by 5 reviews.
DJI Neo Mini Drone Review: A Beginner’s Dream with Stunning 4K Footage
The DJI Neo Mini Drone is a lightweight, portable, and feature-packed drone designed for beginners and casual users. Weighing just 135g, it’s so light that it doesn’t require FAA registration, making it a hassle-free option for travel and outdoor adventures. With its 4K UHD camera, palm takeoff and landing, subject tracking, and QuickShots modes, this drone promises to deliver professional-quality footage with ease. Whether you’re capturing family moments, exploring scenic landscapes, or just having fun, the DJI Neo is built to impress.
Pros and Cons: What Customers Are Saying
Ease of Use
One of the standout features of the DJI Neo is its beginner-friendly design. Many users praised how easy it is to fly, even for those with no prior drone experience.
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Pros:
- “This is the ultimate beginner's best. It is very easy to fly.”
- “The setup was easy, and the flight experience is smooth and stable.”
- “I love the fact it’s seconds to start your shots and some really neat easy modes for shooting quick videos.”
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Cons:
- “Without the remote, it is hard to control, especially in areas with limited range.”
Build Quality and Durability
The DJI Neo is built to last, with a sturdy design that can withstand minor bumps and crashes.
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Pros:
- “The build quality is great!”
- “This thing is built to take it. And the YT reviewers I've watched have put it through some really tough tests.”
- “It’s durable and feels premium in hand.”
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Cons:
- Some users noted that the propeller guards, while helpful, can make the drone feel slightly bulky during flight.
Camera Quality
The 4K UHD camera is one of the DJI Neo’s most celebrated features, delivering crisp and stabilized footage.
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Pros:
- “The camera quality is fantastic, and I can capture amazing aerial shots with ease.”
- “Video footage was impressive and in line with my expectations.”
- “The 4K Ultra-Stabilized Video ensures smooth, high-quality footage even in windy conditions.”
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Cons:
- A few users mentioned that the camera struggles slightly in low-light conditions, but this is common for drones in this price range.
Battery Life
Battery life is a mixed bag for the DJI Neo. While it’s sufficient for short flights, some users wished for longer endurance.
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Pros:
- “Batteries last at least 15 minutes, which is enough for quick video clips.”
- “The Two-Battery Combo adds more flexibility to your flight time.”
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Cons:
- “Batteries are not super long as far as duration.”
- “Batteries take a long time to charge, so I recommend getting extra batteries for extended fun.”
Portability and Design
The DJI Neo’s compact and lightweight design makes it a favorite for travelers and outdoor enthusiasts.
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Pros:
- “At just 135g, it’s lighter than my phone and fits easily in my backpack or even my pocket.”
- “Perfect for taking to family BBQs and hiking with friends.”
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Cons:
- Some users found the included propeller guards slightly cumbersome, though they appreciated the added safety.
Customer Support
DJI’s customer service received high marks from users, with many praising their responsiveness and helpfulness.
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Pros:
- “The service after the sale was excellent. They are very responsive and accommodating with their chat feature.”
- “DJI answers its phone, and customer service has you flying in minutes.”
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Cons:
- A few users mentioned difficulties with the DJI Fly app, which is no longer available on Google Play and must be downloaded directly from DJI’s website.
Final Verdict
The DJI Neo Mini Drone is an excellent choice for beginners and casual users who want a lightweight, portable, and easy-to-use drone with professional-quality features. Its 4K UHD camera, subject tracking, and QuickShots modes make it a versatile tool for capturing stunning footage, while its palm takeoff and landing features add to its convenience.
However, the drone does have a few drawbacks, such as limited battery life and the need for a remote for optimal control. Despite these minor issues, the DJI Neo delivers exceptional value for its price, making it a top contender in the beginner drone market.
If you’re looking for a reliable, fun, and feature-packed drone that won’t break the bank, the DJI Neo is definitely worth considering.
Specification DJI Neo, Mini Drone with 4K UHD Camera for Adults, 135g Self Flying Drone that Follows You, Palm Takeoff, Subject Tracking, QuickShots, Stabilized Video, Built-In Propeller Guard (Controller-Free):
Comments from Amazon:
I absolutely love my DJI Neo Drone! I got it from Amazon, and it has exceeded all my expectations. The setup was easy, and the flight experience is smooth and stable. The camera quality is fantastic, and I can capture amazing aerial shots with ease. It’s incredibly fun to fly, and the controls are intuitive, even for beginners like me. The battery life is impressive, and the drone is durable. I highly recommend this drone to anyone looking for an awesome flying experience!
