Forget DJI — my favorite folding drone is back to its all-time lowest price again on Amazon

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This self-flying drone is perfect for beginners

HOVERAir X1 Self-Flying Drone with Cyber Monday badge.
(Image credit: Future)

I’ve been flying DJI’s drones for a long time now, and while they offer rich features and deliver outstanding video performance, it takes time building up the experience to confidently fly them. That’s why I’ve been raving about the HoverAir X1, a  pocketable drone that fits in my pocket and doesn’t require me to use a remote controller to fly it. Best of all, it’s still available at an amazingly low price thanks to this post-Cyber Monday deal.

Amazon has the HoverAir X1 self-flying drone with an $100 off clippable coupon for Cyber Monday week. During Cyber Monday itself, this drone dropped to $379, then went up to $399 the following day. However, its back down to its all-time lowest price at $379. Considering how DJI’s latest drone, the Mini 4 Pro, sells closer to $1,000, this Cyber Monday deal on the HoverAir X1 is hard to pass up on because it’s a fraction of the cost. It's one of the best drones I've tested.

Editor's note: In order to buy it for $379, you will need to clip the $100 off coupon on the page. Once you go to checkout, the total will come out to $379.

HoverAir X1: was $479 now $399 w/coupon @ Amazon

HoverAir X1: was $479 now $399 w/coupon @ Amazon
You don't need a lot of experience flying this pocketable, folding drone because the HoverAir X1 can fly on its own by selecting any of the available preset modes it offers. It's even lighter than most phones, making it perfect for travel.

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I can’t tell you enough about how I love bringing the HoverAir X1 everywhere I go. Thanks to its foldable design, I can easily stow it in a small camera bag without worrying about it bogging me down because it’s incredibly lightweight at 4.48 ounces — which is much lighter than the iPhone 15 Pro Max at 7.81 ounces.

Secondly, I love how it can fly all on its own thanks to the preset modes I can choose from. These modes allow it to record video and follow me, or even capture some epic panning shots that can easily rival the stuff I capture manually with pricier drones. I’m actually impressed by how well it tracks me as I move, which it does responsively and keeps me in the center frame. In fact, I recently used it on a jog down by the beach — making it look like I had an actual camera person recording me.

And finally, I think it’s a good beginner drone because if I want to manually control the HoverAir X1, I can still do it through the app. This is great because the preset modes let me fly it with ease, without any interaction on my part with a controller. The video quality is also pretty good thanks to its 2.7K video capture resolution, which looks sharp and accompanied by punchy color tones.

All of these reasons make it a worthy alternative to the DJI drones I’ve been flying. It’s one of the gadgets I typically keep in my backpack because it’s so compact.

John Velasco
John Velasco
Senior Channel Editor for Phones

John’s a senior editor covering phones for Tom’s Guide. He’s no stranger in this area having covered mobile phones and gadgets since 2008 when he started his career. On top of his editor duties, he’s a seasoned videographer being in front and behind the camera producing YouTube videos. Previously, he held editor roles with PhoneArena, Android Authority, Digital Trends, and SPY. Outside of tech, he enjoys producing mini documentaries and fun social clips for small businesses, enjoying the beach life at the Jersey Shore, and recently becoming a first time homeowner.