On a recent ride with my VESC-based MagWheel (OneWheel wannabe), I captured the experience using both my DJI Neo 2 and my Looki L1 AI Video Recorder. I’ve already shared my high regard for the improved Neo 2, which I used in its autonomous follow mode to track me from dynamic angles. Alongside it, I tested the Looki L1 AI Video Recorder for some first-person shots. Even though the Looki L1 isn’t all that high resolution (1600x1200), I was impressed overall no frame skipping, good overall color balance and sharpness. I also used the audio from the Looki L1 and it handled the sound well despite the wind from the ride. The final video blended the Neo’s tracking with the Looki’s first person clipped on perspective, showing how well these tools pair for immersive content.
It was one of those days where you don’t really plan much, you just end up moving the entire time.
We’d already put in a solid stretch walking through Whistler. Started out casual, just heading toward the village, but it turned into something closer to eight… maybe nine miles by the time we were done. No rush, no destination that mattered that much, just walking, stopping, taking things in, moving again. The kind of day where you feel it in your legs a bit, but in a good way.
By the time we got back, Nicole had to jump into some work. Laptop open, focused, back into it. That’s kind of how these trips go, it's not fully “off,” it’s more like a mix. Some downtime, some work, just shifting between the two.
So instead of sitting around, I figured I’d take that window and do something with it.
Grabbed the Avata 2 drone, headed out, and decided this would be a good time to try something different, call it a “Flog.” Not a vlog, not a blog… just a flight log. Turn it on, talk a bit, fly, and see what happens.
Right from takeoff, you could tell it wasn’t going to be one of those easy, smooth flights. The wind was there. Not crazy, but enough that I had to pay attention. Switched into manual mode, got it dialed in, and I could feel it immediately, the drone leaning, pushing, needing constant input just to stay where it should.
Still, once you’re up, it’s hard not to appreciate where you are.
Out over Alpha Lake, everything opens up. Water below, mountains wrapping around in every direction, little pockets of activity here and there—boaters, people along the shore, townhouses tucked into the landscape. It’s one of those views that doesn’t really get old, even when you’ve been walking through it all day already.
Flying higher helped with the signal, but it also made the wind more noticeable. You could actually see the drone fighting it, tilting, correcting, drifting if you let off for even a second. It turns into less of a relaxed flight and more of a conversation between you and the conditions.
Drop lower, and the wind calms down… but then you start dealing with trees, signal dips, and obstacles. So it’s this constant back-and-forth, stay high and fight the wind, or go low and deal with interference. No perfect option, just adjusting as you go.
Somewhere in the middle of all that, it hits you that this is kind of the whole point.
Earlier in the day, it was miles of walking. Now it’s flying over the same area, seeing it from a completely different angle. And in between, there’s still work getting done, videos waiting to be edited, content being captured without really forcing it.
Nicole’s inside working. I’m out here flying. Same trip, two different modes, both productive in their own way.
The battery starts to drop into the mid-range, and the wind isn’t letting up. Signal’s still decent, but I can feel it’s probably a good time to head back. No need to push it.
Bringing it in, dropping altitude, the wind eases off almost immediately. Everything smooths out again, like flipping a switch. A quick reminder of how different things can be just depending on where you are in the air.
And that’s about it.
Nothing overly dramatic. No big moment. Just a full day, walking, working, flying, stacked together in a way that makes sense when you’re actually living it.
Just posted an 8-minute FPV flight with the DJI Avata 2, soaring around my backyard in the beautiful Langley area of British Columbia, Canada. The landscape is all farmland, fields, trees, houses, and that classic two-lane country road. I did some swooping low through the trees and climbing high for scenic shots. Even chased a couple trucks down that road briefly! The highlight? I flew in close to a mother mule deer and her two fawns, got an amazing view! A fun mix of high, low, and smooth backyard flying in BC!
Recently, I took my DJI Neo 2 drone out for a casual flight around our acreage. With open fields and farmland surrounding us, it’s always a peaceful backdrop. While gliding over the familiar landscape, something special unfolded.
I spotted three mule deer, one mother with her two adolescent offspring. They weren’t tiny fawns but not fully grown adults, let’s call them teenagers. What struck me was their curiosity. As I maneuvered the drone slowly and calmly, they stood their ground—alert but not alarmed. They let me approach relatively closely, observing the drone with a mix of caution and wonder. It was a rare moment of harmony between technology and wildlife.
