While life is all about living in the moment, it’s also about capturing them in timeless frames so that we can go back and relive them all over again. And what makes it way cooler, experiential and much more fun – drones that give us inexplicably beautiful keepsakes to cherish for a lifetime.

Capturing moments in all their glory with a depth and creativity that’s unknown to regular cameras, drones let you view all-things-basic with a rather unique and magnificent movie-like perspective. Whether you’re into photography and videography professionally or pursue it as a hobby, drones are sure to have altered the ways of shooting and filming.

While they have been around for quite some time now, the constant advancements in drone technology has led to improved resolution, stabilisation systems and smart flight controls over the years that make the entire process effortless and enjoyable. Every leading company dealing with photography and videography gear now has an exceptional range of drones to offer and these flying cameras have become an indispensable part of their collections.

If you are planning to step into the world of drone flying for shooting purposes or otherwise, there’s an array of best drones for beginners to choose from. Spanning across budgets based on their key specifications, these beginner drones are perfect to get you started on your drone journey. However, before jumping into our list of drones, there are a few nitty gritties of using them that you should first know about.

All drone operations in Malaysia are subject to the laws and regulations managed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM). While there aren’t any operator licences yet, certain permits are still required that need to be obtained from CAAM. The permits depend on which category your drone and your purpose falls into out of the three categories set by them — small unmanned aircraft system, small unmanned surveillance aircraft and unmanned aircraft system of more than 20kg. You can find out more about the permits required here.

And now that you have a lowdown on the legislation concerning flying drones, let’s get scrolling through our list of best beginner drones right away.

(Hero & Featured Image Courtesy: David Henrichs/Unsplash)

It’s time to make the most of your vacations and occasions with this ultra light and foldable beginner drone that weighs less than 249g and can literally fit in the palm of your hand. It’s one of the best drones for travel purposes and for more than one reason. Apart from being compact and easy-to-carry around, the DJI Mini 2 comes with advanced features that make shooting effortless.

It supports 4X digital zoom and high-definition video transmission for up to 10 km. Furthermore, it resists 29-38kph winds, has anti-interference capabilities and takes off at an altitude of 4000 metres which lends you a stable footage. With level five wind resistance, clear 4k video and a battery life of 31 minutes, this drone would make for a great buy.

Yet another palm-sized portable drone that’s a great option for beginners to try, the FIMI X8 Mini comes with a lot of attractive features. An ultralight and foldable design, the drone weighs around 250g and has multiple shooting modes that aids in capturing moments uniquely. With optimised sensitivity and stabler transmissions at a range of 8km, this drone lets you frame wider landscapes at their best.

It has a flight time of 30 minutes and comes with two battery options for you to choose from — standard battery and pro battery. Other specifications include fast type-c charging, stabilised three-axis mechanical gimbal, 4k/30fps video, level five wind resistance and connectivity to smartphone via Wi-Fi even without a remote controller. GPS real-time tracking modes, live streaming, night shooting and intelligent safety functions make this power packed drone a reliable one.

A perfect easy-to-start kit, the Cetus FPV Kit is simply meant for beginners who want to enter the world of aerial imaging, be it professionally or recreationally. The kit includes the Cetus brushed quadcopter, LiteRadio2 SE transmitter and VR02 FPV flying goggles along with other necessary parts, adjustments and a storage bag.

The Cetus quadcopter comes with environment-adapting three flight modes for different requirements. It has an impeccable self-protection function that helps the drone in emergency landings whereas its altitude hold function accompanied by a barometer helps in stabilised auto-hovering

While the LiteRadio2 SE transmitter has an endurance of up to eight hours, the FPV goggles are designed with high-quality antennas that help in receiving stable visuals even for long-range flights.

Standing out for its ability to fly in heavy rains and even take off from and land on water, the Power Vision PowerEgg X is one of the best drones to buy. It’s equipped with an AI camera that can track the subject through facial recognition and shoot a scene automatically in the stationary mode.

This sleek and egg-shaped drone can also be used as a hand-held camera that also lets you record audio as well. Other primary features and specifications include three-axis 4K60 stabilising gimbal, 1080p live stream from up to 5.9kms, 3.5 hours of battery life on stationary mode and 30 minutes of flight time.

Boasting of a strong body and powerful motors to provide a stable hovering in wind, the HS100 drone by Holy Stone is not only packed with excellent features but also looks stunning. It is known for its easy-to-use functions and hassle-free assembling apart from other technical specifications that it has to offer.

