DJI Neo Battery Performance Test: Following an E-Bike

Good day folks, Shawn here from Air Photography. Today, I’ve got another test with the DJI Neo. We’re going to be testing its battery performance—specifically, how long it can follow you when riding something like an e-bike.

I originally did this test out of curiosity and wasn’t planning on recording it for YouTube. But I thought others might be interested, especially if you’re considering purchasing the Neo for this type of activity. I’m on a rail trail today, which is a straight shot for about 20 km. I definitely won’t be going that far, but we’ll see how it performs over a shorter distance.

Safety Considerations

This trail is usually empty, so the chances of passing someone are pretty low. However, if we do encounter anyone, I’ll land the drone in my hand to avoid it flying past someone autonomously. Safety first!

We’ll also be keeping an eye on the time to get a total flight duration for this test.

Connecting the Drone and Getting Started

I’m going to connect the drone to the app so I can monitor the battery percentage and other details. The great thing about the Neo is that it’s so quick and easy to deploy—you don’t even have to get off your bike.

Once it’s connected, we’ll start the test. It’s a beautiful day, with temperatures in the mid to high 20s (Celsius). Let’s launch the drone and start the follow mode. I’ll clap to sync the footage, and we’ll get going.

Testing the Neo in Action

The app says I have about 7 minutes of flight time left, and I’m keeping my speed around 23 km/h. The faster you go, the quicker the battery drains, and factors like wind can also affect performance. I’m not sure if having it connected to Wi-Fi will impact battery life, but it’s possible.

We’ve been riding for a few minutes now, and the battery is at 87%, with 6 minutes and 51 seconds of flight time remaining. We’re not going too fast—just cruising around 16 to 15 km/h. We’ll have to cross a farmer’s field ahead, which isn’t a road, so no big deal.

Mid-Test Updates

After about 4 minutes, we’re down to 77% battery, with 6 minutes left of flight time. The fall colors are just starting to appear, and in a couple of weeks, this trail will be stunningly vibrant. I’ll have to come back to film again.

At the 5-minute mark, we’ve got 68% battery left, and the app says we have about 5 minutes of flight time remaining. We’re still cruising around 20 km/h.

In my previous speed test, the Neo could track me at up to 23-24 km/h before it started struggling to keep up. That’s not bad for a casual bike ride where you’re capturing vlog footage.

Fighting the Wind and Low Battery

The wind is starting to pick up, and I can hear the motors working hard. We’re now down to 39% battery after 10 minutes of flight, with 2 minutes and 44 seconds remaining.

I accidentally hit a low-hanging branch, but the Neo handled it well, bouncing off a few more branches before hitting the ground.

Luckily, the Neo is lightweight and durable—perfect for this type of flying. I’ve crashed it probably 20 or 30 times, and it still works perfectly fine.

Nearing the End of the Test

At around 11 minutes of flight time, I received a low battery warning at 13%, but I kept going. The app says we have 46 seconds of flight time left, and I’m curious to see what happens when the battery is fully drained. Will it stop tracking or automatically land?

As the battery hits 9%, I receive a critical low battery warning, and the Neo automatically lands. Despite being in follow mode, the virtual joysticks popped up, allowing me to take manual control if needed, which is a great safety feature.

Final Thoughts

I’ll have to review the video footage to get the exact flight time, but based on the app, there was still 4% battery left when the drone landed.

This was a quick test to see how long the battery lasts while tracking a bike. As mentioned, various factors like speed, wind, and other conditions can affect battery life.

Hopefully, you found this video helpful! If you did, give it a thumbs up—it’s always appreciated. Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you in the next one.