Drones are becoming more and more popular. If you are thinking of getting a gift for someone who has a drone or is interested drones, I have some suggestions. When we bought our drone earlier this year, I had no idea about everything that goes with owning a drone. I have put together a list of the best gifts for drone lovers to give you some inspiration.
If you are shopping for someone who is interested in a drone but doesn’t already have one, you need to figure out which drone to buy. There are a number of options here, but we recommend sticking with DJI products – there is a reason why DJI is the market leader in drone technology: their products are competitively priced and well equipped.
We have a DJI Mavic Pro. Since we bought this, DJI has released the Mavic Air, the Mavic 2 Zoom, Mavic 2 Pro and recently, the Mavic 2 Enterprise. As the Enterprise model is aimed at search & rescue organizations, we do not recommend this model. If we were buying a drone today, we would probably go for the Mavic 2 Pro. The image quality from the new Hasselblad lens is amazing, with excellent detail and color depth. Battery life is very good, and the technology that lets the drone communicate with the controller is far superior to that on the Air or the Spark. There are some very interesting automated flight modes too.
There are many comprehensive guides about which drone to buy and reviews of the various models on YouTube. I suggest checking out Ed Ricker’s channel for his experiences with different DJI drones.
Best Drone Gift Ideas
If you want to buy a present for someone who already has a drone, it is important to know which drone they have. Many accessories are drone specific. In our list of recommended gifts for drone enthusiasts, we have included options for the Spark, the Mavic Air, the Mavic Pro, and the Mavic 2 Zoom & Pro.
Best Drone Goggles
DJI released a new version of their goggles a few months back – the DJI Goggles Racing Edition. These have a lot of technical improvements over the original DJI goggles. In spite of the name, these are the goggles you should use with DJI drones – even if you are not planning on going drone racing! These goggles will work with any of the drones we are focusing on here – although you will need to get a USB OTG cable as well if you’re planning on using them with the Spark.
Best Drone Backpack
This backpack will fit any one of the drones we mentioned and more. You can also bring your laptop and a travel tripod. It features rear access, meaning your gear is secure up against you back and you can access the equipment without fully removing the bag. (Click here to check the price on Amazon.)
Best Drone Bag
This is a minefield! Ask 100 drone pilots which is the best bag to carry a drone, you’ll get 100 different answers. There are two reasons we are recommending the Polarpro cases below:
- They are small, light and can be easily packed into a backpack. This is important for travel!
- We have the Polarpro case for our Mavic and we love it.
DJI Spark
DJI Mavic Pro
DJI Mavic Air
DJI Mavic 2 Zoom & Pro 2
Best Drone Filters
There is a lot of discussion online about how important ND filters are on a drone. Quite often you will be able to fly without them. Drone cameras tend to struggle with high contrast scenes though, so if you are taking pictures and videos on a really sunny day, or capturing a sunset, you are going to wish you had them!
The purpose of ND filters when recording video is slightly different than taking still photographs. For filming an ND filter is used to allow you to set the correct shutter speed so that you can get the right amount of motion blur for the frame rate you are using. For example, if you are shooting in 25 frames per second, you need a shutter speed of around 1/50th that means on a sunny day you are probably going to need an ND filter.
We have included two levels of ND filter in our recommendations for each drone – a set made by Polarpro, and a cheaper set. Polarpro makes the best ones, but the less expensive sets are likely to be good enough for most people.
DJI Spark
DJI Mavic Air
DJI Mavic Pro
DJI Mavic 2 Zoom
DJI Mavic 2 Pro
While Polarpro makes the best filters, these less expensive sets are likely to be good enough for most people. We do have the Polarpro filters, but we know other people that are happy with the less expensive options.
DJI Spark
DJI Mavic Air
DJI Mavic Pro
DJI Mavic 2 Zoom
DJI Mavic 2 Pro
Best Drone Memory Card
We strongly recommend that you don’t skimp on SD cards. You need cards with a fast write speed. While these inevitably cost more, if you buy cards that don’t write fast enough, you will end up with jerky footage caused by dropped frames. The cards we recommend are SanDisk Extreme 32GB class 3. (Click here to view the price on Amazon)
Get more than one card. It’s a good idea to swap out the memory card at the same time you change the battery. This means that if the worst happens and you lose or crash your drone, you won’t lose all the footage you’ve already recorded.
Drone Landing Pad
Russell was a bit skeptical about a landing pad when we first got the drone. He didn’t see the point of a big orange mat with the letter ‘H’ for Helicopter on it. You can always find a flat bit of ground. Having had the drone for a while, Russell changed his mind. These drones are very low to the ground, so if the grass is too long it can snag in the propeller blades. If the ground is dusty or sandy, the propellers can whip up the dust and that’s never good news for the motors on the gimbal. These days Russell is glad we have the landing mat, although he still thinks the portable helipad is a bit daft. (Click to check the price of the landing pad on Amazon here.)
