The Neo is DJI’s answer to a few specific yet common questions: What if a drone was as easy to fly as pressing a button? Can a drone fly without a complex remote control or app? And the big one: Can I fly a drone and get awesome videos and still photos if I’ve never even tried before? The tiny, controller-free version of the Neo answers all those questions for a lower price than ever before — it’s just $139 right now at Amazon.
DJI’s entry-level camera drone weighs just 135 grams and doesn’t require FAA registration or Remote ID, making it one of the most accessible ways to get aerial footage without any of the regulatory paperwork that comes with heavier drones. And with a shockingly small learning curve, even a total newbie will have the Neo up in the air within minutes of unboxing and performing incredible aerial feats shortly thereafter.
Give It a Hand
The DJI Neo’s palm takeoff launches it directly from your hand, and subject tracking handles the framing automatically once it’s in the air. Point it at yourself and it follows you — on a hike, at a beach, through a campsite — without you needing to pilot it manually or hand a remote to someone who’s never flown a drone. For anyone who has wanted to capture footage of themselves outdoors without relying on a tripod and a fixed angle, that’s a game-changer.
The Neo’s camera shoots 4K UHD with DJI’s stabilization technology, which compensates for the kind of movement and wind that would turn handheld footage into a blurry mess. Level-4 wind resistance keeps it stable in the breezy conditions you’d actually encounter at a park, a beach, or on a trail. Eight QuickShots modes handle pre-programmed cinematic flight paths — spirals, rockets, boomerangs — so even first-time flyers can get footage that looks intentional rather than accidental. Full-coverage propeller guards ship in the box, which means you can fly it around the yard or through tree coverage without the anxiety of an exposed rotor catching something it shouldn’t.
Scalable Controls
While the controller-free model of the Neo is the one that’s selling for $139 at Amazon, the control options are flexible by design. This Neo ships controller-free and works out of the box with palm launch and the DJI Fly app on your phone. Voice control in English is supported, and you can add a dedicated RC controller separately if you want more precise manual control, or even a VR headset.
At just $139, the DJI Neo might be the best entry point into the lineup of camera drones that DJI has offered. The subject tracking and QuickShots features bring capabilities that used to live in significantly more expensive hardware down to a price that makes it a realistic impulse buy for anyone who shoots content outdoors. If you’ve been curious about drones but fearful about the learning curve, the Neo is designed specifically to remove that barrier and get you flying.
