In order to get the most stable footage when flying a drone you need to first have a gimbal attached, however, drones that come with gimbals can be pretty pricey! I did some research on some cheaper drones that do have gimbals, and here is what I found.
Any good drone has a camera that comes with gimbal attachments. Here are some of the best cheap drones with gimbal attachments:
| Drone Name: | Flight Time: | Camera Quality: | Gimbal Type: | Price: | Purchase Link: |
| Mavic Mini | 30 min | 2.7K | 3-axis gimbal | $399 | VIEW |
| Mavic Air | 21 min | 4K | 3-axis mechanical gimbal | $599 | VIEW |
| DJI Spark | 16 min | 2.7K | 2-axis mechanical gimbal | $399 | VIEW |
| Holy Stone HS100 | 12 min | 2K | 1-axis gimbal | $149 | VIEW |
| POTENSIC D60 | 15 min | 1080p | 1-axis gimbal | $170 | VIEW |
| EACHINE E511 | 17 min | 4K | 3-axis gimbal | $99 | VIEW |
| H109S X4 PRO | 25 min | 1080p | 6-axis gyro and 3-axis gimbal | $409 | VIEW |
| EACHINE E520S | 16 min | 4K | 3-axis gimbal | $140 | VIEW |
| RYZE TELLO | 13 min | 720p | digital image stabilization | $105 | VIEW |
| Wingsland S6 | 10 min | 4K | 3-axis gimbal | $239 | VIEW |
Keep reading for an in-depth look at each of these drones and some of their unique features.
01. Mavic Mini
It seems to be that every list about drones that you look at nowadays always has the name “DJI Mavic” in it. Some of you might be tired of actually seeing the name by now, and honestly, I really don’t blame you!
That doesn’t change the fact that they make amazing drones and they haven’t stopped. In November 2019 they released the Mavic Mini.
Weight. Probably their most consumer-friendly drone and weighing less than 0.55 lbs, meaning that it doesn’t have to be registered with the FAA before you fly it.
The best thing about this drone is that DJI only made a few compromises to the drone in order to achieve this size. Not needing to register the drone with the FAA is a big bonus for a lot of pilots out there.
The Mavic Mini is the perfect small drone for anyone who is looking for one. It doesn’t matter if you are a long-time hobbyist or a beginner, it is a brilliant drone to have and super easy to use.
Design. The Mavic Mini is basically the Mavic Pro that has been adjusted to increase its portability appeal. Even though the Mavic Mini is smaller in size compared to its counterparts in the Mavic series, it does not compromise in the performance area.
Price. The Mavic Mini is the cheapest drone that DJI offers. being only $399 it is a great price for its amazing features.
What makes this drone cool?
- The Mavic Mini, even though it is small, still has a 30 minute flight time and a 2,5-mile maximum range which is perfect for taking on trips to excellent photography locations that are scattered all over America.
- The Mavic Mini has a 3-axis gimbal which is not a common thing to find in a drone of its size and price. This is awesome because it allows the pilot to not worry about how they are flying while they film because the footage will always be smooth.
02. Mavic Air
The DJI Mavic Air is viewed by many in the drone community as a marvel in engineering. The design incorporates the best features of the Mavic series of drones into a tiny frame that is perfect for you to take on your next trip and travel with.
The Mavic Air is perfect for beginners that are looking for a good drone but also want something that is affordable. The drone also has obstacle avoidance which is great for beginners as well.
Design. The Mavic Air is ultra-portable and foldable, featuring high-end performance and functionality. The 3-directional environmental sensing tech in the drone makes it safer to fly as well.
Gimbal. It also features a 3-axis mechanical gimbal to help stabilize the amazing 4K video without the need for you to worry if the footage will be shaky because of the way you might be flying.
Flight time. Even though the DJI Mavic Air is a small drone it still gives you 21 minutes of flight time, meaning you will have plenty of time in the air to enjoy every feature this drone has.
Price. The Mavic Air costs around $599 but this price might change with the release of the Mavic Air 2.
This drone really delivers when it comes to what it is capable of but still affordable for the average consumer. Being affordable and still having such high quality is a huge bonus!
