DJI already makes some of the best small drones with their palm-sized Mini series. They’re lightweight, compact, and equipped with some pretty powerful features. If the Mini is still a tad too much for your needs, maybe you’ll find the even more compact DJI Neo a lot more suited to your needs.
Truth be told, it looks like one of those toy drones, with its fixed arms, propeller guards, and a compact design that lets it take off directly from the palm of your hand. However, it is a very powerful 4K drone for aerial photography and videography, packing in a load of features found in the outfit’s bigger drones.
The DJI Neo doesn’t look like any of the outfit’s usual drones. The biggest change is the lack of folding arms, since it’s small enough that the whole thing can fit comfortably in hand without needing to fold. It also gets removable propeller guards to protect the props during collisions and crashes, so it looks a lot more like other drone designs out there, rather than DJI’s own. Similar to the Mini, it eschews the licensing requirements from the FAA, since it tips the scales at a mere 135 grams (3oz), allowing you to use it without having to register the device anywhere.
It’s equipped with a 12MP camera that can shoot 4K video at 30 fps and 1080p video at 60fps, with the 22GB onboard storage able to hold up to 40 minutes of 4K and 55 minutes of 1080p footage. Do note, the camera is only held by a single-axis gimbal that can go up 60 degrees and go down 90 degrees, so video quality probably won’t be as stable as the outfit’s three-axis gimbal designs. It’s still better than having no physical stabilization, though, so we’re guessing it will still be quite good.
The DJI Neo can be easily launched by simply putting it in the palm of your hand and pressing the mode button, which immediately prompts it to perform a vertical take off. Once airborne, the drone will proceed to execute whichever intelligent shooting mode you choose, with Follow, Dronie, Circle, Rocket, Spotlight, and Direction Tracking all available. Using the companion app, you can change various parameters for each of the modes, including height and distance when following a subject, circle movement radius, and more. It also supports voice control, so you can simply bark commands at the app, while a manual mode allows you to manually control the quadcopter using the same app. Do note, it doesn’t have obstacle avoidance, so you might want to steer clear of flying it around crowded spaces. If you prefer using a traditional control pad, it’s also compatible with various DJI controllers (available separately), all while also supporting DJI’s FPV accessories.
The drone can soar through the air at speeds of up to 18mph in automated flight mode, while doubling that to 36mph in manual flight mode. Do note, the manual mode is only available when using the FPV Controller 3, so you won’t be able to use it with the app. Other features include a flight time of 18 minutes with a fresh battery, a recommended wind strength of 10 mph (it can take up to 18mph, though), and various DJI smart features, such as ActiveTrack, Point of Interest, and more.
The DJI Neo is available now, priced at $199.