Any hopes DJI add direct WiFi control to the Mini 2?

[Torovolt]

One of the major selling points of the Mini series is the “portability factor”. A drone that you could carry anywhere, small and simple.
Some people have gone as far as to call it pockeable , which is not but could be!

Unfortunately, it is not really that portable since it still need the big *** remote, which is another thing to charge plus the process of mounting the phone.
This is one of the reasons why I stil think the older Spark is more portable, since it has the option to be controlled just with the phone, quick and simple. Nothing else to worry about or connect, just turn on the drone and up you go.

Has anyone asked to DJI if this is something they could add ?
If there is one single feature I wish the Mini had this is it.
What do you guys think ?

 

[zeusfl]

The problem with that is if your phone die or you receive a phone call what are you going to do? When the remote control in order to fly you don't really need to have the phone.

 

[Torovolt]

I‘ve had the the Spark and used that feature many times for bike rides or camping, no issues, and there are hundreds of drones which work just with a phone.
It certainly has its risk but the benefits are worth it.
You just put the Phone in Airplane mode, and in the case you forgot, the moment you leave the app to answer a call, the drone just hover in place. Just don‘t answer the call or do anything else when flying.

 

[TS_Thomas02]

Or maybe use an old phone that doesn’t have a SIM card?

 

[Latawiec]

One of the major selling points of the Mini series is the “portability factor”. A drone that you could carry anywhere, small and simple.
Some people have gone as far as to call it pockeable , which is not but could be!

Unfortunately, it is not really that portable since it still need the big *** remote, which is another thing to charge plus the process of mounting the phone.
This is one of the reasons why I stil think the older Spark is more portable, since it has the option to be controlled just with the phone, quick and simple. Nothing else to worry about or connect, just turn on the drone and up you go.

Has anyone asked to DJI if this is something they could add ?
If there is one single feature I wish the Mini had this is it.
What do you guys think ?

Yeah, I used to love this feature on my MA mk1. Very useful for quick shots without wasting pretty much anytime for setting up.

 

[Kilrah]

It's been years since DJI released a drone with that feature while they all had it until that point, so most likely they decided that wouldn't be a thing anymore. Almost certainly wouldn't be added on a 1 year old machine, if they did they'd take the opportunity to make you buy a new one...

 

[Torovolt]

Yeah, I used to love this feature on my MA mk1. Very useful for quick shots without wasting pretty much anytime for setting up.

Yes, deployment time it is another factor which can be the difference in getting the shot or not.
And another one is, discretion, no one can tell who is flying a drone if all you are doing is handling your phone.

I‘m surprised that none of the many Mini Reviews I've seen did not mention the lack of this feature, specially for a drone in the portable category.

The Mini2 has the hardware already to do this, as we can see from the WiFi connection transfer function and they already developed the Virtual Joystick interface which refined over the years.

 

[Torovolt]

It's been years since DJI released a drone with that feature while they all had it until that point, so most likely they decided that wouldn't be a thing anymore. Almost certainly wouldn't be added on a 1 year old machine, if they did they'd take the opportunity to make you buy a new one...

It looks to me that the decision to not longer include that feature was safety.
It is harder to control the drone with a touch screen, but worth having for certain use cases.
DJI could have made that feature harder to find in the menus, away from inexperience users, or as an unofficial feature accesible only trough third party software.

 

[Zbip57]

The Mini2 has the hardware already to do this, as we can see from the WiFi connection transfer function ...

The WiFi connection is just for file transfers, no? As in just for downloading photos and video files?

The Mini-2 control signal is via Occusync, which requires a dedicated DJI controller. It's not sent over Wifi and thus wouldn't work from just a cellphone alone.

The Mini-1's control signal however is sent via enhanced WiFi.

---

edit: Disregard everything I wrote above! It's all completely wrong and bull. I should have done some research before spouting nonsense. Thanks for straightening me out.

 

[RogerDH]

The WiFi connection is just for file transfers, no? As in just for downloading photos and video files?

The Mini-2 control signal is via Occusync, which requires a dedicated DJI controller. It's not sent over Wifi and thus wouldn't work from just a cellphone alone.

The Mini-1's control signal however is sent via enhanced WiFi.

