The DJI Neo is an impressively small drone, perfect for indoor flights, but its compact size does come with some compromises.
Weighing just 135 grams and measuring 155 millimeters across, the Neo is DJI’s lightest and smallest drone to date. It’s also the most affordable, with a preorder price of $199 (£169). For travelers who want a lightweight option for capturing aerial footage, the Neo’s portability is a major plus—it even weighs less than the 221-gram iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, the small size brings certain limitations.
One of the key trade-offs is its flight time. The Neo offers up to 18 minutes of flight on a single charge, and that’s in ideal conditions with no wind. Due to its lightweight build, the drone is highly sensitive to wind, and even a mild breeze can significantly reduce flight time. Charging is convenient via a USB-C connection, with a 50-minute charge time using a 15-watt charger. Alternatively, DJI offers a charging hub as part of the Fly More Combo ($289), which supports 60-watt input and can charge three batteries at once in around an hour—ideal for longer flights.
The Neo’s small size makes it very maneuverable, and I found it easy to fly indoors. It can smoothly navigate through doorways, under furniture, and even out of windows, though my cat wasn’t too pleased with the new housemate. While it doesn’t have 360-degree obstacle sensors like some higher-end DJI models, it does come equipped with propeller guards, and there’s an optional cage for extra protection in case of minor collisions.
The drone’s camera features a half-inch image sensor with an f/2.8 aperture, capturing 4K video at up to 30 frames per second, or 1080p at 60fps for smoother footage. Though the quality is decent for its size, it doesn’t match the clarity of DJI’s professional models. Footage in 4K is relatively sharp but lacks fine detail, and the camera tends to struggle with managing bright skies on sunny days. As expected, low-light performance isn’t great either.
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The Neo comes with several intelligent flight modes, such as subject tracking and object circling. Impressively, you can even fly it without a controller by using a flight mode activated by a button on the drone, allowing it to take off from your palm. I haven’t had a chance to try this feature yet, but it could be useful for traveling light without the need to carry a controller.
Although the drone doesn’t support external storage, it does come with 20GB of internal memory. I plan to continue testing the Neo, but so far it appears to be an entertaining choice for beginners or kids interested in aerial photography. For those seeking more professional video quality, especially for platforms like YouTube, DJI’s Mini series might be a better fit.
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