DJI Neo : FirstLook
Self-flying, subject-tracking, and 4K Stabilized video - anybody can look into your living room now!
We looked at quadcopters—what we all call “drones”—back in 2005 and again in 2012. They were…interesting, but required too much user interaction to be interesting to us.
Oh gawd, that controller – it could take someone’s eye out.
Our interest in looking at these gadgets had to do with their ability to take photos and videos, not in flying them. But the drones that were able to take high-quality images we wanted were waaay too expensive for our purposes. We kept our finger on the pulse of their development, but didn’t seriously consider them for what we wanted to do…until now.
Bzz. Bzzz. BZZZZZZZ!!!!!!! Oh hi there, I was just clearing my throat, not trying to peer into your living room window.
Neo
Fast forward another decade, and the technology has finally reached a state where, for us at least, drones are now worth another look. The DJI Neo is a new pocket size, self-flying, palm-takeoff, no controller needed, 4K video, multiple video modes, and voice control….all for $200.
- Dimensions: 130×157×48.5 mm (L×W×H)
- Takeoff Weigh: Approx. 135 g
- Max Flight Time: Approx. 18 minutes
- Max Flight Distance: 7km
Some of us in the office are absolutely eager to have a go at the Neo. Some others of us in the office are absolutely resolute that drones that can peer into your living room without your permission or knowledge should be absolutely blown out of the sky, with no damages to pay for doing so. We at the office resolve this issue by not talking about it…
The Neo is DJI’s lightest, smallest, and supposedly easiest-to-use and controlled drone for aerial photography. The palm-sized quadcopter, weighing in around 135 g (the same as a size D battery!) makes it extremely portable, and is engineered for low-altitude and close-range human subject filming. With its fully enclosed propeller guards, intelligent shooting modes, and palm takeoff, flying it is safe.
“Human subject filming”? Yeah, no. One of us in the office is thinking about getting a bazooka to deal with this.
Camera
- Image Sensor: 1/2-inch image sensor
- Lens: FOV: 117.6°, Aperture: f/2.8, Focus: 0.6 m to ∞
- ISO Range: 100-6400 (Auto, Manual)
- Shutter Speed: 1/8000-1/30 sec for Video, 1/8000-1/10 sec for Photo
DJI Neo offers a range of intelligent shooting modes. The Neo supports Follow, Expanse, Circle, Rocket, Spotlight, and Custom modes. With the addition of a few accessories, the Neo will support other QuickShots modes (QuickShots allows users to capture professional-quality footage without effort, even for novice flyers or those unfamiliar with manual camera settings).
I don’t care if there’s a test at the end of the booklet, I absolutely do not want to know how to peer into your living room without your permission or knowledge.
The DJI Neo has a single-axis mechanical gimbal. What is a “gimbal?” Go here for a good discussion on this critical component of the aerial imaging system, but in a nutshell: getting a clear capture without a gimbal is very, very, very unlikely…
Because of RockSteady and HorizonBalancing stabilization algorithms, this little flyer is suppose to be able to pull off shots in high-speed bursts or fast climbs, even under Level-4 wind conditions. It also supports automatic tracking of the subject in the frame. JESU GAWD HOW IS THAT A GOOD THING?
Battery
- Capacity: 1435 mAh, 10.5 Wh
- Voltage: 7.3 V
- Type: Li-ion
Charging the battery can be done with it on the Neo. It took approximately an hour to charge from 0% to 100%.
The DJI Neo battery is called an “intelligent” battery because it supports “active self-discharge” protection. Note that this self-discharge feature cannot manually activated.
Once fully charged, to protect the battery, it will begin to self-discharge to 96% capacity if idle for three(3) days, to 80% capacity if idle for 15 days, and to 60% capacity after 45 days.
Cute but can be invasive…if not used responsibly
The battery provides 18-minutes of flight time, allowing at least 20 palm-of-the-hand takeoffs and landings. The lightweight design ensures a long battery life without compromising flight time.
Just let it die.
When using an external 30W charger, the battery takes about 50 minutes to charge to 100% from zilch. The number of batteries that can be charged simultaneously depends on the power of the charger used. We will look more at charging accessories in a future article.
Who approved the green light for this? ITSELF, probably.
Propeller
Aerial photography and videography with a drone requires it to be quiet, agile, and maneuverable. The Neo’s propellers use advanced aerodynamic design that reduces wind resistance and enhances flight stability, both essential for efficient flying.
Three-blade propellers are a great balance between efficiency and power, and provide extra surface area compared to a two-blade. Two-blade propellers are more efficient because of the lesser drag and lower power requirement, and so provide a greater flying range. Go here for a really good discussion on all of the tradeoffs between motor, propeller, and efficiencies.
Note the difference in the extra pair of propellers supplied. This is because diagonal propellers on a quadcopter spin in the same direction, and counter to the others. This has the effect of cancelling out any torque created, allowing the drone move as desired.
Bees, it is bees that propel this thing?
The full-coverage guards provide added protection, which makes them useful for both indoor and outdoor flights. Plus, quiet operation ensures safe flying anywhere. The body of DJI Neo has an integrated design. The propellers, guards, and battery are replaceable, while none of the other components are.
One of us would HAPPILY put this together; one other of us would DELIGHT in smashing it into the asphalt (NOT the living room window).
The guards are important for flying indoor or around people, because they minimize the risk of damage or injury. The guards also allow for a a more “forgiving” flying experience if an unplanned contact should occur (Oh, you mean people just getting on with their day and throwing a brick at this thing to keep it from taking images/videos of themselves? I see.).
Don’t let the proto-adorby-ness of this fool you – IT’S WATCHING YOU FOR NO VALID REASON WHATSOEVER.
FirstThoughts
Quadcopter technologies have come a long way, and the DJI Neo is a great example of how much can be packed into a tiny package at a low price and without sacrificing quality (but sacrificing privacy). The DJI Neo is tiny, light, and feels solidly put together.
We are excited annoyed as all get out to see what the NEO can do. Look for the FirstFlight writeup soon. Also, we’ll take a look at available Neo-specific accessories after the FirstFlight.
Links to items mentioned:
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