Drone suggestions for a £500 budget

Just to kick things off, UK class marks are only required for drones that are new to the UK market since 01/01/2026, so there will be very few out there, if any, that currently have one.

You can read all about it here:

And here for the lights:

The best current equivalent for the UK0 will be a C0/sub-250g, which you can currently fly in the Open A1 category (“most places” - check Good 2 Go).

As for a first drone, the DJI Mini series will always be top of the recommendations (for a regular camera drone, which I assume is what you’re after) and they range from the budget-friendly Mini 4k, weighing in at around £275 for a Fly More Combo to the latest and greatest Mini 5 Pro at around £640 for the basic package.

A Potensic ATOM 2 may also be worth a look, but DJI are the market leaders for a reason. :slight_smile:

If you get the bug, and finances allow, you’ll be getting new ones frequently anyway. :rofl:

Anyway, I personally haven’t flown a camera drone in a long time, so I’m sure you’ll get some more reliable advice shortly. :grin:

Oh, and since you’re new, welcome! :slight_smile: Head over to Introductions and say, “hi”.