OcuSync 2.0 is the same extended WiFi as used in the Mini 1 but with the added ability to switch channels in flight to find one with less interference, whereas the Mini 1 selects a channel on takeoff and doesn't change if it flies into an area with interference on that channel. There's no technical reason the Minis can't be controlled from a phone except that the software doesn't support it. As for the original question, I don't expect to see any new features added to the Minis.

 

[Kilrah]

The WiFi connection is just for file transfers, no? As in just for downloading photos and video files?

Yes but that's just a choice, the hardware is there so it could be used for control as well if desired.

 

[photo2be]

OcuSync 2.0 is the same extended WiFi as used in the Mini 1 but with the added ability to switch channels in flight to find one with less interference, whereas the Mini 1 selects a channel on takeoff and doesn't change if it flies into an area with interference on that channel. There's no technical reason the Minis can't be controlled from a phone except that the software doesn't support it. As for the original question, I don't expect to see any new features added to the Minis.

There is no reason whatever for DJI, like all other manufacturers, to invest and improve in a current and successful product like Mini2. They want to sell their new upcoming products! As simple as that.

 

[Torovolt]

Or maybe use an old phone that doesn’t have a SIM card

Yes, or a WiFi tablet, but the whole point of Direct WiFi control is to make the drone much more portable, so you use it with your main phone which people carry with them all the time.

There is no reason whatever for DJI, like all other manufacturers, to invest in a current product. They want to sell new products! As simple as that.

Not really, DJI had brought new, software based features after the product launch via firmware. Apple does it often, Tesla doest it as well as several camera manufactureres.
The Mini2 got several new features via firmware updates after the product was launched.

 

[Zbip57]

OcuSync 2.0 is the same extended WiFi as used in the Mini 1 but with the added ability to switch channels in flight to find one with less interference, whereas the Mini 1 selects a channel on takeoff and doesn't change.

OMG. I didn't know that. Do I ever feel dumb now.

One question. If it won't do it automatically, can one still manually change channel after takeoff with the Mini-1?

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[RogerDH]

Yes, or a WiFi tablet, but the whole point of Direct WiFi control is to make the drone much more portable, so you use it with your main phone which people carry with them all the time.

Not really, DJI had brought new, software based features after the product launch via firmware. Apple does it often, Tesla doest it as well as several camera manufactureres.
The Mini2 got several new features via firmware updates after the product was launched.

Yes, but since the updates were soon after the initial releases of the Mini 1 and 2, I think they were features already in the works but not quite ready by release time. I could be wrong, of course, but it doesn't seem that there are any more of those, and I don't think DJI has any incentive to invest in new development.

 

[Torovolt]

Yes, but since the updates were soon after the initial releases of the Mini 1 and 2, I think they were features already in the works but not quite ready by release time. I could be wrong, of course, but it doesn't seem that there are any more of those, and I don't think DJI has any incentive to invest in new development.

Yes, but since the updates were soon after the initial releases of the Mini 1 and 2, I think they were features already in the works but not quite ready by release time. I could be wrong, of course, but it doesn't seem that there are any more of those, and I don't think DJI has any incentive to invest in new development.

Depends, if the rumored Mini3 is delayed for components supply issues, they might decide to add a couple of software features to the
mini2, to keep the drone competitive instead of push sales by reducing price.
They already have a polished interface for that functionality that came with older drones so is not a lot R&D expenses.

 

[PascalG]

Range without controllers is very limited and only a fraction of what the mini2 can reach. Personally I don’t see the point. When I had a spark, I never used it without the controller.

Usually takes longer for the drone to acquire GPS than to set up the remote and phone.

 

[Torovolt]

I use my Spark without the RC most of the time since I take it with me in my bike rides.
It is so much convenient this way for casual quick shots.
Yes you can turn the Mini2 first while you are stetting up the RC and Phone, but is much less hassle direct with the phone, no just setting it up but when packing it back. Hell, you can even do quick text replies or take picture while the AC is in the air.

If and when the main activity is about the Drone, I bring the RC though.

This is my Spark with 3 batteries, next to my Mini 2

 

[Hooch]

I put mine in my pocket all the time. Remember, friends don't let friends wear skinny jeans.

 

[ashyt16]

Sounds like a recipe for fly away/uncontrolled flight city to me having no controller. Who knows what rubbish people would try and use.
Probably the reason why so many of the cheapo drones report the issues they do.

I'm sure DJI don't want the risk of relying on some untested hardware directly flying their drones just for the sake of a little convenience.