After a short while, I gave them their peace, flying the drone off and leaving them to their day. It’s always a privilege to interact with nature so closely, even with something seemingly so out of place like the DJI Neo 2.
If you’ve followed me for a while, you know GetFitOver40 isn’t only about sets, reps and macros. For me, fitness is also about lifestyle and mental health, doing the things that light you up and keep you excited about life.
For me, one of those things is flying drones. I use them for my GetFitOver40 videos, for my Replica Airguns channel, and honestly just for fun. There’s something about being outside, moving around, and capturing cool shots that really fills the mental-fitness bucket.
Recently I picked up a new drone that I’m pretty excited about: the DJI Neo 2. I ordered the Fly More Combo as soon as it dropped on Amazon here in Canada. In this article, I’ll go over what it replaces in my current setup, what’s in the box, and why this little AI drone is probably going to become my main “do-it-all” camera drone.
Why I Upgraded to the DJI Neo 2
Until now, my “AI drone lineup” has been a bit of a juggling act:
DJI Neo (original) – Great little AI drone, decent video, solid tracking and FPV-style fun.
HoverAir X1 Pro Max – Absolutely amazing video quality, bigger sensor, super clean 4K image… but it doesn’t do everything the Neo does.
Other FPV drones for the more immersive, swoopy flying.
The problem was:
The Neo did more things, but the video quality wasn’t as good.
The HoverAir X1 Pro Max had better image quality, but didn’t offer all the same AI and FPV-style versatility.
So I ended up needing multiple drones depending on what I was doing.
Based on all the early reviews and footage I saw, the DJI Neo 2 looked like it could finally replace both my original Neo and the HoverAir X1 Pro Max for most of what I do: fitness content, lifestyle shots, drone B-roll and even tracking shots for my Replica Airguns videos.
Unboxing the Fly More Combo
I went with the Fly More Combo, which in Canadian dollars came out to about $550. Here’s what you get in that kit:
DJI Neo 2 drone
RC-N3 controller
Three batteries total
Charging hub
Antenna / transmitter module pre-installed on the back of the drone
Extra propellers (A + B)
USB cables (including a Lightning cable for iPhone users)
The regular base Neo 2 is cheaper, but it doesn’t include:
The RC-N3 controller
The antenna module for long-range use
Extra batteries and charging hub
For me, the combo made sense. It turns the Neo 2 into a true hybrid: I can fly it via phone only for quick runs or use the RC-N3 and get serious range and more traditional “drone” control.
Neo 2 vs Neo 1 vs HoverAir X1 Pro Max
Physically, the Neo 2 and Neo 1 are similar in footprint, but the Neo 2 is flatter and more low-profile. The big change is in the gimbal and brains:
Both Neo 1 and Neo 2 use roughly the same size sensor (around a 1/2" type sensor), but:
Neo 1 only has a single-axis gimbal (up and down).
Neo 2 has a two-axis gimbal (up/down + side-to-side).
With the Neo 1, when it was flying sideways in the wind, the drone had to digitally crop in to keep the horizon level. That means you lose resolution and field of view. The Neo 2’s mechanical two-axis gimbal keeps the sensor level while the drone tilts, so you get:
Less cropping
More of the sensor actually used
Cleaner, more stable footage
On top of that, the Neo 2 has newer, faster processing and can shoot:
4K at 60 fps all day long
Up to 100 fps in 4K for even smoother motion
The old Neo topped out at 4K 30 fps, which is pretty limiting if you do FPV-style flying or lots of action where you want smoother footage.
As for the HoverAir X1 Pro Max: it still has the best pure image quality of the three. Bigger sensor, 8K capture downsampled to 4K, and excellent low-light performance. But it doesn’t give me the same all-around versatility that the Neo 2 does, especially for FPV-style flying and advanced AI features.
For my needs, fitness videos, outdoor lifestyle content, tracking shots while I’m riding boards, bikes or EUCs, the Neo 2 is the better all-rounder even if the HoverAir still wins slightly in low-light and pixel-peeping.
Obstacle Avoidance, Sensors & Durability
The DJI Neo 2 is loaded with sensors:
Fisheye cameras on the top and bottomm that give it nearly 360° awareness.
A front-facing LiDAR sensor, which doesn’t rely on light, it measures distance, almost like a 3D scanner.