Did a lot of research before purchasing. I had the original phantom 1 which I really enjoyed, I flew it for a long time but sold it a few years ago. I was looking for something small and be able to take on vacation overseas. The neo is absolutely amazing, it’s not a top end drone, but it’s quick simple and just awesome. I love the fact it’s seconds to start your shots and some really neat easy modes for shorting quick videos. Batteries are not super long as far as duration, but enough to get some quick easy video clips. And very inexpensive for what it is.
A solid little drone. It does what's advertised and more. Great for beginners. Instructions are baffling, but DGI answers its phone and customer service has you flying in minutes. Batteries take a long time to charge but last at least 15 minutes. Get extra batteries for hours of fun.
A few weeks ago, I saw a video on the HolyStone HS11D drone. It seemed like a fun and relatively stable drone given it's price of around $65. I learned to fly it and had some fun but most importantly, it let me know what else I might want in a drone. Although easy to fly, even for a complete novice, I still managed to crash it several times as it lacks any form of self-protection beyond a rudimentary altitude hold. Also, the camera was fixed with a max resolution of 1080 with no stabilization and the image quality was not really great. So what is the next step up? The shopping checklist was primarily : 1 - a better camera with directional control, 2 - GPS position stability, 3 - self-recovery/return to home facility. The other important criteria was cost and I was not in the market for anything above $300, regardless of any extra features that a higher budget cap may offer. Most research I did suggested that the Mini SE was essentially a DJI Mini 2 with a Mini 1 camera. There are a few other Mini 2 features that are omitted from the SE but they were things I could live without, for now at least. I pulled the trigger an with 24 hours the Mini SE was on my doorstep. Setup was a little more complex that the simple HS110D. There were extra physical hardware and software setup steps, including a firmware update that I managed to skip for the first flight. I tried to update but it failed. For the first flight I used an iPhone as the app was instantly available in the App Store. I didn't fly high or far but already it was a much calmer experience as the drone stays in position if you don't give any input unlike the HS110D which was happy to drift into the nearest obstacle unless you're maintaining 100% control. After landing, I went back inside to recharge and learn some more of the features, setup the camera and tweak some other parameters for RTH, etc. For the second flight, I switched to Android but unlike the iPhone, the app needed to be downloaded from DJI as it's not available in the Google Store. This time I went on a slightly longer test flight and engaged RTH features to get confidence in the system. Video footage was impressive and inline with my expectations. Everything worked fine. Still early days, but I feel a lot more confident in flying this drone, both through my own abilities and the abilities of the drone itself. Sure, for more money, you obviously get more and one day I may feel the need to invest more. But for now, I'm more than happy with the feature set and capabilities offered at this price point and I couldn't identify a better drone for the $300 that would suit my requirements.
As a novice drone operator I don't have any other experience to compare it to but I don't see how flying others can be any better than the DJI NEO! Most if not all of the connection and recording glitches were user error and not the fault of the NEO. I just wish I had bought the package instead of one accessory at a time. But as I started flying it more and more I understood the need for the RC, extra batteries with fast charger and I might be purchasing the googles next. I'm 70 years old and a caregiver for my S.O. so getting out and about is a rare treat. This gives me freedom on my surrounding property from a different perspective that makes the mundane view a new experience if that makes sense. I'm also a ham radio operator and this little drone allows me to check my antennae connections at 60' mainly after one of our south Florida storms without having to lower the tower. Are you listening to me fellow operators?!! I rarely give reviews especially long ones. This little guy has thoroughly impressed me. And the service after the sale was excellent also. Not much luck with calling them but they are very responsive and accommodating with their chat feature. I've only had it a week now so as for the durability that will have to be reviewed at a later time but I really don't see anything to worry about. This thing is built to take it. And the YT reviewers I've watched have put it though some really tough tests. The small price is definitely worth the experience!
Consegue usar facilmente, mesmo quem nunca teve contato com um drone. O único ponto menos positivo é a bateria
This is the ultimate beginner's best. It is very easy to fly. The build quality is great! It requires a proper range to work, without the remote it is hard, but for taking good drone shots, it is easy. Also the video and quality is just awesome! I loved it!