8 Best Indoor Drones

1. Furibee Mini RC Indoor Quadcopter F36

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Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5.0

Furibee’s Mini quadcopter is a fun toy-grade drone to fly indoors. It has a 6-axis gyro to keep the craft nice and steady. The four propeller guards make it safe for users and protect the fragileblades.

• Best feature 1: 6-axis gyroscope
• Best feature 2: Propeller guards
• Plus points: Suitable for indoors, easy to carry, crash-resistant, 360° flips, colorful LEDs
• Minus points: Short flying time, vague instructions

Furibee’s Mini RC quad is an excellent little drone to fly indoors and to learn piloting skills. Its mini UFO design makes it easy to slip into a pocket and take anywhere. Don’t worry about those inevitable mild crashes and collisions either. Seriously, the F36 can withstand plenty of learner mishaps.

Flying the Furibee Mini F36

Indoor drones must be easy to fly or there’d be havoc in the home. This beauty lacks some of the beginner-friendly features found on other models, but it has all the basics. There’s a headless mode, a one-key auto return feature, and a 3D rollover function. The wing guards protect small hands from contacting the blades and save the props from breaking on impact. The colorful LED lights are fun too.

The 6-axis gyroscope does an excellent job at stabilizing the quad during flight. The company says it’s effective in strong winds too, but I say ignore that claim. It’s a lightweight toy primarily for indoor fun.

The Not So Good

Flying time is not good at 5–6 minutes max. It’s typical for tiny quads but no less disappointing. The charging time is okay and takes between 30–50 minutes depending on the power source. The Furibee Mini F36 is a simple drone but some new users still need guidance. Unfortunately, there are complaints that the user manual is too vague. Look for YouTube tutorials if you opt for this model.

2. Holy Stone HS177 Indoor Battle Drones

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Editor’s Rating: 4.8/5.0

The Holy Stone HS177 Indoor Battle Drones make a great gift for kids. Even adults have fun with these feisty little quads as they battle it out in the living room. Keep reading to see how that works.

• Best feature 1: Two flying quads in one box
• Best feature 2: Headless mode
• Plus points: 6-axis gyro, 3 speed modes, flexible prop guards, indoor/outdoor capable, LEDs
• Minus points: Short battery life, fiddly battery access

These two fighting drones are heaps of fun for kids and adults alike. The way they work is by shooting with the quad’s infrared beams. The winner is whoever gets four direct hits first, and the losing craft then auto falls to a soft landing. These battle games are also an excellent way to develop piloting skills. The 6-axis gyro keeps the HS177s steady but doesn’t interfere with their agility.

Flying the Holy Stone HS177 Indoor Battle Drones

Air battles take more skills than basic flying, but users soon get used to handling their quads. The headless mode means pilots don’t have to worry about orientation as they fly into position. The low, medium, and high speed choices make them perfect drones for all levels. The models come with soft, flexible prop guards that add to the crash-resistance of these tiny robots.

Fighter pilots can take the battle outside in fair weather too. The latitude hold function makes outdoor flying easier. You can even battle in the dark with the bright LED lights keeping the game alive. Other cool features worth a mention include the low power alert, emergency stop, and 1-key takeoff/landing.

The Not So Good

The battery life is unsatisfactory like so many of these toy-grade drones. The Holy Stone HS177 is lucky to get 7-minutes in a battle situation, so spare batteries are essential. Charging time is around 60–90 minutes. There are a few complaints about how fiddly it is to plug the batteries into the charger. They’re right too. The trick is to connect the battery before placing it into the drone’s body.

3. Altair #AA108 Indoor/Outdoor Camera Quad

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Editor’s Rating: 4.8/5.0

The Altair #AA108 is a First Person View (FPV) camera drone. It’s small, but it’s not as tiny as nano or micro quads. It’s still a capable indoor model, and it also flies well outdoors in winds of 10mph or less.

• Best feature 1: Wide-angle 720P HD camera
• Best feature 2: Easy beginner’s drone
• Plus points: Robust build, 6-axis gyro, propeller guards, three skill levels, warning alarms
• Minus points: Short battery life, exaggerated distance range

My top pick is an indoor/outdoor 720p HD FPV camera drone. Its 120-degree wide-angle lens can capture incredible stills and video from above. Pilots get to see what the lens sees direct to their smartphone screen. The Altair #AA108 is also a brilliant indoor flyer and super easy to control at the entry-level. It has a robust build, protective prop guards, and a 6-axis gyro to steady the flights.

