Controller with screen versus phone for screen

[neoflyer]

Thinking about getting a Mini 3. I have a 2 now and use my iPhone with it. With the 3 you have the choice of controllers, built in screen or use the iPhone. Does anyone have experience with both and what is you advice on which to choose?

 

[mavic3usa]

The trouble I have had in the past with using mobile phones as part of the controller is screen brightness. Too often, the mobile phone screen would dim to the point it was difficult to see where you were flying and no amount of changing the settings would make the screen brighter and thus useful. Going forward, I depend on smart controllers with a built-in screen and there's only one exception which is the Tripltek tablets.

 

[old man mavic]

@neoflyer i have the built in screen RC s for both my Mini 3 pro and Air 3 ,and they do offer some advantages over having to use a seperate screen device
those are mainly ease of use, reasonable sized screen ,not affected by heat or cold causing dimming or shutting down
yes the screen brightness could be better in very bright sunlight ,but to aid with this i have covers that fit onto the RC ,that act as protection for leaving the sticks attached and also fold up to act as a sun shield as well
it is also advisable to have a lanyard attached to prevent it falling, if you have to let go of it for any reason ,and it saves the possibilty of the screen being damaged ,during such an event

 

[MS Coast]

I'd say, go with the controller with the screen. It's much more convenient that fussing with mounting the phone in the RC-N1 controller. As @old man mavic suggested, a lanyard is a great idea.

In any case, enjoy that Mini 3. It's a wonderful little machine that provides a lot of amusement, fun, and opportunities.

 

[neoflyer]

@neoflyer i have the built in screen RC s for both my Mini 3 pro and Air 3 ,and they do offer some advantages over having to use a seperate screen device
those are mainly ease of use, reasonable sized screen ,not affected by heat or cold causing dimming or shutting down
yes the screen brightness could be better in very bright sunlight ,but to aid with this i have covers that fit onto the RC ,that act as protection for leaving the sticks attached and also fold up to act as a sun shield as well
it is also advisable to have a lanyard attached to prevent it falling, if you have to let go of it for any reason ,and it saves the possibilty of the screen being damaged ,during such an event

Thanks. You are confirming my inclination to go with the built in screen rather than the hassle of a phone for the screen. Just want to be sure the built in screen doesn’t come with compromises over using a phone.

 

[old man mavic]

@neoflyer well for some people, the fact that the RC uses Android ,can be a compromise ,especially if they are used to IOS ,and for others, that like to use aftermarket APPs ,then that can be an issue as well ,its really down to personal choice

 

[smbishop]

@neoflyer well for some people, the fact that the RC uses Android ,can be a compromise ,especially if they are used to IOS ,and for others, that like to use aftermarket APPs ,then that can be an issue as well ,its really down to personal choice

This is exactly what I ran into. I am an iOS/PC user and went from my iPhone with my Mini 2 to Android on the RC 2. It was a learning curve on how to navigate and access files. I also like to be able to upgrade the DJI Fly App, and with the RC 2, you have to wait for a firmware update. However, I love the connivence of the screen. I bought a case and I leave the lanyard and sticks attached. It is very fast to get it out and start flying.

 

[neoflyer]

How about the creen size and video quality?

 

[Dbez1]

I have only had the N1 but I’m usually in a position where I leave my iPad attached and ready to go 24/7. I’m also not in an ultra hot climate like Florida or Arizona. Regardless, there are times that I need to find shade to fly from. I like the 10.2” screen. Just my personal preference.