DJI Neo Vs DJI Avata 2 - Which One Should You Choose?

DJI just released its newest drone, a micro drone called the Neo that’s been making waves on social media and DJI fan sites. Smaller than any other drone in the market and compatible with FPV accessories like the Goggles 3, the Neo is a great FPV drone at an affordable budget. But how does it compare to the Avata 2, the previous heavyweight in DJI’s FPV drone lineup? We’ll go ahead and compare the Avata 2 vs the Neo to help you see how these two drones stack up against each other.

Design

Design is one of the biggest differentiators between the Neo and the Avata 2.  For a size comparison, it’s like David and Goliath–the Neo is only 135 grams, almost a third of the size of the Avata 2, which is 377 grams.  The small size is one of the Neo’s calling cards, as it’s the lightest drone that DJI has come out with to date.  Its small size makes it easily portable and even allows you to launch it from the palm of your hand, which is pretty impressive (not to mention convenient).

The Avata 2 isn’t exactly a giant like some of DJI’s other drones (the Air 3 and Mavic 3 Pro are two and three times its size respectively), but it’s still bigger than other micro drones like the Mini 3 and the Mini 4 Pro. Design-wise, the Neo has a similar structure to the Avata 2, essentially built like the little brother to the larger Avata 2. Both drones are pretty portable, but the Neo definitely takes the cake in terms of taking up minimal space.

Both drones have a built-in propeller guard, which does a good job of keeping the drone safe in midair. But while the Avata 2’s propeller guards protect the sides of the propellers, the Neo comes with full-coverage propeller guards that protect them from all sides. This helps make up somewhat for the lack of obstacle avoidance in the Neo.

Flight time

There is a difference of about five minutes in max flight time between the DJI Avata 2 vs DJI Neo.  Whereas the Avata 2 gives you 23 minutes of flight time, the Neo only grants you 18 minutes in the skies.  This isn’t a huge difference, especially compared to commercial drones that have upwards of 35 minutes of flight time, but it can be noticeable if you find yourself repeatedly running down the clock. 

If you’re flying the Neo, you should be able to get about 20 different launches and maneuvers to and from your palm before you have to recharge. Both drones can get back up in the air quickly if you bring a few extra flight batteries and charge them with DJI’s Two-Way Charging Hub. The Avata 2 also has PD fast-charging support, which further accelerates charging time and can mitigate the short flight time.

Obstacle sensing

The DJI Neo features downward-facing sensors that provide essential assistance with positioning, altitude maintenance, and landing. While these sensors enhance the drone's stability and safety during takeoff and landing, they do not offer comprehensive obstacle avoidance. Pilots will need to remain vigilant and manually navigate through complex environments to avoid potential collisions.

In contrast, the DJI Avata 2 boasts a more advanced obstacle sensing system, featuring both downward and backward visual positioning. This dual-sensor configuration enables the Avata 2 to better detect and respond to its surroundings, reducing the risk of collisions and allowing for more confident flying. The additional backward-facing sensors provide enhanced spatial awareness, making it ideal for cinematic FPV flights and high-speed maneuvers. While not foolproof, the Avata 2's advanced obstacle sensing system offers a higher level of safety and peace of mind for pilots.

Range

While their flight times are relatively similar, the range difference between the Avata 2 vs the Neo is much more noticeable.  Whereas the Avata 2 has a maximum video transmission distance of up to 13 km, the Neo is only about half that at 7 km.  This makes the Avata 2 well-suited for long-distance flights where you’re interested in exploring the area with greater flexibility.  The Neo’s short flight distance makes it a better match for filming close-up videos and performing flight maneuvers within your line of sight.

Stability

Both the Neo and the Avata excel at keeping images stable and smooth throughout flight.  Each drone is designed with a single-axis mechanical gimbal and supports different stabilization features that can be toggled on and off accordingly.  The Avata 2 supports RocksSteady 3.0+, which keeps the drone steady at high speeds and in windy conditions.  It also supports HorizonSteady, which keeps the camera trained on the horizon during rotations of up to 360°, no matter how the drone turns or sways.  The Neo uses both RockSteady and HorizonBalancing, which can reduce image shakes and correct horizon tilt within ±45°.

Imaging

While the Neo does well for its smaller size, it does take a few hits in terms of image quality in comparison to the Avata 2.  The Avata 2 uses a 1/1.3-inch image sensor to take photos, while the Neo has a slightly smaller 1/2-inch image sensor.  They both take 12MP photos, which means you’ll get pretty decent-quality images from the sky, although the Avata 2 has a slight edge.

The drones differ with regard to video recording as well.  The Avata 2 can capture 4K HDR videos at 60 fps, which gives you pretty crystal clear recording that optimizes contrast, brightness, and color for all kinds of lighting conditions.  This is further enhanced by the 10-bit D-Log M feature, which essentially captures a much higher level of detail in both highlights and shadows.  The Neo captures 4K UHD videos at 30 fps, which provides pretty crisp videos, although they don’t automatically adapt to the environment the same way the Avata 2 does.

The Avata 2 has a couple of extra features that make recording a bit more versatile.  You can greatly expand the field of view up to an impressive 155°, capturing way more of your environment in a single shot.  The drone lets you toggle between ultra-wide-angle, wide-angle, and normal-angle FOV options depending on the kind of shot you’re trying to get.  You can also adjust sharpness and noise reduction levels with the Goggles 3 to more finely curate the style of video you’re trying to achieve.

