DJI Neo 2
A 151 g self-flying camera with the omnidirectional sensing and forward LiDAR its predecessor lacked, at a price that makes it the cheapest DJI worth buying. Nineteen minutes and a 1/2-inch sensor are the limits.
- Rating
- 4.3/ 5
- Weight
- 151 g
- Flight time
- 19 min
- Price
- $259
- Launched
- Nov 13, 2025
- Made by
- DJI
The DJI Neo 2 is a 151 g palm-launched drone with full propeller guards, a 1/2-inch 12 MP camera that records 4K at up to 100 fps, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing with forward-facing LiDAR, launched on 13 November 2025 at $259 for the aircraft alone. It is the successor to the 2024 Neo, which sold in large numbers as the cheapest way into DJI’s ecosystem and was criticised for having no obstacle sensing at all.
The Neo 2 fixes that. Sensing in every direction plus a LiDAR unit on the nose is more than the Mini 4 Pro has, on an aircraft a third of the price.
Aircraft Specifications
| Specification | DJI Neo 2 |
|---|---|
| Takeoff weight | 151 g; 160 g with the Digital Transceiver fitted |
| Dimensions | 147 × 171 × 41 mm with propeller guards |
| Max flight time | Approx. 19 min; approx. 17 min with the guards on |
| Max horizontal speed | 8 m/s in Normal mode; 12 m/s in Sport |
| Max wind resistance | 10.7 m/s (Level 5) |
| Max takeoff altitude | 2,000 m |
| Operating temperature | -10° to 40°C |
| Obstacle sensing | Omnidirectional monocular vision, downward infrared, forward-facing LiDAR |
| Internal storage | 49 GB |
All figures are DJI’s published specifications. FlightBrief has not flown the aircraft.
Camera
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Sensor | 1/2-inch CMOS, 12 MP |
| Lens | 16.5 mm equivalent, f/2.2, 119.8° FOV |
| Video | 4K 3840 × 2160 at up to 100 fps; 1080p at up to 100 fps |
| Max bitrate | 80 Mbps |
| Gimbal | Two-axis mechanical (tilt, roll) |
Twelve megapixels from a 1/2-inch sensor is a phone-class camera, and that is the trade. The Neo 2 is for footage of the person flying it, not for landscapes.
Control, Transmission and Battery
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Control | Palm launch and app over Wi-Fi as standard; RC-N3 controller, DJI Goggles and the optional Digital Transceiver for longer range |
| Max range | 10 km (FCC), 6 km (CE), with the transceiver |
| Battery | 1,606 mAh |
| Charging | Approx. 70 min from empty, charging the aircraft directly |
The aircraft alone is a follow camera controlled from a phone. The Fly More Combo adds the RC-N3 controller and, at $429, turns it into a conventional drone; the $599 Motion Fly More Combo adds goggles and the motion controller for first-person flying.
Use Cases
A first drone. A follow camera for cycling, running and family video that fits in a coat pocket and launches from a hand. Indoor flying, where the guards and the sensing make it the DJI least likely to end the day in pieces. An FPV taster with the goggles bundle, before committing to an Avata 360.
Market Context
The Neo 2 competes with the HoverAir X1 PROMAX rather than with any other DJI. The HoverAir has the better camera — a 1/1.3-inch sensor and 8K — and only rear-facing sensing; the Neo 2 has the sensing, a proper controller option and 19 minutes to the HoverAir’s 16, at well under half the price.
Against the Mini 4 Pro the comparison is one of purpose. The Mini is a camera drone that happens to be light. The Neo 2 is a flying camera that happens to be a drone, and its sensor and short endurance say so.
It went on sale in the United States at launch, five weeks before DJI’s addition to the FCC Covered List on 22 December 2025. That listing blocks new equipment authorisations; aircraft authorised before it stay on sale, which is the position the Neo 2 is in. The buying guide lists it as the alternative for piloting-free capture.
Compared
| Specification | DJI Neo 2 | HoverAir X1 PROMAX | DJI Mini 4 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 151 g | 192 g | under 249 g (over with the Plus battery) |
| Flight time | 19 min | 16 min | 34 min (45 min Plus) |
| Price | $259 | $699 | $759 |
| Where to buy | Amazon; DJI store | Amazon | Out of stock at DJI's US store (29 Sept 2026); Amazon sellers |
| Launched | Nov 13, 2025 | Aug 26, 2024 | Sep 25, 2023 |
Figures are the manufacturers' published specifications, as on each product's page.
Coverage
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