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Title: DJIΓÇÖs Neo 2 selfie drone has LiDAR for obstacle avoidance

Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2025 17:47:00 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/cameras/djis-neo-2-s...

DJI just announced the Neo 2 selfie drone, a follow-up to last year's
original. This upgraded model includes a whole lot of new features. Just make
sure to set DJI's website to Hong Kong/China to see images and specs.

Perhaps the biggest upgrade here is the inclusion of LiDAR sensors for
obstacle avoidance. The LiDAR is paired with downward-looking infrared
sensors so it should be much safer as the drone follows you during flight. It
still has integrated guards to protect the propellers, but the new obstacle
avoidance system adds some more peace of mind.

The drone also now allows for gesture controls, which is handy when filming
quickly-moving selfie videos. Users can adjust position and distance by
moving their hands around. It still supports motion controllers and DJI's RC-
N3 remote controller.

DJI

The max speed has been increased to nearly 27MPH, which is much faster than
the original's follow speed. DJI told The Verge that the drone is better at
handling difficult weather conditions, as it can maintain a stable hover in
winds up to around 24MPH.

The battery life is better, with a larger 1606mAh rechargeable battery that
gets up to 19 minutes of use per charge. The original got around 14 to 17
minutes per charge. The camera now uses a dual-axis gimbal for improved
stability, though has the same half-inch sensor of the original. However, the
field of view has been widened and it can capture 4K footage at up to 60FPS.
This goes up to 100FPS when the drone is being piloted manually.

The internal storage has been boosted all the way up to 49GB, from 22GB. All
of these upgrades have made the drone slightly heavier than the original, at
151 grams compared to 135 grams. If the battery life and speed are better,
then the added weight doesn't really matter in my eyes.

The bad news? The Neo 2 is currently only available in China. We called the
original "the best $200 drone ever made" so we hope DJI goes for a wider
release as soon as possible. The good news? The price should remain
relatively similar, as it costs 1,499 Chinese Yuan. This translates to $211
in US dollars. However, we have no idea how or if tariffs will impact this
pricing.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/cameras/djis-neo-2-s...
obstacle-avoidance-174700215.html?src=rss

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