I picked up the DJI Neo a few months ago and held off on sharing my thoughts until I’d put it through enough flights to give a fair review. Now, after a solid round of indoor and outdoor testing, I can say this little drone has quickly become my go-to for casual and creative aerial shots.
How small is it? Here it is on a standard size (8.5×11) sheet of paper.
I already own both the DJI Mini 3 Pro and the Phantom 3, so I’m no stranger to the DJI ecosystem—and I was curious where the Neo would fit in. Surprisingly, it’s landed somewhere between the two. While it doesn’t quite beat the Mini 3 Pro in pure image sharpness or manual control, the Neo punches way above its weight for its size—easily on par (and in some situations better) than my Phantom 3, which is significantly bulkier.
Here’s what stood out:
- Ultra Portable: The Neo is featherlight and compact—no props to attach, no arms to fold out. It’s truly grab-and-go. This means I’m more likely to take it with me spontaneously, and it’s in the air within seconds.
- Indoor-Friendly: The enclosed blades make it ideal for flying in tighter indoor spaces—something I wouldn’t dream of attempting with the Phantom or even the Mini 3 Pro without a little anxiety.
- Easy Launch & Landing: This is the easiest drone I’ve ever hand-launched or hand-landed. No stress, no drama—just smooth flying.
- Solid 4K Performance: The 4K camera onboard delivers crisp footage. It’s not quite as dynamic as the Mini 3 Pro in challenging lighting, but it absolutely holds its own and delivers a steadier shot than I expected.
In the video I’ve linked, you’ll see both a view of the Neo itself and footage captured by it. For comparison, I also included side-by-side footage from the DJI Pocket 3. Both were shot in 4K and exported at FHD for easier sharing. You’ll get a feel for how impressively stable and cinematic the Neo can be, even in a basic flight setup.
Final Thoughts: If you’re looking for a lightweight, beginner-friendly, and reliable drone with great image quality and incredible ease of use, the DJI Neo might surprise you. It’s not just a toy—it’s a practical, capable tool for everyday aerial shots, and it’s carved out a firm place in my drone lineup. Definite worth the investment – you can find yours here and if you want the DJI remote here (you don’t have to have it to fly the Neo but it helps).
Bonus Video: I took this at South of the Border during a quick stop on our way to Florida. It was windy and we still got a great stabilized video. The plan was to jump in and out quickly and it worked great.
Banana for scale.