Flying the Altair #AA108 Camera Quad

Advance pilots have plenty to enjoy with the Altair #AA108, but it’s a superb novice model as well. Beginner-friendly features include headless mode, one-button takeoff/landing, and altitude hold. There’s also an option to draw custom routes from a smartphone. The drone then flies along its custom flight line. It’s a great feature if you want to concentrate more on the camera and less on the flying.

New users can take advantage of the Beginner, Mid, and Advanced skill level switch as they progress. And the Out of Range and Low Battery Alarms make sure you keep your craft safe and within reach.

The Not So Good

Altair’s #AA108 camera quad doesn’t escape the frustrating short flight time (battery life). The company claims ten minutes, but many users suggest closer to eight. The drone does come with a bonus battery though. An extra battery is welcome and not something all tiny quad makers provide. The distance range states 100M, but again this seems overly optimistic during my test flights.

Worth noting is that drone makers set range predictions in ideal conditions with little interference. A reduced range is more evident in built-up urban areas than it is in wide open spaces.

4. Cheerwing Syma X20 Pocket Quadcopter

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Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5.0

Meetthe X20. It’s a fantastic little quadcopter packed with beginner-friendly features (see below). The drone is ultra-portable and fits easily into a pocket so that you can take it everywhere.

• Best feature 1: Beginner-friendly features
• Best feature 2: Portable design
• Plus points: Fits in a pocket, durable, 6-axis gyro, prop guards, 360° eversion, LED lights
• Minus points: Poor flight time, fixed battery

Flying the Cheerwing Syma X20

The Cheerwing Syma X20 sports a host of features that make flying easier for novice pilots. It’s a stable little quad with a headless mode for seamless flying. One-key takeoff and landing is child’s play—literally. And the one-touchdown feature is invaluable as it lets users safely bring the drone down. Pilots can activate one-touchdown at any time such as low battery or in a panic situation.

Headless mode is another beginner-friendly attribute as is altitude hold. Even fancy flips are simple using the one-key 360° roll feature. Flying in the dark is also doable thanks to the bright LED lights.

The Not So Good

There are two significant disadvantages to the Cheerwing Syma X20. The first is the terrible 5-minute flight time, and that’s in ideal conditions. The second disappointment is the non-removable battery. That means you must wait the 50-minute charging time before you can take to the sky again. It’s still a fantastic little pocket quad for anyone who doesn’t care too much about the short flights.

5. Hubsan X4 (H107L) 4 Channel RC Indoor Drone

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Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5.0

The Hubsan X4 H107L is an affordable little quadcopter and a favorite among learners. It’s a tough little craft that uses a one-piece, hi-tech composite anti-crash plastic in its build.

• Best feature 1: One-piece frame for added durability
• Best feature 2: Precision 6-axis gyroscope
• Plus points: Two user modes, fast flyer, soft landing pads, LED lights, easy to source spares
• Minus points: Short battery life, no headless mode, prop guards not included

The 4CH X4 Mini palm-sized quadcopter sells well, and that alone tells us plenty. It’s ideally an indoor drone, but it can fly well outdoors when there’s no wind.

Flying the Hubsan X4 H107L

The X4 has noticeable powerful coreless motors compared to others drones in its class. A 6-axis flight control system includes adjustable gyro sensitivity to help keep the craft stable. There are two user modes to choose from depending on your level, mode1 and mode2. The pliable pads help with softer landings, and the bright LEDs make flying in the dark fun and safe.

Beginner mode is the sensible choice for indoor flying even if you’re a skilled pilot. Expert mode has a bit too much oomph for the living room. It’s fast too, and that makes it better suited to outdoors on a still day. It’s nice to have the choice though. And the anti-flip function gives speed enthusiasts more confidence when flying fast outdoors.

The Not So Good

The flying time is around 9-minutes. That’s more than some palm-sized quads, but it still means short-lived fun. There’s only one battery in the box so consider spares if you buy this model. Note that the drone doesn’t have a headless mode. That’s not essential, but a headless feature is a great help to learners. The final gripe is that there are no blade guards included, but they’re cheap to buy.

6. Remoking R820 RC Indoor/Outdoor Racing Quad

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Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5.0

The Remoking R820 comes with high and low-speed modes that are handy for beginners. It’s an indoor/outdoor racing quadcopter with plenty of fun features to enjoy.

• Best feature 1: High/low-speed modes
• Best feature 2: Headless mode for easier flying
• Plus points: 6-axis gyro, decent flight time, 1-button takeoff/landing, altitude hold, 360° flips
• Minus points: Bigger than micro/nano drones, not good in winds10+ mph

Remoking’s R820 RC drone packs a lot of power for a small quad. It has ultra-responsive motors and effective throttle control. Another welcome feature is the longer 12-minute flying time.