Drone Leg Extensions
The other way of getting the drone a bit higher off the ground is to buy some leg extensions. They work well, the only downside here is that they don’t look very good! They spoil the aesthetics of the drone a bit.
Click on the picture of the leg extensions for the specific drone model to see more information.
DJI Spark
DJI Mavic Pro
DJI Mavic Air
DJI Mavic 2 Zoom & Pro 2
Multiple Battery Charger
Drone batteries do not last long! It’s always a good idea to have at least one fully charged battery as a backup when you are flying, and you should always fly with a full battery. The DJI battery charging hub is capable of charging three batteries, but only charges them one after the other. Consider getting a battery charger that can charge up to three batteries and the controller all at the same time. Much more useful!
Click on the picture of the charger for the specific drone model to see more information.
DJI Spark
DJI Mavic Pro
DJI Mavic Air
DJI Mavic 2 Zoom & Pro 2
Propeller transport guards
When you put the drone back in the bag, or get it out again later, you’d like to know that the propellers are not going to get damaged in the process. These guards stop that from happening.
Click on the picture of the transport guards for the specific drone model to see more information.
DJI Spark
DJI Mavic Pro
DJI Mavic Air
DJI Mavic 2 Zoom & Pro 2
Tablet Mount for the Controller
Some people prefer to fly using a tablet rather than a smartphone. The screen is bigger and can be easier to see. A lot of drone pilots recommend the Ipad mini 4 as the best compromise between a large screen and portability. If you’d prefer to use a tablet, this device clips into the controller where the phone would normally go and enables you to plug a tablet in instead. (Click here to check the price on Amazon.)
Sun Shade for the Controller
Every drone pilot will need a sun shade at some point. If you’re out shooting beautiful sunny landscapes, it can be difficult to see the screen properly due to glare. This casts a shadow over the screen so you can still see to fly. This sun shade works for all the drone models we are covering. (Click here to check the price on Amazon.)
Better Gimbal Clamp for the Mavic Pro
This is one for the Mavic Pro only. Let’s be honest here, the original gimbal clamp that comes with the Mavic Pro is awful. It’s fiddly to use and the cover and gimbal are two separate units, so it’s easy to forget to take the gimbal clamp off. DJI knows that too, which is why they improved the design for the gimbal clamp on the Air and both versions of the Mavic 2. This version is much better. The gimbal clamp is part of the cover, and it’s much easier to get on and off. (Click here to check the price on Amazon.)
Spare Batteries and Spare Propellers
It might not be the most exciting of the drone gifts on our list, but everyone needs spare batteries and propellers! For batteries and propellers, only buy original parts directly from DJI, or a DJI authorized reseller. Yes, there are cheaper batteries out there, manufactured by third parties, but there are quite a lot of sensors built into DJI’s batteries and you will want the reassurance that the battery will work exactly as expected. A drone is not cheap – why put that investment at risk with a cheap battery you can never quite rely on? Sometimes you can find these drone accessories on Amazon, but if not try the DJI website.
Best Drone Books
Another gift idea for drone enthusiasts is a book about drones. These books can help them learn about flying the drone and improving video and photography.
The Drone Pilot’s Handbook: The knowledge, the skills, the rules by ood for people new to drones – very simple presentation style and not too much text.
The Complete Guide to Drones, Extended and Fully Updated 2nd Edition: Choose, Build, Photograph, Race 2nd Edition by Adam Juniper – This is another book primarily aimed at newbies, but useful for those who’ve been flying a while too.
The Photographer’s Guide to Drones by Colin Smith – This book focuses on the photography side of drone flying. It is, after all, a flying camera.
Drones: The Complete Collection by Brian Halliday – This popular collection of the three drone books contains incredibly relevant information that will help prospective Drone Pilot go from beginner to expert. The books can also be purchased separately.
- Drones: The Professional Drone Pilot’s Manual (Volume 1) – In this book, you will learn about the different types of drones, how they are used commercial projects, flight reference cards, operating safety rules and regulations, and more.
- Drones: Mastering Flight Techniques (Volume 2) – This is a more advanced book for those looking to take their flying and filming skills up a notch.
- Drones: Fly Your Drone Anywhere Without Getting Busted – The book covers legal methods and proven techniques that allow you to safely fly anywhere IF done so correctly.
Drone Pilots Log, Training and Maintenance Record – You can find many drone logs on Amazon. This has been drawn up with FAA requirements in mind. It’s the one we use.
Best Drones for Kids
We can’t leave kids out of our drone gift guide! They will want to get their hands on your drone when they see you flying it. I worry about this because the drones are so expensive and easily damaged. Instead, it may be a good idea to give your children a toy drone as a gift. The problem with a lot of the really cheap drones out there is that they are a pain to set up and difficult to fly! That’s the reason we recommend the Ryze Tello.
