The Best Drone with Wheels: Ground Drones Taking the World By Storm

What Are Ground Drones?

Ground drones refer to any drone that can drive instead of, or in addition to, flying. This is done through a set of wheels or using a large cage in some cases.

While there are some drones that feature only wheels — more like an RC car — the majority also include a propeller as well. These are hybrid drones, capable of both flying in the air and running on the ground. Some can even ‘swim’ over water!

There are many kinds of ground and hybrid drones, each with their own configuration. But the most common you’ll see is the 4-wheel-and-propeller hybrid design. This features four wheels, two on each side of the drone, much like a car. On top of each wheel is a propeller.

As you can imagine, this layout cleverly combines quadcopter design with that of an automobile. It provides excellent lift and stability both on air and on land. Mostly, it’s straightforward to implement this kind of scheme on an existing quadcopter or RC car (just add wheels or propellers, respectively).

Some hybrid drones also make use of the standard quadcopter design, with the addition of a cage. It acts both as a protective shell on the drone, and as the “wheels” so it can roll on the ground. Sometimes, two wheels can also be attached on the sides of a drone.

For ground-only drones, they usually come in 4-wheel and 2-wheel variants. The two-wheel design, like the (now discontinued) Parrot Jumping Night, often makes it capable of vertical leaps as well. To make it balanced, the wheels are usually oversized.

A common question most people ask is: what makes a ground drone different from an RC car? It’s true that they fulfill mostly similar functions (they’re both remote-controlled vehicle with wheels), and there’s a lot of overlap between the two.

But the distinction has got to do with size and power. RC cars have more powerful motors and longer-lasting batteries. They’re also more rugged and durable. Ground drones, on the other hand, are mostly just aerial drones fitted with wheels. Hence, they still retain fragile and flimsy compared to an RC car.

What To Look For In A Ground Drone

Most people discount ground drones as mere toys, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to be careful with your purchase. You need to exercise the same discerning eye as you do aerial drones.

Here are some considerations you need to make to help you land the perfect ground drone for you:

Switching Mechanism Between Air and Ground

This is a crucial feature to look out for when buying a ground drone. There are many ways drones can switch between flying and running on the ground. Some will require you to detach/attach a wheelbase on the flying drone manually. This can be time-consuming, tedious, and prevents you from doing some types of stunts.

The ideal drone to get is one that only requires a simple push of the button. When pressed, this will usually launch or land your drone in the air. Not only is it convenient, but it’s also great for beginners who might have trouble launching this drone in the air.

Durability

The majority of ground drones usually cost less than $100. Hence, quality might become a problem if you buy the wrong one. So you need to take a fresh look at the durability of the unit.

With ground drones, you also have an additional part to look at – the wheels. These will contact the ground a lot and will absorb quite an impact, so they need to be sturdy.

The frame also needs to be hard and durable, even with repeated crashes. That’s because you’ll most likely crash the drone a lot, especially if kids will be using it. These entry-level drones also lack any sophisticated safety features, so you’ll need to rely on the strength of the drone’s frame.

Battery Life

As with any drone, battery life is an essential consideration. Of course, the better it is, the longer you can operate the drone. And that’s always better.

Unfortunately, most ground drones, being in the $100 price range, are usually lacking in this department. You’re only looking at around 5 – 7 minutes for flight, and maybe 8 – 10 minutes on the ground. 

The best way to get around this is to invest in spare batteries. Fortunately, most brands offer a few of these as part of the package the drone is in. This is quite convenient and can effectively double or triple the drone’s battery life.

At the minimum, make sure the drone’s battery can be easily swapped, as not all have this feature. Some might need a screwdriver to switch the batteries, which is just as inconvenient.

Buy spares, if you can. They offer better value for your drone in the long run.

Headless Mode

One of the most overlooked features in drones, Headless Mode, is nevertheless a must-have for any drone. Especially since it will mostly be driven around by newbie drivers.

Here’s the reason why. Drones usually have a designated “front” direction. When you instruct a drone to fly forward, it will do so from this direction. Pressing left or right will have the drone turn left and right from this direction as well.

If you can’t imagine it yet, this is a nightmare for beginners. It’s not always intuitive to determine where the drone is faced. And even then, it takes some practice to predict where it will turn when you control it via the controller.

Headless Mode simplifies this process by eliminating orientation. Now, when you press right on the joystick, it will always go right, regardless of where the drone is faced. If you foresee a beginner using the drone, Headless Mode is an essential requirement.

