DEERC are a budget friendly manufacturer of drones, RC cars and boats based in China. DEERC drones are very similar to Holy Stone because they’re both run by the same parent company.
Most of their UAVs fall into the drones under 100 category and have very similar features but they also have a couple of higher-spec drones that feature 4k cameras with image stabilization tec.
In this article, I’ll review DEERC’s most popular drones from cheapest to most expensive, compared with other common drone brands, my recommendations and go through some common FAQs on DEERC drones.
Cheap Mini DEERC Drones
The cheapest DEERC drones retail around $50 at full price but you can use the linked images below to check the current price because they’re often discounted. The D40, D23 and and D20 drones in the table below are ordered from cheapest to most expensive.
Comparison table for DEERC mini drones and kids drones in order of increasing price:
| Flight Time | Camera Resolution | Battery Recharge Time | Range | |
 DEERC D40 Drone | 10 mins per battery (x2) | 1080p | 90 mins | 40m |
 DEERC D23 Kids Drone | 7 mins per battery | 720p | 90 mins | |
 DEERC D20 Mini Drone | 10 mins per battery (x2) | 720p | 160 mins | 40m |
DEERC D40 Mini Drone
Despite being the cheapest model (when comparing full RRP prices), this mini UAV holds its own against the other DEERC drones around the $50 price range. It has a 1080p camera which is higher resolution than the more expensive DEERC D20 drone.
Compared to competitor brand, Holy Stone’s cheapest drone, the HS190, the DEERC D40 is slightly more expensive but has a longer flight time, better camera and an interchangeable battery. A few downsides to this drone are that it’s very lightweight so tends to get blown around in the wind (it’s more suited to indoor use) and only comes with a single battery charger.
DEERC D23 Kids Drone
The DEERC D23 drone is designed specially for young kids. It has a robust design with fully enclosed propellors. This means less damage to walls and the drone propellors when flown indoors. The DEERC D23 isn’t really suited to outdoor flying. This bulky design around the propellers tends to catch the wind and get blown around.
The maximum flight time in real-world conditions (some transmission interference and normal use rather than just hovering) is about 7 minutes but it comes with 2 batteries so this can be extended to about 14 minutes.
Unlike the other drones in this review, this DEERC drone has boomerang mode, toss the drone into the air and it will return back. The 5 different light modes will keep younger kids entertained and engaged too. Some of the handy features it has in common with the other cheap drones are headless mode, trim, circle fly and flips.
DEERC D20 Kids Drone
The DEERC D20 is slightly more expensive when at full price but comes with a case (the D40 doesn’t). It also has a larger, better designed controller which is easier to hold. The DEERC D20 has come up in a few of my ‘Best Of” reviews so I did a deep dive, check out DEERC D20 Mini Drone Review: Is it Worth it?
DEERC Drones around $100
The D10, D50 and D60 come at a very similar price at around $100. Some of these drones are more suited to outdoors than the cheaper mini drones but still don’t have GPS. They are big bigger and heavier so hold their position better in the wind.
Generally, DEERC drones under $100 don’t have GPS or image stabilization and have a maximum flight time of 10-15 minutes in test conditions with a single battery. The common features in these drones are flips, voice and gesture control, tap fly and high-speed rotation (yaw spin).
However, none of these cheaper drones have SD card photo or video storage meaning this needs to be recorded on your phone gallery instead. This also means the quality of the images and video is pretty low, it depends on the strength of the wifi connection between the phone and the drone, the poorer the connection the poorer the quality of the footage.
| Flight Time | Camera Resolution | Weight | Range | |
DEERC D10 Drone  | 15 mins per battery (x2) | 2K | 164g | 238ft / 72m |
DEERC D60 Kids Drone  | 22 mins per battery | 1080p | 500g | 196ft / 60m |
DEERC D50 Mini Drone  | 12 mins per battery (x2) | 1080p | 178g | 164ft / 49m |
DEERC D10
The D10 comes with two chargers, which is great for getting both batteries up and running asap. The remote control (RC) is an under-mount style where the phone sits between your hands instead of on the top of the controller. Top mount RCs can feel less secure and a bit top heavy compared to under mount RCs.
