The recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas featured some of the latest high tech drones, covering a broad range of applications.

One of the standouts at this year’s show was the tiny Tello toy drone which retails for less than US$100.

This fun quadcopter can be controlled by your phone or optional Bluetooth gamepad, with a modest 720p video camera.

The Tello is powered by tech from DJI and Intel and isn't much bigger than a smartphone.

Best of all, it can help kids learn how to code.

Tello isn't built for long-range, sky-high flights, but it does have a number of automated flight modes, and its functionality can be expanded.

Developed by startup company Ryze Tech, the Tello includes an EZ Shot function, which includes a 360° panning shot, an orbit, and a back-and-up reveal shot.

All the video is captured using the Tello's integrated 1080p video camera. It's not a gimbal mount, instead relying on digital stabilization to keep footage stable. It also shoots stills, in JPG format, at 5MP resolution.

With an affordable price point of US$99, the product is clearly aimed at teens and casual users.

Compact and versatile

The aircraft itself is small. Its body isn't much bigger than a smartphone (though it's definitely thicker). The overall footprint is bigger – four struts extend from the body, each housing a motor and propeller, and there are guards around the props for safety.

An app (for Android and iOS) controls the drone. If you have a Bluetooth game controller you can pair with your phone for a more classic control experience.

Ryze says you can expect about 13 minutes of flight time out of the Tello – similar to the DJI Spark. Its maximum operating range is about 100m.

The aircraft is powered by an Intel processor. You can program automated flight patterns, incorporate flips and other aerial tricks into the automated flight, and more.

And Tello is not only fun to fly, it's also a tool to help kids and teens learn to code. It can be programmed with MIT's Scratch language, a user-friendly teaching tool for all ages.

It’s available in white, yellow, or blue and the top cover is replaceable, so you can change colors to suit your fancy.

This fun toy is expected to be available in the US and in other regions – including Australia – in March.

And for those more serious about drone photography, the new Typhoon H Plus from Yuneec attracted much attention.

The Typhoon H Plus packs a 1-inch 20MP sensor in its camera, as well as a high aperture lens and the ability to record 4K video at 60fps. Low light performance has been boosted from the original Typhoon H and the drone can manage stable flight in wind speeds up to 50km/h.

Automatic obstacle avoidance is built in of course, while the controller is Android based and has a 720p display so you can see exactly where your drone is heading.

This new hi-tech drone is expected to be available in the first half of 2018 and will sell for about A$2,300.

Also on show at CES this year was an updated version of its excellent Osmo Mobile smartphone gimbal – the Osmo Mobile 2.

Not only is the Osmo Mobile 2 lighter than its predecessor, it’s also cheaper, so it should appeal to casual as well as more serious videographers.

And for a fun way to take selfies, many visitors to CES were drawn to the new AirSelfie.

The AirSelfie originally began life as a Kickstarter project in 2016, and its successor was unveiled at CES.

The new model features upgrades to the camera, flight time, and field of view, while keeping everything in the same compact shell that can just about fit in the palm of your hand. It's controlled by a phone app and features options you wouldn't expect in a drone this size, like the ability to hover in one spot.

The main purpose of the drone, as its name suggests, is to scoot up into the air and take selfies of you and your friends. However, it can be used to buzz around like a normal drone, taking photos and videos with its 12MP camera (the range is about 18m).

It features 16GB of on-board storage and is expected to go on sale later this year for about A$380.

As well as airborne drones, CES also featured a new aquatic model.

The PowerDolphin from PowerVision can scoot across the surface of your favourite pond or lake and take photos and video (in resolutions up to 4K) as it goes.

It can also deliver lifebelts to struggling swimmers and even map the underwater surface below thanks to some built-in sonar scanning technology.

And the drone can automatically detect fish from a distance of 40m and then automatically release a line and bait to snag them, making your fishing trips much less hands-on experiences.

A return-to-home mode is built in and you get two hours of use between charges.

PowerDolphin is expected to go on sale in April and will sell for about A$1,200.