A2s controller

[Severian]

Is the controller that comes with the A2s the same as one that comes with the MA2? In other words, is the controller hardware upgraded for OS3 or just the software/firmware?

 

[Macinfo]

it might be backward compatible, but chances are a MA2 controller may not work with the MA2S, if it does, the range will be reduced.

 

[Pappy]

Very Interesting (Ocusync)

A question was raised in other discussions about RC compatibility and in some of the reviews for the MA2S on YT the reviewer was using the SC. It was reported that the MA2S was using Ocusync 3.0, so how was that possible. Well apparently O3 is backwards compatible with O2. From the MA2S spec...

mavicpilots.com

 

[Severian]

it might be backward compatible, but chances are a MA2 controller may not work with the MA2S, if it does, the range will be reduced.

I'm actually wondering if the controller that comes with the A2s will work with my older MA2.

 

[Macinfo]

I'm actually wondering if the controller that comes with the A2s will work with my older MA2.

I think I saw something where it would not link, but perhaps more investigation needs to be done.

 

[Severian]

Looks like then controller has 4 antennas. The old one had 2. From page 34 of the A2s manual:

 

[Macinfo]

Looks like then controller has 4 antennas. The old one had 2. From page 34 of the A2s manual:

View attachment 127387

That answers that....

 

[RetiredInFL]

Does the Smart Remote have 4 antennas as it is now compatible with the Air 2S after firmware upgrade? I think maybe the MA2 controller could work with slightly (like MA2) less distance results with a firmware update. Can't find any specs on the MA2 controller listing # of antennas.

 

[Macinfo]

Does the Smart Remote have 4 antennas as it is now compatible with the Air 2S after firmware upgrade? I think maybe the MA2 controller could work with slightly (like MA2) less distance results with a firmware update. Can't find any specs on the MA2 controller listing # of antennas.

I thought i read somewhere ([perhaps here) that the MA2 controller as 2 antennas, so the 2S has 4 in the AC and the RC, which will under optimal conditions out fly a MA2. There was a video that tested this under reasonable conditions and the 2S out flew the MA2 by a couple thousand feet.

Chances are the 2S controller may not link with a MA2, and the 2S controller design is specifically for the 2S AC.. Course if someone gets it to work, then we'll see... So far I have not watched a video or seen a post where anything but the batteries go back and forth..

 

[RetiredInFL]

I thought i read somewhere ([perhaps here) that the MA2 controller as 2 antennas, so the 2S has 4 in the AC and the RC, which will under optimal conditions out fly a MA2. There was a video that tested this under reasonable conditions and the 2S out flew the MA2 by a couple thousand feet.

Chances are the 2S controller may not link with a MA2, and the 2S controller design is specifically for the 2S AC.. Course if someone gets it to work, then we'll see... So far I have not watched a video or seen a post where anything but the batteries go back and forth..

But the Smart Controller works .... does it also have 4 antennas? The 2S controller might just need a firmware update. I'm sure all this will come out soon. Of course a little range might be lost.

 

[RetiredInFL]

Copied from another thread here (expand quote please).

A question was raised in other discussions about RC compatibility and in some of the reviews for the MA2S on YT the reviewer was using the SC. It was reported that the MA2S was using Ocusync 3.0, so how was that possible. Well apparently O3 is backwards compatible with O2.

From the MA2S spec sheet:

Video Transmission​

• Transmission System - O3
  2.4 GHz/5.8 GHz Auto-Switching (compatible with OcuSync 2.0)
  4-antenna 2T4R​

Remote Controller​

• Remote Controller Transmission System - OcuSync 2.0​

 

[z28lt1]

The initial listing was the same model# remote so it should be the same. I'm sure some of the reviews mention it, haven't been through too many yet. We know we can use the MA2 for the A2S.
From the FAQ:

 

[Macinfo]

Well the FAQ answers one question I guess, but does it go the other way? can a 2S controller work with a MA2?

 

[RetiredInFL]

Well the FAQ answers one question I guess, but does it go the other way? can a 2S controller work with a MA2?

They are both labeled RC231 so it makes little sense there could be two electronically different RC231's. that all couldn't go on any RC231 capable A/C or it would drive buyers crazy.

 

[Severian]

They are both labeled RC231 so it makes little sense there could be two electronically different RC231's. that all couldn't go on any RC231 capable A/C or it would drive buyers crazy.

Yes, I was wrong. I was reading too much into the new description of the controller on the A2S spec sheet. The controller for both the MA2 and the A2S are the same. Same model number. The controller uses O2. That's compatible with the A2S's O3 system. The RC 231 controller has always had 4 antennas. What's new is that the A2S bird now has 4.

 

[Macinfo]

They are both labeled RC231 so it makes little sense there could be two electronically different RC231's. that all couldn't go on any RC231 capable A/C or it would drive buyers crazy.

For whatever reason they are labeled the same there is still a difference between the MA2 RC and the MA2S RC because of the antenna design, now if they could actually use the same MB inside and merely found way to add more antenna, that would be interesting though I think it unlikely, it would have to change design to some degree to be effective.

Ultimately if you can pair a MA2S RC to either drone, thats handy and you use the MA2S RC with a MA2, you might get a touch more range, maybe..

 

[Raffaello_IZ0QWM]

Oh, just like I said on another thread here, the MA2 controller has 2 antennas. I'm sure, I opened it. It has two dipoles with two reflectors on the back.

Now I really don't know how to put 4 antennas in that space. It means that the 4 dipoles should be smaller than those of the MA2 controller.

Second point: if DJI uses to make some kind of diversity, the 4 dipoles are too close to each other.

However it is possible that they need 4 antennas to improve FEC (error correction) and avoid retransmissions which increase latency and Ocusync 3.0 uses those mainly on V2 glasses


I don't think the four antennas improve the distance if they are that small. What improves the distance is probably the increase in power that has been done on the new transmitter/controller in the FCC version.

This means that if you use the MA2 remote control you shouldn't notice any differences except in the sharpness of the video you receive from the drone since they say, have a higher bitrate.

 

[Macinfo]

I don't think the four antennas improve the distance if they are that small. What improves the distance is probably the increase in power that has been done on the new transmitter/controller in the FCC version.

This means that if you use the MA2 remote control you shouldn't notice any differences except in the sharpness of the video you receive from the drone since they say, have a higher bitrate.

There was a video I watched where the presenter took a flight with an MA2 and then the MA2S along the same route and got much farther with the MA2S.

Now since the AC also has more antennas; the combo of the RC and AC could extend the range along with OC3..

Ultimately however its sort of moot, the range under optimal conditions is probably much farther than anyone needs to fly, and whether you could get to the 7.5 miles and back on a single battery is also debatable.

 

[z28lt1]

I'm not sure where the image from the manual above came from (maybe an earlier version of the manual that has since been corrected) but the verbiage above is NOT in the manual that is on the DJI website. It is almost certainly the same controller (since it has the same part number) and the difference is all in the bird itself.
Here is page 34 of the manual now:

 

[Raffaello_IZ0QWM]

There was a video I watched where the presenter took a flight with an MA2 and then the MA2S along the same route and got much farther with the MA2S.

Now since the AC also has more antennas; the combo of the RC and AC could extend the range along with OC3..

Ultimately however its sort of moot, the range under optimal conditions is probably much farther than anyone needs to fly, and whether you could get to the 7.5 miles and back on a single battery is also debatable.

I don't like long range tests because they are in less than optimal conditions. Perhaps for the work I do, I prefer to do tests in the laboratory.

As I said it is likely that the MA2s will go further because in FCC mode the power of the transmitter and the drone has been increased.