Comparison
DJI Neo vs DJI Mini SE
Would you notice?
Neo vs Mini SE: You would notice weight mostly as paperwork, bag mass and how close you may fly to people; you would notice endurance on a two-battery outing, not a single park lap. You would not really notice sensor, max video, gimbal. UK paperwork is part of the difference: Neo is C0 / sub-250 g (Flyer ID + Operator ID); Mini SE is unmarked / sub-250 g (Flyer ID + Operator ID).
Set I fly on the home bench to see net upgrade cost from your airframe (CeX cash vs used / RRP). It stays in this browser.
| Spec |  C0 · 135 g |  unmarked · 249 g |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Released | 5 Sept 2024 | 11 Jun 2021 |
| App | DJI Fly Same | DJI Fly Same |
| Weight & UK law | ||
| Takeoff weight | 135 g Ahead | 249 g |
| UK class / IDs | C0 · sub-250 g · Operator ID + Flyer ID Ahead | unmarked · sub-250 g · Operator ID + Flyer ID |
| Open subcategory | A1 Over People Same | A1 Over People Same |
| From uninvolved people | May overfly uninvolved people; not crowds. Flyer ID + Operator ID from 100 g with a camera. Towns OK in A1. Same | No class mark. CAA legacy weight table: under 250 g is A1 — same Open subcategory as C0. May overfly uninvolved people; not crowds. Flyer ID + Operator ID from 100 g with a camera. Same |
| Height (Open) | 120 m AGL Same | 120 m AGL Same |
| Folded size | 130 × 157 × 49 mm (guards on) | 138 × 81 × 58 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main sensor | 1/2-inch CMOS · 12 MP · 14 mm Ahead | 1/2.3-inch CMOS · 12 MP · 24 mm |
| Aperture | f/2.8 Same | f/2.8 Same |
| Field of view | 117.6° Ahead | 83° |
| ISO (photo / video) | 100–6400 / 100–6400 | 100–3200 / 100–3200 |
| Colour / log | Rec. 709 / normal Same | Rec. 709 / normal Same |
| Other cameras | Single camera Same | Single camera Same |
| Max video | 4K/30 | 2.7K/30 |
| Gimbal / vertical | 60° tilt Ahead | 20° tilt |
| Flight | ||
| Lab flight time | 18 min | 30 min Ahead |
| Hover time | 18 min Ahead | — |
| Wind resistance | Level 4 · 8 m/s | Level 5 · 10.5 m/s Ahead |
| Max speed | 57 km/h Sport Ahead | 46.8 km/h Sport |
| Climb / descent | 3 / 2 m/s | 4 / 3 m/s Ahead |
| Max takeoff altitude | 2000 m | 3000 m Ahead |
| Sensing | ||
| Obstacle sensing | Downward Same | Downward Same |
| Transmission | ||
| Video range (CE) | 6 km CE · O2 / Wi-Fi / phone (10 km FCC) Same | 2 km CE · Enhanced Wi-Fi (4 km FCC) Same |
| Power & storage | ||
| Battery | 10.5 Wh Same | 17.3 Wh Same |
| Internal storage | 22 GB Ahead | Card only |
| microSD | None — internal only | microSD, UHS-I Speed Class 3 |
| GNSS | GPS + Galileo + BeiDou | GPS + GLONASS |
| Operating temperature | −10 to 40 °C | 0 to 40 °C |
The i beside a spec is the explainer — hover or tap.
Questions
Do I need to register the Mini SE in the UK?
Mini SE is unmarked, takeoff about 249 g (DJI publishes takeoff under 249 g. Not Mini 2 SE (that is the Mini 4K shell).). In the UK a Flyer ID is required from 100 g, and an Operator ID is required from 100 g with a camera or from 250 g — this airframe needs both. This is not legal advice; read the CAA Drone Code for the airframe and battery you actually fly. Longer version: the UK Open explainer on this site (/guides/uk).
Do I need to register the Neo in the UK?
Neo is C0, takeoff about 135 g (Palm-sized, propeller guards on.). In the UK a Flyer ID is required from 100 g, and an Operator ID is required from 100 g with a camera or from 250 g — this airframe needs both. This is not legal advice; read the CAA Drone Code for the airframe and battery you actually fly. Longer version: the UK Open explainer on this site (/guides/uk).
How far from people can I fly the Mini SE in the UK?
Mini SE (unmarked): A1 Over People. No class mark. CAA legacy weight table: under 250 g is A1 — same Open subcategory as C0. May overfly uninvolved people; not crowds. Flyer ID + Operator ID from 100 g with a camera. Open height is 120 m AGL. Never over crowds. This is not legal advice — the CAA Drone Code (March 2026) applies to the airframe and battery you actually fly. Longer version: the UK Open explainer on this site (/guides/uk).
How far from people can I fly the Neo in the UK?
Neo (C0): A1 Over People. May overfly uninvolved people; not crowds. Flyer ID + Operator ID from 100 g with a camera. Towns OK in A1. Open height is 120 m AGL. Never over crowds. This is not legal advice — the CAA Drone Code (March 2026) applies to the airframe and battery you actually fly. Longer version: the UK Open explainer on this site (/guides/uk).
Which is better in wind?
Mini SE carries more mass into DJI’s published wind figure (Neo 8 m/s, Mini SE 10.5 m/s). On a UK headland that is often the whole decision. Lab Level numbers that match can still feel different because weight is not in the level name.
Which is better for travel?
Neo if the constraint is a bag and UK class (C0, 135 g). Mini SE if you will accept unmarked and 249 g for the bigger airframe.
Can I keep my Neo batteries, controller or ND filters?
These do not share a battery family. Plan to buy packs, and check ND thread and RC protocol — Mini 4 Pro filters and batteries do not sit on a Mini 5 Pro.
How much more does it cost?
DJI UK RRP (as of 2026-08-31): Neo £179, Mini SE —. Used and CeX sit on the price board below — some of these are discontinued as new.
Who should buy which?
Neo: First flights, palm takeoff, small sensor. Mini SE: unmarked, 1/2.3-inch CMOS.
Price board
UK pounds, dated snapshots. Each cell names the box that figure is for. EAN is the barcode on that carton when a UK listing cited one; otherwise we leave it blank rather than guess. Not live APIs. Buying used checklist.
| Neo as of 2026-08-31 | Mini SE as of 2026-08-31 | |
|---|---|---|
| DJI Store UK RRP | £179 Neo (drone only) | — Discontinued as new — Mini SE (not Mini 2, not Mini 2 SE / Mini 4K) |
| Amazon UK | £119 Neo (drone only) | See Amazon No new Mini SE buy-box — search only; confirm it is not Mini 2 SE |
| eBay UK band | £90–£200 Used drone-only working kits; Fly More is the top of the band | See eBay Used Mini SE kits — confirm it is not Mini 2 or Mini 2 SE / Mini 4K |
| CeX sell | — Neo A, SKU SROBDJINEONRA (unpriced today) | — CeX search — no SKU invented |
| CeX cash / voucher | See CeX Neo A, SKU SROBDJINEONRA (unpriced today) | See CeX CeX search — no SKU invented |
Reviews that put these together
- Best DJI drone (2026): Mini 5 Pro to Mavic 4 Pro
Sub-250 argument, Mini 5 Pro 1-inch sensor, Air 3S telephoto vs Mini 5 Pro
DroneXL · 2026-03-01 - Review: the DJI Mini 2 is the perfect drone for beginners
4K/30, RAW stills, OcuSync 2.0, sub-250 g, no obstacle avoidance
DPReview · 2020-11-05