New DJI Neo 2 Drone Features Omnidirectional Sensing and Enhanced AI Tracking

DJI has officially unveiled the Neo 2, a significantly upgraded, beginner-friendly camera drone designed to address virtually every limitation of its popular predecessor. Launching globally today (with the notable exception of the U.S. market), the lightweight, 151g drone represents a substantial leap in autonomous flight capability. The Neo 2 now boasts full omnidirectional obstacle sensing with forward-facing LiDAR, a 2-axis mechanical gimbal, 4K video at up to 100fps, and tracking speeds reaching an impressive 12 m/s (43 km/h). Additional highlights include 49GB internal storage, Gesture Control 2.0 with a return-to-palm function, a new SelfieShot mode, and an optional O4 digital transceiver that extends the video transmission range to 10km. The package starts at £209/€239/AU$409 for the drone-only configuration.

The DJI Neo 2 systematically corrects the pain points of the first generation. Whereas the original offered palm takeoff but critically lacked obstacle avoidance, the Neo 2 implements omnidirectional sensing. Where the tracking speed was limited to jogging pace, the new model can reliably follow intermediate skiers and cyclists. Furthermore, the Neo 2 now incorporates a built-in screen and mode selection buttons, allowing users to change flight modes without needing to connect to the DJI Fly app. The full-coverage propeller guards remain standard, featuring detachable and replaceable components.

The single most pivotal upgrade is the integration of an omnidirectional monocular vision system, complemented by a downward infrared sensing unit and a forward-facing LiDAR system. The forward LiDAR provides a 0.3-8m measurement range with a 60-degree horizontal and vertical Field of View (FOV), while vision sensors detect obstacles from 0.5-15m in all directions. This transformative feature changes the Neo 2 from a drone requiring constant visual monitoring into a reliable platform for executing automated flight modes safely. For novice users, this omnidirectional sensing provides genuine peace of mind during palm-based operations. The enhanced sensors also enable stable hovering over complex surfaces, such as water, snow, building edges, and cliff edges, scenarios that previously caused positioning instability.

The maximum tracking speed has been dramatically boosted from 8 m/s to 12 m/s, crossing into the domain of practical action sports documentation. This faster tracking accommodates casual cycling and intermediate skiing, scenarios where the first generation could not keep pace. DJI specifically optimized the tracking algorithm for cycling, providing faster response times and more reliable subject locking, alongside stable pursuit during dramatic directional changes in skiing runs. Users now have the ability to adjust the drone’s position during tracking using gesture control without interrupting the flight path, a feature that eliminates the need for landing and repositioning to adjust the angle.

The 1/2-inch CMOS sensor is now paired with a 2-axis mechanical gimbal covering both tilt and roll, a major enhancement over the original's single-axis setup. This dual-axis mechanical stabilization works in tandem with RockSteady Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) for smoother footage. The gimbal offers a −90 to 70-degree controllable tilt range at a maximum speed of 100 degrees per second, with an angular vibration range of ±0.01 degrees.

Video specifications now reach 4K (3840×2880) at 60fps in 4:3 format via Wi-Fi, with 100fps capability in both 4K 16:9 (3840×2160) and 1080p when a remote controller is utilized. For vertical content creators, the Neo 2 captures 2.7K resolution (1512×2688) at 60fps, a substantial improvement over the original’s 1080p vertical shooting. This 2.7K footage is generated from the 4:3 sensor without cropping. The new Portrait mode optimization automatically enhances facial brightness, adjusts contrast, and optimizes skin tones when tracking humans in ActiveTrack, QuickShots, or the new SelfieShot modes. Maximum video bitrate reaches 80 Mbps.

The new SelfieShot feature addresses the need for couples, families, or groups to capture photos without external assistance. The mode supports single and group subjects with three framing options—waist-up, full-body, and wide shots—handling composition and camera movement automatically while using portrait optimization for well-lit faces.

Gesture Control has expanded beyond the original’s palm takeoff. Single-hand palm gestures control lateral movement and altitude, while dual-hand gestures (moving both palms apart or together) adjust the drone's distance in Spotlight and Follow modes for real-time composition adjustments. The system also supports subject switching during flight and features a return-to-palm functionality that autonomously lands the drone in the user's hand upon successful recognition.

Internal storage has more than doubled from 22GB to 49GB, which is enough capacity for approximately 105 minutes of 4K/60fps footage or 175 minutes at 4K/30fps. Wi-Fi 6 connectivity enables QuickTransfer download speeds up to 80 MB/s, allowing a full storage offload in about 11 minutes. However, the drone relies solely on this fixed 49GB capacity as it does not support microSD card expansion.

Maximum flight time reaches 19 minutes without propeller guards (an improvement of one minute over the original), with the 1606 mAh battery supporting at least 20 palm takeoff and landing cycles. Wind resistance has also improved from Level 4 (8 m/s) to Level 5 (10.7 m/s). The drone's maximum horizontal speeds now reach 12 m/s in Sport mode and tracking, and ascent speeds climb to 5 m/s in Sport mode.

While the standard Neo 2 relies on Wi-Fi with a 500m effective range, the optional DJI Neo 2 Digital Transceiver module enables O4 video transmission, extending the range to 10km (FCC) or 6km (CE/SRRC/MIC) in unobstructed environments. The O4 system operates across 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands, supporting 60 Mbps video bitrates. Live view reaches 1080p/100fps with DJI Goggles 3 or 1080p/60fps with the RC-N3/RC 2 controllers.

The Neo 2 offers six QuickShots modes, including Dronie, Circle, Rocket, and Boomerang, alongside the new Hitchcock effect (dolly zoom) for distinctive dramatic perspective shifts. MasterShots automates the capture of multiple varied shots and edits the footage with music for polished final videos. The system also features Voice Control 2.0 with enhanced recognition accuracy, allowing users to issue basic commands via Bluetooth earphones or an Apple Watch when their hands are occupied during activities like skiing or cycling.