DJI Neo leak reveals likely launch date for the tiny drone – and also for the GoPro-rival Action 5 Pro
The growing number of DJI Neo leaks we’ve seen this week have hinted at an imminent launch for the tiny drone – and now a new leak appears to have revealed release dates for both the Neo and the Action 5 Pro action camera.
The Reliable DJI Leaker @Quadro_News posted a screenshot on X (formerly Twitter) showing the launch dates for both products. If accurate, we’ll see the DJI Neo (and its Fly More Combo bundles) release on August 20th, with the DJI Action 5 Pro releasing a little over a week later on August 28th.
That’s exciting news if you’re looking for a small, beginner-friendly drone or a GoPro alternative. The Neo is particularly interesting because it promises to kick off a new line of affordable DJI drones, with further leaks filling in some of the missing details.
A new message from @JasperEllens A recent report released by Ryze on August 6 suggests the Neo will have a flight time of 16 minutes, which sounds about right for its size – the slightly smaller Ryze Tello stays in the air for 13 minutes per charge. Apparently the Neo’s ‘Fly More Combo’ bundle (rumored to cost $329, or around £320 / AU$515) will also feature three batteries instead of the usual two.
👉Well? Shall we discuss it?🙃#dji #djineo pic.twitter.com/onm14sHPa0August 6, 2024
It’s also now looking increasingly likely that the Neo will be paired with FPV headsets like the DJI Goggles 3 for first-person view flying. The latest post on X suggests that the Neo’s ‘Fly More Combo’ bundle will include a motion controller (which ships with the DJI Avata 2), while a new YouTube video from Quadricottero News (in Italian) seems to indicate that the drone appeared prematurely in the Goggles 3 settings menu.
A little less is known about the Action 5 Pro, but some leaks in mid-July suggested that despite the Pro name, it could be a relatively minor upgrade over the DJI Osmo Action 4. We called that action cam “a polished GoPro alternative with fuss-free mounts,” and it looks like its successor will retain the same 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor, f/2.8 aperture, and 155-degree field of view.
Worth waiting for?
If you’re considering buying a new drone for social media videos or an action cam for travel adventures, we definitely recommend waiting a few weeks for these two launches.
The DJI Neo appears to be a HoverAir X1 rival, with features like “AI Subject Tracking,” “4K Ultra-Stabilized video,” and “full-coverage propeller guards,” according to previous leaks. Its size and expected weight of 135g mean it’ll be most at home in indoor environments, but its affordable price tag and FPV compatibility could make it a lot of fun and one of the best beginner drones around.
That said, DJI also has the mid-range DJI Air 3S and a DJI Mavic 4 on the way, so those will likely be better options for outdoor aerial video and photography. We don’t yet know when either of those are likely to launch, but a @Quadro_News post mentioned “not anytime soon” for the Air 3S – so we’re probably looking at September at the earliest.
The DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro is a bit more of a mystery, and it would be a little disappointing if it doesn’t get a new 1-inch sensor as rumored. Other upgrades like improved image stabilization and higher video bitrates are likely, but expect a few more leaks in the run-up to its August 28 launch.