Biggiest cons of the smart controller?

GadgetGuy · Oct 17, 2019

JS1600 said:
I've gotten 3 1/2 miles out which was about the same as the regular controller in my area over farm land.

Looking for anyone that can attest to 5 miles using the SC instead of the stock M2 RC.
I can document 5 miles on the stock M2 RC with clear LOS at 50 feet AGL.

Fly_Me_To_The_Moon · Oct 29, 2019

I love mine, would hate to go back to using a cell phone, connecting that cable, adjusting that annoying bracket on my phone, looking at my smaller phone screen, remembering all my phone settings like turn off calls, turn brightness up, rotate screen, etc etc.

Smart controller is so fast to start flying. Just take out of bag, turn on, and go flying. Plus the screen is super bright and the battery lasts a long time. As others said, a lanyard is wise to have, to prevent dropping it. I bought one off Amazon for $10.

GadgetGuy · Oct 29, 2019

Fly_Me_To_The_Moon said:
I love mine, would hate to go back to using a cell phone, connecting that cable, adjusting that annoying bracket on my phone, looking at my smaller phone screen, remembering all my phone settings like turn off calls, turn brightness up, rotate screen, etc etc.

Smart controller is so fast to start flying. Just take out of bag, turn on, and go flying. Plus the screen is super bright and the battery lasts a long time. As others said, a lanyard is wise to have, to prevent dropping it. I bought one off Amazon for $10.

Nothing a dedicated 9.7” iPad wouldn't accomplish with a Skyreat bracket permanently mounted to the stock RC, and you'd have a much larger screen, and the iOS version of GO 4. Works for me! In the air in less than a minute!

gnirtS · Oct 30, 2019

GadgetGuy said:
Nothing a dedicated 9.7” iPad wouldn't accomplish with a Skyreat bracket permanently mounted to the stock RC, and you'd have a much larger screen, and the iOS version of GO 4. Works for me! In the air in less than a minute!

And a system significantly less portable, far harder to pack into a small bag inside another bag. Along with a screen thats nowhere near bright enough to see in direct sun.

GadgetGuy · Oct 30, 2019

gnirtS said:
And a system significantly less portable, far harder to pack into a small bag inside another bag. Along with a screen thats nowhere near bright enough to see in direct sun.

Indeed. But the tradeoff is a "just as fast" deployability, with a 4x larger screen, and finding shade or bringing along a shade or a blackcloth to fly under is not difficult. It does break down for transport, if needed, and will still fit inside the Mavic 2 case, just like the SC, if desired. Saves about $350, too, since I already own the dedicated iPad. I carry the completely assembled iPad/RC unit separately in a small backpack with a handle when carrying it in the car. Works well for me. I also prefer all iOS versions of GO 4.

RogerMav · Oct 31, 2019

Biggest con, is that screen is not a little bigger, but I love using it so far and it is so quick to get up and flying that is a big plus.

Jaymaharg · Nov 4, 2019

I would prefer to see more programmable buttons than a standard controller. I came from old school RC days where I miss this, really cost is only a con but no regrets with mine. I have the iPad for the days I want it, that's seldom though..

A fast and out the door hike is the M2P, SC, 3-4 batts and filters. Cell phone is for emergency or tunes and some H2O.. I can stop and love the simplicity - I find I'm using this combo more..

Majestic · Nov 18, 2019

Bakeneko said:
Non-replaceable batteries is unforgivable on any device. Screen is great. I wouldn't have bought the SC had it been iOS based, I'm very glad it's Android.

Sorry to bring this thread back up but it's not THAT old. I'm looking at the possibility of getting the SC and this point is something I am deeply concerned with. How can I sink that much cash into this thing when a few years down the road the battery life sucks and the only fix is to send it in for replacement.

LivinLarge · Nov 18, 2019

Majestic said:
Sorry to bring this thread back up but it's not THAT old. I'm looking at the possibility of getting the SC and this point is something I am deeply concerned with. How can I sink that much cash into this thing when a few years down the road the battery life sucks and the only fix is to send it in for replacement.

My concern would be forward compatibility. It is already incompatible with the Mini and I expect the M3 will have Occusync 3 which won't work with it. If past performance is any indication, DJI will always make you buy new products rather than making the new product work with last year's device. You will likely upgrade to a new drone before the battery needs replaced in the SC.

