When DJI announced its small $200 Neo drone, I immediately knew how it would fit into my vlogger toolkit and complement my Mini 4 Pro and Mavic 3 Pro. Ta. Flying these sophisticated drones requires planning. But thanks to features like palm takeoff and voice control, the Neo can wake up on its own for quick and fun shots. Its ease of use also makes it ideal for social media influencers.
Although it is suitable for beginners, it is very powerful. You can take advantage of the features of DJI’s larger drones, including ActiveTrack, FPV capabilities, and even support for DJI’s Mic 2. Also, forget about the blurry videos you may have seen with other cheap drones. Neo can record in crisp 4K, making it suitable for content creators who need affordable aerial video.
DJI
DJI Neo is an inexpensive, entry-level drone, but it has powerful features such as subject tracking and quick shots.
Pros Quick and easy to operate Inexpensive Includes high-end features Beginner-friendly Cons No vertical video Sounds like a banshee Requires specific controller for top speed $199 on Amazon
However, Neo isn’t perfect as it’s noisy and lacks the vertical video that influencers might want. Still, it seemed like the kind of product that could appeal to all types of people, including creators like me who already own multiple drones. To see how it works, we tried it out in a variety of scenarios, from events to weddings and even just flying for fun.
Design and function
With its softly sculpted design and protective propeller guard, Neo gives off a safe and friendly vibe. It’s the lightest of DJI’s drones at 135 grams, less than half the weight of the Mini 4, and small enough to fit in a large jacket pocket. The device’s very small size also means it is exempt from drone licensing requirements.
Neo comes with a wealth of features, but all you need is your hands to start flying. Simply place Neo in the palm of your hand and press the new mode button on the front to take off and perform one of six pre-programmed “smart shots.” They are Follow (the drone follows you around and chases you), Dronie (it stays close to your face and then flies up and away from you), Circle (it flies around you), A rocket (starts at face level and flies straight up), a spotlight. (keeps it centered in the frame, but doesn’t move) and an orientation track (for video blogs). Once the shot is complete, reach under Neo and let him land.
Another great option for beginners is voice control, which allows you to fly and record videos by speaking into the Fly More app. We weren’t able to try out this feature during our initial hands-on testing, but a firmware update enabled it. You can tap the voice button to say a command or enable the wake word setting. Then just say “Hey Fly” to enable it.
Steve Dent of Engadget
For example, saying the word “drony” activates the droney flight pattern and starts recording. You can then change the parameters using commands such as “near”, “far”, “high”, etc. It also includes safety commands such as “land”, “stop”, and “brake”.
This setup is a great way to give users control over social media-oriented quick shots without ever touching a controller. It was easy to set up and I found it to respond quickly and reliably to commands. However, you will need to hold your phone’s microphone closer to your mouth when Neo is nearby. Otherwise, your voice will be drowned out by the roar of the propeller.
Steve Dent of Engadget
Neo is also DJI’s first drone that can be piloted using only a smartphone. Switch the app to manual mode and you’ll see a touch screen with full operational controls. It also provides a switch to camera/video mode and home. However, there are important caveats to using this, as we’ll detail shortly. For more serious maneuvering, Neo supports multiple DJI controllers (sold separately), including the RC N3 model, which requires a smartphone. It can also be used as an FPV drone using DJI’s RC Motion 3 and DJI Goggles 3. These controllers offer most of the features available on other DJI camera drones, including Cinema, Normal, and Sport modes, as well as automatic and manual video settings.
You won’t see any obstacle detection sensors, which is one of the reasons the Neo is so cheap. The only crash protection measures are the camera’s object detection AI, downward-facing IR landing sensor, and a rugged design to withstand minor accidents.
As for storage, there’s no microSD card slot, so the Neo relies on 22GB of internal memory that can hold 40 minutes of 4K footage or 55 minutes of 1080p video. You can transfer files to your PC or other devices via the USB-C charging port on the back. Again, this isn’t ideal, but it keeps the price low.
performance
Steve Dent of Engadget
If you’re not expecting much performance from a 5-ounce, $200 drone, prepare to be pleasantly surprised. Neo is easy to use, fast, and fun. In Sport mode, it can reach a top speed of 18 mph, which is half that of the Mini 4 Pro, but still on the high end of this category. It can fly in fairly strong winds up to 18 miles per hour, but if you fly it too far it can be blown into another county.
Neo can also fly twice as fast in manual mode. This is another feature added in a post-launch firmware update, but requires DJI’s FPV Controller 3. With that controller and firmware update I pushed it to top speed. Its speed of 36 miles per hour is much faster than any drone of this size, but it never felt out of control. However, at that speed, the noise level resembles a particularly enraged swarm of hornets.
FPV Controller 3 also opens up possibilities for acrobatic (acro) flight, allowing you to perform flips, spins, and other maneuvers. It’s a lot of fun, especially knowing that this drone is not only crash-resistant, but also costs just $200. This is a small amount by drone standards. I’m no acropilot, but in the hands of an expert like quadmovr, the Neo can do incredible things.
Steve Dent of Engadget
For beginners who want to try first-person video flight (FPV) but aren’t ready to use the clunky Controller 3, DJI’s Goggles 3 and RC Motion 3 are suitable for FPV beginners. It’s certainly not as nimble and fast as Avata 2, but it’s still a lot of fun. In fact, its durability and low price make it a great learning tool for aspiring FPV pilots who use one of these controllers.
