It’s a bit strange how quickly drones have become a techie status symbol, transforming instantly from a curious, hyper-expensive novelty to a tech toy that any self-respecting early adopter has an eye on. If you’re in the market for a drone, there are a number of angles you need to consider, from size to style—and, of course, the legality of owning an airborne gadget.

What do you want from your drone?

There are countless drone designs out there, but they’ll always fall into one of two categories: the type that are capable of hovering on their own—a multirotor setup, often consisting of four separate vertical propellers—and the fixed-wing versions, which require forward motion to create lift and remain aloft.

Which type you prefer is entirely based on your own taste, but there are certain activities that each type can perform better than the other. For example, a multirotor is going to be your best bet for capturing sharp images and video of whatever you happen to be pointed at, thanks to the craft’s ability to hover in place. Multirotors are also best for indoor flight and areas where space is limited.

Fixed-wing drones will generally cover ground much faster than their multirotor counterparts, and if you’re scouting a large area, shooting footage on a trail or simply want to see what it’s like to zip around your backyard like a bird, these will be your drone dream come true.

Size matters

Start small. It’s tempting to jump right into the deep end and pick up a new quadcopter that rivals your dining room table for size, but as an amateur, you’re simply not ready. Whichever type of drone you prefer, it’ll be easier and less expensive to invest in a smaller version to start with, especially if you’re prone to crashing, which you probably will be.

“Small multirotors have the advantage of having smaller mass, less weight, and more resilience,” Austin Furey of FliteTest.com—a popular site and video series dedicated to everyone who loves flight—told the Kernel. “Many micro quads can be crashed hard dozens of times with little to no damage.”

Instead, begin your drone journey with something like the Syma X5C, which is everything you want in a drone—scaled down in both size and price. It has a built-in HD camera, gyroscope stabilization, and a powerful RC controller. The best part is that it’ll only set you back $59, so if it ends up meeting an untimely end, you won’t feel like you threw your entire paycheck in a blender.

– See more at: http://kernelmag.dailydot.com/issue-sections/features-issue-sections/11538/drone-buying-guide/#sthash.7rMz7SCA.dpuf