In this article, we’re diving into the world of budget-friendly drones, testing out the cheapest models available at Jumbo, a popular toy and home store in Cyprus and Greece. The goal is to see if any of these drones can actually fly well enough to compete with the high-end models, such as DJI drones, known for their smooth, stable, and cinematic performance. With prices ranging from just €5, let’s see how these drones measure up.
The Cheapest Drones at Jumbo
If you’re unfamiliar with Jumbo, it’s a massive store where you can find a variety of products, from toys and stationery to seasonal decorations and, of course, affordable drones.
While we usually associate drones with high prices, these budget options are considerably cheaper, with some starting at as little as €5. But the question remains: will these cheap drones actually fly. Let’s take a look at the lineup of drones I picked up, totaling €160 in purchases.
The Lineup of Cheap Drones
Here’s the breakdown of what I picked up from Jumbo:
- Helicopter (Best Drone for €4.99) – Spoiler: The name is the best part.
- UFO Flying Ball with Lights (€7.99) – Looks promising, but does it perform?
- The Predator (€9.99) – Comes with a hand control that does absolutely nothing.
- Aeroqu Quest (€19.99) – A helicopter with LEDs and a gyro, but does it fly well?
- Fly Eagle (€19.99) – Has a cool design, but is it any good?
- Glove-Controlled Drone (€29.99) – A unique concept with no name.
- Thanos Drone (€50) – The most expensive in the lineup.
- No-Name HD Camera Drone (€49.99) – The most expensive, but is it worth it?
Now, let’s dive into the testing process and see how each of these drones performed.
Testing Cheap Drones: Flyability, Fun Factor, and Build Quality
To assess the drones fairly, I rated each one out of five across three key categories:
- Flyability
- Fun Factor
- Build Quality
Let’s start with the first drone.
1. The Helicopter
The first drone in the lineup isn’t even a drone; it’s a helicopter. For €5, it’s exactly what you’d expect: very plasticky, with a tiny remote and a USB-C cable. The helicopter struggles to fly, barely hovering before crashing. However, when it does crash, it shuts off automatically, which is a small win. The flyability is almost non-existent, the fun factor is minimal, and the build quality screams “toy”.
2. UFO Flying Ball
Next up is the UFO flying ball. This one actually has a bit of potential, at least visually. It comes with a tiny remote and a USB-C cable, but the build quality isn’t great.
While testing it, the drone flew erratically, and its performance left a lot to be desired. However, I could see this being fun in an open park with friends. The flyability wasn’t terrible, but the build could have been sturdier.
3. The Predator
The Predator is another helicopter, but this time it comes with a hand control remote. Unfortunately, this remote did nothing no matter how many buttons I pressed, the drone refused to respond.
The build quality is cheap, and the flight performance was as disappointing as it gets. It barely hovered, skipped around, and made me question my choices.
4. Aeroqu Quest
The Aeroqu Quest brought a bit of hope. It’s another helicopter with cool LEDs and claims to feature a built-in gyro. Unfortunately, either the gyro was malfunctioning or it was calibrated in another dimension.
Read More: How to Find the Best Drone for Your Needs
The good news is that it did fly, but it didn’t go in the direction I wanted it to. It’s a rechargeable helicopter but requires AAA batteries for the remote control. Overall, it wasn’t terrible, but it certainly didn’t deliver the excitement I was hoping for.
5. Fly Eagle
Now we have the Fly Eagle, which at least looks the part. With its green and black design, LED lights, and prop guards, it seems like it could offer some decent flying experience.
However, it’s a bit overwhelming for kids, with a remote that’s full of buttons, none of which are labeled. After some trial and error, it finally powered up, and I was able to get it off the ground. It was more powerful than the others, but it wasn’t very controllable, and the 360-degree flips were more random than fun.
6. Glove-Controlled Drone
This one doesn’t even have a name, but it comes with a glove that looks suspiciously like Thanos’s gauntlet. It features LEDs at the bottom, and once the drone starts, the glove responds to hand movements, allowing for fun spins, rolls, and light-ups.
Out of all the drones, this was the easiest to fly. It even comes with spare props and landing legs. For €30, it actually surprised me, and I had a lot of fun with it.
7. Thanos Drone
The most expensive drone in the lineup, the Thanos drone claims to have an HD camera. It’s a 1080p camera, but frankly, it doesn’t live up to expectations. The footage is poor, and the flying experience wasn’t intuitive.
It can be flown using an app, but I couldn’t get the waypoint flying feature to work. While it flies, the camera quality makes it hard to recommend for those looking for decent footage.
My Favorites
After testing all the drones, here’s how they stacked up:
- Joint First Place: The Thanos drone and the HD camera drone, scoring the highest.
- Second Place: The Fly Eagle.
- Surprisingly Fun: The UFO flying ball.
If I had to pick my favorite, it would be the Thanos drone. Despite lacking a traditional controller, it was surprisingly easy to fly, making it a great choice for kids. The UFO flying ball also came close, as it could provide a lot of fun in an open field, though my testing had some hiccups.
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Article Summary
Overall, these drones are more about having a quick laugh or a toy to mess around with rather than serious flying. If you’re genuinely interested in capturing real footage, DJI drones remain on an entirely different level, with better stability, sensors, camera quality, and flight time.
For those in the U.S. dealing with DJI’s potential ban. If you’re looking for a proper drone, check out my review of the DJI Mini 2, still a solid choice in 2025, or my comparison between the DJI Air 3S and Avada 2 for those looking to step up their drone game.
Read More: Best cheap and good drones for Beginners
