Keith Ericksen 
The drones are becoming popular and trendy consumer tech devices that are widely available. Drones (a shorter and friendly name for unmanned aerial vehicles) were developed originally for military use. Today the drones are being used for everything from aerial photography to recreational to scientific research. And the popular drones without a camera are trending in the consumer market.
One of the most common they are used for is aerial photography. Some of the film-making industries used drones to produce films in movies like Captain America: Civil War. However, we will be talking about the best drones without a camera for sale.
In this article, you will find out the top 10 best drones without a camera which is divided into two categories: Beginners and Advanced. Drones without a camera for beginners consist of toy-grade quadcopters that don’t require you to purchase an action camera to mount on it. Advanced drones, on the other hand, will come without an action camera. You will have the option to purchase an action camera separately such as GoPro and mount on the drones if you desire to turn them into aerial photography.
When these drones are outfitted with an action camera, they can be used for journalism, amateur photography, and monitoring activity. For recreational purposes, you can easily unmount the action cameras to increase agility and improve battery life. Then again, you can choose to mount the cameras for a selfie or to indulge in-flight virtual reality. Without further ado, the table starts with the 10 best drones without a camera for sale:
Phantom 2
Amazon.com DJI Phantom 2 is one of the oldest drones without a camera for sale. It is not a toy. But the equipment that you can grow with over time. There is a very minimal learning curve involved with this drone that easily makes it one of the still popular choices for beginners.
The quadcopter itself is built to be sturdy enough to withstand crashes. So you don’t have to worry too much about accident bumps and the like. But we do highly recommend that you grab the propeller guards and install them on the drone. As it will provide additional protection. Furthermore, you also have the option to add an action camera on the drone that works like GoPro HERO 3 (See Price) and HERO 4 (See Price).
However, adding the props, gimbal and camera add a lot of weight that will affect its flying. So, just a Phantom drone or Phantom with an action camera will be good enough. A single battery lasts around 25 minutes. But without an action camera, you can easily fly it around for up to 30 minutes. It only takes a little over an hour to recharge the battery.
We recommend that you grab an additional or two batteries if you want to extend your flight sessions. As four batteries will easily give you a total of 2 flight hours. Furthermore, there is a highly recommended battery dock charger for all the Phantom 2 and Phantom 3 (See Price) that is worth getting one.
The remote controller comes with a built-in battery that you can recharge it easily. It has an LED status that lets you know the current battery life of the remote controller. Although, it doesn’t come with mount holder or anything like that its successors have now.
With its price tag being incredibly low, we think Phantom 2 is quite a great drone without a camera to start for beginners. If you prefer a big, hulky, and smart drone, this is a good choice.
back to menu ↑3DR Solo
Amazon.com One of the many popular drones without a camera for pilots who want to be able to fly an advanced quadcopter. Originally debut at $1,500, now the price has dropped to between $400 to $500 depending on the market value. The 3DR Solo has received mixed responses from the customers over time for many reasons. However, there is still a reason why we decided to included 3DR Solo because some of you might be interested in an advanced drone without a gimbal camera. So, let’s get on to the good and the bad.
The Good:
The 3DR Solo is built to withstand wind. With all the heavyweight, it can handle moderate to the strong wind with ease. The unique design that this drone has taken in our opinion looks cooler than the popular DJI Phantom series. Furthermore, the remote controller comes with a mount holder that you can insert your smartphone and view video feed while you fly your drone.
With the app, you gain even more access to powerful features like intelligent flight modes. Single battery life on average gives you between 20 to 22 minutes depending on how aggressive you are flying the drone. The drone is very responsive to the controls and feels well put together which is one of the most major aspects that 3DR Solo has to offer.
The Bad:
The 3DR Solo appears to be still using old technology that puts it at a disadvantage against its competitors. Because of that, there is the poor tech support that doesn’t do a great job of resolving issues. Furthermore, the software can be laggy sometimes and doesn’t work on many platforms.
You would be lucky to have software that works on your smartphone or tablet. Not to mention that the drone is prone to frequent failures and has a shorter range. Even though so, there is still an option to grab 3DR Solo with the gimbal. At the price range, you can easily grab a drone without a camera under $400.
Our Recommendations:
Would we still recommend this drone? There is a small community group dedicated to 3DR Solo only. If the tech support is not successful, you will have much more success with the community group who are knowledgeable and can lend hands to help resolve any issues you might have.
