Be careful with this drone. I've been watching videos on how this drone performs over water, and it's bad. So, I tried to only fly it by the beach. Guess what? Even just by the beach, with no water below, right after it took off, it drifted quickly sideways, far from me, and I almost hit a person about 30 meters away! I couldn’t do anything—it was completely uncontrollable. I panicked and wanted to land it, but I couldn’t, and it all happened so fast. The sea was very calm that day.


This is the flight data. As you can see from the flight data, I didn’t control it to fly sideways or make any other movements—just rotation and an attempt to land it desperately, but instead of landing, it crashed. Can someone explain to me what happened?

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out. DJI Neo is light and compact, and relies heavily on its vision positioning system for stable flight, especially in environments with no or weak GPS signals. Vision positioning is highly dependent on ambient light and ground textures. In low-light conditions or areas with plain and uniform ground textures, the drone may not be able to hover stably. Therefore, we recommend that you shoot using DJI Neo in environments with ample light and distinct ground patterns.

I hope this information has helped to clarify your inquiries. If you have any other questions, kindly let us know. Thank You!

DJI Gamora Posted at 10-6 01:27
Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out. DJI Neo is light and compact, and relies heavily on its vision positioning system for stable flight, especially in environments with no or weak GPS signals. Vision positioning is highly dependent on ambient light and ground textures. In low-light conditions or areas with plain and uniform ground textures, the drone may not be able to hover stably. Therefore, we recommend that you shoot using DJI Neo in environments with ample light and distinct ground patterns.

Hi, thank you for the reply. The light was fine that day, it was around 7 a.m. with direct sunlight, and the GPS signal was strong, as you can see from the flight data report. Based on your explanation, I suspect the issue may have been caused by the plain and uniform texture of the beach sand.

But even if the hover was unstable, we should still have had control over it since I was using the RC. Why did it drift so fast? There should be at least some safety measures in place. I couldn't land it even though I held the left stick down on the controller.

Anyways, thanks again for the reply.

I thought they specifically warn against flying the Neo over water.  

DAFlys Posted at 10-6 04:36
I thought they specifically warn against flying the Neo over water.

Yes that's what I said, if you read my post again you will understand that I didn't fly it over water. I'm already aware not to fly it over water. You can also see from the flight data video I shared

I just experienced something similar. There as a bit of wind but I did a few helix shots with no issues. I started flying the drone manually with my iPhone when the drone suddenly went wild. I tried to land it as quickly as possible but it still went into my neighbours backyard.  For reference, I wasn’t flying over water.

MrDinB Posted at 10-6 11:43
I just experienced something similar. There as a bit of wind but I did a few helix shots with no issues. I started flying the drone manually with my iPhone when the drone suddenly went wild. I tried to land it as quickly as possible but it still went into my neighbours backyard.  For reference, I wasn’t flying over water.

I feel bad, now I'm scared to fly it at high altitude, what if it suddenly happens again. I don't want to lose the drone

23 on the gps.... It should have never moved horizontally I understand the ONE camera on the bottom is infrared and the two infrared emmiters it uses to see "infrared" ground . ..       so up and down could be wonkie.. but gps is gps .. I agree .... It shouldnt of moved

Mine was fine on the beech but keep it low. I suspect the wind got it. The Neo is a close to you drone not for high flight

Bigplumbs Posted at 10-6 20:53
Mine was fine on the beech but keep it low. I suspect the wind got it. The Neo is a close to you drone not for high flight

https://youtu.be/AVHHo_G_sLo?si=_kpHA2nomwoA8e9_

That's really good for you, sir. Unfortunately, like I said, it happened right after takeoff at about 0.8 meters, and there was no strong wind that day. The sea was very calm.

You know what, my Neo was also flying side to side when it went wild. It might be a pattern.

MrDinB Posted at 10-7 05:18
You know what, my Neo was also flying side to side when it went wild. It might be a pattern.

Lets just hope there's a fix for this

It can handle wind just find. Yeh it struggles but it wont drift it will counter the wind itself.
Right now the thing has a mind of its own and DJI's responses are copy paste "fly the drone over ground with obvious pattern"

Do not buy this drone if your looking to use mobile controls!

Po3lk Posted at 10-8 14:57
It can handle wind just find. Yeh it struggles but it wont drift it will counter the wind itself.
Right now the thing has a mind of its own and DJI's responses are copy paste "fly the drone over ground with obvious pattern"

Agreed, it is more than just the wind.

This is the flight data logs

just curious have you updated the firmware to DJI Neo Firmware: V01.00.0300

djiuser_vBFlAKhFaegE Posted at 10-9 13:51
just curious have you updated the firmware to DJI Neo Firmware: V01.00.0300

Yes, it's in the current version

MrDinB Posted at 10-9 11:00
Agreed, it is more than just the wind.

