For starters, the 135g palm-sized drone is small enough to fit into a sling bag, and you do not need a controller to fly it.
The fastest way is to choose the flight mode you want, including the dronie, circle, rocket, spotlight, helix, and boomerang. It can also execute a follow mode that keeps me in the frame as I walk and cycle around.
These modes are usually hidden in the user interface of the DJI Fly app or on the controller. Having these modes gives you quick access to the types of shots you want to execute without a remote controller.
In other words, it is convenient to take the DJI Neo out of the bag, punch in flying mode, allow the drone to find your face and let the drone do its stuff. No expertise needed.
The small drone can be controlled by other means, including your smartphone. However, I still prefer a controller such as the DJI RC-N3, which provides a much more stable connection to the drone and can reach as far as 10km.
Using the controller also gives me better drone control, since it has proper joysticks, buttons, and wheels. You can also use the DJI Goggles 3, RC Motion 3, or FPV Remote Controller 3 for a more immersive flying experience. No luck with the older goggles and controllers, though.
Be careful when flying through tight spaces, as the drone has no obstacle avoidance system. Fortunately, the DJI Neo does have a propeller guard to prevent nasty accidents from happening while learning to fly.
Flying at night is also impossible since the drone does not have navigation lights to help users locate the craft, and the drone itself refuses to fly when it deems the flying environment too dim to be safe.
The drone has a single-axis mechanical gimbal similar to the DJI Avata 2. The video footage it captures is stable enough to be used, but it does not look as cinematic or smooth as those on the Mini 4 Pro or the Mavic 3.
Even though the DJI Neo can stay stable in a moderate breeze, it cannot withstand strong winds in a coastal area or high up in the mountains. It is best to keep it close in case a strong gust of wind carries it away.
There is no MicroSD card slot, but its 22GB of internal storage can save up to 40 minutes of 4K footage at 30 frames per second. You could stretch the recording time to 55 minutes using 1080p resolution at 60 fps, which is great for some dramatic slow-motion capture.
The 1/2-inch, 12-megapixel image sensor will not be as crisp as larger sensors like the 1/1.3-inch 48-megapixel CMOS sensor on larger drones, but the videos you capture should still be sharp enough for casual social media sharing.
Though the DJI Neo is suitable for beginners, avid shooters might give this drone a miss since the DJI Neo’s shooting modes are limited.
It does not have panoramic shooting or time-lapse modes that let you program a flight path. It also does not save image files in RAW format for higher quality. Its saving grace is that the camera does have manual controls that give a bit more exposure control.
For a hyperlapse shot, program the drone to shoot with a time interval of a few seconds and fly the drone manually. The photos must be downloaded to create a hyper-lapse video with a video editor. The same can be done with panoramas by using the drone’s photos and stitching them with a third-party program.
To transfer photos and videos, you have to use the DJI Fly More app and link directly with the drone to download them via a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection.
I prefer a MicroSD card slot so that I can change the card quickly once it is full and continue flying. It is a hassle to keep downloading the files to the phone during a shooting session and miss critical moments like a setting sun.
The new DJI compact drone is affordable at S$249 for the drone alone. A better deal is the S$439 Fly More Combo, which comes with the RC-N3 controller, a battery charging hub, and three batteries for an extended flight time.
Remember that each 143mAh battery lasts only about 15 minutes in flight. The good news is that the batteries can be charged simultaneously to save time.
The DJI Neo is designed for beginners and content creators looking for something simple without burning a hole in their pocket. Its basic controls and automatic flying programs are enough to create photos and videos for online sharing, but can be frustrating for those who want better images and footage.
If you are looking for a more capable drone that is also small enough for your luggage, the DJI Mini 4 Pro what you want. At S$1,549 for the Fly More Combo, it costs more than three times as much but is a much better tool for avid creators.
