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Uzone.id – Drones are no longer considered ‘expensive gadgets’ after DJI announced the availability of the DJI Neo on the market. Now, you can purchase a DJI drone for only USD199, while typically (according to the latest data), DJI drones are priced above USD700.
Despite its low price, don’t be skeptical about this DJI drone. DJI still offers a range of impressive features, enabling users to record 4K videos, track subjects using AI, and even take off and land in the palm of their hand.
The DJI Neo: your pocket-sized flying companion
DJI made the Neo as small and light as possible. Its compact size, measuring just 1042 x 150 x 452 mm and weighing only 135 grams, makes it a breeze to take anywhere.
No need for a big, open space to take off. Simply use your palm as a launchpad. The DJI Neo’s innovative design ensures a smooth takeoff and landing, without any risk to your fingers thanks to its protective propeller guards.
Don’t worry, your hands won’t get hurt because the DJI Neo has protective guards on its four propellers to prevent your fingers from getting caught by the fast-spinning blades.
Because of its compact form factor, there’s no need for a special drone case. The DJI Neo can fit into a small bag or a designated compartment in your backpack to prevent it from being damaged by other items in the bag.
The DJI Neo is made of plastic, making it lightweight and easy to carry wherever you go.
The DJI Neo has two buttons on top: one for Power at the bottom and another at the top to switch between capture modes. Each mode is represented by an icon displayed below it.
The battery compartment is located underneath. You can charge it directly through the USB-C port on the drone.
Keep in mind that this drone is different from other DJI drones that typically have a microSD slot. The DJI Neo doesn’t have an additional memory slot, but it does have built-in storage of up to 22 GB.
If you purchase the Fly More Combo package, you’ll get a battery charging dock with two extra batteries inside. You can charge three batteries at once to provide additional flight time.
You’ll also get the same controller as other DJI drones. This controller can be paired with a smartphone with a USB-C port, whether an Android or iPhone 15 or above. The phone’s screen will then become the viewfinder, making it easier to control the drone.
But the battery only lasts 8 minutes…
The DJI Neo has three flight modes, similar to other DJI drones: Cine Mode (C Mode), Normal Mode (N Mode), and Sport Mode (S Mode).
By default, the DJI Neo flies in N Mode. Honestly, since this drone feels more like an ‘expensive toy’ rather than something for serious video recording or photography, we often used S Mode to test our drone piloting skills.
As the name suggests, even a small drone like the DJI Neo can fly quickly. However, since it’s tiny and made of plastic, it becomes unstable when flying in strong winds, as DJI claims it can handle winds up to 8 m/s or Level 4.
The DJI Neo has a 1,435 mAh battery. If you only buy the drone, you’ll only get one battery. In our tests, the DJI Neo could only stay in the air for about 7-8 minutes. If you buy the Fly More Combo, you’ll get a total flight time of around 24 minutes.
Camera Features and Capabilities
DJI didn’t skimp on features, even though the DJI Neo is only priced at around Rp3 million. There are three controller options for the DJI Neo: your smartphone, the DJI RC-N3 Remote Controller, or DJI Goggles 3.
You can control the drone via smartphone if you only buy the drone or don’t want to use the DJI RC-N3 Remote Controller, which is larger and heavier than the DJI Neo.
Simply download the DJI Fly app from the App Store or Android (via the DJI website using an APK). Then, connect your smartphone to the DJI Neo’s WiFi Direct.
The app’s UI is simple, only allowing us to control the drone in portrait mode. At the top, there’s a viewfinder, and you can only select one flight mode at a time.
The controls are responsive, although the viewfinder is more choppy compared to using the DJI RC-N3 controller.
Connecting it to the DJI RC-N3 is even easier. Just connect your phone via the USB-C port on the controller.
This controller is more proper since it has analog sticks, making it easier for us to fly the DJI Neo, and you can adjust the flight modes as desired.
The app interface is also complete and wide because the phone is used in landscape mode as the viewfinder. You can explore various features, from setting image resolution to switching between video and photo modes, and more.
The DJI Neo is equipped with a downward-facing sensor to help with takeoff and landing. Interestingly, you don’t need to press the ‘Landing’ button to make it land.
Just place your hand underneath, and the DJI Neo will descend automatically and smoothly.
The Fun of Flying and the Camera
The DJI Neo has two interesting features worth trying: Follow and DirectionTrack. Both features allow the drone to follow a marked subject while walking, cycling, or doing similar activities.
The difference is that Follow follows the subject from behind, while DirectionTrack focuses on the subject’s face, causing the drone to fly backward while keeping the face as the focal point.
We recommend exploring the Follow mode more because it offers different recording angles. Sometimes, the DJI Neo records from up close, following the subject to produce a more cinematic video, or it stays further away and slowly approaches.
Regarding the camera, the DJI Neo has a 1/2-inch sensor capable of capturing images in JPEG format with a resolution of 12 MP. The camera is supported by a single-axis gimbal to reduce shaking when taking photos or videos.
For video recording, you can record 1080p video at up to 60 FPS or 4K at 30 FPS. There’s no D-Log option on this drone, so all recordings made by the DJI Neo are ideal for sharing instantly on social media without serious editing.
With the video quality it offers, the DJI Neo is actually suitable for vlogging, making short videos with trending background music on social media, or simply capturing family vacations with beautiful scenery in the background.
A Fun Drone for Beginners
The DJI Neo is an affordable drone that manages to provide an enjoyable experience, especially for beginner drone pilots. It feels like flying a ‘toy drone’ that can record stable 4K videos—that’s the gist of it.
Its small and lightweight dimensions make it easy to carry anywhere. And with such a low price, when else can you get a DJI drone at such an affordable price?
Its flight modes are similar to other DJI drones. The speed is decent when using S Mode, and the range is quite far. Not to mention the drone’s ability to be controlled via a smartphone and other DJI controllers.
For content creators, this drone can produce short, proper content that can be quickly shared on social media.
However, we recommend buying the Fly More Combo to get longer battery life and more settings on the DJI RC-N3 controller.