This is a lighter weight drone than the D60 so gets blown around in the wind a bit more but has a very good maximum flight range compared to most cheap drones when flown in locations with minimal interference.
It has slightly higher camera resolution that the other DEERC drones. The DEERC D50 and D60 are 1080p which is the same number of pixels vertically but the image is shorter horizontally.
I recommend the DEERC D10 over the D50 and D60. You can check the current best price and availability here.
DEERC D60: Best Battery Life
The DEERC D60 has the best flight time per battery of 22 minutes, however, this drone comes with a single battery. The additional battery and charger can be bought separately here.
The D60 weighs in at 500g, making it easier to fly in windy conditions but it does have to be registered with the FAA. All drones weighing over 250 grams or 0.55 pounds must be registered.
DEERC D50
The DEERC D50 is a sturdier design because it’s not foldable but this means it’s not as compact as most other drones.
Another downside is the controller design, it’s a make that I’d expect to see on very cheap toy drones.
With only a maximum of 12 minutes per battery, the D50 definitely isn’t my first pick.
My pick for DEERC drones around the $100 price bracket is the DEERC D10.
The D10 gives a combined flight time of 30 minutes, has a better quality camera than the D50 and D60, doesn’t need to be registered and has the best range for DEERC drones in this price bracket… And, at the moment, this is the cheapest of these 3 drones.
DEERC Drones with 4K Cameras
The more expensive DEERC drones have brushless motors (which are higher quality and last longer), 4K resolution and some form of image stabilization whether that is electronic or a physical gimbal.
DEERC D15 : Cheapest 4K DEERC Drone
The D15 is DEERC’s cheapest drone at the moment with 4K and image stabilization. There is a jump up in price compared to cheaper models but this drone is targeted to a different audience than the toy market. It has GPS, TF card for storing higher quality footage and brushless motors which are higher quality and last longer than brushed motors.
A couple of down sides with this drone are that it only comes with a single battery and due to it’s weight being over 500g will need to be registered with the FAA ( but that’s not difficult and only costs $5 for 3 years). The max flight time is 22 minutes which is the same as the much cheaper D60.
There is a big jump in the maximum transmission distance compared to cheaper models. The D15 has a maximum range of 1000m in test conditions or 500m with FPV. The D60 only has a range of 80m max.
Another benefit of these higher end drones are the dual transmission frequencies. Most cheaper drones only connect with the controller over 2.4gHz but this frequency is used by many other types of technology like our mobile phones and telephone towers. The more devices around when flying the drone that use this frequency the more transmission issues you’ll have why flying the drone. This can mean a shorter range, loss of control and choppy, poor quality FPV.
Using 5Ghz means you have another option for more stable flight when you’re getting a lot of interference.
DEERC DE22
The DE22 is comparable in price, design and functionality to the Roku F11 Pro. It has all the features of the D15 but has a 2 axis gimbal as well as electronic image stabilization, 5x zoom and a greater range.
DEERC DE22 vs Roku F11 Pro
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| DEERC DE22 | Roku F11 Pro | |
| Camera Resolution | 4k 2.9K video 5x zoom | 4K 2.9K video |
| Flight Time | 26 minutes per battery (x2) | 30 minutes per battery (x2) |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Range | 4921ft / 1500m (3900 ft / 1188m with fpv) | 3937ft / 1200m (1640ft / 500m with fpv) |
| Weight (Registration) | 19.68oz / 560g | 18.34oz/ 518g |
| Wind Resistance | Level 5 | Level 6 |
| Features | Waypoints Follow me Circle fly | Waypoints Follow me POI |
The Holy Stone HS720 is another popular model in this price bracket, you can check out the review and the comparison to the Roku F11 Pro here : Ruko F11 Pro Drone Vs Holy Stone HS720. However, the DEERC DE22 is the best option of these three drones.
