I'm big into drones. A lot of my free time is spent watching people flying drones over lava, behind waterfalls and navigating tricky cliffs. But drone photography has always felt a little inaccessible given how expensive some of the best drones tend to be. I briefly flew a friend's DJI Mavic 3 Classic a year ago and that made me want a drone so bad. Well, DJI has just made drone photography more accessible.
I'm talking about the DJI Neo, which launched a couple of days ago. Offering 4K video at 30fps, detailed stills, palm takeoff and landing capabilities, AI subject tracking, and lots more, it retails for just $199 / £169.
Is there a catch? Nope. This is the most fun I've had reviewing a product, and here's why.
The perfect way to make memories
One thing I love about the Neo is how easy it is to control. If you have the DJI Fly app on your iOS or Android phone, you don't need to use the RC-N3 controller to fly it. Just connect the drone to your smartphone and you're good to go in seconds. You can then fly it in manual mode or you can use one of five QuickShot modes.
The Follow mode is the one I've had the most fun with. The drone will reliably follow you as you walk or run, thanks to AI subject tracking. My partner and I took the Neo to an open field to have fun with this. Sunflowers grow on one side and a river flows on the other — perfect for getting great footage. In the video above, the Neo kept both of us in focus as we ran. We were watching the video later and both of us agreed that it was like creating a core memory. Add some Lana Del Rey to this video and it would be even more cinematic.
There are other QuickShot modes too, like Circle, Spotlight and Dronie, and all of them work very well. This is the drone not just for the social media generation, but also for those who want to have a hassle-free drone experience — it weighs just 4.76 ounces (135g) which means you don't need FAA certification.
We live in a beautiful world
Landscapes can look very different when viewed from above. Bath is one of the UK's most picturesque cities and I'm really lucky to live here, and the Neo has made me fall in love with the city all over again. I never fully grasped how lush green the woods near Bath were until I flew the Neo over them.
The photo above captures the different shades of green and you can see some of the trees in the distance turning orange as autumn settles in, and the river Avon looks lovely. The Neo's 1/2-inch sensor captures 12MP stills and even in windy conditions, its advanced stabilization technology ensures images and videos are buttery smooth.
I can see it all so clearly
The Neo's most impressive spec is its ability to record 4K UHD video at 30fps, and every video I've recorded looks gorgeous. Everything is done automatically, from exposure to ISO and shutter speed, so the Neo is perfect for beginners. I love the video of the field (above), where you can see cars zooming past and the main city in the distance.
The Neo took off from my partner's palm and landed back in hers, and I really appreciate how smooth the ascent and panning are. I've never actually been to the maze you can see, but now that I've seen what it looks like from above, I feel like I've unlocked a cheat code to not get lost if I go there!
But what if you run out of space? 22GB of internal storage isn't a lot, especially when you're shooting 4K video. With the DJI Fly app, though, you can quickly offload footage onto your phone and continue flying. I found myself naturally doing this when landing the drone to swap batteries. It takes just a few minutes and making a habit of this ensures you always get the shot.
The little drone that could
I'm not one to humanize machines and tech, but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't grown attached to DJI's latest offering. It's like having a little pet, one that runs off but always finds its way back home to you (that return-to-home feature can be a lifesaver). "Neo" sounds like a lovely name for a pet too, doesn't it?
Also, full disclosure: I have my brother to thank for coming up with "the little drone that could."
And it's true. The Neo is a small-but-mighty drone and one that if you decided to try, you'd immediately fall in love with.
