From kid-friendly quadcopters to enterprise-ready UAVs, we’ve scoured the sales so you don’t have to.
by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNab
When the turkey and mashed potato-driven hangover has worn off, households across the country will be taking advantage of Black Friday’s deals and bundles to get their hands on the latest tech. Increasingly, that includes drones, which can see steep discounts on UAVs ranging from pro-ready models with top-tier cameras to smaller quadcopters that could be a great way to get a child learning how to fly, along with a range of accessories.
(DISCLAIMER – This is not a review, and we do not receive payment from affiliate links. DRONELIFE does not endorse or recommend these products.)
Okay, now that that’s all over with, here are some Black Friday drone deals that might help you, or someone you know, take flight.
Pierce Aerospace B1 Remote ID Beacon ($20 off with code TURKEYDROP24 at checkout)
Since the FAA passed Remote ID into law, drone pilots have been responsible for ensuring that their drones are compliant and traceable. While most newer drones have this technology built in, older models may need an external beacon to ensure compliance while flying. According to the product description, the B1 is compliant with the ASTM F3411-22 standard and is tested by trained pilots before shipping. Beyond strict compliance, the B1 will also continue to broadcast a downed aircraft’s position for rapid recovery – saving time and potential financial losses.
Holy Stone HS175D (32% off on Amazon)
Holy Stone has built up quite a rep among budget-conscious drone consumers who like its immense ease-of-use and easy learning curve, and this HS175 model is currently available for $135.99 (32% of its $200 list price). It features a 4K EIS camera, a sub-250g fly weight (saving owners from FAA registration), and a maximum range of more than 1000 feet (along with 5Ghz FPV transmission to allow the use of a headset). Add a 46 minute runtime, and the HS175 seems like a great way to get yourself or an interested friend or family member into a drone that will grow with you, or them.
Holy Stone HS600 (30% off on Amazon)
This more expensive model of the Holy Stone drone (alliteration, get it?) is now available for 30% off (now $319.99), and those extra dollars come with some serious feature upgrades. The HS600 is fully RemoteID compliant with a built-in receiver, a long distance 10,000ft remote control range, and features direct control of the drone, 4K EIS camera, and (surprisingly high quality, according to the reviews) stabilizing gimbals. Add a dual-battery setup offering 56 minutes of flight time, and you have a worthy upgrade.
Potensic Atom SE Quadcopter (23% off on Amazon)
The Potensic Atom SE is another sub-250g lightweight drone with a high-quality 4K camera, and the fairly good reviews indicate that customers are happy with its image quality and stability from a 12MP Sony sensor, wind resistance, and strong post-purchase support (which is important for any drone, especially one from a smaller company). Featuring a long potential flight time (around an hour) and intuitive controls from a smartphone, the Atom SE is another great option which is now available for 23% off ($229.99)
Holy Stone Mini Drone (For Kids) ($20 off on Amazon)
Ah, kids. They’re great, aren’t they? However, one thing they may not be great at, at least at first, is drone piloting. If you’re looking to get your kids into drones, could we interest you in a fully functional flying drone for $40? Sure, this mini drone doesn’t have a great camera, and it’s not super wind resistant, but it’s really cheap, can do fun tricks, and won’t cause winces when children inevitably run it into a building or, even worse, you.
DJI Mini 4K (20% off on DJI’s Website)
Do you want a great drone, but hate how big drones have gotten? Well, after Thanksgiving, everybody feels a little swollen, but the DJI Mini 4K will still be tiny, (sub-250g), with great camera quality and wind resistance for its size. It’s available at 20% off, bringing it to $239 on DJI’s website alongside a range of other deals on similar units like the Mini 3 and the Mini Pro.
DJI Air 3 Fly More Bundle
Autel EVO II Pro 6K Enterprise Bundle V3 (28% off on Autel Robotics Website)
There are all sorts of stuffing recipes, but if you find $3149 shoved inside your Thanksgiving turkey, you could equip yourself with everything you need to start doing some serious work in the drone space. 20MP 1″ CMOS sensor capable of 6k Ultra HD Videos. The Autel Evo II Pro 6K Enterprise Bundle V3 (say that three times fast) has all sorts of features, including an adjustable aperture range of f2.8 to f1, lossless 16x digital zoom, obstacle avoidance, a 9 mile transmission range with a 44mph max speed, along with all the accessories one could think to bundle. If that’s a little rich for your blood, they’re also offering deals on a wide variety of other drones ranging from the $600 range all the way up to even more elaborate packages.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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