With the DJI Neo, the Chinese manufacturer is planning to enter a new market for the company: selfie drones. In this article, we summarise what is known so far and what we can expect.
Over the past few weeks and days, information about the upcoming DJI Neo has been coming thick and fast. Initially it was still a little unclear what was in store for us, but now many facts are known and the first photos have been published. As always, everything is still unofficial and unconfirmed.
DJI Neo: A look at the new selfie drone
The DJI Neo has the potential to turn the world of small mini drones (yes, we’re talking drones well under 250g) on its head. These drones are often referred to as “selfie drones” as they are primarily intended for simple and quick shots rather than complex and elaborate flights.
Here are the key points we know about the DJI Neo so far:
- Ultra-light and compact: weighing just 135 grams, the Neo is significantly lighter than its predecessors and is one of the lightest drones DJI has ever produced. Its compact design and foldable arms make it extremely portable.
- 4K video recording: Despite its small size, the Neo is said to be capable of recording video in 4K resolution. This is an impressive feature for a drone in this weight class.
- Simple operation: The Neo is said to be suitable for both beginners and experienced pilots. It has intuitive controls and can also be operated directly via a smartphone without a controller. The main focus is likely to be on a small number of predefined flight manoeuvres and intelligent tracking functions in order to be able to perform as many autonomous manoeuvres as possible. The familiar “hand-launch” is also likely to be a feature of the Neo.
- Safety features: As usual with DJI, the Neo could also feature at least basic obstacle detection. In addition, the images reveal a permanent propeller guard in the form of a frame (comparable to the DJI Avata) including an eriwetted guard for the top and bottom.
- Affordable price: The Neo is expected to be offered at a very attractive price, which should make it an affordable option for beginners and hobby pilots who find a simple drone sufficient.
- No folding option: Unlike other selfie drones such as the HOVERAir X1, the Neo does not appear to be collapsible.
What we don’t know yet
- Availability: There is still no official date for the market launch of the DJI Neo.
- Technical details: Many technical details such as the maximum flight time, the range and the exact features of the camera are still unknown.
- Price: The exact retail price of the drone has also not yet been officially announced.
First pictures of the DJI Neo
The first photos and videos of the supposed DJI Neo drone are now available.
A photo with the dimensions of the DJI Neo also reveals a kind of function menu on the top, which presumably allows predefined flight manoeuvres to be started directly by pressing a button. This would fit in with the concept of very simple operation of selfie drones.
Entry in the FCC database
There is already a corresponding entry for the DJI Neo in the US “product database”. Among other things, this also contains the label with some data on the drone’s battery.
Summary
The DJI Neo promises a combination of portability, performance and affordability. It could be a popular choice for anyone looking for a very simple, small and lightweight drone for fast yet very good shots and who can do without a wide range of functions. It will be exciting to see what features and image quality we can actually expect in practice.
