Introducing DJI’s Affordable Neo Selfie Drone: Revolutionizing Mobile Photography for $199

Meet the DJI Neo, the latest selfie drone to dominate the social media scene. Priced at $199, it’s about half the cost of the popular HoverAir X1, yet it offers almost all the same features and more.

The Neo is designed for easy use, with no controller required. Simply press a button, and it’ll fly itself, record video, and return to your hand. It launches in seconds, starts recording, and lands just as quickly. No prior flying experience needed.

Like other selfie drones, the Neo can crash if you fly it near obstacles, but its flexible frame can take a beating. In fact, my colleague Sean Hollister and I have been testing the Neo for weeks, and it’s been a capable challenger to the X1.

One of the Neo’s biggest limitations is its lack of portrait video mode. When we asked DJI why this feature wasn’t included, they told us it would be available in a future firmware update. For now, you’re stuck with landscape mode.

The Neo has 20GB of onboard storage, which isn’t a concern since videos usually last only 10-30 seconds. DJI’s battery lasts up to 18 minutes, making it slightly heavier than the X1, but still well below the 250g threshold that exempts it from drone licensing requirements.

The Neo also comes in a $289 combo bundle with three batteries and a USB-C charging hub. The hub lets you charge all three batteries simultaneously in about an hour with a 45W charger. The Neo has a built-in USB-C port that charges its battery in about 50 minutes with a 15W charger.

You can control the Neo with voice commands, saying “Hey! Fly!” or use the DJI Fly app on your phone over a direct Wi-Fi connection. Audio recording is also supported, either from your phone’s built-in mic or via DJI’s Mic 2 over Bluetooth.

For those looking for a mainstream selfie drone, the DJI Neo is a compelling option. At $199, it’s a price point that could make these drones a staple in social media culture. Just keep in mind that it doesn’t offer gesture controls and isn’t compatible with older DJI goggles or motion controllers.

In Europe, the Neo is priced at £169 / €199, with a £299 / €349 Fly More Combo bundle available. Keep an eye out for further updates on the Neo, as DJI is promising more features and improvements down the line.