Biggest , cheapest Phone that works with Mini

[Gkinghrn]

So , I have a Samsung S8 which is perfect for me day to day . But I find it a bit too small really with the Fly app.

I could go buy a small tablet (IPad mini etc) but that feels a bit too big for my liking .

I could swap my phone for something bigger but tbh that wouldn’t be any good day to day for me. So thinking of getting something bigger but cheap to dedicate to the mini.

Any recommendations (pictures in the controller would be good too)?

 

[Greekislandlover]

I don't have a MM, but the remote is very similar physical size to the Mavic 2 one. I use a iPad mini 4 as my controller as it fits neatly in the jaws of the remote and I find it's the perfect size tablet. Also, a refurbished one might be cheaper option than a new phone. I'm not really an Apple guy - I only use it for this purpose as the Apple versions of the DJI apps seem less prone to crashes than the Android devices I have.

I've tried a phone with a 6" screen and it didn't fit in the jaws too easily as it was a little too thick, plus the bigger screen is easier to use.

 

[RogerDH]

So , I have a Samsung S8 which is perfect for me day to day . But I find it a bit too small really with the Fly app.

I could go buy a small tablet (IPad mini etc) but that feels a bit too big for my liking .

I could swap my phone for something bigger but tbh that wouldn’t be any good day to day for me. So thinking of getting something bigger but cheap to dedicate to the mini.

Any recommendations (pictures in the controller would be good too)?

There are phones with screens larger than the 5.8" S8, but not significantly larger unless you go to a "phablet." If 5.8" is too small and the 7.9" iPad Mini is too large, and you don't need cell service, then it sounds like you're looking for a basic 7" tablet. I don't have any recommendations, but if it's Android, just make sure that it's at least version 6.0 or better and has a 64-bit CPU.

 

[pelagic_one]

I agree with the recommendation of an iPad Mini 4 (refurbished). I had been flying with my larger format iPhone 8 Plus for over a month, saw fellow flyers at the park with tablets, and thought they looked way too big. Someone else posted that the iPad Mini 4 actually fits in the remote controller without a special stand. Then I got interested.

Went to eBay and bought a refurbished iPad Mini 4 (WiFi/cellular) for about $200 with 64GB of memory. I then ordered the Skyreat tablet holder on Amazon, just to try it out and fly that way.

Frankly I’d fly either way now, but I really like the occasional glance down at the tablet, shifting between looking down and having VLOS to your Mini (or whatever you’re flying). It sure beats looking down at one’s iPhone, and having to squint to see what the camera sees, and spending more time refocusing one’s eyes than looking up.

RC with iPhone


RC with iPad Mini 4 (yes, it fits tight enough to stay in there)


RC with iPad Mini 4 and Skyreat tablet mount

 

[Gkinghrn]

assume you needed a new cable for the Ipad mini to fit...

..definately a contender.. still pricey bits of kit though..

 

[RogerDH]

BTW, one advantage that you already have with your S8 over the iPad Mini 4 is a screen brightness of 1000 nits versus 450 nits with the iPad. Other small tablets are generally even less than that, especially the cheap ones. I considered getting a dedicated device instead of using my S8+, but I don't want to give up that brightness. The Galaxy Note 8 is even better at 1200 nits, and it has a half-inch larger (6.3") screen, so I'm now considering just getting one of those as my phone and selling the S8+.

 

[wjkrysak]

I use a Note 8 and the 1200 nits is a noticeable improvement. Visible in direct sun. It fits in the holder with no issues. My frequent go to phone. With search, you can find them discounted. Highly recommended. Wish you well on your search for the right phone for you.

 

[PalmPilot]

I had been using my Samsung Note 10+ but I hate not having my phone to take photos of the drone while it's flying, bought the skyreat holder and connected my iPad mini 4, which I hadn't used much, and iMovie to edit the videos.