03. DJI Spark
If you are looking for an amazing drone that is just bigger than your average smartphone but still able to fit in your pocket then you shouldn’t look any further than the DJI Spark.
Flight time. Despite its small size, the drone has quite a lot of power behind it which can power it for up to 15 minutes of flight time.
Controller. The DJI Spark is compatible with the DJI Go app and allows you to fly with or without the controller by using a smartphone.
With the dedicated controller, you can fly the drone miles ahead of its nearest competition when it comes to drones.
Without the controller and just using a smartphone, you can still fly this drone further than most of the drones in its class that require controllers.
The Spark was designed to be a fun little mini drone for beginner drone enthusiasts but at the same time still having the features and qualities that every DJI drone is known for.
Gimbal. The drone also has a mechanical 2-axis gimbal camera helping to stabilize all your amazing video footage.
With its intelligent flight control options, the Spark is the perfect drone for beginners, almost being like a co-pilot.
Price. The spark only costs around $350, so if you’re a new drone pilot this might be a great starting point until you are able to move on to bigger, better things.
04. Holy Stone HS100
The Holy Stone HS100 is one of the best beginner-friendly drones that are still consumer-friendly and currently on the market.
This is a great drone for anyone to have in their arsenal, but it is an amazing drone for those who are new to drone flying.
The HS100 is a very simple drone which is the main reason why it is so perfect for beginners. It has one main take-off and landing flight feature but it also has an automatic return home feature which will come in handy for new flyers.
Motors. Unfortunately, because the drone is a cheap one it has a few setbacks. It comes with brushed motors that are not as efficient or powerful as brush-less motors and so will require a little more maintenance to keep it working at peak condition.
Camera Quality. The HS100 has its camera attached underneath the drone. It’s actually really good to have a 2K HD camera for the price you are paying for the drone and can capture some good photos and videos.
Gimbal. The HS100 only has a 1-axis gimbal attached to the camera which is not great but it is still very good considering the price of the drone.
Flight Time. The drone will allow for plenty of practice for new pilots as it has a maximum flight time of 18 minutes.
It might be a little less because companies tend to exaggerate their flight time.
Price. The Holy Stone HS100 is one of the cheapest drones on the list, at $149 this is a steal!
05. POTENSIC D60
The Potensic D60 is a great choice if you are looking for a drone that does just about anything that you need out of a drone.
The D60 is super easy to use and easy to set up and the GPS function really makes the drone a cut above the rest.
GPS. When the GPS mode is activated, the drone will automatically return to its take-off location when the battery is low, when the signal is lost and the one key return ensures a safe flight.
Gimbal. The Potensic D60 has a 1-axis gimbal and advanced brush-less motors which gives it great stable flight and ultra-smooth video recording.
Price. The Potensic D60 is a great drone for its cheap price of $170.
06. EACHINE E511
This a nice cheap drone for beginner drone pilots basically built as a starting point for any pilot.
Camera. With a 720p camera, it is able to take magnificent pictures and the 6-Axis Gyroscope allows for the drone to remain stable in the air even after the pilot practices their 3D flips.
The drone has a headless mode which means you don’t need to adjust its position before flying it.
Design. The drone and controller can be folded down nicely for easy stowing in a suitcase or backpack and can be ready to fly at any moment the pilot wishes.
The E511 has a 120-degree field of view, this means it is capable of capturing impressively high-quality video and stills which is good for what it costs.
Price. This is one of the best drones you will find at this price range at only $99.
Cool Features:
- A key 360° roll. Continuous roll for perfect action and wonderful performance.
- APP Control. This means you can control your drone using the app instead of the controller for convenience.
- Trajectory Flight Mode. With this mode, you are able to plot a flight path on the map using your smartphone and the E511 will fly there automatically.
- You can also add VR(Virtual Reality) or FPV(First-person view) goggles to enjoy your flight from another unique perspective.
07. H109S X4 PRO
The Hubsan 109S X4 Pro is one of the best drones that Hubsan has to offer. Hubsan is one of the industry leaders when it comes to easy to fly drones and they are definitely proving that with the H109S.
The drone has a lot of unique qualities that make it hard to believe the cost price.
