It’s Day 8 of Tech Guide’s 2016 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas which is our way of helping you save time and shoe leather as you try and shop for the ideal gift for friends and family.
Today we’re talking about drones – a product that’s become more popular than ever and that is being featured on its own for the first time in our 12 Days of Christmas gift guide.
The good news is there are plenty of choices for drones with the more expensive products designed for more skillful pilots and other cheaper options that are more affordable, safer and aimed at younger users.
Here is the full list of Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas.
Be sure to check back with Tech Guide each day in the lead up to Christmas to see all the categories and take a look back at the categories we’ve already covered for great gift suggestions.
Day 3: Fitness wearables/smartwatches
Day 8: Drones
Day 9: TVs/Blu-ray Discs
Day 10: Gadgets
Day 11: In-car gadgets
Day 12: Computers
DAY 8 – DRONES
DJI PHANTOM 4 PRO – $2,599
DJI’s latest creation has made a great drone even better. The Phantom 4 Pro can fly for up to 30 minutes and has sensors on every side to prevent you flying into obstacles.
On the camera side is where the Phantom 4 Pro has taken a giant leap with a 1-inch 20-megapixel sensor that can capture 4K videos at 60 frames per second.
READ TECH GUIDE’S REPORT ON THE DJI PHANTOM 4 PRO
DJI MAVIC PRO – $1,699
DJI stunned everyone when it unveiled the DJI Mavic Pro – a drone that can fold down to the size of a water bottle at just 19.8cm.
In the air, the Mavic Pro has a three-axis mechanical gimbal as well as a 4K camera and can reach speeds of 32km/h. And being so small you can take it anywhere.
READ TECH GUIDE’S REPORT ON THE DJI MAVIC PRO
GHOSTDRONE 2.0 VR – $1,199
EHang’s latest drone, the GhostDrone 2.0 VR, is aimed at users who want more than a toy but are not quite confident enough to pilot a more sophisticated drone.
The device has an almost automated flying system that’s controlled with an app and it also comes with a VR headset so someone can see what the drone sees and even move the camera with their head movements.
Onboard is a 4K spherical camera to capture eye-catching pictures and videos.
And if you crash it, it will be repaired for free.
READ TECH GUIDE’S REPORT ON THE GHOSTDRONE 2.0 VR
KAISER BAAS THETA DRONE – $99
At just $99, the Kaiser Baas Theta mini racing drone is great value with a dedicated controller and a 720p camera.
You can choose from three different speed modes and perform 360 degree flips. The 70.5g drone has a 60 range with a one-key return function and headless mode so forward will always be forward no matter what way it is facing.
PARROT BEBOP 2 – $899, with SkyController $1,299
Parrot’s Bebop 2 weights 500g and has a flight time of 25 minutes and has three-blade propellers for added stability and maneuverability and can reach speeds of up to 63km/h.
The drone is piloted through the FreeFlight Pro app on a smartphone or tablet and incorporates a 14-megapixel fish-eye front-facing camera that shoots full HD video.
PARROT MAMBO – $200
The Parrot Mambo is quite a fun and versatile mini drone that’s controlled through the FreeFlight app.
But apart from the fun of flying it around inside and out, the Parrot Mambo also has a cannon and a grabber so you can enjoy a whole other level of fun.
