Hot or Not? – The DJI Neo Drone on Test

Small drone, great footage? The DJI Neo is the Chinese tech giant’s most compact, lightweight, and affordable model. Its intuitive controls are designed to get even total beginners off the ground with confidence. But does it work as smoothly as promised in real life? Can its follow-cam tracking function keep up while riding in the woods? And what else have DJI cut back on besides the weight? We put it to the test to find out!

Remember selfie sticks? Those extendable telescopic rods for snapping better self-portraits were so popular around a decade ago that they regularly made headlines, mostly due to bans in public places. But it wasn’t just their social acceptability that was limited; their functionality was always rather basic and decidedly low-tech.

Ten years later, the world looks quite different: the DJI Neo is essentially the death knell of selfie sticks. It hovers, tracks, and orbits, capturing stabilised footage from just about any angle you can imagine. Does it draw fewer puzzled looks than a classic selfie stick? Unlikely, considering the high-pitched buzz of the propellers. However, the bird’s eye view gets you far more dynamic and impressive shots, which is something that used to come with a hefty price tag and questionable practicality. Fortunately, the compact DJI Neo promises to solve this dilemma once and for all, starting at just € 199. But is it truly the better selfie stick? We put it to the test to find out.

DJI market the Neo as an entry-level drone designed to make content creation easy. Anyone wanting to dip their toes into the DJI drone universe will need to invest at least € 199, which includes everything you need to get started. If you’re ready to fork out a little more, the €349 Fly More Combo on test comes with the RC-N3 remote and a two-way charging station with two additional batteries. For those unwilling to compromise, the Motion Fly More Combo priced at € 529 includes the DJI Goggles N3 and DJI RC Motion 3 controller on top of everything in the Fly More Combo, allowing you to fly the DJI Neo via immersive FPV controls.

Regardless of which package you choose, you can always purchase accessories later on. Batteries are priced at € 39 each, and the two-way charging hub costs € 35.

The DJI Neo on Test: Who Is This Drone For?

A look at the Chinese tech giant’s homepage quickly dispels any doubts: DJI are targeting vloggers and social media enthusiasts with the Neo, not professional filmmakers. That much is obvious from the built-in support for vertical 9:16 footage – a no-go for traditional videographers and Hollywood directors, but an essential feature in today’s social media game.

Unfortunately, the Neo crops the image for vertical footage rather than physically rotating the camera into portrait mode like the DJI Mini 3 or Mini 4 Pro, which is not ideal if you want to make the most of the megapixels available.

On the flip side, the DJI Neo is likely to score points with influencers thanks to features like the built-in audio recording. You can do so directly via your smartphone with the DJI Fly app or using a DJI Mic 2. The DJI Fly app automatically syncs the audio with the video footage and even cancels propeller noise in the process.

One of the standout features of the DJI Neo is the wide range of control options available. Depending on the package, you can choose from up to four (!) different methods of control:

1. Via buttons on the drone itself
2. Using the free DJI Fly app
3. Via the RC-N3 remote (included only in the Fly More Combo)
4. And via FPV goggles and motion controllers (included only in the Motion Fly More Combo)

The DJI Neo will also respond to voice commands as long as the DJI Fly app is active and connected to the drone. This allows you to switch between recording modes or instruct the DJI Neo to land, for example.

Everyday Dilemma: To Take the DJI Neo Along for the Ride or Leave It at Home?

Despite their superior image quality, professional cameras often end up staying at home, simply because they’re too bulky. Instead, we reach for our smartphones, which may compromise on image quality but are unbeatable when it comes to everyday convenience. In short: we’re constantly torn between convenience and quality. And more often than not, convenience wins.

Drones have long faced a similar dilemma. Since smartphones can’t fly (yet), drones are at a clear advantage. Yet traditional drones often fail in terms of daily practicality, usually due to three key issues.

Problem 1: Drones are bulky and heavy

The DJI Neo is about the size of a large palm and weighs just 135 g. That means it fits into literally any backpack, or even your jacket pocket. A dedicated remote? Not essential. A smartphone? You’ve got that with you anyway. The only thing missing for the perfect on-the-go experience during our tests? A proper carrying pouch.

Problem 2: Drones aren’t instantly ready to fly

The DJI Neo can even take off and be controlled straight from your hand, no smartphone or remote required. Unbox it, power it up, launch – it’s plug and play. Capturing drone footage has never been easier.

Problem 3: Drones are tricky to fly and easily get damaged when crashing

Not only is a drone licence unnecessary for the DJI Neo, since it’s classified as a C0 drone weighing in at well under 250 g, you don’t need to know how to use a remote controller either. The DJI Neo will happily capture aerial footage with the help of fully automated filming modes. But if you do want to take control and pilot it manually, you absolutely can, even with the entry-level package and without a dedicated remote, using just the DJI Fly app.

To keep the flying fun going, durability also plays a key role. During our test, the DJI Neo was put through several unintended crash tests – and we’re happy to report that it came out each one completely unscathed.

On Test: What Is the DJI Neo Truly Capable Of?

Just like all other DJI drones, the DJI Neo can capture both stills and videos. However, it clearly prioritises video footage with six “intelligent” shooting modes: Follow, Dronie, Circle, Rocket, Spotlight, and Custom. Essentially, these are preset flight scenes, which DJI call “Smart Snaps”. Once activated, the DJI Neo switches to autopilot, performs the selected manoeuvre, and automatically records a video clip. When finished, the drone returns to its starting point and can be retrieved simply by extending your hand – it’s as easy as it sounds! Thanks to precise hand tracking, this worked flawlessly during our tests.