Features:
- GPS. The H109S has a brilliant GPS positioning system making it a lot easier to pinpoint the location of your drone.
- Flight Time. There will be plenty of time to capture amazing pictures with this drone as it has a 21 minute maximum flight time which is very good considering its price range.
- Gimbal. The H109S has a 3-axis gimbal system ensuring that the footage taken is steady and smooth. To have a 3-axis gimbal system at this price is quite nice.
- Price. The H109S is one of the pricier drones on this list at $409 which is not bad considering the features this drone has.
08. EACHINE E520S
This drone is very cheap and proves that you do not have to spend thousands on a drone in order to get a drone of good quality.
Design. It is easily folded up so you are able to travel with it wherever you might want to go and it is small enough to fit into your pocket.
The Eachine E520S drone is almost identical to the Mavic Air in the way it looks
Camera. The camera can also rotate 90 degrees downward to allow you to take photos of the area directly below the drone. This can come in handy if you are trying to get a shot from a different angle.
The drone is also very agile, allowing the pilot to move freely in the air and be very nimble in the air.
Price. It comes at a lower cost than the Mavic Air of just $140 which is a great start for anyone who is just starting out in the drone world and doesn’t want to join the DJI team just yet.
Cool features:
- 3-axis gimbal which helps stabilize the camera for some smooth camera footage when recording.
- 6-axis gyro which can have more stable flying and be easy to control.
09. RYZE TELLO
The Ryze Tello is a very controversial drone in the droning community and if you are new to droning here is what you should know about it:
The Ryze Tello is a drone that is made in partnership with DJI using DJI parts to build it and sold on the DJI website. The fact that it is so closely attached to the DJI brand many people tend to put it in the same class as DJI drones.
The truth is that this is a very capable toy-class drone that you can fly using your phone, remote control and you can even code your own functionality in the educational version of this drone.
Yes, there is no doubt that this drone is a very capable, high-end, toy-class drone in its own right.
People shouldn’t think that being built using DJI parts is a bad thing, in fact, it probably gives the Tello a big boost compared to other toy class drones and sets it apart from the rest.
The Ryze Tello is an amazing little drone capable of many things that the top drones in the world can do. It doesn’t matter if you are at a local park, a wide-open field, or even inside your own home, the Ryze Tello can be used in any environment.
The Tello is meant as a starter drone for beginner pilots. It is powered by DJI tech it has a 13 min flight time. With that amount of time and space, you should be able to get you up to speed with controlling a drone in no time.
Cool Features:
- Throw and Go. This feature allows you to throw the drone straight into the air to start flying it.
- 8D Flips. This is a cool feature that allows you to use the screen you are using to control the drone to swipe and perform cool stunts.
Gimbal. The Ryze Tello doesn’t actually have a gimbal stabilization system to steady its camera during the flight which is one of its major faults but it does have digital stabilization which does a decent job in stabilizing the footage.
Flight time. The Tello has an 1100 mAh battery that can keep it in the air for around 13 minutes. Most toy class drones don’t last this long in the air so it makes it the perfect drone for beginners.
Range. The Tello can fly as far as 328 feet, which is very impressive for a drone that only weighs 80 grams.
Camera quality. The drone camera definitely sets it apart, it can take 5MP pictures and shoots video at HD720.
Price. These drones brand new will set you back around $99. Which isn’t bad especially considering that it comes with a 5MP camera.
10. Wingsland S6
Gimbal. It has a 4K camera which is excellent for a drone of its class and that footage remains completely stable because it has a 3-axis gimbal keeping all that footage smooth.
The competition between the Wingland S6 and the DJI Spark is really something.
Camera Quality. The Wingland seems to have the advantage in camera as it sports a 4K HD camera while the DJI Spark only has a 1080p camera.
The drone can be controlled only with the smartphone app that you can get on your mobile device and gives you around 8-10 minutes of flight time.
Flight Time. The 8-10 minute flight is a bit of a disappointment when you look at other drones but considering its price it’s a decent amount of time.
Price. The Wingsland S6 is a small, foldable drone that is somewhat on par with the DJI Spark despite being only $250.
