Best 3D printed cases for the DJI Neo 2: Two popular options compared

Good day, folks. Sean here from Air Photography. So, something a little bit different for you today. We’re going to be taking a look at a couple of 3D printed cases for the DJI Neo 2. These are the two most popular printable cases on MakerWorld, and I thought I’d make a video like this for those who are new to 3D printing, or if you’re going to be purchasing a 3D printer, or perhaps you already have one. You’re thinking about printing one of these cases, and you just want to see how it looks and how the drone fits inside.

The modular hinged case

This first one is a two-part hinged case, and all the hardware needed to put it together can be printed. You don’t have to buy any magnets or any other type of hardware. The nice thing about this one is that it’s modular. You can print extra pieces if you want to expand it to carry things like goggles and different controllers. These expansion modules actually come in three different sizes.

The small size is if you just want to carry a controller with it. The medium one allows you to carry the Goggles 3 and a controller. And then they have one that’s even bigger if you’re going to be carrying the Goggles N3.

The case comes with a printable latch and a printable handle. The Neo 2 fits nicely inside, and it will fit whether you have the transmission module on or not. So you’ll be able to carry it either way. At the top, there’s a spot for two batteries that just clip right in. There’s a place to hold the little screwdriver for changing the props right there in the middle. And then there’s a little storage compartment up top where you can store some cables or spare props.

Print time and materials

In this configuration, it took approximately about 8 hours in total to print. The bottom plate took about 2 and a half hours. The top plate took 3 and a half hours. And then printing all the other accessories such as the handle, the little dowels, the hinge, and the divider plate was another hour to an hour and 10 minutes. I just printed this in a matte PLA. Of course, there are stronger materials if you want something more durable, but for the way I’ll be using it, I think PLA will be more than sufficient.

There is a handle on it, but you can remove the handle and connect a shoulder strap to it if you prefer that method.

Expansion modules explained

As mentioned, there are different sizes of expansion modules. The mini module is great for controllers such as the RC2 or RCN3. The medium one will hold the Goggles 3 and a controller. And then the larger one is designed to hold the Goggles N3.

When you print the expandable modules, there are some extra hardware pieces that you need to print. These can all be printed on one plate. You’ll also have two latches because you can open one side or the other. And there’s a flat plate that you insert to separate everything.

The medium module will hold the Goggles N3 and the Motion 3 controller. However, if you want to use something like the RC3 controller, you do have to use the larger module as it won’t quite fit in the medium one.

The Case Plus: My favorite minimalist option

Moving on, this is my favorite one. This is called the Case Plus, and I’ll include the links where you can download these files directly from MakerWorld and support the creators there as well. This one is more of a minimalist version, and it’s the one I’ll probably be using most of the time because quite often when I bring my Neo 2 with me, I’m out on my bike.

I don’t like bringing a big camera backpack. Usually I’m bringing something like the GoPro Seeker, which doesn’t have any compartments — just one big cavity. That means all your gear is just floating around in there. So this case allows me to bring the drone, throw it in a backpack or on my bike bag, and I don’t have to worry about it being damaged.

The drone just slides right into the case, and then the top goes over and locks in. We actually have some storage for batteries on the outside — they just clip in and are held on securely. They lock in just like they’d be locked into the drone. To remove them, you have to press the two buttons.

On the back, there are spots for a lanyard. So if you want to attach a neck strap or a shoulder strap, you can easily do so.

Customization options

When you download and print the files, you have the option of a couple different tops. One is for when you don’t have the transmission module attached, and the other has the extra space for the transmission module. It fits exactly the same way — just insert your drone and the lid fits over top.

Of course, the nice thing about 3D printing is that you can customize all your products. I put my name on there — Air Photography — and you can get really creative. You can put the drone name on it, your name on it, whatever you like.

MakerWorld has a ton of different cases, and a lot of these cases have already had remixes made, so they’ve been customized even further. Some have extra battery storage. Some have a slot on the back where you can put the whole charging hub.

I just want to mention that all of these were printed on my FlashForge 5M Pro. It’s kind of a budget printer, but it does a really good job. I’ve been pretty happy with it.

Hopefully you enjoyed this video and found it had value. Thanks a lot for watching, and we’ll see you in the next one.

You can watch more videos from Sean on the Air Photography YouTube channel. Read more of his articles on DroneXL.