No remote or app required with the DJI Neo. Everything is possible, nothing is mandatory: the optional remote or even FPV goggles are big pluses but, in the case of the DJI Neo, they’re more nice-to-haves than essential features. Throughout the duration of our tests, we never once missed having either of them.

All six of the auto shooting modes are designed to focus on the person being filmed, with the surroundings serving as a cinematic backdrop. The more or less self-explanatory modes offer a wide range of perspectives to choose from. On top of that, each flight sequence can be customised to suit your personal preferences using the DJI Fly app.

Once you’ve configured the modes to your liking, the app and smartphone are no longer needed. From this point on, the drone can be operated completely “autonomously.” Simply power it up, use the button to select your desired shooting mode, press and hold it down, and after a moment later, the DJI Neo lifts off right from your hand. It’s like becoming an instant film director, with the drone serving as your talented camera operator. Incredibly convenient!

Things get especially exciting with Follow mode. DJI promise AI-powered subject tracking that won’t throw in the towel, even when you’re cycling, skating, or hiking.

And indeed: the DJI Neo’s Follow mode proved to be highly reliable in open outdoor spaces during our real-world tests. The drone maintained a consistent position and distance, and it handled quick direction changes with ease. You can even fine-tune the settings of Follow mode, allowing you to set both the distance and altitude to suit your liking. And if you stop recording via the app, you can also select a different person for the drone to track.

As soon as you head onto narrow trails with tight turns and obstacles such as trees, the lack of infrared sensors becomes apparent: in Follow mode, the DJI Neo relies entirely on you to choose the right path. It stubbornly maintains the set position and distance, without correcting its course to avoid collisions. If you set a high camera angle for Follow mode, branches can easily get in the way or hinder the drone entirely. In such cases, the DJI Neo won’t try to navigate around them.

The mosquito-like whirring of the propellers turns out to be a surprisingly helpful indicator in Follow mode, letting you know whether the drone is still nearby, or still in the air at all. Because in the worst-case scenario, the DJI Neo might crash straight into a tree during a chase. If you’re suddenly surrounded by an eerie silence, it’s likely your DJI Neo has made a forced landing. And the sooner you find out the easier it is to relocate the drone despite its compact size and muted grey colour. If not, you’ve still got the helpful Find My Drone function, which triggers both visual and audio signals to help you track it down quickly.

Once you’ve recovered the drone, it’s time for a quick inspection. The aftermath of the crash? Damaged beyond repair? Not even close! The DJI Neo proved to be tougher than some heavyweight boxers, and it took off again without missing a beat, as if nothing had happened. Its resilience likely comes down to the fact that it’s the exact opposite of a heavyweight. Thanks to its featherweight build, it simply doesn’t have enough mass to do itself any serious damage.

Your footage is stored on the drone’s internal 22 GB storage. Unfortunately, there’s no microSD card slot to expand the storage. According to DJI, the internal storage is large enough for up to 40 minutes of 4K/30 fps or 55 minutes of 1080p/60 fps video footage. For fast-paced social media content made up of short clips, that should be more than sufficient in most cases. The recommended method of transferring your files to a smartphone is via Wi-Fi and the DJI Fly app. And thanks to real-world transfer speeds between 30 and 35 MB/s, doing so is quick even if you’ve got long clips. Alternatively, the DJI Neo offers USB-C connectivity.

However, when viewing the footage from the DJI Neo, one thing becomes immediately clear: despite the 4K resolution, it lacks detail and dynamic range. Modern, HDR-capable smartphone cameras often offer better results. Furthermore, photos can only be recorded in the JPEG format, not RAW. In short: the DJI Neo wouldn’t be the camera of choice for professionals.

That said, the single-axis mechanical gimbal stabilization works well, ensuring blur-free shots even during active manoeuvres.

Do You Really Need the DJI Neo?

Yes – at least if you’re looking to capture unique perspectives on the go without fussing over professional-grade footage. In true “content over quality” fashion, the DJI Neo lets you get epic shots in under five minutes. If you’ve always wanted to capture drone footage but were put off by the price or the learning curve, this might just be your gateway drug.

The DJI Neo’s flexibility is unmatched. Whether you’re a total beginner or a seasoned drone pilot, there’s a version of this drone that fits your needs – and budget.

You definitely don’t need the DJI Neo if your focus is on professional video production. The image quality simply isn’t up to the task. Then again, let’s be real: you can’t expect that at a € 200 price point! If you’re serious about aerial footage, you should check out the new DJI Flip instead. It offers significantly better image quality thanks to a larger 1/1.3-inch sensor (compared to the 1/2-inch sensor in the Neo), HDR video, slow-motion recording at up to 100 fps, longer flight times, and built-in obstacle detection sensors. Since it also weighs in at under 250 g, the DJI Flip falls in the same legal category as the Neo. When folded up, it’s slightly larger than the DJI Neo but still compact enough to be a travel-friendly drone for just about any trip. That said, you’ll need to shell out at least € 439. However, this price already includes the RC-N3 remote, making it comparable to the DJI Neo Fly More Combo. In that context, the € 90 price difference is money well spent.

Would we buy the DJI Neo?

The DJI Neo is much more than just a toy: it has the potential to open up the world of aerial photography to an entirely new audience. It’s compact and incredibly easy to use, making traditional selfie sticks look prehistoric. Its entry-level price point of € 199 lowers the barrier to entry even further, although that does come at the cost of image quality and noisy propellers. Still, for everyday users who want to capture eye-catching content with minimal effort, the DJI Neo is an ideal beginner drone. Or should we say, the perfect gateway drug?

Fore more information, visit dji.com.

Words & Photos: Lars Engmann