The DEERC DE22 has the best range of all 3 models, its maximum range with FPV (first person view video steam) is more than double the Roku F11 Pro.
Neither the Roku or Holy Stone drones available in this price bracket have gimbals. Ideally, 3 axial gimbals offer the best stabilisation for photography and videography but at this price, the inclusion of a 2 axial gimbal is pretty good.
DEERC Drones vs Holy Stone
DEERC and Holy Stone are manufactured by the same parent company so there are many similarities. But, unlike DEERC, Holy Stone purely specializes in drones. DEERC make a range of remote-controlled toys like robots and cars. So which company is better?
Warranty Comparison
Both Holy Stone and DEERC offer a 30 day return policy incase the drone has any manufacturing faults but Holy stone offers a longer warranty period for individual parts ( check the most up-to-date warranty information here). The drone motor for example is under warranty for 360 days.
Price Comparison
Both DEERC and Holy Stone manufacture toy to beginner level drones. At the moment, Holy Stone have the cheapest mini drone which is the HS190. This is under $30 compared to DEERC’s cheapest drone which is the D40 which retails at under $50 but has a higher resolution camera and an interchangeable battery meaning a longer flight time.
At the top end. DEERC’s most expensive drone at the moment is the DE22 Pro which retails between $400-$500 USD. Comparable drones from Holy Stone are all under $400 and often reduced to under $300 on Amazon. However, the DEERC drones tend to have better capabilities.
Some of the features that both drone brands lack due to the low price point are 3 axial gimbals for stable photography and obstacle avoidance.
Are DEERC Drones Any Good?
I’d recommend DEERC drone for their cheap fun, toy models like the D20. What I like about DEERCs toy drones is that they are well-designed compared to many other models. They have interchangeable batteries for longer flight time rather than having to plug the drone directly in.
Even their mid-range drones like the D10 are fantastic to learn on and start flying outdoors. However, when it comes to looking for high camera quality or stability, I’d recommend looking at DJI’s mini SE or Mini (though these are a bit more expensive).
Exo Drones are another up-and-coming drone company that is aiming to produce high-quality drones at a more affordable price than DJI that are worth a look.
DEERC Drones FAQs
Why isn’t my DEERC drone camera working?
It’s important to follow the exact steps in drone set up, if the wifi connection between the drone and the mobile device isn’t properly established then the FPV footage won’t show.
Why isn’t my DEERC drone taking off?
This is probably because the drone isn’t calibrated to the controller. The calibration process needs to be repeated every time the drone is started up or if it is crashed.
Do DEERC drones need to be registered?
DEERC drones need to be registered with the FAA if they are over 250g like the D15 and the DE22 Pro. Most drones by DEERC are toy drones which are much lighter so there is no need to register unless they were somehow used for purposes other than flying for fun (such as volunteer work).
Why is my DEERC drone not pairing?
If the wifi connection is showing up on your mobile device but its not connecting, power down the drone, turn off the wifi signal on your phone and make sure its not prioritizing another wifi connection. Then repeat the process.
Why are the propellors on my DEERC drone not spinning?
If the propellors on your DEERC drone aren’t spinning they might have been attached incorrectly. Most DEERC drones are marked with A or B to make sure they are attached to the correct position because the propellors are not all the same.
What is the warranty on DEERC drones?
The most up to date warranty information for DEERC drones can be found here but at the time of writing, DEERC have a 30 day replacement warranty in case you receive your drone and it has a manufacturing fault which can often happen with mass-produced electronics. They also have a 90-day replacement warranty for accessories but before anything is returned to the company you need to email their support team to get an RMA Return Merchandise Authorization number. This is also a good step to check with the support team in case there is actually a step you’re missing when setting up the drone.
Related posts:
Best Drones for Kids at Each Age [2022]
The Ultimate Holy Stone HS720E Review: Pros, Cons & Comparisons
Holy Stone HS120D Review | A high spec drone at an affordable price, too good to be true?
The 3 Best FPV Drones of 2022
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The DEERC D20 Mini Drone Review: Is it worth it?