DJI's Flip combines the Mini's image quality with the Neo's ease of use.

DJI unveiled the Flip, a consumer-focused drone that combines the Mini 4K's image quality with the Neo's user-friendliness, making it a drone that weighs less than 250 grams and has the capacity to record 4K videos and take up to 48-megapixel pictures.

Sometimes it seems like DJI's drone products overlap, and the new Flip may be one example of that. The Flip incorporates features from both the Neo and the Mini, and it even improves the image quality over what the latter $299 drone offered last year. However, DJI does not specify where the Flip fits into its wide range of drones.

With foldable propeller guards, automatic braking (thanks to a 3D infrared sensing system), and AI tracking and intelligent shooting modes that have been a mainstay in its drones for a while, DJI claims that the Flip is made to build on the success the company found in its consumer camera drones. This makes the process of taking aerial footage as easy as possible. While the Flip is significantly larger, weighing "less than 249 grams" in comparison to the Neo's meager 135 grams, that was the design objective of the $199 Neo DJI, which was released in September.

The Flip is much bigger than the Neo, which was arguably portable. Despite this, it is still made to be portable, and because of the foldable propeller guards, it won't snag on clothing or luggage as easily as the Mini. Compared to previous DJI drones, it has a drastically different appearance when compacted, becoming taller in return for decreasing width. The Flip does seem to take up more room when compacted than the Mini 4K due to its built-in protections, though DJI did not disclose precise dimensions before the launch.

The image below, which displays the Flip next to DJI's RC 2 controller, is the finest representation of size:

Although the Flip initially appears to be in the middle between the Neo and Mini 4K, it is actually more powerful than both and more akin to an updated, redesigned Mini 4 Pro. Both the Neo's Type 1/2 image sensor and the Mini 4K's Type 1/2.3 sensor can capture 12-megapixel images and up to 4K video at 30 frames per second. Both are unable to capture 4K HDR.

In that regard, the Flip offers a significant improvement. Its Type 1/1.3 is bigger than the one on those two other small drones, has 2.4μm 4-in-1 pixel binning to increase performance in low light at the expense of megapixel count, and is outfitted with DJI's Dual Native ISO Fusion technology. It seems to be the same sensor as the one in the previously described Mini 4 Pro, or at least an upgraded version of it. Because of this, it can take huge still photographs with 48 megapixels and shoot 4K at 60p in HDR and up to 100p in 4K in 10-bit D-Log.

Because of the aforementioned resolution, the drone's 24mm (35mm equivalent) lens with an f/1.7 aperture allows photographers to use up to 4x digital zoom. Since the Flip lacks a rotating camera like some of DJI's other drones, the company adds that the 4:3 aspect-ratio sensor allows for vertical crops while maintaining a 2.7K resolution, enabling it to record content for social media and smartphone viewing without cropping.

"In the majority of nations and areas, DJI Flip makes flying easy and doesn't require any specific training. Because it is small and light, this palm-sized drone is the perfect travel companion for documenting any adventure, according to DJI.

"The DJI Flip makes flying easy, whether you're hiking through forests or scaling steep peaks." Photographers can choose from six clever shooting settings with a single tap of the mode button to produce stunning film. To maintain a subject in the frame, AI Subject Tracking can also be activated. The Dronie, Circle, Rocket, Spotlight, Helix, and Boomerang are the six clever firing modes.

Up to 31 minutes of flying duration is promised by the DJI Flip's Intelligent flying Battery. Unlike the Neo and Mini 4K, it uses a different type of flying battery. Additionally, DJI provides a set of ND filters that fit on the lens's front.

You can fly the Flip with or without a special remote control. It can be utilized with the DJI Fly app or Voice Control in addition to the company's RC-N3 or RC 2 controllers. According to DJI, the drone's recorded audio is subjected to an algorithm that eliminates noise and filters out propeller sounds when it is linked to a phone. Additionally, it has a "Local Data Mode" that turns off the Flip's internet connection and ensures all data it captures stays only in the drone.