It has a 2K camera that captures high-quality aerial photos and video and further includes real-time viewing from your remote control itself. Its built-in GPS return-to-home function makes drone flying an easier and safer process since the drone automatically returns back when it’s running out of battery or good signal. Its follow me mode easily captures you wherever you go which makes shooting complex frames effortless.

Making flying drones cooler is the Parrot ANAFI that comes with features that are apt for flying professionally. A foldable and easily deployable design, the drone weighs at 320g and can be set up in just a few seconds. It captures stunning 21 MP high-definition aerial shots and 4K videos. It also features three-axis stabilisation and a 180 degree tilt to give a highly stable and detailed view of the subject.

Furthermore, it offers a battery life and a flight time of 25 minutes, smart return-to-home function, geofencing and resistance to extreme situations and weather conditions. The drone can be accessed via FreeFlight 6 app that’s compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones.

Nothing’s better than a drone that offers simplified flying experience to a beginner and the DJI Mini SE quadcopter accompanied with the DJI Fly app does exactly that. A compact and ultralight yet powerful drone out there, this beginner drone makes for a great option. It supports 2.7K HD videos and 12MP aerial photos with a three-axis gimbal, 4km HD video transmission and an easy recording and editing process. With battery life that offers 30 minutes of flight time, the drone also comes equipped with visual sensors and GPS for precise hovering.

If you’ve been wanting to capture locations and moments in those movie-like cinematic shots, this drone would do it for you effortlessly. The app further offers a variety of templates that make editing easier even for a beginner.

An ultralight drone weighing less than 250g, the compact and portable HS510 is one of the best drones for beginners. It has great dual satellite connectivity using both GLONASS navigation system and GPS which makes sure that it always gets a signal and returns back to the starting point easily. Its brushless motor with aviation propellers provide a high-level aerodynamic efficiency which is better than a brushed motor.

Like other camera drones, this one too produces 4K video at 16fps and 2.7K video and 25fps. The high quality of both images and video is commendable.

One of the best drones for kids, the Potensic A20 Mini is super easy to use and play with. All you’ve got to do is insert the battery and then press the calibration button. It comes with three batteries and a flight time of about 18-21 minutes. While the one key start and altitude hold functions make it easier to achieve a stable flight within a few minutes, its three speed modes let you experiment.

Its small size makes it easy to carry and the kids can play with it both indoors and outdoors. The A20 Mini comes in three colours — green, red and yellow for them to choose from.

A perfect starter kit for both kids and adults to step into the world of drone flying with ease, the DJI Tello Boost Combo should be your go-to. It’s a mini beginner drone with an HD camera that can be accessed through a smartphone with intuitive controls anywhere. It weighs at 80g and is yet absolutely durable. It offers a flight time of 13 minutes and 720p HD transmission along with other cool features like throw and go, 8D flips and a bounce mode.

This educational quadcopter is aptly suited for recreational purposes where learning and fun go hand-in-hand making it the best drone for kids. Intel 14-Core processor, propeller protection, collision detection, auto take-off and landing, great safety features and low battery protection are some other technical specifications among others.

The kind of drone you choose depends highly on your drone skills and the purposes and activities you want to use it for. Since you’re a beginner, it’s better to start with ready to fly (RTF) beginner drones because they’re the easiest to learn and begin with.

There are different types of drones for different purposes. It’s better to gain as much knowledge as possible about them before investing in one. Learn about their features, the extra costs (in terms of additional equipment, editing softwares, permits, licences), and the legislation regarding drones well in advance.

Do your research well and learn about your drone as much as you can through blogs, videos on official websites and YouTube videos. Follow the instruction manual that comes with it. Start by practising in an open area, try take-off and landing, hovering and rotating techniques to get the hang of the controller.

Every country has different laws in regards to flying drones. Be it getting your drone registered, applying for permits or acquiring a licence, always follow the rules set by the country you intend to fly in to avoid legal jurisdiction. While some countries have banned drones entirely, there are others that allow flying without a permit for now.

It all comes down to why you want to buy a drone. If you’re a traveller, a vlogger or a photographer, buying a drone would definitely be one of the best ideas. They open up a whole new world of perspectives and creativity that can be a game changer.

If you just want to buy it as your next gadget toy and might get bored with it down the line, you might not want to invest in an expensive one. Hence, asking the ‘why’ question from yourself would decide if a drone is worth buying or not for you.

Drones are known to be noisy however, there are some in the market with minimal noise or almost no noise.

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