That means:
It can track and avoid obstacles even in low light.
It’s extremely good at seeing trees, branches, poles, and people, and adjusting its path to avoid collisions.
It’s arguably one of the best object-avoidance drones on the market right now bar none.
On top of that, the Neo 2 is built like a little tank:
Full guards around the props
Compact body
A bunch of videos out there showing it crashing and coming out just fine
So even if it does clip a branch once in a while, it’s usually no big deal.
Battery Life & Range
Real-world numbers matter more than marketing, so here’s what I’m seeing and what others report:
Each battery is rated for around 19 minutes, but realistically you’re looking at:
12–16 minutes depending on how aggressively you fly and the conditions.
With three batteries in the Fly More Combo, that’s about 35–40 minutes of actual usable flight time in the real world.
Range:
Phone-only (Wi-Fi): DJI claims up to 500 m, but realistically expect 200–300 m of solid, reliable range.
With the RC-N3 + antenna module: you can get serious distance (DJI talks about up to 20 km in ideal conditions). In real life, it’s plenty of range for typical filming and tracking scenarios.
AI Tracking, Gesture Control & “Jedi Mode”
This is where the Neo 2 shines for a solo creator like me.
You’ve got multiple ways to control and track yourself:
1. App-Based AI Tracking
Using the phone app, you can:
Select follow modes (front, side, rear, etc.)
Adjust distance (near, medium, far) and height
Switch angles while it’s actively tracking you
It will follow you forward, backwards, sideways, and does an impressive job staying locked on while avoiding obstacles.
2. Gesture Control (“Jedi” Mode)
This is one of the coolest features:
Raise your hand with palm showing = it recognizes you
Move your hand with palm showing up/down = drone moves up/down
Move your hand with palm showing left/right = drone shifts left/right
Spread your hands apart with palms showing or bring them together = adjust distance
Close your fist to lock in the position
You can literally reposition the drone mid-shot without stopping recording or digging into menus. It looks like you’re doing some Jedi mind-control, but it’s incredibly practical when you’re filming yourself.
3. Intelligent Flight Modes
Neo 2 comes loaded with pre-programmed moves:
Follow – standard tracking while you move.
Spotlight – the drone stays in place like a tripod, but the camera follows you.
Droney – pulls back and up for that classic reveal shot.
Rocket – straight up overhead while keeping you in frame.
Helix – spirals around you while moving up and away.
Boomerang – arcs around and returns like a boomerang.
Circle – simple orbit at a set radius.
Dolly Zoom – that cinematic “background zooms while subject stays the same size” effect.
All of these can be triggered quickly, and they record both the “going out” and “coming back” portions where applicable.
Using the RC-N3 Controller
The RC-N3 controller turns the Neo 2 into a more traditional drone:
You can fly manually with sticks for classic aerial shots.
You can still use ActiveTrack while also nudging the drone around with the sticks to change angle or distance.
You can get much higher altitude and further distance than in pure AI follow mode.
For things like big scenic B-roll or more cinematic passes over a park, river, or field, the RC-N3 combo is awesome. For my tracking shots on boards or bikes, I’ll mix both modes depending on what I’m doing.
Real-World Use & Final Thoughts
For my GetFitOver40 content, this drone is going to be used a lot for:
Outdoor workout B-roll
Riding shots (EUC, one-wheel style boards, bikes)
Walking & talking videos where I need the camera to track me
Lifestyle and travel content
For my Replica Airguns channel, it’ll mostly be a behind-the-scenes workhorse:
Tracking shots when I’m outdoors doing walk-around shooting tests
Dynamic angles when I don’t have a camera operator
You might not see the Neo 2 on camera much, but you’ll definitely see what it captures.
Is it perfect? No drone is. The HoverAir X1 Pro Max still wins for sheer image quality and low light. But:
The Neo 2’s two-axis gimbal,
4K 60–100 fps,
AI tracking,
gesture control,
obstacle avoidance,
and the ability to replace multiple drones in my bag
…make it the best single “do-everything” AI drone I’ve used so far.
For anyone over 40 (or under) who’s into content creation, solo training videos, or just wants to get outside and play with some impressive tech that doubles as a creative outlet, the DJI Neo 2 is a seriously fun piece of gear.
Monday, May 4, 2026 at 9:58PM ;)
;)
;)
