DJI has announced a competitor to the Hover X1, the DJI Neo. It’s by far the company’s cheapest drone so far at $299 AUD, and it’s targeted at those that don’t want to spend a boatload on a drone, but also those that are beginners and maybe want to learn how to fly a drone.
The DJI Neo is able to use AI subject tracking to take off from your hands and perform a number of different functions before landing back in your hands. It can perform the below functions without being controlled:
- Dronie: The drone flies backward and ascends, with the camera locked on the subject, and records a video.
- Circle: The drone circles around the subject.
- Rocket: The drone ascends with the camera pointing downward.
- Spotlight: The drone rotates while keeping the object of interest within the frame
- Helix: The drone ascends and spirals around the subject.
- Boomerang: The drone flies around the subject in an oval path, ascending as it flies away from its starting point and descending as it flies back. The aircraft’s starting point forms one end of the oval’s long axis, while the other end is at the subject’s opposite side from the starting point.
If you do want something a bit more manual, you can use the DJI Fly app, remote controllers, RC Motion and even the DJI Goggles as well as voice control to take control of it. Obviously being a DJI product stabilisation is a huge part, and it does a great job (even tested this week in Melbourne’s crazy winds).
The weight of the drone comes in at 135 grams and the battery life comes in at 18 minutes, with two extra batteries and a charger included in the fly more pack. As far as video goes, it can take 4K/30 FPS or 12MP stills with its 1/2-inch-image sensor.
DJI NEO AUSTRALIAN PRICES
- DJI Neo retails for $299.
- DJI Neo Fly More Combo retails for $539.
