Hi everyone,

I’m experiencing a recurring issue with my DJI Neo Drone, and I’m hoping someone can help me figure out whether this is a hardware or software problem.

The issue started recently out of nowhere and involves the drone’s camera. One day, the camera was fine, and the next, I noticed only a black screen on my mobile device (both when connected via the RC and through the mobile app alone). In some cases, I also see white, grey, or blue horizontal lines on the black screen, and these lines brighten when the camera is pointed toward a light source.

Here’s what I’ve observed:

• When the issue occurs: Sometimes, after launching the drone, I can’t see any camera feed on my device — just a black screen. Any video files recorded during this time are either unreadable or show the same lines that appear on the screen.
• Inconsistent behavior: Sometimes the camera works flawlessly, allowing me to take videos and quickshots without any issues. But the problem reoccurs suddenly, often after I pick up the drone post-landing or when I switch the drone on the next day.
  

• Temporary fixes: I’ve tried disconnecting and reconnecting the RC or mobile app, which sometimes makes the camera feed work again for a bit, but then it goes blank again after a short time.
  

• Error messages: When I use the palm takeoff mode, I get messages like: “Unable to take off. Aim camera at subject first. Fly in well-lit textured environments.” This happens even in broad daylight.
  

It’s worth mentioning that when I manually start a video recording during the black screen issue, I do see a video file saved on the drone’s storage, but I’m unable to open it. Other times, the recorded file shows those grey/white/blue lines instead of a normal video.

I’ve tried troubleshooting by:

• Restarting the drone
• Reconnecting the mobile app and RC
• Ensuring the latest firmware is installed
• Reset all (camera) settings on DJI Neo
  

I’m beginning to suspect a camera sensor or hardware issue, but the fact that it sometimes works perfectly makes me wonder if it could be a software glitch.

Has anyone experienced something similar? I’d appreciate any advice on what could be causing this issue and how to fix it.

Please find attached some videos to give you an idea what I am talking about.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi there, we are sorry to hear about your device. To better help you, could you please tell us your region/country? We look forward to resolving this matter for you promptly!

DJI Natalia Posted at 1-6 11:04
Hi there, we are sorry to hear about your device. To better help you, could you please tell us your region/country? We look forward to resolving this matter for you promptly!

I purchased the drone in Germany but I am based in Cape Town, South Africa

capek Posted at 1-7 09:53
I purchased the drone in Germany but I am based in Cape Town, South Africa

Hi there, thank you for your response above. Since the device is purchased in Germany, we advise you to send the device back for repair bback to Germany. You may submit an online repair request through this link: {https://repair.dji.com/repair/index}. If you need assistance with creating a ticket, you may contact DJI support at https://www.dji.com/support. We understand that this is not the answer that you look forward to, but this would be the best thing to do in this situation. In addition, warranty service can be claimed depending on the result of the Damage Assessment. Your kind understanding is appreciated and thank you for your continued support.