We thought we'd learned everything about the incoming DJI Neo drone in last week's rumor-fest, but the leaks keep coming – and this time some marketing materials have revealed how easy it should be to fly the little selfie camera.
A series of marketing promos just shared by the ever-reliable @Quadro_News on X (formerly Twitter) show why the Neo could be DJI's most approachable drone so far, thanks to in-app flight controls that mean you don't even need a controller. The drone itself is expected to be lighter than an iPhone, at only 135g.
In the promo below, the Neo is depicted as a flying selfie camera for families, with screen-based controls in the companion app. DJI currently offers the Fly app for drones like the DJI Mini 4 Pro, but it doesn't have on-screen controls for flying the drones.
This means the Neo could be a spiritual successor to the DJI Spark, which also included a direct connection to your phone (albeit with a maximum range of 100m). The app in the promo includes most of the controls you'd need, from direction to 'return-to-home', and a shutter button for video or photos. There's even a voice control function, which would be a first for DJI drones.
👉Family happiness in every frame! Control your DJI Neo with ease#djineo pic.twitter.com/3mPbn9YEFIAugust 17, 2024
The app doesn't appear to let you control the movement of the drone's camera, because the Neo likely doesn't have a gimbal – instead, it's expected to have a fixed camera. That would make the Neo more like an FPV racing drone, which appears to be another of its skills from a different leaked slide showing compatibility with DJI RC Motion 3 controller.
That controller, which is already compatible with the DJI Goggles 3 and DJI Avata 2, lets you control the drone with the movements of your wrist. While you would need a 'spotter' companion with you when using the Goggles 3 with the Neo, it should be capable of some 'cinewhoop'-style shots – particularly as some leaked specs show it can fly at a nippy 16m/s (or 57.6 km/h) when in sports mode.
When will the Neo fly?
Aside from official pricing, one of the few things we still don't know about the DJI Neo is when it'll be launched. Earlier rumors from @Quadro_News predicted August 20, but with no sign of an official teaser or event from DJI, that's looking increasingly unlikely.
Other DJI commentators on X (formerly Twitter) are now speculating early September for a potential announcement, but there's no sign of an actual release date leak. Still, considering how much has been revealed so far, the DJI Neo must surely be imminent.
As for camera specs, previous leaks suggest we'll be looking at a 1/2-inch sensor (the same size as the sensor inside the DJI Mavic Air 2 from 2020) that can shoot 4K/30p or 1080/60p video.
Sure, the video bitrate will be capped at 75Mbps (compared to 150Mbps on the Mini 4 Pro), but it should be capable of some impressive results for a drone so small, as long as you're shooting in decent light. We're looking forward to pitching the Neo against the new HoverAir X1 Pro and Pro Max drones soon.
