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Drones are an excellent tool for recording overhead shots and scenic landscapes. Adding a drone shot to any video clip enhances its appeal since you get a unique point of view from above. But, more often than not, you may think a drone would cost a lot of money. While it’s true for the most part, there are a few affordable options.
Besides having a good camera sensor, a good drone requires a gimbal to record stable footage. This is an aspect you should consider before investing in a drone. Getting a good drone with a gimbal on a budget can be challenging, but we’ve made it simple. Here are the best budget drones with a gimbal under $300 to help record crisp footage without breaking the bank.
Before we get to the drones, here are some other articles you may be interested in –
With that out of the way, let’s get to the drones.
The Holy Stone HS175D is an entry-level drone with nifty features like GPS tracking, auto-return, follow-me, altitude hold, etc. You get a 4K camera attached to a one-axis gimbal which may not sound that impressive, but this is pretty much the best you can get at this price. This drone weighs under 250g, making it ideal for flying without restrictions.
The 4K resolution ensures you can record crisp footage while the bundled controller controls the camera movement. The camera offers a wide 110-degree field of view which should be good for most purposes. The flight time promised with this drone is 46 minutes which is excellent considering the price. The set of features and the gimbal makes this an excellent first drone.
This drone is a good option if you’re looking for one to carry around easily. The shape of the drone is slightly unconventional. The 4K camera is mounted on a gimbal. So you can expect stable footage with the drone flying at a constant speed. The range of the drone is 750 feet.
Like most drones, you can control this one using a controller that comes in the box. You will have to download an app, after which you can mount your phone on the controller and use various features like gesture control, follow me, etc. The bundle includes two batteries and a 32GB SD Card to get you started.
The Ruko F11 Mini might have mini in its name, but it punches well above its weight regarding features and performance. You get a 4K camera mounted on a rotatable gimbal. That means, while flying the drone, you can rotate the camera on one axis to get a panoramic shot.
There’s a controller in the kit where you need to mount your phone to view the live feed. You get two battery packs with this drone, both of which provide up to 20 minutes of flying time. You can get 40 minutes worth of battery life from this drone. Other features like GPS tracking, smart auto-return home, live tracking, etc., are present.
Apart from a two-axis gimbal to stabilize the footage, the Holy Stone HS720G also has EIS onboard for extra stabilization. EIS stands for Electronic Image Stabilization and is an algorithm that cuts down sudden movements and jerks in video clips. Apart from superior video recording capabilities, this drone can transmit a live feed via a 5GHz Wi-Fi network.
Other features like optical flow, follow me, and smart return home are present. The four arms of the drone with the propellers are foldable and can be easily carried inside the travel bag that is provided within the box. The maximum range of this drone is shy of 1km (999m), and the rated flight time is 26 minutes. While it may seem lower compared to the other drones, it’s understandable since the features of this drone are more sophisticated.
If you’re looking to use your drone to film for a long duration and from a long distance, you can’t go wrong with the Larvender SG906, especially under the $300 price range. While this isn’t a compact or foldable drone like others on this list, it makes up for its features. For starters, it can go up to 4000 feet away, which is excellent for long-range shots.
The 4K camera is attached to a gimbal that has three-axis stabilization. This is easily the best stabilization you can get from a drone under $300. Along with the long range, the promised flight time is also excellent at 50 minutes with the two battery packs provided in the box. This is an excellent drone if range and flying time are of utmost importance to you.
The DJI Mini SE is only the second drone on this list that weighs in at under 250g. You don’t need permission to fly it in most areas. All the other drones mentioned record in 4K, while the DJI Mini SE can only shoot in up to 2.7K. This might seem a limitation, but the camera on the 3-axis gimbal onboard ensures it makes up for the lower resolution by shooting smooth videos.
DJI claims a flight of 30 minutes which is again lower than some other drones on this list. If you want to fly continuously for longer, you might want to consider other options. The drone can achieve a maximum height of 4000 meters which is impressive. DJI’s app is extremely polished and provides all the necessary features like follow me, auto-return home, and video templates to make your videos more fun. If you have the budget and it fits your requirements, we suggest getting the DJI Min SE.
Flying a drone is an experience that involves a lot of fun, along with the fact that you can capture some breathtaking footage from above. If you’re thinking of shooting several videos with an aerial view, pick up any of these drones with a gimbal for under $300, and you should be good to go.
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Prime Video made the debut as Amazon Unbox on September 7, 2006.
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