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Additional/parallel battery for Mavic Mini controller?

  • Thread starter Deleted member 103366
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Deleted member 103366

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Coupled with using an Android (power hog) phone the battery life of my MM controller is beginning to really bug me. I was wonder what's involved in rigging up an external and disconnectable battery which is in parallel with the original battery of the controller?
In truth I'd also prefer to rig up some sort of jack plug connector, mounted in the controller's shell, to charge the controller and the add on battery, in much the same way as the GL300 controllers of the Phantoms use a jack plug for charging. I DISLIKE all the connection make-and-breaks involved in using the controller's 'USB' port for data transmission and charging. I had thought of using a permanently connected "Y" splitter cable between the controller and phone with, perhaps, a USB A connector at the bottom of the Y but I get the impression that they do not support data transmission between the tops of the Y.
 
Hey @PhiliusFoggg

Heard some have a power bank attached to the controller in the USB then micro to your phone?

Or have your phone on the power bank before flying so it's already charged somewhat and doesn't have a big effect on the controller battery?

Is your phone ridiculously hungry? I'll fly 3 batteries on the mini and still have 2 or 3 lights on the controller battery level so have never experienced it personally
 
Thanks for the reply.
The phone, Samsung S6, draws between 380 and 410 mA from the controller. If I fly 2 batteries worth of time the controller is well under 50% even if the phone was freshly and fully charged before starting. An Samsung S5 and a Note 4 draw the same current from a GL300 xyz controlling a phantom.
 
That's interesting, I never even contemplated different phones sucking more/less power. I've got an old Google Pixel 2- guessing that it doesn't draw much power to charge as I never even realised it charged from the controller until reading some posts on here (and allegedly android is the worst!)
So even if your phone is on 100%, it'll still drain the controller? That's not right... Does the DJI app use THAT much power to run?!!
 
How much current the apps draw is something I would very much like to know, I suppose I could test it by seeing what current the phone draws from a charger without any Go/Fly apps running and then start one to see if the current goes up but I wouldn't like to say for certain that the result would be correct, who know what goes on in there.
I know that some sat nav apps they are murderous.
Yep even with the phone fully charged the phone draws power from the controller and I think it actually loses percentage charge so it doesn't draw enough to hold its charge level.
Part of ithe current draw may be necessity and part of the USB specification/requirements. There are apps 'out there' for Android phones that limit the percentage charge but from what I have seen you need root/administrator level permissions to instal them and I am not going to try to "root" a phone that I 'need'. Plus I do not know if, once they stop the charging, the USB data stream remains operative.
I have seen that "some" drone users have found ways limiting the current with hardware but I haven't been able to find anything relating to how they did it. Which bring me back to a parallel battery, ho hum lol
 
Well you would... Um... Yeah!

I must apologise profusely dude. My head had the USB from the battery pack on the controller. There isn't another connection. I'm a {no swearing DC!}

Power bank to the controller while you're changing batteries??? Don't know how quick they charge. Or... New phone!
 
Tis a tricky problem lol.
A NEW new compatible phone costs a as much as the drone or more and, as I am deaf, all I use a mobile phone for is the odd text message and a portable internet device on free wifi. The S6 is a 'new' to me second hand phone that cost £70 so 1/6th the cost of the drone. A compatible Apple, 2nd hand, is two to three times the price of the S6.
Besides which it ticks me off to pay x 100 quid for a phone/device that going to be near enough obsolete in a couple of years when the manufacturer stops making and selling batteries and you have to gamble on rip offs from the likes of Del-boy Trotter lol
 
honestly best decision i did was get an old iPhone 6s and replaced the battery new battery replacement is only 40$ and absolutely no issues with the app or flying. Personally I prefer android as my phone but iPhone seems to be a preferred device with dji
 
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