DJI Neo 2 drone review: Small but mighty with stunning FPV flight
For less than the price of a smartphone, DJI's new palm-sized marvel is challenging everything we thought possible in an entry-level drone. FULL REVIEW, VIDEO
DJI’s new Neo 2 drone packs incredible features into a package weighing just over 150g, with a price tag of just over $400.
But it’s not perfect with its much improved obstacle avoidance system still needing some work, as we discovered.
This is a follow-me drone for beginners, creatives and those who want to fly through small spaces using first-person view (FPV) goggles.
The FPV experience is incredible, making you feel like you are in the cockpit while soaring above trees, waterways or a local park.
The Neo 2 can also be flown without a controller using gestures or preset routines, and runners and cyclists can use it for low-altitude follow-shooting.
I got my son, who is a keen runner and does marathons, to test it out.
First we had it following from the front, but as it tried to get in front of my son, it failed to ‘see’ a light pole and crashed into it.
Fortunately it has decent protection so there was no real damage.
The second attempt, where we set it to follow from the side, to the left, was far more successful with the Neo 2 moving around obstacles like a tree and keeping up well with my son.
Despite its low weight, it flies pretty well in windy conditions, a significant improvement on the first Neo.
It is equipped with omnidirectional obstacle avoidance and propeller guards, making it safer for shooting family outings, outdoor sports and special travel moments.
A new small on-board display, left of the camera, shows the current shooting mode when not using a controller, while a side button toggles through the options.
Users can launch the drone from their palm by pointing it towards themselves and pressing the takeoff button.
The preset routines are definitely among the most fun ways to capture great videos and photos.
We took it to a local park with the dogs and did a series of videos and photo shoots.
As with any drone, it always pays to use it where there is a bit of space and no people around - including dogs who might want to munch it.
The Neo 2 features DJI’s signature quickshots, including dronie, circle, rocket, spotlight, helix and boomerang. It also supports intelligent shooting modes such as Dolly Zoom and MasterShots to create more interesting visuals.
Despite its small size, the Neo 2 captured great videos and photos in our shoots that required no editing or colour grading.
The Neo 2 has a 12MP, 1/2-inch CMOS sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a high-performance image processor.
Better stabilisation is now provided via a two-axis gimbal.
It offers 4K video recording at up to 100fps for slow motion or 2.7K vertical videos.
When combined with DJI’s ActiveTrack and new SelfieShot, subjects are automatically framed.
In our first testing on a windy morning, the active track worked well, hovering to the left of me and following as I walked and ran. When I walked past a neighbour’s wheelie bins, it quickly elevated and returned to its previous height once past them.
In demonstrations, the Neo 2 kept up with a cyclist while dodging trees.
In open areas, it tracks at speeds of up to 12m/s, an increase from about 8m/s for the Neo.
Eight-direction tracking (forward, backward, left, right and four diagonals) produces more natural follow shots.
In complex environments, the drone can switch to rear-tracking mode.
When using gesture control, the Neo 2’s direction and proximity are controlled using one or both palms. A single palm (raised and facing the drone) controls left/right movement and altitude. With both palms facing the drone, moving the hands apart makes the drone fly away, while bringing them together makes it approach.
A remote controller is not needed for camera angle adjustment. The Neo 2 also supports voice control, allowing commands to be sent via smartphone or Bluetooth headphones.
A new Return-to-Palm feature allows the Neo 2 to locate the user’s palm, return safely and land, indicated by a blue light.
We tested the Neo 2 with the DJI RC-N3 remote controller, which allows a maximum video transmission of 10km.
Our neighbourhood has high-voltage power lines, which caused interference and occasional video signal loss, but this was not an issue due to the reliable return-to-home functionality.
FPV with DJI Neo 2 is immersive fun
The more immersive FPV, using goggles that accommodated my glasses and a smaller controller, was the most thrilling way to fly.
While it takes getting used to, DJI’s tutorials are very good, smoothing the learning curve. We recommend learning to fly the drone with a normal controller or phone before trying FPV.
The settings in the different modes are well-thought out.
To capture a solo or group moment hands-free, the new SelfieShot switches between waist-up, full-body and long shots.
It makes the drone perfect for birthday parties, work get-togethers, picnics or fun wedding shoots.
I used the bigger DJI Flip to shoot photos and video as my boss popped champagne with his bride and wedding party, and they were the best captures of the day.
DJI’s MasterShots captures a range of shots with creative camera movements and intelligently edits them with music to produce high-quality videos.
The system includes forward-facing Lidar and a downward infra-red sensing system to detect obstacles in real time.
Given it is small, light and has propeller guards, it can be flown indoors. FPV enthusiasts fly them through open windows and up stairs at high speeds.
The Neo 2 comes with 49GB of internal storage (up from 22GB in the Neo). It can save up to 105 minutes of 4K/60fps video, 175 minutes of 4K/30fps video or 241 minutes of 1080p/60fps.
You can transfer footage or photos to your phone via Wi-Fi at up to 80MB/s.
The new level-five wind resistance handles a moderate to fresh breeze of up to 38km/h, but strong gusts can blow the small drone off course.
The battery life is up to 19 minutes, but in our testing, it was closer to 15 minutes. This means the combo deal with three batteries is a better option.
Overall, the DJI Neo 2 is a big upgrade on the Neo and will appeal to beginners wanting something easy to fly. The extra safety features will also appeal to those looking for an adventurous companion, with its improved ability to dodge obstacles and fly over water.
If you are looking for a better camera and longer flying time the DJI Flip might be a better option for you.
DJI Neo 2 Australian pricing and availability
The DJI Neo 2 is available in Australia from DJI online and authorised retail partners.
Configurations include:
DJI Neo 2 (Drone Only) for $409.
DJI Neo 2 Fly More Combo (Drone Only) for $549.
DJI Neo 2 Fly More Combo for $709.
DJI Neo 2 Motion Fly More Combo for $989.
Originally published as DJI Neo 2 drone review: Small but mighty with stunning FPV flight