Flying the Remoking R820 RC

The R820 quadcopter is a solid choice for kids eight years and up, or younger under supervision. The headless mode lets pilots focus on flying the quad without worrying about orientation. The 6-axis gyro keeps the lightweight craft steady in the air so that it’s easier to control. Other user-friendly flight features include the one-button takeoff/landing, and altitude hold function.

Impressive 3D rolls and flips look difficult, but all you do is push a button and voilà. Charging time is around 45-minutes, so there’s only a short wait between flying fun.

The Not So Good

This quadcopter is not nano or micro-sized, and that makes it more challenging to fly in tight spaces. It’s easy to operate with little experience but consider a tinier model if you only have a small area. It doesn’t fly too well in winds above 10mph either, despite its bigger size.

7. Spacekey Foldable Indoor/Outdoor DC-014 Drone

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Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5.0

The DC-014 by Spacekey is a smart foldable drone for indoor and outdoor flying. It comes with a spare set of blade guards too. The airfoil and fuselage use a flexible PA plastic for added durability.

• Best feature 1: 720p/30fps HD camera
• Best feature 2: Flexible PA plastic
• Plus points: Propeller guards, app control, 360° stunts, LED night lights, includes extras
• Minus points: Short flight time, not good in the wind

Spacekey’s affordable drone is a beautiful quad that packs plenty of advanced features. Best of all is its affordable price tag for a First Person View (FPV) quad. The camera’s 120° wide-angle lens gets plenty into the frame from panoramas to close-ups. Okay, so the footage isn’t spectacular in this price category. Even so, the aerial photos and video are more than pleasing for users new to camera drones.

Flying the DC-014 Foldable Camera Drone

The small size and foldable structure of this handsome quadcopter make it super portable. Take it with you on vacation, to parties, or any other events that you want to record. It’s a great little beginner quad that has safe simplistic flying options. There are also some cool LED lights to help navigate the craft in the dark. The DC-014 comes with three handy speed modes, low/med/high.

Speed control lets new users progress at their own time at a pace they’re comfortable with. Other beginner-friendly features include one-key take-off& landing, headless mode, and altitude hold. The four propeller guards keep fingers out of harm’s way and protect the quad against mishaps.

Pilots can control the DC-014 FPV quad using any regular smartphone and the company app. That puts all the above flight controls at your fingertips, including fancy 360° flips & rolls.

The Not So Good

Flight time is a lame 7–8 minutes at best. Spacekey advertises the DC-014 drone as an excellent outdoor quad as well as a capable indoor flyer. It does fly well outside but only if there’s no wind. All these tiny, lightweight quads suffer the same setback—some worse than others. People who don’t heed this warning are the ones who lose their beloved quads in a sudden gust.

8. QCopter QC1 Indoor/Outdoor Camera Drone

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Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0

The QCopter is another foldable camera drone that you can fly indoors and out. The standout feature with this puppy is the30-minute flight time from its two batteries.

• Best feature 1: Includes two batteries
• Best feature 2: HD Wi-Fi 1080P camera
• Plus points: Stabilization system, intuitive flight controls, app control, colorful LEDs, spares
• Minus points: Long charging time, poorly written manual

The most important thing with any camera quad is how well it flies and performs its functions. People also buy on appearance, though looks should always be secondary over ability. This beauty certainly has an eye-catching BLING effect. The brilliant red metallic finish and multi-colored LED lights are striking. It certainly looks the part, but how well does this showy drone perform?

QCopter’s HD Wi-Fi 1080P FPV Camera isn’t overly impressive on the quality front. The fixed average camera still gives first-time flyers a smooth introduction to aerial photography and videography. There’s also the First Person View (FPV) for watching live-stream footage on a smartphone screen.

Flying the QCopter QC1 Camera Drone

The remote controller has a smartphone clamp for flying with app control and viewing FPV. The quad has gyrocopters and altitude hold to stabilize it during flight. Novice pilots who fly outdoors welcome the return-to-home feature. The long runtime takes away the short-flight frustrations of other drones. Video and stills footage saves to a MicroSD card for easy transfer and sharing.

The Not So Good

QCopter lacks some features found on rival drones, but it still offers excellent value. Fewer features also means there’s less to worry about or go wrong. The biggest gripe with this drone is the long 2-hour battery charging time. It’s just as well it comes with a bonus battery, but you may also want to buy a third. The other shared complaint is the poorly written or translated user manual.