DJI Neo - The Perfect Cyclist's Drone 

I got my feet wet using a drone for cycling photography in the spring of 2017 when I bought a Yuneec Breeze 4K. It showed me two things at the time. Firstly, I was able to capture some amazing photos. Secondly, drone technology wasn't ready. I continued to follow the development of consumer drones. With DJI's release of the Neo, the first drone that I consider "ready" has arrived. If you're into flying drones and have the time and money for it, very capable drones have been available for years. But if you wanted something that does the job, and does the job quickly and easily, there was nothing remotely comparable to the Neo until now.

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What makes it such a great drone for cycling? For one, its weight and small form factor. At 135 grams and a size of 130×157×48.5 mm, it doesn't take much room in a backpack, and you barely carry any extra weight. Next is control. The easiest way to use the Neo is through Palm Control. After powering it on, you use the mode button to switch among multiple intelligent shooting modes. Follow and spotlight will be the modes you use most often for cycling.

Mobile App Control is the better choice for more control and peace of mind while riding. Mount your smartphone to the handlebar, and you can keep an eye on the drone or change flight modes while the Neo remains in flight. The best thing for cyclists is Voice Control through the Fly App. While you’re riding, you can use voice commands such as “follow,” “brake,” “higher,” “lower,” “farther,” and many more. You can keep both hands firmly on your bars, and your eyes can stay focused on the road. I use voice commands all the time.

My fall 2024 photo album already has close to 100 photos I’ve taken with the Neo. I’ve only pulled out my iPhone 12 or DJI Action 2 camera fourteen times to snap a photo during the summer.