Possible solution to the DJI Neo fly away problem?

lu servai

I noticed that most of the Neo's fly away problems occurred in October 2024 after the release of firmware V01.00.0300 and significantly increased in November with the release of firmware V01.00.0400.
Considering that there is no new update that will solve the problem, I will downgrade the firmware to version V01.00.0200 and try on my two Neos with Googles 3 and controller, if the problem will be solved or at least reduced.

Christian71

great. please keep us updated

lu servai

Today I tested my Neo with the old firmware V01.00.0200. Considering that since I purchased the drone at the beginning of January 2025, with the firmware V01.00.0400 I was unable to complete a single flight without being forced to turn off the engines to prevent it from flying away, today with the old firmware it flew without problems. The connection between Googles 3 and drone went from 15 Mbps to 50 Mbps and the GPS connection went from around 8/12 unstable satellites to 18/21 stable satellites. It's too early to say we've solved the problem, but it's still a step forward.

Christian71

Thanks for the information

OldGuy2024

My two indoors, fly into a too dark area "fly away" events happened once with the original firmware updated with the early October version.  The last happened with a later firmware update.  Had sort of a another indoors "fly away". Got too close directly in front of a very dark and large object, but thought I was otherwise in an adequately lighted area.  Neo did it's normal indoors "fly away".  Hard acceleration into the first thing it could hit.  That last or 3rd event was with the latest firmware update.

Did a little test.  Positioned the Neo ~10cm facing the DJI Avata Sling Bag.  It's a dark black color.  Powered up Neo.  Audible warning about the sensor issue. Shut the Neo off.  Move a few cm laterally so camera is facing the normally lighted room.  Powered on.  No audible warning. All systems go. Launched.

Guessing the camera sensor and the IR and visual downward sensors both need a minimal level of lighting to avoid DJI NEO Autonomous Crash Mode. Note only an issue if flying N or S modes.  Not manual mode.  Something in the stabilization system goes wonky and more or less disconnects the Neo from your controller from significant to complete cut.  Leaning more to physical limits of the  Camera sensor and downward IR/visual sensor hardware issue  that no firmware will be able to correct. We are probably wasting keystrokes asking DJI to fix this Neo limitation.

OldGuy2024

lu servai Posted at 1-18 07:55
Today I tested my Neo with the old firmware V01.00.0200. Considering that since I purchased the drone at the beginning of January 2025, with the firmware V01.00.0400 I was unable to complete a single flight without being forced to turn off the engines to prevent it from flying away, today with the old firmware it flew without problems. The connection between Googles 3 and drone went from 15 Mbps to 50 Mbps and the GPS connection went from around 8/12 unstable satellites to 18/21 stable satellites. It's too early to say we've solved the problem, but it's still a step forward.

Neo GPS module seems to be a low quality unit. Relative to the Avata2 flown. Same location, same day. Slower to acquire satellites and lock home position. Lower number of satellites acquired. Some sessions real huge fluctuations in satellites locked when flying. Teens to red is common event. Avata2 fluctuations are minimal. Neo rc and vc range is lower. Number of Mbps received bounce around significantly. Price we pay for a quad that has a bnf price of ~$200. Less than half of the Avata2.

NoDJI

OldGuy2024 Posted at 1-18 09:03
My two indoors, fly into a too dark area "fly away" events happened once with the original firmware updated with the early October version. The last happened with a later firmware update. Had sort of a another indoors "fly away". Got too close directly in front of a very dark and large object, but thought I was otherwise in an adequately lighted area. Neo did it's normal indoors "fly away". Hard acceleration into the first thing it could hit. That last or 3rd event was with the latest firmware update.

Did a little test. Positioned the Neo ~10cm facing the DJI Avata Sling Bag. It's a dark black color. Powered up Neo. Audible warning about the sensor issue. Shut the Neo off. Move a few cm laterally so camera is facing the normally lighted room. Powered on. No audible warning. All systems go. Launched.

I noticed you are copying the same message. Thanks, but DJI is obliged to fix the behavior of the drone in conjunction with their controller and this can be easily done by fixing their own bug in the software.

Bigplumbs

NoDJI Posted at 1-18 11:39
I noticed you are copying the same message. Thanks, but DJI is obliged to fix the behavior of the drone in conjunction with their controller and this can be easily done by fixing their own bug in the software.

They arnt obliged to do any thing at all. What planet are you on

Jahames

Bigplumbs Posted at 1-18 23:30
They arnt obliged to do any thing at all. What planet are you on

they are if a product is a PUBLIC safety hazard.... What happens when one of these flies off at full speed of 20mph into someones head and causes major injury. I can soon see DJi getting a massive law suit. They really need to fix this public safety hazard not only as a moral and ethical course but of public safety too.

I'm sure you would never want anyone to be very badly injured if this drone whacks them in the head like a 4 year old child... maybe yours???

lu servai

My first Neo suffered a fly away and reached speeds of 56 mph! Of course I lost it! It didn't cause any damage, but what if it hit a person?

OldGuy2024

NoDJI Posted at 1-18 11:39
I noticed you are copying the same message. Thanks, but DJI is obliged to fix the behavior of the drone in conjunction with their controller and this can be easily done by fixing their own bug in the software.