They have useful and helpful guides to assist your troubleshooting issues. Not only you get a lot of support, but some guides teach you how to use features and become a skilled aerial photographer.
back to menu ↑JMX Bugs 3
Amazon.com The JMX Bugs 3 is one of the most affordable quadcopters built for speed and wind resistance. It is the ultimate to-go drone for beginners and experienced RC fans. JMX Bugs 3 comes with a mount holder for any 4K action camera. However, if you want to turn this drone into an aerial photography device, you will have to purchase an action camera separately.
Without an action camera and propeller guards, the JMX Bugs 3 is incredibly agile and nimble. It has a control range up to 500 meters and the flight time on a single battery cycle gives you between 15 to 20 minutes. Realistically you will be able to fly it for up 17 to 18 minutes. Which puts the JMX Bugs 3 ahead in terms of affordability and quality that it has to offer.
Feature-wise, it doesn’t have a lot of buttons that you can mash on except for 360-degree rolls. But when it comes to performance, the JMX Bugs 3 is outfitted with brushless motors. The main difference between the brushed motors and brushless motors is that it requires less power to operate. Because the brushless motors don’t create friction as much as brushed motors do. Furthermore, it extends the duration of use and puts less stress on the battery. Which means the battery can focus on keeping the drone running for a longer time.
But here is the catch, the JMX Bugs 3 comes with speed mode that lets beginners learn how to fly a drone. It is especially a nice feature to have that beginners can learn and grow with this drone over time. It is especially important to be aware that if you fly a drone on the slow speed setting, it is likely to get blown away by wind unless you are flying on the highest speed setting for the best performance.
We think the JMX Bugs 3 is a good affordable drone without a camera for beginners. With the option to integrate any action camera of your choice. On the product page, it says its work with GoPro HERO3, SJ4000 and the like. However, it does work with cheap action cameras such as AKASO EK7000 (See Price). A great budget drone with an action camera if you choose to go that path.
back to menu ↑Contixo F17+
Amazon.com Meet the Contixo F17+ drone. They are among one of the best performance drones without a camera. Although the package comes with a branded Contixo 4K ultra HD action camera that captures and records on 16MP quality. It stills gives you the option to fly the drone without an action camera. Even more so, the package comes with a travel case that you can take with you anywhere you go.
The Contixo F17+ drone makes the perfect choice for traveling. Whether you just want to have fun flying a drone or to capture special moments. This drone uses a very powerful 1800KV Brushless Motors that reduces friction between the motor parts and improves durability. As well the efficiency of the brushless motors prolongs the battery life by approximately 50%.
Best of all? The drone comes with a bonus battery. These batteries are 7.4V 2100mAh LiPo that lets you fly the drone up to 18 minutes each. Forget about having to head to an outlet to recharge the battery and focus more on flight time. Also, there is an option to upgrade your flight time and power up using a 7.4V 3000mAh battery. That battery will give the Contixo F17+ on an average of 25 minutes of flight time.
Design-wise, the drone comes with built-in landing pads which helps softens the impact when its lands. It is also a nice additional feature to have that keeps the drone clear of any small residue as well for the action camera mounted underneath.
The Contixo 17+ comes with the complete package. But the action camera is optional and you can even use it for your traveling purposes with an out drone. It is an advanced drone with an action camera bundled together. Equipped with beginner-friendly features like out of range alarm, low power alarm and weak signal alarm that will ensure you to keep the drone under control.
We think the Contixo F17+ is a quality quadcopter built to last for a good duration thanks to its build design and beginner-friendly features. With plenty of options to do with this drone, nothing can go wrong with it.
back to menu ↑Ionic Stratus
Amazon.com Finally, we have reached the last best drones without a camera for action camera users. The Ionic Stratus is another mid-sized quadcopter capable of carrying any action camera. While it doesn’t come with an action camera as the Contixo F17+ does, the price tag is relatively low enough to be an affordable drone without a camera for adults and kids.
Let’s take a moment to point out the details that Ionic Stratus quadcopter brings to the table. It is equipped with a shock absorption cradle head that protects against crashes. The shock absorption helps deflects some collision while keeping its internal competent protected which is essentially important to keep the drone functions operational.
Along with that feature, the drone includes upgraded 6-axis gyro system for improved stability and flight controls. Not only it is easy for beginners to fly the Ionic Stratus drone, but it also comes with Headless Mode and Altitude hold function. You might be wondering what Headless Mode does. Basically what it does is switching the orientation of the control from the drone to transmitter. Instead of flying in the direction the drone is facing, it flies in the direction based on your levers movement.
