DJI has unveiled the DJI Neo, the company’s lightest and most compact drone to date, weighing just 135g.
The drone can be fully operated without a remote control, and launched or landed on the palm of a hand. The Neo features AI subject tracking, QuickShots, and offers 4K ultra-stabilized video with a flight time of up to 18 minutes.
Whether flown indoors or out, full-coverage propeller guards give users a safe experience when recording video. By pressing the drone’s mode button and selecting the desired shooting mode, Neo automatically does the rest without the need for a remote control.
The drone will return to the user’s palm after snapping 12MP stills with its 1/2-inch image sensor. Neo can also draw on DJI’s powerful stabilization algorithms to produce 4K UHD stabilized videos straight out of the camera at 4K/30fps.
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AI Subject Tracking
Neo features advanced AI algorithms designed to follow the subject within the frame. Neo’s QuickShots offers a range of different recording angles, incorporating six intelligent shooting modes:
- Dronie
The drone flies backward and ascends, with the camera locked on the subject, and records a video. - Circle
The drone circles around the subject. - Rocket
The drone ascends with the camera pointing downward. - Spotlight
The drone rotates while keeping the object of interest within the frame. - Helix
The drone ascends and spirals around the subject. - Boomerang
The drone flies around the subject in an oval path, ascending as it flies away from its starting point and descending as it flies back. The aircraft’s starting point forms one end of the oval’s long axis, while the other end is at the subject’s opposite side from the starting point.
Remote Control Options
The DJI Neo is designed to operate without an additional remote control. However, it can also be paired with the DJI Fly app, external remote controllers, RC Motion, DJI Goggles, and can even function with voice operation.
Through Wi-Fi connection to a smartphone, the Neo can be controlled using virtual joysticks on the DJI Fly app interface with a control range of up to 50 meters. The app also allows the tracking angle and distance to be set, giving extra freedom to shoot from afar or up close.
Paired with the DJI RC-N3, Neo can transmit video up to 10 kilometers and allows flexible camera operation with traditional RC control sticks for capturing professional-quality shots.
For those looking for an immersive drone experience, DJI Neo can be paired with DJI Goggles 3, RC Motion 3, or FPV Remote Controller 3. When used with RC Motion 3, DJI Neo offers seamless indoor navigation and can be maneuvered through tight spaces with ease.
Video Stabilization
DJI Neo is equipped with a single-axis mechanical gimbal and is capable of handling high-speed or flights with lots of maneuvers, as well as up to Level-4 wind conditions.
When combined with RockSteady or HorizonBalancing stabilization, overall image shake is significantly reduced and horizon tilt is corrected within ±45°, offering smooth and stable footage that maintains clarity in both highlight and shadow areas.
Using an infrared and monocular vision positioning system, DJI Neo can hover steadily in the air, maintaining stability even in wind conditions up to Level 4. It also supports automatic Return to Home (RTH) for convenient, worry-free operation.
Additional Features
With 22GB internal storage, Neo can save up to 40 minutes of 4K/30fps video or 55 minutes of 1080p/60fps video.
Once saved, no extra data cables are needed to transfer the footage; connecting to a phone by Wi-Fi will quickly transfer it to the DJI Fly App enabling smooth post production and sharing.
Audio can also easily be recorded by connecting Neo to a smartphone. A simple tap of the audio record button on the DJI Fly app will start recording through the phone’s built-in microphone.
For users looking for additional audio quality, the DJI Mic 2 can be used via a Bluetooth connection. The app automatically eliminates propeller noise and merges the audio track with the footage, ensuring clear sound even when shooting low-angle vlogs.
Connect the aircraft directly to a power source using a Type-C data cable for convenient charging. Additionally, DJI Neo’s Two-Way Charging Hub can charge three batteries simultaneously, increasing both charging speed and efficiency.
The Neo made its offline debut at IFA 2024 in Germany. The DJI Neo retails for €199, with the DJI Neo Fly More Combo retailing for €349.
DJI Care Refresh, a comprehensive protection plan for DJI products, is now available for DJI Neo. The replacement service covers accidental damage, including flyaway, collisions and water damage.
Ferdinand Wolf, Creative Director at DJI, commented, “At DJI we are always studying everyday camera use so that we can help people capture their videos and photos in the most convenient way possible. The DJI Neo strives to give people the latest tech in the smallest form factor so that they can capture their daily lives, saved as treasured memories, safely and with ease.”
