DJI Neo 2 drone review

Just a year after the DJI Neo was released, DJI hasn't wasted any time in producing a new and seriously improved version, the DJI Neo 2. It's not often we see a drone model replaced so quickly, but it seems that DJI is keen to dominate the selfie drone market. This includes the impressive HoverAir X1 Pro and ProMax models.

With the new features, which include improved camera performance, Omnidirectional Obstacle Avoidance with combined vision and LiDAR sensors and 49GB of internal storage, up from 20GB in the Neo, to name but a few new features.

The Omnidirectional Obstacle Avoidance is particularly useful because it significantly reduces the risk of crashes when using intelligent tracking modes. The DJI Neo 2 is one of the best camera drones available since it does what it's designed to do incredibly well.

This small and lightweight drone maintains its FPV cinewhoop-style design with built-in propeller guards. This makes it safer to fly close to people and obstacles. It can also be controlled without a phone or controller, with the DJI Fly app, with a DJI RC-N3 controller and with DJI FPV accessories for FPV flight. So, plenty of options to suit a wide range of drone pilots.

What's so impressive about this drone is that it's inexpensive. This makes it ideal for beginners and those looking for a small, fun and easy-to-use drone. So, if you're looking for a drone that can intelligently track you on your adventures, the DJI Neo 2 could be the perfect solution.

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DJI Neo 2: Design

• Cinewhoop-style design
• Compact and lightweight
• Several kits available

The Neo 2 doesn't look drastically different from the Neo, but there are some obvious upgrades. It's safe to say that even the untrained eye could tell that the two drones are related. It maintains the FPV cinewhoop-style design with completely enclosed propellers that both protect them in crashes and keep people safe when the drone is intelligently tracking people.

The main visual and technological differences between the Neo and Neo 2 are the transceiver on the rear that comes with the Neo 2 in the Fly More Bundles. This allows the drone to connect to controllers and goggles.

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There's also a display on the front that shows the active flight mode, a LiDAR sensor and a couple of obstacle avoidance sensors. The display is useful because it makes it so much easier to identify the active flight mode when using the drone without the app or a controller. Controls on the side of the drone allow you to scroll through the flight modes.

The drone weighs 5.6 oz / 160g with the transceiver or 5.3 oz / 151g without, which is incredibly lightweight, but has a fixed rather than folding design. It's still compact at just 167x171x54 mm / 6.57x6.73x2.13 in, and you can easily slip it into a backpack, handbag or camera bag. The Fly More Bundles strangely don't include a carry bag.

The kit sent for review was the DJI Neo 2 Fly More Combo and includes a DJI RC-N3 controller. This features a telescopic phone holder at the top and allows you to fly the Neo 2 like a camera drone. This will likely be the most popular kit, although the Motion Controller Fly More Bundle with FPV goggles is an attractive option.

DJI Neo 2: Functionality

• Excellent flight modes and performance
• Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing
• 49GB of internal storage

Despite its FPV-style design, the Neo 2, like its predecessor, flies well as a camera drone using the DJI RC-N3 controller. In fact, even the on-screen digital controls for manual flight in the DJI Fly app work well and are useful when you want to keep your carrying weight to a minimum. This, however, is a selfie drone that's designed to capture selfies and track moving subjects, whether you're running, cycling, skiing or walking.

It does a fantastic job of these thanks to its intelligent flight modes, which include Follow, Skiing Follow, Cycling Follow, SelfieShot, Dronie, Helix, Rocket, Circle, Boomerang, Dolly Zoom and Spotlight alongside Manual Control. This is further enhanced by the addition of Omnidirectional Obstacle Avoidance with combined vision and LiDAR sensors. When following you in complex environments, the Neo 2 does a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles and keeping the subject centered in the frame.

You also get Quickshots, which are DJI automated flight patterns for capturing professional-looking video at the touch of a button. These include Dronie, Circle, Rocket, Spotlight, Helix and Boomerang, so there are tons of flight modes to enjoy. All this is great for beginners and people who want to capture themselves on their adventures.

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The 1606mAh batteries are advertised as being able to last for up to 19 minutes, although in reality, you're looking at around 10 minutes of flight before Return to Home is initiated. This is typical for selfie drones and DJI FPV drones, of which the Neo 2 is one, if you choose the Fly More Bundle that comes with a Motion Controller and goggles, or if you already own compatible accessories.

