It's Cyber Monday, a last few hours in which you can grab the remaining good Black Friday deals out there. Some companies have already snatched them away, or they have been sold out, but luckily in the world of great drones for the holidays – and Christmas giving – the big names are keeping their discounts going until the end of today.
Three of those deals represent one of the best choices for kids this season, the Holy Stone HS280. This drone won't produce amazing slick video or photos because the camera is attached to the body, but it does still have a camera. And it also has a good-quality folding airframe which feels a bit more grown-up than the price suggests. The controller, on the other hand, feels nicely robust and – so long as you use it where it isn't too windy – it should serve you well.
If you've got a bit more cash available, and want to give the kids something which they can achieve quality video with, then the Potensic Atom drones have really impressed me this year. They offer two versions – a cheaper one (called Atom SE) with a camera fixed to the body that vibrates and turns with it, and a more expensive alternative with a gimbal (a mechanism that stabilizes the camera for smooth video). Both are great, but the later might be perfect for budding creatives:
Finally I think it's worth mentioning a couple of drones from the market leader in this round-up – their entry-level drone simply because (which it is priced to be a 'main present') it is the most reasonably priced. The other is the Avata FPV which is a different kind of drone flying – a sensible, older kid wears goggles like VR glasses and effectively stands in the cockpit of the drone. This is often a social activity (usually a friend keeps an eye on the sky for safety, and they take turns to fly).
Although it's not got a camera, it is worth mentioning that the indoor drone experience can be had for not much more than a couple of premium beers. Look for bundles like this with three batteries as drones like this last for a very few miniutes and you and the kids will be fighting over those precious seconds of play!
Sadly another drone I usually like to recommend, but is this year getting a bit hard to find, is the Ryze Tello. This isn't a new drone, but because it was made in partnership between market leader DJI (who generally reserve their tech for more expensive drones) and chip-maker Intel (who have more concern than many companies for good software and educational possibilities). If you see it out there, it's a good drone, but I've only seen it for full price this year. There are others to check on our guide to the best drones for kids or best drones for beginners.
