title_body: What is the best drone for beginner fliers? My brothers would like to start drone flying, as they haven't ever flown my Syma before. I am looking for a small, inexpensive pocket or medium drone for beginners that will probably get thrown into our magnolia tree.
upvoted_answer: There's no single 'best' starter drone, as new ones are released every few months. However there are lots of good options under \$30, and some as cheap as $15.
  What you're looking for is something small and light, so you can fly it indoors without breaking things. It should have rings around the props to protect them and anything it hits.
  Syma, Eachine and Hubsan are popular brands but there are others.
  Do get more than one battery. They typically only last about 5 minutes and take an hour to charge. A charger that can charge more than one battery at a time is a bonus too. That said, 10-20 minutes is enough for most people - at least after the first time.
  'Headless mode' is quite a useful feature for beginners, it allows you to ignore yaw. Forwards is always 'away from you', whatever direction the drone is facing. It's not essential though, and can be confusing or lead to bad habits.
  'Altitude hold' should be useful but I've found these drones always need an experienced pilot to trim them first. It's good for an experienced pilot to teaching kids under 10, but not for teaching yourself.
  Many cheap quads have tiny 'jelly bean' transmitters, which can be difficult for those with big hands. If you think this might be a problem, you can spend a bit more for a proper sized controller. There are various hacks for extending the sticks too.
  Don't buy one with a simple recording camera. Until you pay enough for one that can transmit the signal to you in real time, the footage will be rubbish because you can't point the camera and frame the shot. The first time you do it, it's cool to see a blurry, poorly coloured picture from the air but the novelty quickly wears off. View your first drone as a trainer and indoor toy that will take the knocks of learning while you save up for something better.
  Don't bother buying loads of spares, these little things don't break very often, and it's as likely to be a motor burning out as a broken prop, and a pack of spare motors can cost more than the drone.
  That said, they are very prone to picking up stray hairs and winding them around the props and motors. Try not to spend all your time bumping around on the floor, and check for hairs after each crash.
  When you're learning, try to pop up into a hover a foot or so off the ground and concentrate on holding the right height. When it has drifted half-way to an obstruction, cut the power and land. Don't try to fight it because you'll just crash harder. Put it back in the middle of the room, review what you should have done and try again. When you can control the height, try correcting the drift but still land and review when it gets half-way to an obstruction. If you struggle, find a larger space to practice for a while.