7 underrated drone YouTube channels you need to watch right now

A new wave of drone creators is emerging

As drone-related social media content keeps evolving and changing, I think a new wave of creators is emerging that most people haven’t discovered yet. While many viewers stick to the bigger, more established channels with over 100,000 subscribers, some of the best content right now is coming from lesser-known creators.

As we head into drone buying and flying season, I want to highlight a few underrated channels that I’ve been watching that truly deserve more attention. Some of these are smaller, some are a little more established, but they each bring something different to the table.

The Jaunting Ape

First up is The Jaunting Ape, which is an amazing name. I love it. It’s one of those channels that flies under the radar, but once you find it, you realize he has some great videos. I think you’re going to subscribe after watching just one of his videos. He’s sitting at around 10,000 subscribers right now with a few hundred videos.

The content is really interesting because it’s a mix of drone reviews, real-world testing, and travel-focused flying. I love his organic presentation and just his regular Joe vibe.

What makes his channel really stand out is that his videos feel very experience-driven rather than spec-driven. Instead of just reading off features and specs, he actually uses drones in real scenarios — traveling, testing limitations, comparing models. Some of his best content is when he travels to places like Thailand. He also covers a mix of gear beyond just drones, like action cameras and related tech. He travels a lot and shows how he uses his gear around the world. It’s a really great channel and I think you’re going to love it.

MikeSytes

Next up is MikeSytes. What I really like about his channel is it’s not just reviews — he actually teaches. Whether it’s Part 107 prep, real-world drone use, or just helping you understand how to become a better drone pilot, his content is super clean, straight to the point, and actually useful.

I think that’s something a lot of people are looking for right now, especially if you’re newer to drones, you’re about to get your first drone, or you’re trying to take things a little more seriously. His channel is one of those where you walk away from a video feeling like you actually learned something, not just watched another product overview.

The Mindful Warrior FPV

For FPV fans, you’ve got The Mindful Warrior FPV. If you’re into FPV at all, this one is a must. It’s pure FPV flying — no fluff, just smooth lines, creative shots, and that immersive perspective that reminds you why FPV is so addicting in the first place.

Even if you don’t fly FPV, this is a channel that’s going to get you interested in it. It’s the kind of content that’s just fun to watch because it gives you a completely different side of drone flying from what you’re typically used to. It’s faster, more dynamic, and a lot more about the skill and creativity than the features or specs.

Channels like this are what keep the hobby exciting because they push what’s possible and inspire people to get into it.

Flying Filmmaker

Next up is Flying Filmmaker, a younger creator who’s been around for a few years, but you can really start to see his growth recently. What stands out to me is how much time he puts into his reviews. Nothing feels rushed. He actually uses the gear, tests it in real-world scenarios, and gives you a much more complete picture than most quick reviews out there.

I think that’s becoming more important these days because there’s so much content that is just first impressions or surface-level opinions, especially from the giants. This is the opposite of that. It’s more thoughtful, more detailed, and you can tell there’s real experience behind what he’s saying, which makes it a lot easier to trust.

Gavin HR

Next up is Gavin HR, who is based in the UK. Some of you may be familiar with his channel already. It has a very similar feel to mine. He’s got a pretty good base of subscribers at just over 50,000, so he’s not small by any means, but I think more people should check him out because his content is practical, honest, and focused on everyday drone users — just with a slightly different perspective because of where he’s flying and the types of content he’s creating.

That makes it feel fresh, and I think that’s really valuable because even though we’re all flying similar drones, the environments, the regulations, and the way people use them can be very different depending on where you are. It’s nice to get that outside perspective. His content is just very relatable — it feels like someone you’d actually go out to coffee with and just talk about drones the entire time.

Drone 360 World

Drone 360 World is more of a hidden gem. He’s a newer creator out of Wales, and his production is simple — but honestly, that’s part of what makes it so easy to watch. It’s relaxed, informative, and feels genuine, which is something that’s getting harder to find.

Sometimes it’s nice to just watch a video that isn’t overproduced, where the focus is on sharing information and enjoying the hobby. That’s exactly what this channel does. It’s straightforward, consistent, and you can tell he’s putting in the effort to grow. I think he’s going to continue to grow — he’s got a great channel.

Denis Barbas

Finally, I want to include a channel that’s pretty successful already — Denis Barbas. This one is a little different. It’s not really about reviews. It’s more about the art of drone flying. His footage is stunning, the music is dialed in perfectly, and the overall vibe is just fun to watch.

It’s the kind of content that reminds you what’s actually possible with a drone when you stop worrying about specs and just focus on creativity. I think that’s something we all need to see every once in a while because it resets your perspective and reminds you why you got into drones in the first place — not just to test features or compare cameras, but to actually create something.

His videos inspire me to try to be more creative. I’ve actually put his channel up on my television in my living room, put it on autoplay, and then just do things around the house and let it play because it’s so beautiful to watch and so nice to listen to. I can’t recommend it enough.

Check them out and share your favorites

If you’re looking for something new to watch or just want to support some creators that are doing really solid work, definitely go check these channels out. And let me know in the comments if there are any underrated drone channels that you’ve been watching that I should be watching too, because I’m always looking for new content and I’m sure there are a lot more out there that deserve some attention.

Finally, I want to remind you that one of my goals this year is to purchase more of the products that I review rather than get them for free. When I started this channel, I bought everything with my own money. As you get bigger, you start to get stuff for free. I want to get back to the roots and start purchasing things and reviewing them for you. Fly safe and fly smart.

You can watch more videos from Russ on the 51 Drones YouTube channel. You can also find more of Russ’s content on his DroneXL author page.