Holy Stone HS720G.

The Gavler Review.

Holy Stone HS720G Review: The Best Drone Under $300, With Real Asterisks

The Holy Stone HS720G ranks number 4 on Gavler's Best Drones list with a 8.5, and it earns that spot on value alone: real 4K video, a mechanically stabilized gimbal, and GPS positioning for under $300, a spec sheet that would have been flagship-level a few years ago. Gavler's own verdict calls it "the best drone under $300, full stop." Independent testing backs the core claim while also surfacing the gaps you'd expect at this price — Space.com's review found real-world flight time and control range both fell short of the marketing numbers.

What it is

The HS720G pairs a genuine 4K/30fps camera with a 2-axis mechanical gimbal — a rarity at this price point, where most competitors rely on digital stabilization alone. GPS positioning enables automatic return-to-home, and the two-battery kit that ships in the box delivers a combined 52 minutes of advertised flight time, a smart inclusion that DJI typically charges extra for. At under 380 grams, it stays out of the bulkiest weight class while still packing brushless motors and a 1,600-meter advertised control range.

Beyond the core spec sheet, the HS720G includes flight modes borrowed from far more expensive drones — Point of Interest/orbit, Follow Me, and Tap Fly pre-plotted routes — though, as Space.com noted, these work "albeit not to the same level of performance as more advanced drones" that pair them with true obstacle avoidance sensors, which this drone lacks entirely.

In use

Space.com's hands-on testing found the flying experience itself solid for a beginner-oriented machine: "the Holy Stone HS720G flies well and the controls are the same as more advanced drones, so it provides a standard flying experience." GPS hold showed "some drift despite connection to around 12 satellites during testing, but this was minimal compared to a drone without GPS" — a reasonable result for the price.

Where the real-world numbers diverged from the spec sheet was flight time and range. Space.com measured battery performance directly: "advertised flight times are 26 minutes, but during testing batteries lasted for 16 minutes before flight was restricted to a distance of 100 m and an altitude of 30 m. This lasted for five minutes, so a single battery charge provided 21 minutes of flight before Return to Home was automatically activated." Range told a similar story — the review found the Wi-Fi link between drone, controller, and phone "has a tendency... to be lost if you fly further than roughly 120 m at an altitude above 60m," a fraction of the advertised 1,600-meter figure, though flying with more altitude and less lateral distance reduced dropouts.

Image quality landed where you'd expect for the price: usable, not exceptional. Space.com described photos as not "perfectly sharp when you zoom in," with "strong barrel distortion" from the 130-degree field of view when the camera tilts, and visible chromatic aberration along high-contrast edges — issues correctable in post but present straight out of camera.

Strengths

• Genuine 4K with mechanical stabilization at a sub-$300 price. The 2-axis gimbal is a real differentiator; most drones in this price range settle for digital-only stabilization that looks noticeably worse in motion.
• Two batteries included standard. DJI and other premium brands typically charge $100-plus for a second battery; Holy Stone bundles it, giving genuinely useful total flight time across a session.
• GPS return-to-home works as intended. Space.com's testing found positioning drift "minimal" and the safety net functional, which matters most for the beginners this drone targets.

The trade-offs — who should skip it

• Real-world range and flight time both undershoot the spec sheet. Space.com's tested 21-minute flights and roughly 120-meter reliable Wi-Fi range are meaningfully short of the advertised 26 minutes and 1,600 meters — plan flights conservatively rather than trusting the box numbers.
• No obstacle avoidance of any kind. The Point of Interest, Follow Me, and Tap Fly modes exist, but without collision sensing, they carry real crash risk around trees, buildings, or people in a way a DJI Mini 4 Pro's sensors are designed to prevent.
• Build quality is plasticky. Space.com noted "everything looks and feels plasticky," though it called the drone "well made overall" given the price point — a fair trade rather than a defect.
• Camera controls are extremely basic. Adjustments are limited to brightness, saturation, ISO, and white balance, with no autofocus and inconsistent auto white balance results shot to shot.

How it compares

On the same list, the DJI Mini 4 Pro sits at rank 5, and it's the drone Gavler recommends stepping up to once budget allows — it adds omnidirectional obstacle sensing, a rotating gimbal for native vertical 4K, and a noticeably more capable 1/1.3-inch sensor, for roughly 2.5 times the price. The DJI Avata 2 at rank 6 serves an entirely different use case, an FPV-style immersive flying drone with built-in propeller guards rather than a traditional GPS photography platform.

The honest comparison for the HS720G isn't really the DJI Mini 4 Pro at all — it's a smartphone or no drone. Against those baselines, its mechanical gimbal and GPS return-to-home are genuinely useful capabilities most beginners wouldn't otherwise access at this price.

The Gavler verdict

An 8.5 for the clearest value proposition in the budget drone category: real 4K, real stabilization, and real GPS safety features for under $300, backed by two included batteries that competitors typically sell separately. Space.com's independent testing confirms the core strengths while tempering the marketing numbers — expect closer to 21 minutes of flight time and a few hundred meters of reliable range rather than the advertised 26 minutes and 1,600 meters. For beginners learning to fly, or travelers who want aerial footage without a four-figure investment, it remains the drone to buy first. Anyone who needs obstacle avoidance or professional-grade image quality should budget for a DJI Mini 4 Pro instead.

Common Questions

Is the Holy Stone HS720G worth it in 2026?

For beginners on a strict budget, yes. Gavler's verdict calls it 'the best drone under $300, full stop,' and Space.com agreed it's a solid choice 'to master flight controls before upgrading to a more advanced and expensive model.' Just don't expect DJI-level polish or range.

Does the HS720G really fly for 26 minutes and 1,600 meters?

Not quite, based on independent testing. Space.com's real-world flights got 21 minutes per battery before Return to Home activated, and found the Wi-Fi connection between drone and controller could drop 'if you fly further than roughly 120 m at an altitude above 60m' — well short of the advertised 1,600-meter range.

How does the camera compare to a DJI drone?

It's noticeably more basic. Space.com found 'photos aren't perfectly sharp when you zoom in,' with visible barrel distortion and chromatic aberration, and rated overall image quality as 'inconsistent.' It's genuinely good for the price, but it does not match a DJI Mini 4 Pro's sensor or processing.