Performance-wise, it uses brushless motors to provide the drone abundant lifting power and speed. Thanks to the use of the brushless motor, the battery life on average gives you 12 to 15 minutes. With an action camera, you will usually get between 9 to 10 minutes max.
However, the Ionic Stratus drone is compatible with the majority of the action camera. It is important to take note that the GoPro HERO 5 isn’t compatible with the drone. Therefore, it is recommended that you either get GoPro HERO 3 (See Price) or HERO 4 (See Price) if you choose to purchase an action camera with this drone.
back to menu ↑HS150 Bolt Bee
Amazon.com | Price history for Holy Stone HS150 Bolt Bee Mini Racing Drone RC Quadcopter RTF 2.4GHz 6-Axis Gyro with 50KMH High Speed Headless Mode Wind Resistance Includes Bonus Battery | |
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As we are now venturing the best drones without a camera for beginners. The first and fourth runner is the HS150 Bolt Bee. This little lightning-fast bird is packed with incredible speed up to 31 miles per hour. Which is pretty amazing for an entry-level quadcopter.
The HS150 Bolt Bee comes in two fancy colors that resemble a bee: yellow and black. As I can imagine that you can somehow fly it above a person and chuckle as they watch in terror and screams: a giant flying bee! Besides that, its body design is very aerodynamic that provides it the least air drag for improved speed.
Surprisingly enough, it can handle light to moderate with ease. The remote controller is equipped with some of the nifty features you are probably familiar with. Starting with the speed mode, it consists of five different levels which help smooth the flight difficult quite impressive.
Along with the speed mode, it is capable of performing 360-degree flips to awe the bystanders. Furthermore, the HS150 Bolt Bee is equipped with flight safety features such as Headless Mode and Altitude Hold function. These features allow you to control the drone better and without having to think about maintaining the height level that much.
Each battery gives this drone on average a flight time of 6 minutes. But here is the catch, the package comes with a bonus battery. In total, you will be able to fly it for up to 12 minutes. If you are still hungry for speed and more flight time, the manufacturer sells batteries with additional USB chargers.
The automated landing and takeoff features simplify the whole flight process for beginners who are new to drones. Although, it doesn’t come with any mountable action camera which is a bit of disappointment. We truly think the HS150 Bolt Bee is a great drone packed with a serious punch in terms of performance and how easy it is to fly.
Read Full Review of HS150 Bolt Bee
back to menu ↑JMX X800
Amazon.com The JMX X800 is one of the latest released small-sized hexacopter built for speed and stability. With upgraded 6-axis gyro stabilization system and aerodynamic design for improved wind resistance easily make it a good choice for beginners.
On the first impression, it may look like a miniature sized drone to you. But do not underestimate it. The JMX X800 is actually about the size of your whole hand. Not to mention that it also includes landing legs for support and the like. It has incorporates the characteristics that focus on stability and ease of controls.
Feature-wise, the JMX X800 comes with three-speed levels. On the lowest setting is obvious the training mode. Which allows beginners to learn how to fly a drone. As you develop your piloting skill, you can move on to a higher level to challenge yourself. However, when it comes to flying the drone outside. It is always recommended to fly on the highest setting to avoid runaways and to resist against the winds.
Furthermore, there are two ways you can control the JMX X800. The first and main method of control is using the transmitter. Secondly, you can control it with your smartphone by connecting it to the drone and enable Gravity Sensor mode. This feature allows you to control the drone based on the orientation of your smartphone. If you tilt it on the left, then the drone will fly to the left and vice versa.
On the product page, it says that the drone can fly between 8 to 10 minutes. While they are certainly that accurate, you will be able to fly it at 10 minutes max most of the time. Also, did I forget to mention that this drone has a nice flashing blue LED lights? Combined with the unique black design, it looks majestic!
back to menu ↑HS210 Night Elf
Amazon.com | Price history for Holy Stone HS210 Mini Drone RC Nano Quadcopter Best Drone for Kids and Beginners RC Helicopter Plane with Auto Hovering, 3D Flip, Headless Mode and Extra Batteries Toys for Boys and Girls | |
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There is a saying that goes something like that, once it gets out and spreads like a wildfire. The HS210 Night Elf is one of most recently released that made its debut in late July 2018. While the drone appears to be a rehashed of similar models in its price range. There are reasons why the HS210 Night Elf is superior to its contenders.
