ok so ive been wanting to get into drones for a while now and i finally have some money saved up but i genuinely dont know where to start. ive been watching youtube videos for like two weeks and now im more confused than before because everyone recommends something different.

my budget is probably around $200-300 maybe a bit more if something is really worth it. i dont have any experience flying anything, not even like rc cars or whatever. i mostly want to take videos of hiking trails and stuff outdoors, nothing crazy. do i need to get a license right away or can i just fly it around and see if i even like it first? also does the camera matter that much on a beginner drone or is it better to just learn on something cheap first and upgrade later

honestly the DJI Mini 2 SE is where id point most people starting out, its under 250 grams so you dont need to register it with the FAA which makes things a lot simpler when youre just starting. the camera is genuinely decent for trail footage, not pro level but youll be happy with it. i got mine about a year ago knowing absolutely nothing and the stabilization saved me so many times in the beginning.

the thing about buying cheap first to learn on ? i kind of disagree with that actually. the really budget stuff flies way differently, its twitchy and hard to control, so you build bad habits. the mini line is forgiving enough that you actually learn properly. just download the fly safe maps before you go anywhere and read up on basic airspace stuff, its not complicated but you do want to know it before you crash into something dumb

im in almost the exact same boat lol, been lurking here for a month. from what ive gathered the mini 2 SE comes up constantly for beginners but some people also mention the Holy Stone HS720 if you really want to keep costs down. i havent pulled the trigger yet either so cant tell you from experience but thats what ive seen mentioned most