DJI has big plans for drones for the rest of 2024, with recent rumors hinting at the arrival of a mid-range Air 3S and flagship DJI Mavic 4. But it could also have something completely new in the works, with some intriguing new leaks pointing to a portable drone called the DJI Neo.
A message from @DroneMood on X (formerly Twitter), which thanked trusty @Quadro_News for the information, has revealed a US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) registration label for the DJI Neo, alongside stills from a video (posted by @OsitaLV on July 25) which appears to show the small drone in the air.
According to some calculations by drone experts Weiliang Zhang Based on that battery label, the Neo could weigh in at around 169 grams. With the DJI Mini 4 Pro weighing in at around 249 grams, that would make the Neo one of DJI’s lightest drones to date – albeit slightly larger than the 80-gram Ryze Tello (which runs on DJI tech).
The leaked video shows a compact drone with a propeller cage, suggesting it’s designed to be safe for indoor flying. That cage would likely be removable, and if the Neo has a foldable design, which most DJI drones do, it could easily fit in your pocket.
New Drone: DJI Neo“Seguindo is normally 30% of the DJI drone, or the estimated Neo speed is 169g. You know you are already hovering with a drone when you find the complete and compact compacto for your color no longer so big.”Zhang estimates o… pic.twitter.com/3W2qTwgd05July 26, 2024
It’s not yet clear whether the DJI Neo is a flying selfie camera like the HoverAir X1 or a cinewhoop drone that works with a first-person view (FPV) headset. Given that the person piloting the drone in the leaked video doesn’t appear to be wearing a headset, a so-called “hover” drone seems more likely at this point.
A more recent post from DroneMood on X (formerly Twitter) highlighting a seemingly premature Walmart listing also gives us a hint at potential pricing. That post suggests that the DJI Neo Fly More Combo bundle (which typically includes two extra batteries, a charging hub, and a shoulder bag) will cost $329 (which likely converts to around £320 / AU$515). That’s a similar price to the HoverAir X1, whose combo kit costs $399 / £395.
The ultimate flying selfie camera?
We don’t yet know who the DJI Neo is aimed at, but its potentially low price and small size could make it a potentially popular little drone – especially if it’s thrown in some of DJI’s automated flight features.
One possibility is that it could go head-to-head with the HoverAir X1, which snuck into our guide to the world’s best beginner drones . That drone weighs just 125g and combines a dual-axis gimbal and electronic image stabilization to good effect, though DJI has established itself as a leader in both areas. In theory, it could be significantly better than 2022’s failed Snap Pixy drone.
But elsewhere, DroneXL has speculated that the Neo could also be useful for first responders, giving personnel quick insight into a developing situation that could prove invaluable. In addition to DJI, this is something that Skydio and Brinc have addressed with their drones, and it could be another potential use case for the Neo.
Either way, the Neo looks like a fascinating little drone, and perhaps the spiritual successor to the DJI Spark, one of the company’s first drone offerings, and was similarly made for beginners on a budget. Given that FCC filings are typically filed within a few months of official launches, we might not have to wait too long to see the Neo in the flesh.