One Key Return

This is a fantastic feature to look for and is convenient when your drone has it. In essence, it allows the drone to return to its origin point (where it initially took off) at the push of the button. The drones do this automatically, including proper landing.

For beginners, this is a godsend. It makes a newbie much more confident operating the drone, knowing that they can safely land it at the push of a button. 

It’s also an insurance policy in case your drone gets lost. That way, it can manage to find itself back to you.

Note, though, that this feature only works during aerial mode. There’s usually no safety feature when using the drone in ground mode. 

Indoor vs. Outdoor Use

While most drones can be flown and driven outdoors, some are strictly to be used only indoors. Since they’re at a budget price, they’re usually built of lighter materials. The onboard flight motor isn’t as sophisticated as well.

What this means is that it won’t be able to hold its position in even the lightest of winds. For smaller toy drones, this is actually a good thing. It’s better for small children to play with drones indoors, where they can be supervised.

When using the ground mode of your drone, you also need to see if the wheels can handle the usually rough terrain outdoors. If not, you’ll be limited only to the smoother pavement when driving it around.

Camera and FPV

While this is not common among budget toy drones, there is an increasing number that has it. Of course, since they’re so tiny, expect the photo quality to be mediocre at best. The best you can aim for is around 720p HD at these prices.

If your drone has a camera, then it most likely also supports FPV (First Person View) mode. This is a fun and unique way to drive your drone, and it can actually be useful in some situations. For example, you can use your ground drone to explore nooks and crannies, and in these cases, you’ll need FPV to navigate properly

Stunts, Flips and Other Tricks

If you’re giving the drone to a kid, they might get bored of it after a while. The initial joy of flying and driving it around will fade. Unless, of course, the drone has built-in stunt and flips.

The most common aerial stunt is 3D Flips, which enable the drone to do impressive flipping movements with the simple push of a button. Some ground drones also have their own version of this, and even have pre-programmed sequences built-in.

For a kid, this is a great way to keep them further entertained once they learn the ropes of piloting the ground drone.

What Are The Advantages of A Drone with Wheels?

When people look at ground drones, they wonder why anyone would want one. Especially since drones were meant to fly. But the truth is that there are some pros in having a drone that can drive.

Protection During Landing

The biggest problem with aerial drones is that a rough landing is usually bad for them. This is because most aren’t equipped with any landing gear to cushion the fall, if ever. If your landing is less than perfect, then it can potentially damage the underside of your drone.

Ground drones help with this problem by having wheels. These absorb some of the impact during a rough landing, preventing damage to the more crucial areas of the drone.

And in the grand scheme of things, it’s much easier to replace a wheel than it is a busted motor or a dented frame. At the very least, a broken wheel will still allow your drone to fly (if it’s a hybrid).

Increased Battery Life

Ground drones usually have better battery life when used while on the ground. Rotating the wheels is generally less taxing on the motor. This is because it doesn’t need to work as much, compared to propellers that have to lift the entire weight of the drone to make it airborne.

In hybrids, you can save a lot of battery life by switching between air and ground modes regularly. This can net you an extra minute or two.

Terrain Flexibility

Hybrid ground drones can help overcome terrain problems that can pose a threat to ground-only or air-only drones. For example, you can switch to flying when you encounter impassable or hazardous obstacles, such as bodies of water or large walls.

You can then switch to ground mode when trying to navigate through narrower areas or tighter corners. It’s much easier to drive in indoors or dense forests than it is to fly. At least you only have to worry about two dimensions.

Great Stunts

Tired of doing aerial tricks or 3D flips in the air? Why not incorporate some ground-based moves to your arsenal?

Ground drones add a whole new list of stunts to your performance if you’re one to show off your moves to others. And for the ultimate show of skill, you can even connect ground maneuvers and air-based stunts.

Easier to Operate

It’s way easier to deal with only two dimensions (forward/back and left/right) than it is with three. That’s why ground drones are simpler to operate for kids or beginners than it is an aerial drone. Crashes are also less catastrophic (which are just bumps, really), making these drones much more forgiving.

A nice bonus is that, if you get a hybrid drone, you can practice on ground mode first to get the hang of controlling the drone. Then, when you’ve gotten good at it, do you introduce a third dimension and switch to aerial mode.

Value for Money

This is applicable to hybrid drones rather than just ground-only and air-only drones. This is because you’re essentially buying two different things for the price of one. You get two distinct piloting experiences with hybrids. Hence, you get maximum bang for your buck with these hybrid ground drones.