DJI - DJI FPV

It's a good drone for what it is - a camera drone with FPV capability. It's capable of some light freestyle but it's pretty fragile. As a newbie you are all but guaranteed to crash at least a few times so be prepared to send it back to DJI for repairs.

The Fat Shark Pro kit is a pretty good deal and comes with a tinywhoop which is great for beginners and should be able to take a few crashes while you learn. Just be aware that it comes with the WalkSnail FPV system as opposed to DJI. There are plenty of pros/cons to consider when choosing between WalkSnail and DJI but the most relevant one for newbies is that there are fewer drones that are available with WalkSnail. This point is moot if you plan on eventually learning to build your own drones ( recommended long term ). Take a look at [https://oscarliang.com/fpv-system/](https://oscarliang.com/fpv-system/) to understand the differences between video systems. The DJI FPV kit is probably the easiest way to immediately get up in the air but it has several big disadvantages: * It is not designed to handle a crash well and repairs usually have to be handled by DJI * It's fairly out of date at this point - the goggles are two generations behind and don't support the new drones and air units from DJI * The batteries are proprietary and very expensive compared to normal LiPos If you just want a drone that is idiot proof and you're only looking to do some cruising around or get some cinematic shots for fun the DJI kit may be a good choice ( check out the Avata 2 if you want something more future proof ). On the other hand, if you're interested in freestyle flight and/or think this hobby has some long term staying power for you - look the other way. You'll break this thing or get bored of it quickly.

+1 DJI fpv. I just got a used bundle (controller headset drone) for $500.

Probably an unpopular opinion but DJI FPV is very beginner friendly and long range. You’re not going to be able to learn to fly in acro mode. I’ve flown mine about three miles into a mountain range and back with no issues.

I started with a DJI fpv and kept it in sport mode for a bit. Tried simulators for a while but didn’t like the feel of how the controls worked, so I started flying the fpv in manual mode. Gradually worked on launching and landing, it helped a lot being able to flip it back into sport mode if I ever felt in over my head while learning. Now I have some cheaper 115mm whoops to fart around with as well.

Having to buy expensive proprietary battery’s turned me off of it I like how easy and cheap 4s battery’s are to get. You’ll break it at some point, and don’t think you won’t it’s part of the hobby but it will cost way more to fix than a home built. Buy used and learn to fix it’s easier then you think

The DJI mini range are photography/filming drones. They won't do tricks, but are very stable and very easy to fly. Unfortunately what you want is a bit of mid-ground between toy drones and serious drones. \[edit - I wrote the following thinking your budget hit $300 and it was your father in law not son.. I definitely wouldn't get an FPV if your son is young - around 1kg and 90mph has the potential to go wrong!\] There should be some better toy drones that can do some tricks at least, but also have the option of being quite steady. If by 'entry level' you want 'easy to fly' as well as 'super fun to fly'.... then I'd try and find a used DJI Avatar, I think it's just at your budget and should tick the boxes. Or even a used DJI FPV, which are a bit faster, but not sure if they're that cheap.

I love the DJI FPV and Avata. I got the Goggles and Goggles 2. The FPV is my favorite drone by far out of the three (A2S, FPV, and Avata). I highly recommend picking up a FPV before they are discontinued. It can fly 90+ mph vs the 45-60mph competition. It is ridiculously easy to modify for using top level aftermarket props too. Highly recommend doing this too. Besides the increased performance, they are cheaper than DJI. Also, its flight time will be many minutes more (ten minutes more is a common reality) than any non DJI drone. In the flying world, this is an amazing amount more time. Expect three mins or less with the competitors drones when you are ripping it. You can get the whole set up together or pieced out on EBay or marketplace in great shape and cheap. Once they get discontinued, their price will skyrocket. I am constantly picking up another as a backup.

Yes, the FPV drone is prefect for that. Get this setup and it will be cheaper. I actually fly more with this setup as I feel as if I am in a cockpit with the stick controlling a jet. This is super easy to learn and fly fast. Once you get better, you can fly acro with it, but I highly recommend to start with the Avata due to its durability. FPV is fragile, but I have had mine for years now and never broke anything and I fly at top speed every flight. I also suggest getting a FPV while you can as they have been discontinued. You cannot buy one used off EBay for cheap, just check sellers rating, that it is returnable, and not locked to another account(unbound). It can fly 60mph with the motion controller and 90+ with the FPV controller. Set up for learning to fly quickly: DJI FPV Motion Controller 1 DJI FPV Goggles (1) If you want to do acro (flips & rolls): DJI Avata DJI Goggles 2 or DJI Integra DJI FPV Controller (Motion Controller 1 or 2 will work, but you cannot do acro with it)

If you can get a good deal on it used then I’d say so. I got it on Facebook for cheap. And I still fly it to this day, and I have 4 other drones and I still use the DJI FPV