By I Bought the Best Budget Drone I Could Find Last Spring — Three Months Later, Here’s the Truth
So I was standing in my backyard last spring, holding a drone I’d just pulled out of the box, genuinely having no idea what I was doing. The wind was picking up a little, my neighbor was watching from his porch like I was about to do something stupid, and I was reading the instruction manual which was, I kid you not, translated so badly from Chinese that one sentence just said “ensure sky before launch.” I laughed. Then I panicked a little. Then I launched it anyway.
That’s kind of how this whole thing started.
Why I Didn’t Just Buy a DJI
I’d been going back and forth for months on whether to get a drone. Not a fancy one — I’m not a filmmaker, I don’t have a YouTube channel, I just wanted some aerial shots of the lake house we were renting for a family trip and maybe mess around with it on weekends. But every time I searched for the best budget drone, I got either a listicle written by someone who clearly never touched a drone in their life, or I got buried under specs I didn’t understand. Megapixels, FOV, GPS hovering, brushless motors — I didn’t know what mattered and what was filler.
I almost pulled the trigger on the DJI Mini 2 SE because it kept showing up everywhere. And look, it’s probably great. But it was still sitting around $299, and I genuinely wasn’t sure I’d use it enough to justify that. I wanted something cheaper to test the hobby first. Something I could crash without feeling sick about it.
After way too many Reddit threads and YouTube rabbit holes, I landed on the Holy Stone HS720E. Not the flashiest name. But people who’d actually bought it kept saying the same things — stable, decent camera, solid GPS, doesn’t just fall out of the sky. For around $150 to $180 depending on where you grab it, it kept coming up as the best budget drone for beginners who don’t want to feel like complete idiots.
So I ordered it. Here’s everything that happened after.
First Day: Two Mistakes Before I Even Left the Backyard
When the box arrived I did the thing where you rip it open and skip the instructions. First mistake.
Turns out these drones need their batteries charged before first use — like fully charged, not just plugged in for twenty minutes while you set up the controller. I charged it for maybe half an hour, went outside, and it just sort of limped into the air, hovered for four minutes, then landed itself. I thought something was broken. I genuinely considered returning it that afternoon.
Took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out I’d just been impatient. Fully charged and the flight time jumped to around 23 minutes per battery — actually decent for what you’re paying. I felt a little dumb about that one.
The second thing that got me was the GPS calibration. You have to do this figure-eight motion with the drone held in your hands before takeoff, like calibrating a compass on your phone. The manual explained it in about four words. I didn’t do it right the first three times. The drone would start drifting sideways the second I let it go, and I kept thinking I’d bought a broken unit.
Found a YouTube video that showed the exact wrist motion. Did it properly once, and the thing just locked in place in the air like it was glued to the sky. That GPS hold is genuinely one of the best things about this drone — you let go of the sticks and it just stays there. Which is wild when you’re used to absolutely nothing.
Not gonna lie, that moment kind of made me fall in love with it a little.
Camera Quality: Honest Take
The camera is where I had to readjust my expectations. It’s technically 4K — but it’s 4K in the way a lot of budget tech claims 4K. The actual quality is decent in good daylight but starts struggling in anything less than perfect conditions. Overcast afternoon? Footage looked flat, a bit grainy, nothing I’d show anyone proudly. Bright sunny day? Actually pretty solid. Not DJI quality, not even close, but good enough that I wasn’t embarrassed by it at the lake house.
I read somewhere that someone compared it favorably to the Ryze Tello, which sits around $99. I’ve never flown a Tello but from what I can tell the Holy Stone wins clearly on range and GPS. The Tello is more of a toy. If you’re genuinely looking for the best budget drone that can handle real outdoor flying — not just zooming around your living room — the HS720E is doing something the Tello isn’t really built for.
If camera quality is your absolute priority, I’ll be straight with you — save up a bit more and look at the DJI Mini 2 SE. The Holy Stone’s camera is fine. It’s not great. But as the best budget drone for someone who just wants decent footage without going broke, it does the job.
I read somewhere that someone compared it favorably to the Ryze Tello, which is around $99. I’ve never flown a Tello but from what I can tell the Holy Stone wins pretty clearly on range and GPS features. The Tello is more of a toy, from what I gathered. If you’re genuinely searching for the best budget drone that can handle some real outdoor flying — not just zooming around your living room — the HS720E is doing something the Tello isn’t really built for.
Gear Comparison
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| Drone | Best For | Price Range | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holy Stone HS720E | Beginners & GPS Flying | Affordable | View on Amazon |
| DJI Mini 2 SE | Best Camera Quality | Mid-Range | Check Price |
| Potensic ATOM SE GPS Drone | Indoor Fun & Kids | Mid-Range | Buy Now |
Three Months In — What Actually Happened
So it’s been about three months since that first chaotic backyard launch. I’ve put it through a fair bit — the lake house trip, a couple of hikes, my nephew’s birthday party (kids are absolutely obsessed, by the way — that was a great call), and a few solo sunset sessions I actually enjoyed more than I expected to.
Here’s the thing about finding the best budget drone: you’re always making a tradeoff somewhere. The question is just where that tradeoff lands for you personally.
