With this DJI NEO, the Chinese drone brand DJI continues to update and improve itself so that it has absolutely no shortage of aircraft in its fleet.
With this DJI NEO, the Chinese drone brand has begun to forge new paths with which to explore new horizons. It is the first 3-in-1 drone on the market:
- An autonomous flying camera that starts flying at the push of a button
- It is also possible to fly it with our remote control, or you can also
- Turn it into an FPV drone and fly it with the DJI google 3 goggles.
A few days ago I was talking about the Hoverair X1 as the best option on the market for this type of drone, autonomous and pocket-sized, designed and launched for content creators, but once again DJI has done it again and has once again surpassed the content of its competition.
The world of drones continues to evolve, and DJI, the undisputed leader in the industry, surprises us once again with its new model: the DJI NEO.
This compact drone promises to revolutionise the experience of flying and capturing images from above, combining the best of technology with an intuitive design that suits beginners and experienced content creators alike.
In this article I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the DJI NEO, from its technical features to the reasons why you should consider buying one. Get ready to meet the future of drones in the palm of your hand!
- Ligero y exento de numerosas normativas – ¡Neo es más ligero que la mayoría de teléfonos! Olvídate de tener que examinarte; con solo 135 g, Neo…
Compact and portable design
One of the DJI NEO’s great attractions is its ultra-compact design that fits in the palm of an adult’s hand. Weighing just 135 grams, this drone is incredibly easy to carry. You no longer have to worry about the weight or size of your equipment when you’re on the go.
It has upper propeller guards that can be easily removed.
Furthermore, its light weight does not compromise the robustness and stability of the device, although as you can imagine it will not be able to withstand the same winds as a Mavic 3 or Air2s, it is more on par with the Minis, the DJI NEO has level 4 wind resistance, around 20-24 km/h, which makes it suitable for flying in a variety of conditions only in moderate but not strong winds.
The DJI NEO has been designed to offer maximum portability without sacrificing performance.
DJI NEO flight modes
The DJI NEO has an easy and precise flight, designed to make flying a simple and accessible experience. With features such as automatic take-off and landing from the palm of your hand, you hold the drone in the palm of your hand with the camera facing you and the AI registers and understands your face as a reference element without you having to do anything else.
There are different flight modes screen-printed on the top of the drone, which can be accessed by pressing the (single) button. To choose one, you will need to hold the button down for a couple of seconds until the automatic flight of your choice begins.
All these flights can also be configured in depth on your phone with the DJI Fly app and you can even fly the drone with a pair of virtual controllers, but they won’t be much help if you’re looking for precise, professional or cinematic movements. The range won’t be much either, just 50m as the signal is over WIFI.
You can also control this drone by voice saying ‘Hey, Fly’ and the desired flight mode.
Types of flight modes
There are 5 predefined flight modes:
- Follow
- Dronie
- Circle
- Rocket, with or without rotation
- Spotlight; and records both the outward and return journeys.
1 ‘custom’ flight mode in which you can configure 3 more flight modes that are fully configurable such as changing the altitude, speed, etc..:
- Direction track, which is a kind of tracking (maximum 25km/h) front and rear. In this type of mode, when we stop, the drone will understand that it has finished its work and will return in front of us so that we order it to descend to our hand. That’s all.
- Helix, which is an orbit describing a spiral.
- Boomerang
At the end of this chosen flight mode, the drone will return to position itself in front of us and we will only have to put our hand under the drone so that it will land on our hand and finish the flight.
It doesn’t have obstacle sensors so you’re likely to have a problem with it following you without crashing even if it uses AI to follow you. It must be said that thanks to its low weight it resists bumps very well and you will be able to quickly resume flight with it.
This drone is also compatible with goggles and controllers for FPV (First Person View) flights, taking the flying experience to another level.
This drone is ideal even for those who have never flown one before as it has propeller covers on both the top and bottom making it a completely safe and durable drone.
DJI NEO indications for automatic flights
The same application puts us on alert to comply with a series of things when flying in automatic mode, although this DJI NEO has GPS, in automatic mode it only uses the lower sensors and in certain scenarios it can lose control:
- Do not fly it over water
- Do not fly over steep slopes (no more than 10 metres).
- On reflective or water-varying surfaces
Camera
The camera of this DJI NEO has the following features:
- 1/2’ sensor, f2.8 14mm
- 4K / 1080P 30/50/60
- 16:9 4:3 format
- Normal profile
- 75MBPS Bitrate
- Photos JPGE 12mpx
- Gimbal 1 axis – Rocksteady 3.0
Photography
The camera is mounted on 1 axis combined with an electronic stabilisation Rocksteady 3.0 that will allow us to record stabilised cinematic shots as we would do with any other 3-axis drone. The only deficiency will be when shooting zenithal shots in which we make a warping of the drone, this single axis will not be able to compensate the lateral movement of the drone and the image will be deformed.
By flying the drone with the RCN-3 controller that comes with the Fly More Combo, you’ll be able to use Cinema, Normal and Sport flight modes (as usual), plus DJI’s usual 5 Quickshot modes.