Same to similar  message on multiple threads.  Maybe the mods need to merge this issue, complaining topic onto one common thread?  Or do DJI users just like to see their complaints repeated on and on....

Obligated?  Legally or morally?  In the USA, we have the Consumer Product Safety Commission(CPSC).  Just did a search using the term: DJI Neo.  Zero hits.  So far, at least in the USA probably not "obligated" by legal standards.

Was "one of those" who's bias was negative DJI.  "Not real flying",  "for video capture only",  "too proprietary ".....  Only fly the Avata2 and Neo.  Not perfect. They have issues. Just need to live with them or move on.

djiuser_IWeN0eJKluaS

OldGuy2024 Posted at 1-19 08:20
Same to similar message on multiple threads. Maybe the mods need to merge this issue, complaining topic onto one common thread? Or do DJI users just like to see their complaints repeated on and on....

Obligated? Legally or morally? In the USA, we have the Consumer Product Safety Commission(CPSC). Just did a search using the term: DJI Neo. Zero hits. So far, at least in the USA probably not "obligated" by legal standards.

My dji neo lost connection and hit my 5 year old daughter in the nose causing her to need 2 stitches. Im p@$$# happened 6 hours ago. Well lit big oppen field, was flying past not towards us and it stoped then went sideways at mach 10. Im in canada.

djiuser_v4T9yA4H1CPq

djiuser_IWeN0eJKluaS Posted at 1-19 12:04
My dji neo lost connection and hit my 5 year old daughter in the nose causing her to need 2 stitches. Im p@$$# happened 6 hours ago. Well lit big oppen field, was flying past not towards us and it stoped then went sideways at mach 10. Im in canada.

I'm curious, are all these events happening when the drone is in autonomous mode or being controlled by remote?

lu servai

My Neo is controlled remotely with Googles 3 and motion controller. However, it seems that the problem can be solved by downgrading the firmware.

djiuser_IWeN0eJKluaS

djiuser_v4T9yA4H1CPq Posted at 1-19 23:29
I'm curious, are all these events happening when the drone is in autonomous mode or being controlled by remote?

I was using the dji rc-n3 controller, it also lost connection with my phone when i was testing all the modes and wouldn't move once my phone was re connected if it was high up id not have it untill the battery ran out.

djiuser_IWeN0eJKluaS

lu servai Posted at 1-20 01:10
My Neo is controlled remotely with Googles 3 and motion controller. However, it seems that the problem can be solved by downgrading the firmware.

I tried that today....no luck on the controller. Seen another thread on here well alot, seems everyone but the paid youtubers and dji are having issues. Even one where a dji moderator replied to someone saying that all they do is say "we will forward it to the correct team for consideration" instead of a actual reply.....youll never guess what dji said "sarcasm" the humming bird v3 is a way better mini drone and half the price, you know what happens when it looses connection........hovers in place untill re connected wont ever shoot off unless you control it to.

djiuser_rK35mp9

My neo drone flew away a few times in different modes. I experienced this incident once in follow, dronie, circle and then manual mode.

OldGuy2024

djiuser_IWeN0eJKluaS Posted at 1-19 12:04
My dji neo lost connection and hit my 5 year old daughter in the nose causing her to need 2 stitches. Im p@$$# happened 6 hours ago. Well lit big oppen field, was flying past not towards us and it stoped then went sideways at mach 10. Im in canada.

Sorry to hear about your daughter being injured by a Neo.
Maybe time for users to file a notice with their respective national consumer protection agencies.
Eventually (think government bureaucratic time) if the numbers of incidents accumulate maybe a safety warning or something more significant will happen.
Otherwise, just the usual robo responses from DJI.

Another repeat of a previous post. In another thread. One of the many "fly away threads". Administer DJI Stephen did sort of respond to the issue. Noted the limits of the positioning hardware. Which IMHO is just one part of the issue. Maybe with the current programming we cannot have the autonomous flight features, stabilization, and no glitches between the controller and Neo? $$$s and time required by DJI to rewrite v. patch the software results in no resolution of the issue many have noted.

Shawt

If Neo Flyaway because DJI created bad product and I have the Refresh care, will they ask me to pay Flyaway 89EUR Fees? If yes, I am returning this product. Btw. they should fix this, if not FW? HW? They should replace all our Neo drones for free. Now I am scared to use it...

DJI Gamora

Shawt Posted at 1-22 12:43
If Neo Flyaway because DJI created bad product and I have the Refresh care, will they ask me to pay Flyaway 89EUR Fees? If yes, I am returning this product. Btw. they should fix this, if not FW? HW? They should replace all our Neo drones for free. Now I am scared to use it...

Hi there, thank you for reaching out. May I please know if you've encountered a flyaway with your DJI neo? if yes, may I confirm you've created a flyaway case through DJI website for further action?

Looking forward to your response. Thank you for your kind support!

lu servai

So, after all these useless words, no one understood that to solve the problem you just need to downgrade the firmware.

ralf-djiforum

I had the first crashes with firmware V01.00.0200, so downgrading would not help me. But with the latest firmware, I (!) didn't experience any more crashes...