REASONS TO BUY
Three included batteries
Multiple speed modes
Built-in propeller guards
Flip capability
REASONS TO AVOID
Hard to see in flight
Mediocre gyro performance
Poor wind resistance
Holystone HS210 Review
A small, cheap top drone with three rechargeable batteries, a built-in gyro for stabilization, that's great for children and drone beginners on a budget
Credit: Kolby Anderson
By Kolby Anderson ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ December 1, 2025
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Our Verdict
The Holystone HS210 is a pocket-sized toy drone that is a great introduction to drone flight and also makes a great gift for children. The HS210 has built-in propeller guards to keep you and the drone safe if you crash, and is made from resilient, flexible plastic for durability. It features three different speed modes, enabling pilots of all ages to build their skills and progress to higher speeds, and even perform flips at the click of a button. The HS210 is quite small and can be easy to lose sight of in flight. Its small size also makes it vulnerable to the wind, but overall, it does pretty well given its size and price.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Holystone HS210 is a small, budget-friendly drone that makes a great gift for kids or anyone who's really new to drones and is looking for a low-risk introduction to market.
Although the Holystone HS210 is quite small, it's also quite quick and nimble for its size. Credit: Kolby Anderson
Image Quality
The Holystone HS210 does not have a camera, so we did not have anything to review regarding image quality.
The Holystone HS210 has a built-in gyro that helps it to stay level and hover in place when no control input is given. Credit: Kolby Anderson
Flight Performance
The Holystone HS210 features an internal gyro that requires calibration before flight and enables the drone to hover in place. Its performance, while not ideal, allowed it to stay within a three to five-foot area for a few seconds, but ultimately, you need to provide steady input to maintain control. Taking off is as simple as pressing a button, and the drone launches into the air into a hover. The HS210 features three speed settings that allow you to adjust the sensitivity of the control inputs. We found the slowest setting to be quite forgiving for new pilots, but sometimes so slow that it was not enough to compensate for glitches in the gyro performance. Taking into account how affordable and small the HS210 is, it holds its own pretty well when in flight, but is easily influenced by wind.
Measuring only four inches diagonally, the Holystone HS210 is the smallest drone in our test group. Credit: Kolby Anderson
Portability
Measuring four inches diagonally, the Holystone HS210 is the smallest drone in our test group, and it feels small when held in the palm of your hand. It only weighs 24 grams and is very easy to transport in your pocket or really anywhere that you can fit it, along with its controller. No case is included with the HS210, but it's not really necessary since the propellers are entirely surrounded by plastic guards, and the drone itself is quite resilient to superficial damage.
The Holystone HS210 weighs only 24 grams, making it the lightest drone in our test group. Credit: Kolby Anderson
Usability
Before taking off with the Holystone HS210, you'll need three AAA batteries to power the controller. A small screwdriver is included to access the controller's battery compartment. The drone itself comes with three rechargeable batteries, but it has an inconvenient charger. The charger leaves the batteries hanging on small, delicate wires, which didn't give us any trouble in testing, but doesn't bode well for longevity. We really appreciated the small instruction card that comes with the controller, which explains the controls and can be saved for future reference. The HS210 has flexible plastic propeller guards as well as four extra propellers, just in case one gets damaged as you pilot it through flips. Although it can be flown in headless mode, which uses the pilot's orientation for control instead of the drone's, we recommend using traditional controls, as they will prepare you for flying other traditional drones should you choose to upgrade in the future.
The Holystone HS210 feels small even in the palm of your hand, but is quite capable in flight. Credit: Kolby Anderson
Should You Buy the Holystone HS210?
The Holystone HS210 is a tiny toy drone and is a budget-friendly option if you're looking for a great gift for a child. It is also a good choice for someone totally new to drones who is looking for a cheap first flight experience. The three different flight speed modes make the HS210 great for building your flight skills slowly and working up to higher speeds and even flips as you become more confident. Keep in mind that the HS210 is not capable of capturing photos or videos.
The Holystone HS210 can make for a great gift for young aspiring drone pilots to get in the air for their first time. Credit: Kolby Anderson
What Other Drones Should You Consider?
If you're looking for an exciting gift for a child or friend, the Force1 Scoot Toy is a controllerless drone that takes flight by tossing it in the air and responds to motion as you chase it around. If you're interested in drones for photography and video, the DJI Neo is also a controllerless drone, but it is a great starting point for aspiring creatives looking to capture 4k video and explore drones on a budget.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare Holystone HS210 versus top competing products:
—Kolby Anderson
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