Yes, there must be an issue. Maybe not with all devices, but certainly there are some weird things. The way the Neo's fly away are all the same!

It came out so recently and there are so many cases that it goes crazy that it really makes me insecure about using it and hurting someone.

butbrit Posted at 10-12 05:41
It came out so recently and there are so many cases that it goes crazy that it really makes me insecure about using it and hurting someone.

I lost my confidence flying it near water, especially when there are people around, ever since I experienced the flyaway.

sterreeler Posted at 10-13 11:32
I lost my confidence flying it near water, especially when there are people around, ever since I experienced the flyaway.

I had a similar experience today.  In fact what happened to me is exactly what you described.  I was flying over water and I know DJI cautions against this but I was flying with a controller and I am a very experienced DJI drone flyer.  I noticed when playing it back on the data logs it went out of control right after I performed a 360 degree panoramic camera spin with the drone.  I am curious what others did right before they lost control to see if there is a pattern.

sterreeler Posted at 10-6 14:18
I feel bad, now I'm scared to fly it at high altitude, what if it suddenly happens again. I don't want to lose the drone

Mate, Hi altitude and Neo is a no no. Firstly the Vision Sensor only works to about 30 feet.. Secondly at height near a beach you have high wind. It is small and light and was blowing way. This is what we call Operator or Pilot error.  

bjr981s Posted at 10-13 20:57
Mate, Hi altitude and Neo is a no no. Firstly the Vision Sensor only works to about 30 feet.. Secondly at height near a beach you have high wind. It is small and light and was blowing way. This is what we call Operator or Pilot error.

The DJI Neo fly with 22,3m/s / 80km/h / 50mph in Normal Mode before it crashes.

How is this possible?

This was not a pilot error.

Best regards
Franky

bjr981s Posted at 10-13 20:57
Mate, Hi altitude and Neo is a no no. Firstly the Vision Sensor only works to about 30 feet.. Secondly at height near a beach you have high wind. It is small and light and was blowing way. This is what we call Operator or Pilot error.

Please check the video of the flight logs that I shared. It wasn’t even at a high altitude; it drifted/flew away right after taking off at about 2.62 ft. As I mentioned, it wasn’t windy— the sea was very calm that day. I’ve flown it before in moderate wind with no issues(but not near or by the beach), nowhere near the conditions when I experienced the error.

Wind was just 3.1mph or 1.39m/s which is not even close to the DJI NEO's wind resistance which is 8 m/s.

Hi,

if you like share your flightlog for ythis issue

use this link > https://www.phantomhelp.com/LogViewer/Upload/
Post the uploaded link on here

Data in flightlog might explain what really happend.


cheers
JJB

JJB* Posted at 10-14 09:30
Hi,

if you like share your flightlog for ythis issue

Thanks for the info, here's the flight logs
https://www.phantomhelp.com/LogViewer/20241015LL55WHEXGXZVPMPH1UM9Y0JBNQAN7FD6

It started drifting very fast when it encountered the error "Gimbal tilt axis reached movement limit!"

sterreeler Posted at 10-15 01:38
Thanks for the info, here's the flight logs
https://www.phantomhelp.com/LogViewer/20241015LL55WHEXGXZVPMPH1UM9Y0JBNQAN7FD6

Hi,

Had a look at your log.

Do you remember wich heading your drone was pointing at takeoff ?

Direct after takeoff your compass changed heading without yaw input.
This will cause often a fly-away...as you said "drifting very fast".

If you used a RC2 or RC with a phone than always check before each flight if the compass is showing the correct heading.

Use the map view in the radar/attitude indiator and compare blue angle (compass drone) shows the same haeding as the actual heading of your drone.
If not the same: DO NOT FLY.  Power off, relocate drone, Power on and check again

cheers
JJB   [ Charts by FRAP ; the 'best' software for data and visual flightlog analysis (www.jjbfrap.eu) ]

JJB* Posted at 10-15 02:22
Hi,

Had a look at your log.

Unfortunately, I can't exactly remember which heading it was pointing but anyways, thank you so much for this info, I'll keep this one in mind.

sterreeler Posted at 10-15 01:38
Thanks for the info, here's the flight logs
https://www.phantomhelp.com/LogViewer/20241015LL55WHEXGXZVPMPH1UM9Y0JBNQAN7FD6

This error is due to the drone reaching its max wind resistance. It angles the drone to hold its course. And the Gimbal tilts to hold a horizontal attitude. The gimbal can only tilt so far, when the drone tilts to a greater angle than the gimbal can compensate, it gives this error.

