Loading...
Calculate accurate flight times for your drone based on real-world conditions including wind, temperature, altitude, and terrain.
Drone Database / Best for beginners
For a first drone, the sub-250 g class is the sweet spot: forgiving handling and low stakes when you crash. Many jurisdictions waive registration under 250 g — but not all: EASA still requires operator registration when the drone carries a camera or sensor, and Japan registers from 100 g — so confirm the rules where you fly. Picks are ranked by modelled flight time in calm conditions — more minutes per battery means faster, less frustrating learning.
Sub-250 g drones only (a weight class many jurisdictions exempt from registration — though EASA requires it with a camera and Japan from 100 g), ranked by modelled flight time in calm practice conditions.
| # | Drone | Use-case spec | Modelled — 20 °C, 6 mph wind, sea level | Modelled — mild (20 °C, 5 mph) | Retained |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DJI Mini 3 — full specifications | 249 g | 29 min | 29 min | 100% |
| 2 | X8 Mini 3 Pro — full specifications | 249 g | 28 min | 28 min | 100% |
| 3 | Potensic ATOM 2 — full specifications | 249 g | 28 min | 28 min | 100% |
| 4 | X8 Mini 3 — full specifications | 245 g | 27 min | 27 min | 100% |
| 5 | X8 Mini 3 Pro SE — full specifications | 248 g | 27 min | 27 min | 100% |
| 6 | Potensic ATOM — full specifications | 249 g | 27 min | 27 min | 100% |
| 7 | DJI Mini 2 — full specifications | 249 g | 26 min | 26 min | 100% |
| 8 | DJI Mini 4 Pro — full specifications | 249 g | 26 min | 26 min | 100% |
Minutes are modelled by the site's physics engine (ISA air density at the scenario elevation, boundary-layer turbulence at a representative 400 ft AGL cruise, battery temperature efficiency) from each manufacturer's rated baseline — the same engine that powers the flight calculator. See the methodology. "Retained" is the use-case scenario time as a share of the mild-conditions time for the same drone.
This hub is generated from our drone database of 489 models: drones that fail the use-case requirements (rated operating range, service ceiling, transmission range, weight class) are excluded, the rest are ranked by the modelled numbers above — there is no editorial re-ordering and no sponsored placement.