If you like RC or remote-controlled cars, then you will definitely love flying a drone or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Not only are drones fun to control, but they are also quite useful for many people, especially for photographers looking for the best shot, as the drones allow them to take breathtaking aerial photos of landscapes and views.
Besides flying, drones are also quite fun to build, and some of the DIY drone kits available today can be built by beginners that are not yet familiar with the different parts and mechanisms of the drone. In fact, even kids will be able to build a drone, although they may sometimes need assistance from their parents or their guardian for the more complicated steps. Here are the best DIY drone kits that kids can build.
GILOBABY Mini Drone Kit
One of the best drone kits for beginners is the GILOBABY Mini Drone Kit, which features a simple drone that has only a few parts needed to be put together before it is ready to fly. With only a few parts included, the mini drone kit is relatively easier to build than most of the drone kits available on the market. So, kids will be able to put the parts together to form the drone, but they may need to be assisted in installing a few parts using a screwdriver.
In addition to being easy to build, the GILOBABY Mini Drone Kit is also quite fun to fly, as it is lightweight and has simple control on its remote controller. However, you shouldn’t expect durability in this mini drone kit, as it mostly has plastic parts that may get easily damaged over time. Nonetheless, the GILOBABY drone is suitable for beginners that just want to get into the drone hobby without the need to break the bank.
DJI Mavic Mini Combo
From the most affordable option, let us now talk about one of the more pricey options on this list, which is the DJI Mavic Mini Combo. This drone kit is manufactured by DJI, one of the most renowned drone brands in the world, so you would already expect that the drone in the kit is durable and reliable. The DJI Mavic Mini is considered a very lightweight drone, as it weighs just as heavy as a regular smartphone. So, it is very easy to control, even for kids that are learning how to fly a drone.
Furthermore, the DJI Mavic Mini Combo is also easy to assemble, as you just need to connect the drone to the propellers and the battery pack for it to work. The drone also comes with a portable case so that you can store it whenever it is not in use. But, the downside of the DJI Mavic Mini is its price, as it is more expensive than most of the drone kits on this list. So, the kit may not be suitable for beginners that are still trying to learn how to build and fly a drone. If your child is already experienced in drones, you should get him or her this drone kit as an upgrade.
Kitables Paper Frame Drone Kit
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on beginner drone kits, the best product that you can give to children is the Kitables Paper Frame Drone Kit, which is a kit that contains parts to make a drone made out of paper fly. The kit comes with a remote controller, a set of propellers, and electronic parts that can then be assembled with the included paper frame cutouts to form the body of the drone.
Assembling the paper frame DIY drone kit is relatively easy, and it could even be quite fast to build depending on the child’s building skills. Through these drone kits, children will be able to learn more about STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and understand the basics of how drones fly. But, since the body of the drone is made of paper, you shouldn’t expect it to last long. Luckily, you can just make more cutouts by printing them once the original body is damaged.
Readytosky 250mm Drone Frame Kit
Another affordable option for beginners is the Readytosky 250mm Drone Frame Kit, which includes a very sturdy frame for the drone and a set of propellers that are compatible with the weight and the size of the frame. However, this drone frame kit doesn’t come with the electronics that make the drone fly, so you will need to buy the electronics kit separately. Fortunately, the electronics kit that you can buy for this drone is affordable as well, so you don’t really have to spend a lot to get the Readytosky drone ready to fly.
The Readytosky 250mm Drone Frame Kit would give you the true DIY experience, as you would really have to assemble and install many parts of the drone yourself. But, because it is much more complex to build than the other drone kits presented above, this may not be the best drone kit for beginners. However, with a little bit of assistance, kids can surely build this as their first drone kit, although we recommend they build easier kits first for practice.
DJI Flame Wheel F550
Much like the DJI Mavic Mini, the DJI Flame Wheel F550 is another relatively expensive option for beginners. However, what makes this a little bit more interesting as it is a drone with a DIY system, so you will be able to customize its appearance and its features, unlike the DJI Mavic Mini that already comes with an already built body, which is why the Mavic Mini is called an RTF or ready-to-fly drone.
The DJI Flame Wheel F550 is an ARF or almost-ready-to-fly kit that would need to be assembled before it can fly. Unlike other ARF drone kits, the DJI Flame Wheel has very durable flame parts that are much more reliable than regular plastic parts. So, the F550 will last a long time and can still be used even if the beginner who built it is already a veteran in building and flying drones.
So, these are the best DIY drone kits that kids and teenagers can build during their free time. Be sure to check out the reviews for these drone kits so that you can decide which one is suitable for you or for your child that will build the kit.