First and foremost, the transmitter doesn’t include trimming. Because the way HS210 Night Elf is built and crafted to be flown by beginners without having to go through the headache process of trimming to balance out the stability. This might be as well the first drone to become popular fast in its price range.
As the transmitter only consists of simple buttons, hence the features are only included to provide a performance boost and nifty tricks. The HS210 Night Elf is equipped with Altitude Hold function that helps keeps the drone stable at its height level. Along with that are beginner-friendly features like low power alarm and 360-degree flip tricks.
A battery gives the drone 7 minutes of flight time. But, the package comes with two bonus batteries. So, you will be able to fly this drone up to 21 minutes which is a killer for a quadcopter at its price range. Overall, we think the HS210 Night Elf is a quality drone without a camera crafted for beginners in mind. We highly recommend checking this miniature quadcopter out.
back to menu ↑SYMA X11
Amazon.com The SYMA X11 is one of the hot and popular drones without a camera for beginners. With more than 1,000 customer reviews who have bought this drone. Even some pilots who owned DJI Phantom 3 drone still buy this adorable baby quadcopter anyway. So what’s the deal with that?
Here is why you should check the SYMA X11 out. It is built to be durable and resilient enough to withstand crashes. Get this drone stuck in a tree 20 feet above the ground and throw a rock onto it. Watch the drone fall to the ground and it will survive the crash without sustaining damage. Thus, it is pretty close to being indestructible as possible which is a steal.
If you are completely used to having a GPS drone automating the controls for you. Then this little quadcopter will prove to be challenging for you. The controls are very sensitive. So be ready for some crashes and frustration as you learn the game of skill. Once you master the flight skill, you won’t stop flying it.
We recommended that you start on easy mode to learn the basics of flight controls. As you learn and become used to it, you can switch to sports mode for a complete thrill of flight experience. It can be done by clicking the upper button on the left shoulder of the transmitter.
A single battery gives you on average a flight time of 7 minutes and with a control range of 40 meters. It is highly recommended that you purchase extra batteries once you get hang of it, you will be waiting impatiently for the batteries to recharge fully. This extra battery pack will increase your flight time to between 10 to 12 minutes a single cycle. So at that price tag for 6 batteries and splitter is a solid deal.
back to menu ↑HS170 Predator
Amazon.com Finally, we have reached the last part of the best drones without a camera for sale. We want to take a moment to introduce the HS170 Predator. It is one of the longest-running and deeply popular quadcopter that is still selling very fast and has earned more than 4,000 positive reviews. Even the introduction of modern entry-level drones like the X12 (See Price) and IN 1802 (See Price) hasn’t stopped it’s in the track, yet.
Featuring exotic cobalt blue skin with two eyes on the front, it does tell a lot about its predator-like style. It uses ABS material which is much more durable than standard plastic typically used to manufacture toy-grade drones. Furthermore, the HS170 Predator is accompanied by propeller guards that provide its additional protection.
Moreover, the HS170 comes with a set of features designed for beginners. Most importantly the altitude hold function and headless mode. But, it also includes fun and nifty tricks like 360-degree flips. If these are not enough for you, the HS170 Predator has displayed incredible stability and ease to control characteristics.
While these are all the amazing aspects that the HS170 Predator has to offer. It can be a little bit of disappointment that it doesn’t come with a built-in camera. However, while it doesn’t have a camera. The battery gives you a flight time of 7 minutes most of the time.
We highly recommended purchasing extra batteries pack if you want to extend its flight time by three-fold. We think this is a quality drone without a camera built for beginner. Once you get to hang off it, you will understand why this is the best drone for adults and kids.
Final Thoughts on Best Drones Without Camera
Before I conclude the article on the best drones without a camera for sale, I want to give my final thoughts about it. There are many drones without a camera in the market. But when it comes to shopping for the drones, you want to make sure you are picking the right one and avoid shoppers’ regret. Unfortunately, these can happen if they don’t do research and / or the product isn’t advertised as expected.
Out of these drones, the ones we listed in this article are popular drones without a camera. Five of the high-priced drones allows you the option to mount your action camera on it. That being said, if you do choose drones with gimbal mount, it gives you even more flexibility than the toy-grade drones.
