The HoverAir X1 may have popularized easy-to-use selfie drones, but it’s DJI’s new $199 Neo we’ve been testing that looks set to dominate sales.
Like the X1, DJI’s new Neo is a drone you primarily buy to record yourself doing things for social media.
The Neo can and will crash if you fly it near obstacles, but like the X1, its flexible frame can survive a beating.
Just don’t expect the Neo to compete with DJI’s more powerful and capable drones that feature obstacle avoidance, better stabilization, and improved optics.
One major shortcoming of the Neo for use as a selfie drone is its lack of portrait video mode.
DJI’s Neo does, however, shoot in 4K at 30fps, which is something the X1 can’t do (but newer, even more expensive HoverAir drones can).
DJI’s Neo looks like a direct response to the HoverAir X1 that’s overtaken social media over the last year — at least, according to my own recommendation algorithms.
Regardless, at $199 in the US, the Neo stands a very good chance of turning selfie drones into a mainstream gadget, for better or worse.
In Europe, DJI’s Neo is priced at a tax-inclusive £169 / €199.
There’s also a £299 / €349 Neo Fly More Combo that bundles the Neo drone with DJI’s RC-N3 Remote Controller, three batteries and a charging hub, and spare parts.
While DJI’s new $199 Neo, which we’ve been testing, appears to be poised to dominate sales of selfie drones, the HoverAir X1 may have popularized the category. It performs nearly all of the functions of the $350 X1 and much more, and it is launching globally today.
Similar to the X1, DJI’s latest drone, the Neo, is primarily purchased for social media footage. You just need to press a button on the drone to cycle through a list of predefined flights, such as follow, hover in place, orbit overhead, and zoom in and out. The drone takes off on its own without the need for a controller. It doesn’t need any prior flying experience to launch in a matter of seconds, start recording, and then land back in your palm.
In close proximity to obstacles, the Neo has the potential to crash, but similar to the X1, its bendable frame can withstand significant impact damage.
The Neo is different from the X1 in that it can return home (RTH) and, with the addition of a controller, fly much farther due to its dual antennas (one transmitter and two receivers) that allow for a maximum video transmission distance of 10km (six miles). It can be used in conjunction with DJI’s $129 RC-N3 Remote Controller to take sweeping panorama photos with the assurance that it will turn back on when the battery runs low. In order to perform acrobatic stunts in an immersive first-person view, it can also be paired with DJI’s $499 Goggles 3 and the company’s most recent motion controller, also known as an FPV controller. However, don’t expect the Neo to compete with DJI’s more potent and capable drones, which have enhanced optics, better stabilization, and obstacle avoidance.
Throughout the past few weeks, Sean Hollister and I have been testing the Neo in a range of situations. It is to be expected from the world’s top drone manufacturer that the Neo will prove to be a formidable rival, even though the folding X1 is still more pocketable, appears to maintain a lock on its subject better, and is generally less cumbersome and easier to use. Considering the Neo’s price, it’s also simple to overlook its shortcomings, but we’ll render a definitive judgment when our review is published in the upcoming weeks.
The absence of a portrait video mode on the Neo is a significant drawback for its intended use as a selfie drone. DJI’s European spokesperson, Matt Bailey, responded that the company “will consider user feedback on this” when questioned about the reason behind the feature’s removal. Odd.
But unlike the X1, which can only shoot in 30 frames per second in 4K, the DJI Neo can shoot in 4K (though newer, even more expensive HoverAir drones can). Its half-inch sensor records at 60 frames per second in 1080p mode in addition to shooting video in a 16:9 aspect ratio. In addition, it has the ability to take 12-megapixel still images in 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios. It also has some software stabilization techniques and the barest form of single-axis mechanical gimbal stabilization. Although the firmware we tested did not have the 4:3 video capture option, DJI claims that it does.
Since 4K videos typically last between 10 and 30 seconds, the Neo’s 20GB of onboard storage and lack of an expansion option, similar to the X1, don’t seem to be a problem. The DJI has a battery that lasts up to eighteen minutes longer than the X1, but that also contributes to its slightly heavier weight. However, at 135g, it weighs far less than the crucial 250g barrier, exempting it from the strictest drone licensing regulations.
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Additionally, the Neo is offered in a very appealing $289 combo bundle that comes with a USB-C charging hub and three batteries. When combined with a 45W charger, the three batteries can be charged concurrently by the two-way charging hub in approximately one hour. The removable battery of the Neo can be charged in roughly 50 minutes using a 15W charger thanks to its integrated USB-C port, though in our prerelease firmware, this feature has occasionally stopped functioning.
Although the Neo lacks gesture controls, it can be operated by voice commands after you say, “Hey! Fly!” It can also be operated via a direct Wi-Fi connection using the DJI Fly app on a phone. Similar to the HoverAir X1, the Neo can record audio using the built-in microphone on your phone, which DJI will automatically superimpose over your captured footage to remove the sound of bees buzzing. When linked via Bluetooth, the Neo can also capture sound using DJI’s Mic 2. With a USB-C cable for laptops or a direct Wi-Fi connection for phones, 4K video files (which range in size from 80MB to 200MB) transfer fast.
DJI’s Neo appears to be a direct response to the HoverAir X1, which has dominated social media in the past year, based on my own recommendation algorithms, anyway. Watch to see if Zero Zero Robotics responds by bringing down the price of HoverAir. However, the Neo, which retails for $199 in the US, has a strong chance of making selfie drones a common household device, for better or ill.
Tax included, the cost of DJI’s Neo is £169 / €199 in Europe. Additionally, DJI’s RC-N3 Remote Controller, three batteries, a charging hub, and spare parts are included in the £299 / €349 Neo Fly More Combo package that comes with the Neo drone.
Sadly, the Neo is only compatible with DJI’s most recent motion controllers for FPV flying and isn’t compatible with any of the company’s older goggles or controller bundles in the US. Based on Sean’s preliminary testing, DJI’s Avata Explorer Combo appears to be a more stable option for first-person virtual reality flying than the Neo, making it the better value at the moment for FPV flights.