Thomas B · Nov 18, 2019

The small screen is the killer for me with the current model... OK if your eyes can handle the smaller screen.

good point about future app mods that could be coming.

Venomvip · Nov 18, 2019

Has someone experienced laggy or jerky scrolling when it's done slowly, like when you are reading a page, or going down the menu?
Drives me nuts...

DanMan32 · Nov 18, 2019

Price and screen size does it for me.

Jaymaharg · Nov 18, 2019

Yep - also when you press the menu touchscreen button and it takes forever to come up. I end up toggling it on and off several times.. Other menus seem fine - will compare on my iPad..

Venomvip said:
Has someone experienced laggy or jerky scrolling when it's done slowly, like when you are reading a page, or going down the menu?
Drives me nuts...

PAW · Nov 19, 2019

In just over 100 flights, I have never noticed those screen issues. I've always found the screen to be immediately responsive to touch; I do not have a screen protector installed. I have only used it with firmware versions .0400 and .0530 as well as GO4 .16, .24, and .25. Maybe I've just been lucky...

Niemand · Nov 19, 2019

Majestic said:
Sorry to bring this thread back up but it's not THAT old. I'm looking at the possibility of getting the SC and this point is something I am deeply concerned with. How can I sink that much cash into this thing when a few years down the road the battery life sucks and the only fix is to send it in for replacement.

Unlike my flawed assumption, don't expect to be able to use any apps on the SC for your drone. Send in the battery? No, buying a new battery/having spares would be essential no matter what drone you have since 25-30 minutes is not very long of a flight time. Which drone are you wanting to use it on? Do you plan to use it exclusively for videos and individual photos?

Majestic · Nov 19, 2019

Niemand said:
Unlike my flawed assumption, don't expect to be able to use any apps on the SC for your drone. Send in the battery? No, buying a new battery/having spares would be essential no matter what drone you have since 25-30 minutes is not very long of a flight time. Which drone are you wanting to use it on? Do you plan to use it exclusively for videos and individual photos?

I want to be able to get in the air as quickly as possible. For me, the easier it is to do that the more chance there is for me to want to use the Drone. With that said, I have a Mavic 2 Pro with 4 batteries. I mostly do recreational flying. Certainly not professional although I feel I can do that. I'm pretty good in post and my output looks professional.(Well at least I think so...) But I digress... I use it for both Photos and Video.

With regard to sending in the battery, I meant that from what I understand the battery in the SC is not user replaceable therefor I'd have to send it in the DJI to probably have that done. Am I not correct with that understanding?

Thanks!

Fred

ff22 · Nov 19, 2019

Majestic said:
I want to be able to get in the air as quickly as possible. For me, the easier it is to do that the more chance there is for me to want to use the Drone. With that said, I have a Mavic 2 Pro with 4 batteries. I mostly do recreational flying. Certainly not professional although I feel I can do that. I'm pretty good in post and my output looks professional.(Well at least I think so...) But I digress... I use it for both Photos and Video.

With regard to sending in the battery, I meant that from what I understand the battery in the SC is not user replaceable therefor I'd have to send it in the DJI to probably have that done. Am I not correct with that understanding?

Thanks!

Fred

I just did a quick search and did not find any disassembly videos or sites. Sometimes those will show how easy it is to take things apart and how accessibly the battery might be.

I guess at the moment it is not something I've worried about.

gnirtS · Nov 19, 2019

PAW said:
In just over 100 flights, I have never noticed those screen issues. I've always found the screen to be immediately responsive to touch; I do not have a screen protector installed. I have only used it with firmware versions .0400 and .0530 as well as GO4 .16, .24, and .25. Maybe I've just been lucky...

I do use a screen protector and dont have that issue.
If anything the screen is TOO sensitive - i hit it by accident reaching for a hardware button at times.

AnzacJack · Nov 19, 2019

This video isn’t aimed at battery change, but you can see how the battery is removed and replaced

Jaymaharg · Nov 20, 2019

gnirtS said:
I do use a screen protector and dont have that issue.
If anything the screen is TOO sensitive - i hit it by accident reaching for a hardware button at times.

I'll give it a try again tonight - I tried last night and had the same issue. It is only when pressing the top right menu button after seeing the camera view. I'll pull my screen protector off and record a video. All other soft buttons were very responsive.