Why? Because eventually, you will master the drones. Then you probably will start to show some interest in aerial photography, so you want to give it a shot. Which, you will probably end up liking it and want to do more. At some of the times, you simply want to enjoy flying the drones. So it does gives you the options of flying drones without camera and whatnot.
Frequently Asked Questions
While most of the readers who will be reading this are likely to be new to the world of drones. We will do our best to answer any questions that you may have so you can understand what each feature does.
What Does Headless Mode Do?
This is a unique and beginner-friendly feature that acts as an orientation based on the transmitter. You can control the direction the drone is flying based on the movement of the levers. Instead of flying in the direction the drone is facing, it goes in the direction you are pushing the levers. It helps eliminates confusion for first-time flyers who are new to the “3-D” flying and teaches them the basics of controls.
What is Altitude Hold Mode?
Another beginner-friendly feature is commonly used in the majority of the drones, except for racing quadcopters. The drones that use this feature has a built-in barometer which detects changes in the air pressure. If there is a small shift in the air pressure, the drone detects it automatically and adjusts its height level accordingly. That is why when you are flying indoor, you will notice that the drone’s height level stays relatively stable. In the outdoor, it is more of slightly upward and downward because the air pressure is changing constantly.
What Drones without camera do you recommend?
If you were to ask me what is the best drones without a camera to choose from, I would say, go for the ones that suit your preferences the most. These drones without a camera for beginners are built with quality and friendly features. But, for me, it would have to be HS170 Predator and JMX X800. For drones with gimbal mount, DJI Phantom 2. So, out of all, it boils down to your budget and style to match your needs.
Are There More Drones without Camera?
Yes, there are more drones without a camera for sale. But we currently do not recommend them for three reasons: They aren’t reliable and don’t provide the same quality that we listed in our article. Secondly, some of them are still relatively new and hasn’t received any reviews yet. Lastly, some of these drones are a failed model and should be avoided like plague. In no form of capacity, we will promote these types of drones to you understanding how important it is when it comes to shopping for the right product.
What Action Cameras do you recommend for drones with gimbal mount?
The best way you can do is check on their product page and see which action cameras work with them. But I will go ahead and say it here, GoPro HERO 3 (See Price) and HERO 4 (See Price) works with all of them. Not only they are highly compatible, but they also provide impressive quality that puts your aerial photography ahead of drones with HD cameras. Furthermore, they are also quite expensive. If you are on a tight budget, these might not be a viable choice for you. So there is a cheap action camera as alternatives.
What is Gimbals Mount?
As you noticed that I mentioned gimbal mount a few times throughout the article. These are commonly referred to as advanced and mid-tier drones that have an empty mount holder for an action camera. The gimbal mounts provide a smoother and less jello effect compared to the drones with a built-in camera.
They are great for aerial photography. But they aren’t something that you can use in professional fields. Overall, the gimbal mount which you can insert any action camera according to the product pages is suitable for simple aerial stills. However, they don’t make good videos because it moves when the drones tilt. If you are interested in drones with cameras that are stabilized, then we recommend DJI Mavic Air (See Price) or Phantom 4 Pro (See Price).
What is the Return Button?
Some of the drones will feature a return to the home button. What it does is when the drone takes off. It will keep a short memory of its takeoff point. After you fly the drone around and want to recall it. All you have to do is simply push the return button and the drone will fly back straight. Keep it in your mind that you need to make sure the flight path is safe and clear of obstacles. Because it doesn’t fly up straight as expensive quadcopters do. Lastly, it is highly recommended to do return home if the path is cleared.
What is Follow Me Mode?
As you noticed that a couple of drones in high-tier price range are capable of performing follow-me mode. This feature is unique and rarely seen on affordably priced drones. What this feature does is that it tracks a subject actively. Suppose that you are going on a solo journey and want to document your trip. It is easy to do so without the need for a second operator.
To perform this feature, you will need to have an action camera mounted on the drone. Then you select yourself on the screen and the drone will follow you automatically. Pretty cool feature? However, for the best performance, we do highly recommend more recently released drones that have a better version of Follow Me mode.
Keith Ericksen
Hello, welcome to UAV Adviser! My name is Keith Ericksen. I am a commercial licensed drone operator. Flying and talking about the drones is my passion. Whether it is toy-grade to professional-grade quadcopters. On my leisure, I enjoy socializing with friends, play video games, hiking, traveling and reading. If you have a project that needs our drone services, please contact us via Hire-A-Pilot page.