QuickShots

One cool feature that the Neo has that the Avata 2 lacks is QuickShots.  This feature is especially popular with newer pilots, as it basically gives you the ability to fly the drone in some pretty complex maneuvers with the push of a button.  The six QuickShots modes are Dronie, Circle, Rocket, Spotlight, Helix, and Boomerang.  QuickShots is tailor-made for the social media crowd, as it can churn out some pretty impressive visual effects even if you don’t know anything about flying drones.

AI- Subject Tracking

Since the DJI Avata 2 is a full blown FPV drone, it does not support subject tracking features. Since the Avata 2 is primarily to be flown with the Goggles 3 as the main interface, it does not provide user interface to mark a subject in the scene. The DJI Neo one ups the Avata 2 in this aspect with its subject tracking features. The DJI Neo uses AI-powered tracking to keep moving subjects in frame, making it ideal for capturing outdoor adventures. With DirectionTrack and Smart Tracking, you can set the drone's flight path and subject focus before takeoff, allowing you to focus on flying while the Neo handles the filming.

Control methods

Both drones offer a range of different control methods, some of which give you an FPV of the drone’s flight.  Since some methods are compatible with both drones, we’ll go ahead and break things down by control method:

Voice control

This control method is exclusive to the Neo, and it requires the use of the DJI Fly app.  All you have to do is use the words “Hey Fly” to activate the app and pilot the Neo entirely with spoken flight commands.  It’s a cool feature that allows for hands-free flight, ideal if you’re trying to get a shot of yourself cycling or doing anything that prevents you from focusing entirely on piloting the drone.

Goggles 3

This accessory is compatible with both the Neo and the Avata 2.  While the Goggles 3 are required to use the Avata 2, they’re an optional accessory with the Neo.  With both drones, the Goggles 3 will offer a Real View PiP (Picture-in-Picture) of the skies through a micro-OLED high-definition display.  You can double-tap the right-side panel of the goggles to toggle between an interactive interface and a live view of your surroundings, which can help you keep an eye on the flight footage on the upper left corner of the screen without losing awareness of what’s in front of you.

The Goggles 3 are ergonomically designed with low-pressure padding to make them as comfortable to wear as possible.  You can even trigger a defogging feature to keep the view clear using an internal fan to clear the lenses.  The battery is integrated into the headband, providing a 3-hour max operating time.  If you want to adjust your vision for greater clarity, you can even adjust the diopter between -6.0 D to +2.0 D.  All in all, the Goggles 3 offer an impressively immersive experience for both the Neo and the Avata 2, making them a worthwhile upgrade to consider for the Neo.

RC Motion 3

A step up from the RC-N3 is the RC Motion 3, a joystick controller that allows you to control either the Neo or the Avata 2.  When combined with the Goggles 3, you can use the movement of your wrist and thumb to control the drone’s movement both vertically and horizontally.  Easy ACRO lets you perform 360° flips and rolls and 180° drifts, which can help you nail some pretty creative shots while navigating past obstacles.  You can even lock the aircraft’s altitude or initiate immediate braking or hovering with the push of a button.

In conjunction with the Goggles 3, the RC Motion 3 allows you to control an AR cursor to toggle certain functions and adjust camera settings.  For more advanced pilots, the RC Motion 3 has the option of Normal, Sport, or Manual modes, the last of which allows you to fly manually and perform more advanced maneuvers.

FPV Remote Controller 3

This is a two-handed remote controller that offers the most flexibility over your flight.  Compatible with both the Avata 2 and the Neo, the FPV Remote Controller 3 works with the Goggles 3 to help you master more advanced skills.  Like the RC Motion 3, this remote controller supports a manual mode that allows you to practice different flying maneuvers as you build up your piloting ability.

Accessory support

Both drones come with a few optional accessories that may help you get more use out of the experience.  In addition to the various remote controllers, both drones can benefit from the DJI Two-Way Charging Hub to maximize flight time and keep you in the air as long as possible.  The Avata 2 is also compatible with an optional ND Filter Set that can help you adjust to various lighting settings in case you like to shoot at night or around sunset.

If you’re interested in an immersive experience above all else, it’s definitely worth it to invest in the Goggles 3 and one of the remote controllers.  The Avata 2 Fly More Combo comes with the RC Motion 3 and a pair of Goggles 3, but you’ll have to buy the goggles separately from the Neo Fly More Combo (which comes with the RC-N3 remote controller).

Cost

The final battle between DJI Avata 2 vs DJI Neo is the price tag.  The Neo by itself is only $249 CAD / US $199, while the Neo Fly More Combo runs for about $445 CAD / $329 USD.  The Avata 2 is about three times as expensive, with the Avata 2 Fly More Combo running around $1,379 CAD/ $999 USD or $1,379 CAD / 1,099 USD if you get the combo with three batteries.

WHICH ONE SHOULD YOU GET?

All in all, this makes the Neo the better option for newbie pilots who are more concerned with capturing cool videos for social media than with being professional photographers of the sky.  If you want to eke out a bit more power from the Neo, you can bump it up with accessories like the FPV Controller 3 and the Goggles 3 while still spending less than the Avata 2.  But if you’re a drone enthusiast who isn’t afraid to spend more for better quality, then the Avata 2 will give you plenty of fun features to play around with.