First time drone flyer, nor a cell phone user..what is best and cheapest cell device for controller?

llooger · Feb 7, 2018

New drone flyer, but not a cell phone user....what is the best and cheapest cell device to fly the Mavic Air with.? I have a Mac computer, but no cell phone, so I need to go buy one. Do I need to get a contract with the cell phone company?

Just_nick · Feb 7, 2018

Probably the Huawei Ascend XT2.

Mr. Salty · Feb 7, 2018

llooger said:
New drone flyer, but not a cell phone user....what is the best and cheapest cell device to fly the Mavic Air with.? I have a Mac computer, but no cell phone, so I need to go buy one. Do I need to get a contract with the cell phone company?

You don’t need cell service to fly. You can either use a cellphone like the Huwei without service or you can get a tablet. Since you’re a Mac user you might like the iPad Mini 4.

microlinux · Feb 7, 2018

I got Sony Xperia Z3 for $90 on eBay, runs Go 4 butter smooth and has a amazing bright 1920x1080 screen.

nathanwms · Feb 7, 2018

Take a look at a refurbished 16GB iPod Touch on apple.com only $129. No need for contract, very portable, and can be dedicated as a drone display and not double as a phone.

Just_nick · Feb 7, 2018

iPod Touch seemed interesting until I saw that it had a 4" screen. The Z3 and the XT2 have over 5" screens, which is a huge difference. It translates to roughly twice the surface area. The iPad mini is also a great option, along with something like a 2013 Nexus 7.

nathanwms · Feb 7, 2018

Just_nick said:
iPod Touch seemed interesting until I saw that it had a 4" screen. The Z3 and the XT2 have over 5" screens, which is a huge difference. It translates to roughly twice the surface area. The iPad mini is also a great option, along with something like a 2013 Nexus 7.

True, the bigger the screen the better unless it gets too pricey. Nice thing about either iPod Touch or iPad mini is the ability to easily edit videos on device with iMovie or LumaFusion.

msinger · Feb 8, 2018

The Huawei Ascend XT2 and Huawei Elate 4G are both inexpensive Android devices that pack enough power to run DJI GO. You can find a list of other commonly used mobile devices here. And you could also save some cash by buying a used/refurbished mobile device.

Air Beetle · Feb 8, 2018

stick with ios devices to avoid frustration

droneworx · Feb 8, 2018

wait, I had to double check I didnt click a post from 2002. You dont have a cellphone? im so envious...

thongbong · Feb 8, 2018

just got an iphone 6 off craigslist yesterday for 110.

bluskies99 · Feb 8, 2018

Refurb iPad mini 4 is only around $300. Very nice for flying Mavic Air/Pro Spark.

Rnl · Feb 8, 2018

Good for you, glad to see you get a bird, very relaxing and fun once you get the hang of it. If your like me with my older eyes bigger is way better, I personally would look for a tablet, more enjoyable and better to see details while flying. (Small limbs, wires)

sberfield · Feb 8, 2018

I'm using my older Android phone with no sim in it. It's a NextBit Robin. 1080p screen and decent performance. You can pick them up for around $100.

Nickalf..... · Feb 14, 2018

llooger said:
New drone flyer, but not a cell phone user....what is the best and cheapest cell device to fly the Mavic Air with.? I have a Mac computer, but no cell phone, so I need to go buy one. Do I need to get a contract with the cell phone company?

I use a used iPhone 5s that I got off eBay for $70 - there are some more there now.. Don't need network service and it runs the latest Go 4 app nicely..

MavicMo · Feb 15, 2018

IMO, buy an Apple device thats "powerful" enough to run the DJI GO App. While there are Android devices that work, there are some that are problematic. Since I started flying DJI drones, I've used Apple products and as long as they are supported, I've had ZERO major issues that has left me "blind" or loss of contact/control of the Drone due to the smart device...

Mdifilm · Feb 17, 2018

I just got an used iPad mini 4 with cellular for $249 on amazon. I read that having cellular helps with rth etc. So don’t want to risk the chance to have it fly away.