Neo is also perfect for event videography, as you can operate it almost anywhere to capture cool or dramatic shots. At the same time, the propeller guard makes it safe to use around people. Again, it’s very noisy so it’s definitely not suitable for flying things like weddings and groomsmen’s speeches.
ActiveTrack, Spotlight, and Point of Interest (POI) modes work like other DJI drones to track or follow you. An important mode for content creators is Direction Track. This allows you to create a video blog while walking with your face visible. In this setup, Neo typically flies backwards without a rear obstacle sensor, so you need to have a clear path. When we tested this, the drone hit a tree branch and went off course, but continued flying.
I’ve never intentionally tried to crash a drone, but I’ve had a few accidents. Neo collided with several trees before falling to the ground several times, once destroying the hard interior floor. DJI did a good job with durability, as it not only continued to function perfectly, but also had very few visible scratches. That said, Neo’s 1-year insurance plan can be purchased for just $22 and will cover you in case of accident or loss of your drone.
Steve Dent of Engadget
With a controller and DJI’s O4 transmission, the Neo has a line-of-sight range of 10.2 miles in the U.S. and 5.7 miles in Europe, where transmit power is limited. That’s exactly half the size of the Mini Pro 4, which is pretty impressive considering its size. However, I’m not sure anyone would want to fly such a lightweight drone that far. I flew it about half a mile without losing signal, which was far enough for my comfort level. The maximum altitude, on the other hand, is unlimited and set by the user.
If you use your smartphone’s Wi-Fi controls, the maximum range is only 165 feet, so you can only use it indoors or nearby outdoors. Although this is based on Wi-Fi limitations, it also works effectively as a geofence for beginners (the drone simply stops and hovers when it goes out of Wi-Fi range). Additionally, when using palm or voice controls, altitude is limited to approximately 100 feet.
Neo’s 1,435mAh Li-ion Intelligent Flight Battery is small and lightweight, yet supports up to 17 minutes of flight time. In the real world, it can fly for about 13 to 14 minutes. Not bad for this category. Using Neo alone, it takes an hour to charge one battery directly inside the drone. However, you can charge three batteries in the same 60 minutes by purchasing the $289 combo kit (which includes the drone, two extra batteries, and a three-battery charger).
camera
Steve Dent of Engadget
The gimbal is housed in a protective housing and can be tilted 60 degrees up and 90 degrees down. The camera has a 1/2-inch 12-megapixel sensor with an ultra-wide 13mm equivalent focal length and f/2.8 aperture. I have high hopes for a decent smartphone.
Although the Neo’s video specs are inferior to other DJI drones, considering the Neo’s price, I was pretty satisfied with my footage. It can shoot 4K 30p video and 1080p at up to 60fps, which is certainly enough for most social media users. It also supports 4K with a 4:3 aspect ratio at 30fps, or 1080p with the same aspect ratio up to 60fps.
The camera doesn’t tilt sideways like the Mini 4 Pro, so you can’t shoot vertical video. This is unfortunate considering the target market, but adding that feature increases complexity and definitely increases price. Your best bet for social media users is to shoot in 4K and crop to 1080×1920 9:16 resolution.
It also doesn’t have the dynamic range-enhancing D-LogM feature found on most other DJI drones, and the sensor is much smaller, resulting in poor low-light performance. However, the video is sharp and color accurate, well above what you would expect at this price point. 12 megapixel photos are more than enough for hobbyists and social media users. I think the average buyer who wants aerial shots of their home, family, or vacations couldn’t be happier.
Steve Dent of Engadget
Neo also incorporates DJI’s software-based RockSteady stabilization and gimbal tilt stabilization. This should provide a smooth enough video for most users. Alternatively, you can get better results by disabling stabilization completely and using DJI’s GyroFlow app in post. Neo also supports HorizonBalancing, providing horizontal video even when the drone banks up to 45 degrees. Note that in 4:3 video mode, there is no electronic image stabilization, so you will need to use GyroFlow or another app to stabilize the footage afterwards.
Neo can also capture audio on your phone by simply tapping the audio recording button in the Fly More app. Connecting an external microphone or using DJI’s Mic 2 will improve the sound quality. The Neo is quite noisy, so the Mic 2 cancels out much of the prop squeak, keeping the audio clear and readable, albeit with some distortion.
summary
Steve Dent of Engadget
DJI’s Neo may be small in stature, but it can safely capture high-quality videos and photos around people, and it does so at a very affordable price. It’s clearly captured the public’s imagination, as it’s already sold out on DJI’s site even though it’s only been out for a few weeks.
Potential buyers range from beginners to experienced people looking for a small, human-friendly drone for things like Instagram Stories. It’s ideal for TikTok and other creators because it can act as a robot videographer and record content on its own. The main issues you’ll have to put up with are noise, lack of vertical video, and limited battery life.
At $200 for the Neo, or $289 if you opt for the combo kit that includes three batteries and a charger, it’s a no-brainer for many creators. The only real competition is the $350 HoverAir X1, which has a higher price and lower video resolution. However, Neo is a better value as it offers higher quality video at a lower price.
