A nano drone is a small UAV that is designed to be compact and lightweight above all else. The term “nano” refers to its small size, with dimensions ranging from a few centimetres to a few inches, and weighs just a few grams.
Nano drones are most often sold as toys (more on the best drones for kids at each age here) as they can be manufactured cheaply but there are a few commercial and military examples such as the Black Hornet by ProxDynamics. The Black Hornet is 4 inches long and weighs only 16 grams. This nano done is used for personal surveillance in the field but, at an estimated $195,000 each, we don’t expect to be seeing these available to the public anytime soon…
In this article I’ll go through the top 4 nano drones and explain what to avaiod using two examples.
Mini vs Micro vs Nano Drones
Compared to micro and mini drones, nano drones are the smallest version of UAVs that can fit it the palm of your hand. The term mini is used to describe drones that fall under the 250 gram weight limit set by the FAA for their registration regulation.
However, not all companies follow this trend. Autel have used the term nano to name their Autel Nano Plus but I think this was a marketing strategy to avoid the name being too similar to the DJI Mini series which is pretty much the same size.
The terms micro and nano are often used interchangeably when it comes to drones.
1. The Best Nano Drone with a Camera
4DV2 Nano Drone
The 4DV2 is my pick for the best nano drone. This drone seems to be a copy of the older Holy Stone HS190 but the manufacturers have made some good improvements. Unlike the Holy Stone nano drone which only has 7 minutes of flight time and needs to be plugged in to recharge, the 4DV2 comes with 3 interchangeable batteries which give a combined flight time of 30 minutes.
The 4DV2 also has a built-in camera. While the resolution is only 720p, nano drones haven’t had cameras at all until recently. As the parts become lighter and cheaper we can expect to see the quality improve in coming years.
The flight range from the controller of this little drone is 60-80m, which is common for nano drones at this price. The only nano drone that exceeds this is the DEERC which is about 3x the size and weight and came a close 2nd place to this drone.
2. Nano Drone with the Best Range
DEERC D20 Nano Drone
The maximum range for the DEERC nano drone is 100m which is about 20-40m more than most nano drones on the market. This model is a good all-rounder, I’ve done a full review of the DEERC D20 here.
This model is larger than the other drones reviewed here (it weighs 62g and most nano drones weigh about 20g) but is still small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.
The DEERC nano drone has a 720p camera like the 4DV2 and would have taken first place if the bundle came with 3 batteries to maximise flight time. This drone comes with 2 batteries with 10 minutes flight time each.
3. The Best Nano Drone for Flying Indoors
Cheerwing U46S
While most nano drones fly better indoors (because they get blown around by the wind) the Cheerwing U46S has been better designed for indoor environments. Each of the propellers is protected by a fixed prop guard and the design of the drone is more robust than most other nano drones.
The Cheerwing U46S is ideal for kids because it doesn’t have any delicate folding parts and has a super simple controller that’s ideal for small hands. The three speed modes are also ideal dialing down the speed for younger kids that are learning the basics of controlling a drone.
While this drone comes with 3 batteries, they have a shorter life than the DEERC D20 and 4DV2 nano drones. These batteries have about 5 minutes each for a combined flight time of 15 minutes.
Also note that this drone doesn’t have a built in camera.
4. The Coolest Nano Drone!
Holyton HT02 Nano drone
While this nano drone doesn’t have the longest flight time or the best range, it’s an all-round decent drone and has a very cool design!
The Holyton HT02 come in a shiny chrome finish and I’ve never seen propellor guards designed like this before!
The total flight time for the Holyton HT02 is 24 minutes with the 3 batteries which is pretty good for a nano drone but this model doesn’t have a built in camera.
2 Nano Drones to Avoid
Syma X20
While the Syma x20 is a stylish looking little nano drone it has some downsides which shouldn’t be overlooked. The Syma x20 only has 5 minutes of flight time then needs to be plugged in to charge.
This is a shame because this is one of very few nano drones that has a 1080p camera. Hopefully we’ll see an improved version released with interchangeable batteries.
Holy Stone HS120
I’ve previously recommended the HS120 nano drone for kids under 9 but it’s been superseded by new models with better tech.
What I like about this nano drone is that it’s robust and simple. It comes with an all-in-one controller that houses the nano drone but this design that once made the drone stand out has now been copied and improved on by many other companies.
What I don’t like about the HS120 is that it doesn’t have a camera and it doesn’t have interchangeable batteries so only flies for about 7 minutes then needs to be plugged directly into the charger.
The Wrap Up on Nano Drones
Overall, when it comes to nano drones I recommend the 4DV2. This tiny model packs in a 720p camera, has up to 30 minutes flight time and has a decent range of 60-80 meters. However, if you’re looking for a nano drone to entertain younger kids, the Cheerwing U46S is a better option. It has a solid non-folding design with good prop guards.
You may also be interested in these articles on the best mini drone and best drones for kids.
