so ive been wanting to get into drones for a while now, mostly just to fly around and maybe take some videos of hikes and stuff i do on weekends. i dont really have any experience with RC stuff at all, like zero. my budget is probably somewhere around $300 maybe a little more if its worth it. i keep seeing the DJI mini series mentioned everywhere but i honestly cant tell if thats just because theyre popular or if theyre actually the best option for someone starting out. also do i need to register it with the FAA or whatever right away or can i just fly it first and figure that out later. sorry if these are dumb questions

not dumb questions at all, everyone starts somewhere. the Mini 3 is probably where id point you honestly, its hard to beat for that price range and the fact that it stays under 249g means you technically dont have to register it for recreational flying in most cases, though you should still read up on the actual rules for your area before you go out. the controller situation is a little confusing with DJI right now because there are like three different bundle options but the basic RC-N1 one is fine to start. just dont buy the fly more combo right away, get the base kit and see if you even like flying first before you spend more

i just went through this exact same thing like two months ago lol. i ended up getting the mini 2 SE because it was cheaper and honestly for just learning to fly and getting used to the controls its been totally fine. the camera isnt as good as the mini 3 but i crashed it twice already while learning so im kind of glad i didnt spend more. once i feel more confident i'll probably upgrade but for now it does everything i need for hiking videos and stuff