Photography is a bit more limited as it can only take photos in JPGE, it has neither bracketing nor the possibility to take panoramic photos.
If there’s one thing that sets the DJI NEO apart, it’s its ability to capture professional-quality images and videos. Equipped with a 4K camera and a 1/2-inch sensor, this drone guarantees sharp, vibrant images. Imagine being able to record stunning landscapes, events or creative aerial shots with a clarity that rivals much larger and more complex cameras. Plus, its single-axis gimbal provides incredible stabilisation, allowing for smooth, shake-free recordings.
Video
In video you can record in 4K but only at 30 fps or in 1080P up to 30fps (stabilised mode), 50 or 60 fps (FPV mode).
It does have, like most advanced drones, active track, PDI, and spotlight modes.
The videos allow you to record audio which is recorded through your phone and through AI removes that cumbersome sound of propellers and engines giving excellent results, and even better if you add a good microphone to your phone.
Internal storage and smart features
Forget about relying on external SD cards. The DJI NEO comes with 22GB of internal storage, allowing you to store a huge amount of videos and images directly on the device. This capacity is perfect for shooting a day’s worth of footage in a not-too-long session.
You can transfer images by connecting the drone to a computer or via the Quicktransfer option in the DJI Fly app.
The smart RTH marks with augmented reality the direction and route the drone will take when it returns to the point it started from (with an ‘H’) and the ‘virtual’ marking of the drone on the ground with the landing point. I personally love this option.
Another innovative feature of the DJI NEO is its integration with DJI’s Mic 2, allowing synchronised audio recording via the DJI Fly app. This makes the NEO an excellent choice for bloggers or content creators who want to include narration or ambient sounds in their videos.
Autonomy and affordability
With a 2600 mAh battery that slots into the bottom of the drone, this aircraft has a flight time of 18 minutes per charge, although this will vary depending on how you fly the aircraft:
- Automatic mode: 12-14 minutes
- Stabilised mode: 12 minutes, landing at 15% battery power
- FPV mode: 12 minutes, and in manual mode about 10 minutes of flight time.
These measurements are taken with the propeller slava on, and if you remove them you will gain at least 1 more minute of flight time. Personally, I don’t think it’s worth it because the safety and integrity of this drone is more important than what you gain in flight time.
Outreach
Automatic mode: 30-50m
Stabilised/FPV mode: You will use the O4 transmission system which has a super robust image:
- 6km in EC regulations
- 10 km in FCC regulations
Battery charging
The Fly More Combo comes with a hub that can charge all 3 batteries simultaneously, if you do so with a 60V charger it will complete charging them all in 1 hour, a feature that only this drone has out of DJI’s entire fleet.
It is also possible to charge the battery when it is embedded in the drone with chargers up to 15V and will charge it in 50 minutes.
Best of all is the price. The DJI NEO is available from around €199 or €349 with the Fly More Combo Pack, making it an affordable option for those looking to get started in the world of drones or for those who want a reliable device without having to invest large sums of money.
You can also buy accessories independently for the following prices:
- DJI NEO + 1 battery: 199€.
- DJI NEO + Fly More Combo: 349€.
- Propeller saver: 9€.
- Hub charger: 35€.
- DJI NEO Battery: 39€.
- Spare propellers: 5€.
The DJI NEO is ideal for short photo and video shoots. Although its flight time may seem limited, it is more than enough to capture important moments without interruption.
DJI NEO is an FPV
The DJI NEO is practically a mini Avata. It can be flown, as I said before, with the DJI Googles 3, motion controller 3 (including head tracking) and the FPV RC3 controller without any limitations.
It includes the Easy Acro mode to do stunts such as 180° flips that the Avata 2 already implemented, and feel that freedom in flight like a bird that only FPV drones offer.
This FPV mode is fully configurable like the Avata, and thanks to its small size it will allow you to perform very fine work such as for real estate and interiors of premises. To deactivate the stabilisation, simply set the camera to 4:3 format.
You will be able to have gyroscope data to be able to stabilise the image when exporting your videos when editing and using programmes such as gyroflow.
Where the DJI NEO is not quite like the Avata is in speed, with a speed of 22km/h in Normal mode and 29 km/h in Sport mode, the DJI NEO is not a fast drone like a Mini 4K, and that is expected as it is a drone with a propeller saver and is intended for handheld take-off.
It has lower speeds than its big brother, the AVATA, and also lacks the power to perform more aggressive manoeuvres and this can lead to accidents if we force it to fly a little during demanding flights.
Why should you buy the DJI NEO?
The DJI NEO is an excellent choice for those who want a compact, easy-to-use drone with acceptable image quality.
Its portable design, combined with its ability to capture 4K video and smart features, make it the ideal companion for any adventure.
It’s a portable, personal and self-contained flying camera, whether you’re a content creator, a tech enthusiast or someone who simply enjoys aerial photography alone with friends or family, the DJI NEO offers everything you need in one device.
In short, the DJI NEO is the perfect drone for those looking for quality, portability and simplicity. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience the future of drones in your hands – get yours and take your aerial capturing to the next level!
What do you think of this drone, thinking of buying one, let me know in the comments!
