I'd really like to understand what the advantages of the
SC are. I flew one last month at a department-drone-fly-in in my area. Meh, the screen is good but small compared to a larger tablet.
IMHO, it is all about the software you can run on your 'device, IOS or android. I use an IPad and the software for various missions is very good. my understanding of the
SC is that it is limited to android, and not even all the android apps are installable on it.
So why?
For me it's the ability to turn on, no cables, have a 1000 nit screen, and not have to mess around with the tablet. I still fly my
P4 with the iPad 10.5 inch pro, but I have found I can easily handle the smaller screen on the
SC. It's brighter considerably than the iPad, 600nit or my iPhone 10x same brightness. The Android app now seems to have caught up to the iOS version, for a good while the apps seems to be different as the iOS version just seemed to have a more responsive feel and was more reliable to me. Only Android version I had used prior was
Crystalsky, and I still don't feel that that version (even though it's current) responds as well as the
Smart controller.
I miss the small screen on the Mavic controller however as it does give you basic info which could be used to help get back in case of a problem.
The
Smart Controller seems to get a bit less distance than the stock controller, but not enough that it matters, especially with the new hobbyist rules in effect.
My
CS 7.5 is buggy, still has screen freezes, and lockups, enough that I rarely use it. So far the
SC has been just the opposite, very smooth to operate and no disconnects, lockups, or screen freezes.
CS is also heavy, and just doesn't have the same ergonomics of the
SC, with built in screen. Only time will tell as to durability, reliability, screen display and overall QA, as compared to a stock controller and Apple device.
As for the screen size, after using now for a couple of months, I find I prefer the screen on the
SC over my 10.5 iPad pro. The DJIgo4 app seems to display a bit better, better detail, etc.
It's expensive, more now due to recent political issues, but it's still a good deal if you purchase it along with a drone, not as an extra controller.
Paul C