The app situation. The drone connects to your phone through Holy Stone’s own app and you use your screen as a live view while flying. It works. But it froze on me once while I was maybe 200 feet out over the water and I genuinely felt my heart drop. The drone was fine — just held position on GPS — but I was gripping the controller like I’d never been more stressed in my life. About 40 seconds of scrambling to get the app back open. Everything was okay. But wow.
I’m on an older Android, and from what I can tell the app runs more smoothly on iPhones. That might be the difference. Just something to know going in.
Return-to-home actually works. I tested it deliberately about 400 feet out, hit the button, and it flew back and landed within about three feet of where it took off. That level of accuracy at this price surprised me. It immediately made me more confident flying further out.
The controller feels good. Solid build, built-in phone holder, responsive sticks. I’ve held cheaper feeling controllers on more expensive drones somehow. This one doesn’t feel like it’ll snap if you grip it firmly.
Range. Supposed to be around 1000 meters. I never pushed past about 400 feet honestly — I got nervous and decided I didn’t need to. Within that distance it was rock solid, connection never dropped outside of that one app issue.
No obstacle avoidance. This is where I found out the hard way. Clipped a tree branch on my third flight and cracked one of the propeller guards. The drone kept flying fine, but I was annoyed at myself. Flying too close to trees while still getting comfortable with the controls — my fault entirely. Propeller guards are cheap to replace and I had extras, but still. Lesson learned.
If obstacle avoidance is something you need, you’re looking at a higher price point — the DJI Mini 3 territory. But then we’re talking two or three times the price, and at that point the question shifts from “what’s the best budget drone” to “what’s the best drone I can actually afford.” Different question with a different answer.
Battery life. You get one battery in the standard kit. 23 minutes sounds like a lot until you’re actually flying and realize how fast that goes. I bought a second battery separately — around $30 — and it was the best decision I made with this thing. Two batteries back to back is enough for a real session. If you buy this drone, just budget for the second battery from the start. Don’t assume one is enough. I did. I was wrong.
The Moments That Made It Worth It
There were frustrating days. Day two where I thought I’d bought a broken unit. The app freezing over water. The cracked prop guard. Days where I genuinely questioned whether this was the best budget drone choice or just an impulse buy collecting dust.
But there were also evenings flying over the lake while the sun was going down where I thought — okay, yeah. This is the thing. This is why people do this.
My nephew’s face when I let him see the live feed on my phone at his birthday party. The shot I got of the lake from maybe 300 feet up on a clear morning, water reflecting everything, that I’ve actually kept on my phone. Small moments, but real ones.
For what this drone costs compared to what it gives you — I didn’t expect to feel that way about it. But three months in, I do.
Comparing It to the Alternatives
Before I landed on the HS720E as my best budget drone pick, I seriously considered a few others:
DJI Mini 2 SE — Better camera, better build, better app, better everything honestly. But $299 was more than I wanted to spend testing a hobby I might hate. If you already know you’re going to stick with this, just get the DJI. You’ll thank yourself later.
Potensic ATOM SE — Kept coming up in forums. More of an indoor or calm-day flier. Fine drone, but I wanted GPS reliability for outdoor flying.
Ryze Tello — Around $99, genuinely fun for indoor stuff, but limited range and no real GPS. If you want to fly around your apartment, great. For actual outdoor flying, it’s not the best budget drone for that purpose.
The Holy Stone hits a specific sweet spot — real GPS, real outdoor range, actual usable camera, beginner-friendly flight modes, all under $180. That’s what made it the right call for where I was.
Questions People Keep Asking Me
Since I’ve talked about this with a few friends and on a forum or two, here are the things that keep coming up:
Is it actually good for beginners? Honestly yes, with a caveat. It’s stable, return-to-home works, the GPS helps a lot. But spend a day or two learning the calibration and getting comfortable with the app before flying over anything you care about. Don’t go straight to flying over water on day one like I almost did.
Can it handle wind? The specs say level 4 winds but in practice anything moderately breezy made it twitchy. Calm days and light breezes — totally fine. Gusty afternoon, I’d leave it in the bag.
Is the second battery worth buying? Yes. Immediately. Don’t even hesitate. One battery will leave you standing there frustrated just as you’re getting into a flow. Buy the second one when you order the drone.
Would you upgrade? Honestly, I keep an eye on the DJI Mini 2 SE around the holidays. If it dips below $250, I might make the move. But for now, the Holy Stone is still doing its job and I’m still learning. No rush.
Final Verdict
I went into this not knowing whether I was making a smart decision or just impulse buying something that’d sit in my closet. Three months later it’s still in regular rotation, I’ve got shots I actually like, and I understand why people get into this hobby.
Is it the best budget drone for everyone? No. I don’t think any single drone is. The app has its moments, there are no obstacle sensors, and the camera has real limits in low light.
But for someone who’s where I was — curious about flying, not wanting to spend DJI money on something they might use twice, wanting something with actual GPS that flies like a real drone rather than a toy — the Holy Stone HS720E delivered more than I expected.
If you’re on the fence the way I was, just go for it. Charge the battery all the way first. Do the GPS calibration properly before you fly. And buy the second battery before you even take it out of the box.
Learn from my mistakes. That’s the whole deal.
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