,080p/60 live view
• Safety: Foldable full-coverage guard; forward 3D IR + downward vision sensors; Level-5 wind resistance

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Prices are accurate as of the time of publication.

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