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DJI’s smallest, lightest drone yet is here: enter the Neo, designed for everyday content capture and vloggers.
So tiny it can land in and launch from your palm, the Neo has a relatively short flight time of around 18 minutes — that’s about half the time of the DJI Mini 3. With the Fly More Combo, the three included flight batteries boost the flight time to a total of 54 minutes, though you’ll need to land the drone to swap out the batteries.
Despite its tiny size and budget price, the Neo is packed with professional specs including AI subject tracking, QuickShots, and the ability to capture 4K ultra-stabilized video at 30FPS or 12MP stills with a 117.6° field of view and f/2.8 for decent results in low-light conditions.
It’s easy to get started with the Neo. You press the Mode button, select the shooting mode, and the drone automatically starts recording and launches. Hold your palm out under it and it will return once it’s finished shooting.
Neo’s AI makes subject tracking easy for action videos, while QuickShots offers six intelligent shooting modes with a variety of recording angles, from Circle, which sees the Neo circle around your subject to Spotlight, where the drone rotates, keeping the subject in the frame.
No Remote Control Required
Remote-control free operation makes operating the Neo a breeze, but you can also control it via the DJI Fly app, RC Motion, remote controller, DJI Goggles, or your voice. Connect the Neo wirelessly to your smartphone for control with virtual joysticks through the DJI Fly app, with a control range of up to 50 meters, or pair it with the DJI RC-N3 for a maximum range of 10km and the option to flexibly operate the camera with RC control sticks.
The Neo is relatively quiet to operate, too, with in-flight noise reaching just 79dB. That makes it better for indoor use and built-up areas. Automatic Return to Home (RTH) ensures you’ll never lose this tiny companion, while full-coverage propeller guards ensure safety indoors and out.
One of the Neo’s highlights is its stabilization, thanks to its single-axis mechanical gimbal. It handles high-speed flights and lots of maneuvering, while infrared and monocular vision positioning help it to maintain stability in up to level-4 wind conditions (8m/s).
The DJI Fly App Simplifies Post Production and Sharing
The Neo packs 22GB of onboard storage, but unlike DJI’s larger drones, has no microSD card slot. That gives you up to 40 minutes of 4K/30FPS video (55 minutes of 1080p/60FPS video).
Post-production and sharing are easy with no cables required. You connect the Neo to your phone through Wi-Fi for transfer to the DJI Fly app. You can even record audio through your phone’s mic by connecting the Neo to your smartphone via the app, or use the DJI Mic 2 via Bluetooth. The app automatically merges your audio track with footage, eliminating propeller noise.
Speaking of post production, the app includes a huge library of templates plus sound and image effects, and it’s easy to share videos without needing to download them to your phone, saving precious storage space.
The Neo charges through a USB-C cable, but if you invest in the Fly More Combo you’ll get the Two Way Charging Hub to charge three batteries simultaneously.
You can buy the Neo now from store.dji.com or authorized retailers. The DJI Neo costs $199 while the Fly More Combo retails for $289 and includes the new RC-N3 controller, spare propellers, a charging hub, and three batteries.
This entry-level drone may be DJI’s smallest offering yet, but don’t be fooled by its tiny size. It appears to deliver great value for money for vloggers and content creators looking for a pocket-sized drone.
