Anybody planning to buy a Neo?

[cameraz]

I'm thinking of buying a DJI Neo, but it's a lot more expensive than the $199 base price. If you add the extra batteries, it comes to $289. Add the RC2 remote (yes, I know you can use just your phone), and that adds $369. Two years of Care Refresh is $38, and tax (in MA) is $43.50. For a grand total of $739.50. That's a lot for a drone that flies for 18 minutes.
Yet, if I was to get the Mini 4 Pro, and add all of the above, it would come to about $468 more, for a total of $1,208.
Decisions, decisions.

 

[mavic3usa]

i think you math is a little off but we are all discussing much of that over in the NEO forum: DJI NEO Pilots Drone Forum

 

[AeroJ]

I've entered a competition to win one, but I'm not parting with any money for one, because it can't do much better than my M4P except in a few specific circumstances. There are also rather more limitations to that drone that the initial shilling videos would reveal - you have to dig a bit deeper to discover the ropey overcooked camera quality, low bit rate, appalling low-light performance, eminent stealability (it will land in ANYONES hand presented to it for example, or can just be grabbed out of the air, inverted to disable it, and then run off with, and then remains fully functional for the thief !).

It's fairly hopeless indoors too, unless the lighting there is incredibly bright, but far too often it just lands all the time complaining about not enough light or texturing on the floor. Perhaps DJI will improve that via firmware updates. A few people flying with drone only have found it can stop in the middle of a move, and then remain where it is, high in the sky with no way to bring it down until it runs out of battery !

Then there's its weird behaviour when it is in proximity to a controlled zone or no-fly zone, and the app offers a plethora of surprise reasons it won't take off in certain areas or conditions.

And I really don't like that high pitched whine it makes, which will annoy me as much as I'm sure it will dogs in parks, animals in nature, and everyone else around me ! We certainly couldn't use it for any stealth missions or National Trust overflies for example. So, quite a lot of downsides there. But the upsides are still enough to make me vaguely curious to try it - I am not currently happy with the safety aspects of tracking myself riding the EUC with my M4P, so just don't do it, and it would be nice to be able to film those lower speed woodland rides without the worry of damage to that or the controller. The Neo will crash regularly and often I imagine (as will I on my monowheel), but will resist and take the damage much better than my vulnerable little M4P would; its gimbal and of course props are nowhere near so susceptible to destruction than they are on the Mini.

If I win, I will make it work with my existing RC2 if I can, and also use it in follow mode to film my EUC rides if it can keep up, which I suspect it can't. But off-road it might make for entertaining B-roll stuff to compliment the main stuff coming off the M4P.

 

[Starz]

flies for 18 minutes

Information from DJI. Real world will probably be less than information available in written form.

 

[AeroJ]

Information from DJI. Real world will probably be less than information available in written form.

Yep - real world reviews place it somewhere between 13 and 15 'actual' mins !

 

[msinger]

I'm thinking of buying a DJI Neo, but it's a lot more expensive than the $199 base price

Indeed. But, if you want to fly without a remote controller (the target audience it seems), it's possible to get started for as little as $199. Everything else you listed isn't required.

If you want to have it all though, you're right. It's going to cost quite a bit more than $199. And don't forget a case and any other commonly used drone accessories.

 

[djwak59]

I'm thinking of buying a DJI Neo, but it's a lot more expensive than the $199 base price. If you add the extra batteries, it comes to $289. Add the RC2 remote (yes, I know you can use just your phone), and that adds $369. Two years of Care Refresh is $38, and tax (in MA) is $43.50. For a grand total of $739.50. That's a lot for a drone that flies for 18 minutes.
Yet, if I was to get the Mini 4 Pro, and add all of the above, it would come to about $468 more, for a total of $1,208.
Decisions, decisions.

Nope. Not interested.

 

[Kilrah]

Mine's on the way, since I have an Avata 2 I have all the goodies already.