This is due to the wind speed and the drone trying to hold position. As I said before the wind was too strong for the drone. Weather reports as you posted are for a general area. Winds are greater at beaches due to the difference in temperature of the sea and the beach area, sand and dunes etc.

Don't be concerned about the capability of the drone it is what it is. Wind speeds also vary with height. The higher you go normally the greater the wind speed. If there are cliffs on the beach you also get additional rising air. What us slope soarers use with our non powered gliders.

bjr981s Posted at 10-15 05:53
This error is due to the drone reaching its max wind resistance. It angles the drone to hold its course. And the Gimbal tilts to hold a horizontal attitude. The gimbal can only tilt so far, when the drone tilts to a greater angle than the gimbal can compensate, it gives this error.

This is due to the wind speed and the drone trying to hold position. As I said before the wind was too strong for the drone. Weather reports as you posted are for a general area. Winds are greater at beaches due to the difference in temperature of the sea and the beach area, sand and dunes etc.

I understand your explanation, sir, but I also can't convince you to believe me that the wind at that time was very calm, since I don’t have any video or proof, too bad. Anyway, thanks for the info. I’ll keep that in mind, as I always do. I've never once tried to fly in strong winds.

I had some issue when flying at low light, it seems the downwards sensors have priorities over pilot input and when they "act" weird...pilot can't correct, so who is PIC in that case. In my opinion pilot should be able to override / disable those.

ATTI mode would be perfect for such small unit...

AR_AirPrecision Posted at 10-17 06:02
I had some issue when flying at low light, it seems the downwards sensors have priorities over pilot input and when they "act" weird...pilot can't correct, so who is PIC in that case. In my opinion pilot should be able to override / disable those.

ATTI mode would be perfect for such small unit...

Yes, that looks like the case, i wish there's an option to override inputs when the drone is acting weird

The low light should only cause it to fall on the vertical axis but should not affect the horizontal axis.
Using the RC -N3 control it should just fall on the Vertical axis because the sensors do not identify the ground, but instead the drone is going into ATTI mode and you completely lose control.
I believe this is an update problem regarding the GPS.

djiuser_NtMntxHZlCQT Posted at 10-17 10:03
The low light should only cause it to fall on the vertical axis but should not affect the horizontal axis.
Using the RC -N3 control it should just fall on the Vertical axis because the sensors do not identify the ground, but instead the drone is going into ATTI mode and you completely lose control.
I believe this is an update problem regarding the GPS.

You don't loose control in ATTI mode. I had over 15GPS minimum and even so, I don't need GPS to fly at 15m from me between 50cm and 2m AGL.

I was flying above a parking with a grind surface at 1900h.

I crashed once against our truck, then tried again and it flew into a tree. I couldn't correct anything, NEO would override my input. I fly FPV drone so ATTI or manual is no issue on other systems.

AR_AirPrecision Posted at 10-17 22:32
You don't loose control in ATTI mode. I had over 15GPS minimum and even so, I don't need GPS to fly at 15m from me between 50cm and 2m AGL.

I was flying above a parking with a grind surface at 1900h.

You do know that flying over a REO based surface will disrupt the compass? Did you check the compass alignment in the app compass view? Also the vision sensor needs to see a different distinct surface. A parking lot tar or concrete is not distinct.  

bjr981s Posted at 10-18 03:49
You do know that flying over a REO based surface will disrupt the compass? Did you check the compass alignment in the app compass view? Also the vision sensor needs to see a different distinct surface. A parking lot tar or concrete is not distinct.

I don't know what a REO surface is. But it's non magnetic, when there was more light there was no issue flying, also no compass or gyro or baro issue in the Fly app.

Only the low light warning and then becoming uncontrollable as described here above.

AR_AirPrecision Posted at 10-18 03:51
I don't know what a REO surface is. But it's non magnetic, when there was more light there was no issue flying, also no compass or gyro or baro issue in the Fly app.

Only the low light warning and then becoming uncontrollable as described here above.

Car parks and other tarmac or concrete surfaces are reinforced with Steel Rods called REO. This is what stops the surfaces from cracking when cars are driven over the surface. It is magnetic.

bjr981s Posted at 10-18 05:25
Car parks and other tarmac or concrete surfaces are reinforced with Steel Rods called REO. This is what stops the surfaces from cracking when cars are driven over the surface. It is magnetic.

It's a private parking with no reinforcement. So magnetic interferences are not the problem. The problem is the sensor in low light

AR_AirPrecision Posted at 10-18 20:58
It's a private parking with no reinforcement. So magnetic interferences are not the problem. The problem is the sensor in low light

Is this whilst flying with the mobile or RC ?

umpa Posted at 10-19 00:10
Is this whilst flying with the mobile or RC ?

I used the RC