Although the Tello is slightly more expensive than other models out there, it behaves in much the same way as the more expensive DJI drones. It is very easy to fly and it is quick & simple to get set up, pretty much straight out of the box. You control it using a smartphone, and while the camera isn’t going to be good enough to make the next Hollywood blockbuster, it’s good enough as a toy. It even does ok as a selfie drone – which is why we have one of these too. In our opinion, the Tello is the best drone for kids. It also makes a great starter drone.
Fly Your Drone Responsibly
Whatever drone you fly, please make sure you follow the rules in the country where you are flying. Drones get a pretty bad reputation sometimes when people misuse them. Here in the UK there is The Drone Code, which is similar to the regulations in many other countries.
Do you have a drone? What other accessories do you love? Do you have any other drone gift ideas to add to the list? If you are looking for more present ideas, be sure to check out my list of gifts for travel enthusiasts.
-Anisa
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What a great idea!
Thanks Teju. Glad you like the list
The Mavic 2 Pro looks amazing! I wish I had the money to buy it as a Christmas gift. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as drone racing (shows how little I know about drones). It’s one of those things that I’ll put on the list for “when I’m rich”. I didn’t even realise that you needed filters to get good shots on extra sunny days. Great info!
Katherine – I know, I wish drones weren’t so expensive!
I’ve actually considered purchasing a drone, because I love watching the travel videos that are shot, using them. I like that you added the disclaimer about Drone etiquette. So often, people fly them, where they are not supposed to. Great list, thanks for sharing! #TheWeeklyPostcard
Kimberly – I hope you get one. They are fun but a lot more too them than I initially expected. Yes, it is important to fly responsibly!
I don’t have a drone but my teens wish that we did! #TheWeeklyPostcard
Haha yes I am sure many teens will be asking Santa for a drone. We think the Tello is the best option for teens.
Wow so cool, I really want a drone! Where’s the favourite place you’ve used it so far?
That is a tough question! So many great places but I think I will say over the different white horses in Wiltshire. We are still working on that video!
I admit, I am not a huge fan of drones, but mostly because people tend to misuse them, like you said; so I appreciate you adding the fly them responsibly part. On the other hand, I appreciate them as a great tool for fantastic photos and videos. Also, I recently read about conservationists using them to understand wildife habits better – what a great idea! Now if they just started making them less noisy, and people learned to fly them responsibly, I’d be a great fan, I’m sure.
This is a great article though for those who have them or know someone who does. You have so many great ideas for accessories as present: things that you might not consider buying after spending so much on the drone itself.
Emese – I agree it is really upsetting when people are irresponsible with drones. There are so many good uses for them too though. I also saw something about lifeguards using them at beaches.
I’m always fascinated with the idea of drones and the footage, but I’m overwhelmed with the idea of keeping up with all the drone codes. I hadn’t ever thought about the accessories that you could add to your drone – like filters… this seems like another very expensive habit to start, lol. I do love the images that come from drones though.
Sara – This is a lot of behind the scenes stuff with drones, but we think it is worth it to get the footage
Your post made me smile Anisa, because my husband is drone obsessed. He has an entire fleet of drones. ALL the ones you listed above, plus 5-6 older models! Crazy, huh? Well, I showed him your post and he agrees with your recommendations. He believes the Pro 2 is the best however.
Haha Anda! Our husbands would get along well. That is quite an impressive drone fleet!
I didn’t realize there were so many drone accessories out there!
Haha! Yes, I didn’t realize either until we bought our drone
I am beginning to think drones are pretty cool, been watching all the archaeology programs on UK TV about what drones are uncovering from the air. Neat post and good timing! Thanks for sharing on #theweeklypostcard
Carolyn – I agree. Drones give you such a different perspective. Glad you enjoyed the post.
I’m still in the process of reading about drones and haven’t yet made a purchase. It’s interesting to see the array of equipment available.
Stuart – Understandable. Buying a drone is a big purchase so you want to get it right one. Accessories are important too. Let me know if you have questions about it.
I often find drones to be annoying because they are so frequently misused and the buzz they make drives me crazy (especially in peaceful places), but Laurence loves to play around with his Mavic Pro 😉 Yes, we’ve definitely found that extra accessories (plus insurance) are important based on our experience and experiences of others we know, especially with how fragile some of the pieces are. I think we’ve had to replace the entire drone once plus several blades so far. We don’t use ours that often given restrictions but it definitely comes in handy in getting certain angles and types of photos/videos.
Yes, it is so upsetting when people are irresponsible with their drones. It gives everyone a bad reputation. Luckily we have only had to replace the propellers.
Thanks for this list, Anisa! It will make holiday shopping easier for a few people I know. I’ll just forward this to them, and let them pick something. I’m sure I will enjoy it! 😉
Rob – Sounds like a plan, glad you enjoyed the list.