This is a drone that relies entirely on internal storage since it doesn't have an SD card slot. So the increase in storage to 49GB is a welcome upgrade. The Neo 2 can save up to 105 minutes of 4K/60fps video, up to 175 minutes of 4K/30fps video or 241 minutes of 1080p/60fps video, which should be more than enough storage for most people.

Once photos and videos have been captured, you can connect to the drone via WiFi with your phone to transfer the footage at up to 80 MB/s using the DJI Fly app. This is great for mobile editing and quick sharing, and you can download to a computer using a USB-C cable.

Other potentially useful and interesting features include Gesture Control, where the Neo 2 can be controlled using a range of gestures, and is useful when you don't have a controller. Most people will often have their phone with the DJI Fly app. I've never been a fan of gesture control myself, but I appreciate its usefulness. Then there's voice control, where you say your commands to the DJI Fly app, which then transmits them to the drone.

DJI Neo 2: Performance

• 12MP 1/2-inch sensor
• Photos are only captured in JPEG
• Excellent image stabilization

The Neo 2's image quality is good for photos and much better for video, with the former only captured in JPEG format and no Raw option available, which is a shame. It's certainly not designed to be a photography powerhouse like the DJI Mini 5 Pro, but this is to be expected from a selfie drone with great subject tracking capabilities.

The Neo 2 features a 1/2-inch sensor, which allows for the image Rocksteady Electronic Image Stabilization to completely smooth video footage. During testing, the Neo 2 was practically shaken, and although movement could be seen, the Electronic Image Stabilization did an incredible job – truly impressive.

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The sensor has a 12MP resolution and provides an equivalent focal length of 16.5 mm. The aperture is fixed at f/2.2, while focus is between 70 cm and infinity. ISO can be set between 100 and 12,800. Video can be captured in 4K at up to 60 FPS, 1080p at up to 60 FPS and vertical shooting 2.7K (9:16) 1512×2688 px is available up to 60 FPS.

Please note the footage below was shot in 4K, but our video player only plays in HD.

Video is captured in the Normal/Standard color profile, so it can be used straight out of the camera, and the maximum video bitrate is 80 Mbps. Rocksteady Electronic image Stabilization keeps the video smooth and the horizon straight, producing what is a remarkably impressive effect that’s as good as a mechanical gimbal. This system is ideal for the Neo 2 with its two-axis gimbal that offers a tilt movement so you can adjust the camera angle.

DJI Neo 2: Price

The DJI Neo 2 was released on November 13, 2025, and comes in at a slightly higher price than the DJI Neo. That's really not an issue, though, because the Neo 2 is packed with many more new and advanced features, making it a much more rounded offering.

The DJI Neo 2 costs £209 drone only, which means you get one battery and can control the drone with the DJI Fly app. The DJI Neo 2 Fly More Combo costs £349 and includes the drone, three batteries, a battery charging hub and a DJI RC-N3 controller.

If you're feeling a little more adventurous, you could opt for the DJI Neo 2 Motion Fly More Combo, which costs £509. This includes the extra batteries and charging hub alongside a Motion Controller and FPV goggles. All options are reasonably priced.

Should you buy the DJI Neo 2?

Unfortunately, the DJI Neo 2 isn't available in the US through DJI, but you may be able to get your hands on one another way. For those who can get hold of a Neo 2, if you're looking for either a selfie drone, an inexpensive beginner drone or an inexpensive and easy-to-fly FPV drone, the Neo 2 is a great option.

The fact that it can cover all of these bases, as well as having the ability to be used with the intelligent flight modes, drone only, or manually with the DJI Fly app, makes it incredibly versatile.

The new and improved features, alongside the Omnidirectional Obstacle Avoidance, are also positive factors that work in the drone's favour. If you're looking for a camera drone specifically, you might want to consider other models.

If this drone isn't for you

The HoverAir X1 Pro is another selfie drone, but this one has a folding design, which makes it more compact for transportation and storage. Performance is excellent when capturing up to 4K video, and there's a range of useful accessories available.

The Potensic Atom 2 is an affordable sub-250g drone that is a standard camera drone and a great alternative as a more powerful camera drone. It can capture video up to 4K and photos in both JPEG and Raw, with a range of useful features available.

The DJI Mini 5 Pro is the best sub-250g drone available and also offers excellent subject tracking. It's not a selfie drone, but with its advanced subject tracking and excellent image quality, it's a much more versatile option than the Neo 2 in many ways.

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