Finding the perfect Father’s Day gift for the “guy who has everything” is a perennial challenge.  But 2023 could be the year when Dear Old Dad finally graduates from an electric shaver to a more sophisticated technological gadget. Why not surprise – and even shock — the male authority figure in your household with the purchase of a brand new drone?  He’ll be glad you did.  In fact, so will you.

Research shows that most men are fascinated with mechanical devices and also harbor dreams of flying – and even becoming an airplane pilot.  But how many men actually get off the couch and train to become one?  Woefully few, according to available statistics.  With drones, they don’t actually have to.  Recreational drone-flying is fast becoming a leading national pastime.

The number of recreational drone pilots – or drone “hobbyists,” as they are sometimes called – is rising steadily.  In 2015 when there were just 400,000 private drone owners.  The next three years saw a jump to 800,000,  and by 2021, there were 1.3 million owners of drones weighing less than 55 pounds, which is the legal limit established by the FAA.  That’s a 200% jump in the space of just 6 years.

The vast majority of today’s drone owners are men, mostly men aged 25-45, and according to anecdotal evidence mostly unmarried men pursuing a new avocation.  Women are starting to enter the ranks of drone fliers but still constitute a tiny minority.  In addition, teenagers and even tots as young as 5 are beginning to take to smaller “toy” drones, some costing as little as $25 each.

But there’s no reason more settled adult men can’t join the expanding drone club.  Sponsoring family outings to fly drones could easily become today’s version of yesteryear’s kite-flying.  But drones are  not only fun – they’re also highly educational. Many Dads are anxious to see their children – girls as well as boys – become acquainted with the various kinds of STEM technology skills that can make for a successful and lucrative career path.  Many schools are heavily promoting STEM-based education, and some are even offering drone training classes to those that want or seek them.

Why not get started early by teaching the kids how to fly, maintain and repair a drone?

Of course, some Dads are themselves in need of a new recreational outlet.  Not all can hunt or fish or engage in home building and repair projects – or care to. Once your Dad owns a drone, some of his friends will likely want one , too.   Before long the Dads will be meeting in public parks or abandoned parking lots on the weekends (local ordinances permitting) to fly their drones as a group.  As a creative form of male bonding, It sure beats getting together just to play poker and drink beer.

What kind of drone should you buy for Father’s Day?  As a practical matter, unless Dad is already mechanically adept, you might want to start with a Tello drone that can be bought for just under $100.  Ryze Tello and DJI make such a drone, and the Ryze version, though separate from DJI, actually incorporates DJI flight control technology.

These drones are super-lightweight and easy to fly – at a distance of about 100 meters for 13 minutes on the initial battery charge.  It’s a great way to get the basic hang of drones, without spending a bundle.  Once Dad gets hooked on his new gift, there are plenty of other more sophisticated – and expensive – remotely piloted aircraft to begin stepping up to.

In short, buying a drone for Father’s Day isn’t likely to be a one-time proposition.  It’s not just a new gadget or “toy” for Dad.  Instead, it could well be a catalyst to an entirely new family experience.  And who among us doesn’t need that these days?