I knew it would happen. Boy Scout ready. Just got lucky.

[vindibona1]

I knew the day I got my Mini 3 pro that one day I would drop one of those oh-so-delicate conntrol sticks from the DJI RC conntroller. Well, today was the day. I was out practice flying my Mini 3 and when finished sat in the car as I put everything away. Of course I dropped one of the sticks between the seat and the console. I looked for 10 minutes with my phone's light but didn't see it, but found a lot of other small odds and ends while spelunking down there. Cuttting to the chase I finally found it after much hunting in the near dark. I had imagined scenarios where I wouldn't have been so lucky and on day one of Mini 3 ownership my Boy Scout training kicked in and I ordered a spare set of control sticks. At 4:45pm it was already dark outsiide and I can't imagine finding the stick had I dropped it in the grass. [When are they going to make daylight savings time permanent???? Dark at 4:30????]

Luck of finding the dropped stick probably wouldnn't have gone my way had I not had a spare set. You know how that works.
Bottom line: If you own a DJI RC controller and don't have a spare set of control sticks...

 

[old man mavic]

first thing i did was order a couple of spare sets ,when i discovered there weren't any supplied with the RC, happily i haven't had to use any of them yet, ( just tempted fate there i think)

 

[vindibona1]

first thing i did was order a couple of spare sets ,when i discovered there weren't any supplied with the RC, happily i haven't had to use any of them yet, ( just tempted fate there i think)

You haven't lost any because you had spares. That's how it works . Gosh those stiicks are thin and delicate. I wonder if they're the same sticks that come with the RC Pro? The sticks on my Mini 2 and Maviic 2 are much fatter and substantial.

 

[Joe Horn]

I keep the sticks permanently attached to the remote. Problem solved.

 

[MA2 317]

I remember this post from a couple of years ago.

A lanyard for the joysticks.

DJI Remote Usability Modifications

So recently pick up a Mavic Air 2 after trading in my Mini 1. I like the new remote but the bigger size meant utilizing the removable sticks would be needed to pack it as small as possible. But getting the sticks out of there little holders and threaded in place seemed fumble-ly at best. I am...

mavicpilots.com

.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

How much does the DJI RC cost and they don't include a spare set of sticks?
That's not nice.
Ebenezer comes to mind and its coming up to Christmas too.

 

[old man mavic]

@Yorkshire_Pud Cost being the operative word, when i first had my MPP and fly-more kit they were bundled together and came with everything that was needed to get flying, even had prop guards with mine, (although i have only tried them once ,and found that they severely hampered the performance of the MPP when fitted )then the MM fly-more which had prop guards and a charging brick with it and spare sticks ,now because of all the increased costs of components and logistics ,in an effort to keep costs down, we get a very pared down fly-more kit, and even the drones themselves now have single components

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I understand the reasoning but all these 'economies' add up in the public's perception. I doubt that the sticks cost a great deal to manufacture and a pilot who loses one stick and has to wait 2 weeks or more for a replacement, if they are available, is not going to be a happy customer. Yes, for my M2P/Z and Mavic Mini I bought spare sticks, via ebay, better to have a few too many than not enough, but I haven't for the Mini 2.

I can understand their removing prop guards from flymores, I doubt many people use them, so suspect they are wasted items for the majority of users. I think I have used my Mavic Mini's guards only a handful of times, a bought a set for the M2P/Z and think I have used them once.

 

[Kilrah]

Same, I simply never remove them. Actually have longer / adjustable 3rd party replacements for most of my DJI remotes.

 

[russpury]

You can fly without the sticks.

 

[Chrislaf]

Don’t have the DJI RC, but I don’t remove the sticks on my RC Pro. I just use a modular case that accommodates the controller with the sticks on.

Right now winter is taking hold so the prospect of screwing on controller sticks in sub zero temperatures or dropping them in the snow and trying to find them would be difficult at best.

Chris

 

[vindibona1]

I keep the sticks permanently attached to the remote. Problem solved.

I learned my lesson with the RCN1. I left the stick attached and presumed in an area where they didn't touch anything in the case. At some point the left stick started canting slightly to the inside. I had to "strap" it in the other direction for a day or so to get it to straighten itself out. No more. I take the sticks off in storage.

 

[Droning on and on...]

I keep the sticks permanently attached to the remote. Problem solved.

Bingo. First thing I did was order a hard case that could handle the DJI RC with the sticks mounted.

 

[vindibona1]

How much does the DJI RC cost and they don't include a spare set of sticks?
That's not nice.
Ebenezer comes to mind and its coming up to Christmas too.

If you hadn't noticed, but in the past 12-18 months DJI has been on a major margin building mission. 1) The RCN1 that came with the bottom end Mini 2 was included with all their subsequent drones, including the Mavic 3. The controller on the Mavic 2 was far more "deluxe" with C1, C2, 5D buttons, two scroll wheels and separate photo/viideo shutter buttons, plus LCD screen. 2) You couldn't buy the Mavic 3 without a controller, so the RCN1 was "standard" at $2200 and you could not buy the drone ala carte even if you had a RCN1 from another drone. 3) They priced the M3 "Cine" with the RC Pro controller at $5000 (acknowledging the cost of the Prores license). 3) They have been focusing on their "Enterprise" series with huge margins. 4) After all of the above, finally they released the Mavic 3 CLASSIC at a reduced cost after they milked the higher margin standard Mavic 3. 5) They produced the DJI RC controller with a built in screen, but dumbed it down to stiill encourage purchase of the RC Pro. The DJI RC does not have a 5D programmmable button nor a useable USB port (though it does have a USB charging port to use a viewing deviice with a USB cable for VR flight or using a tablet instead. 6) DJI's "Fly More Combo" has eliminated many of the accessories previously provided in other FMC kits. No prop guards, and even no wall charger, no filters. Higher prices for bare bones kits.

Is it any wonder why they don't provide spare control stiicks that probably only cost them $1 to make?

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Yes I certainly did notice the price hikes and "margin building".
I'd like a Mini 3, for the vertical camera, but there is NO WAY I am going to pay the money they are asking for for it. From memory it was near double the cost of a Mini 2.

I bought my M2P for less than the cost of the Mini 3. And as far the Mavic 3, to me that was a laughable price, in hindsight perhaps that was a good thing because it seems to have been a nightmare for many early buyers.

With regards to smart controllers, and, for the moment, ignoring their price, I don't like all my eggs in one basket so screen device and controller all in one unit has been a complete no-no for me, right from the start. I can damage a separate screen device without serious consequences I just use another phone, damage the screen on a smart controller and one is "up the creek without a paddle".

Take into consideration the price and the smart controllers are expensive.
I picked up spare controllers for all my drones, from £30 (mavic mini), the most expensive was an RC1A (M2P) for somewhere around £100. I think the Mini 2 spare was £60, and maybe less.

 

[Joe Horn]

I learned my lesson with the RCN1. I left the stick attached and presumed in an area where they didn't touch anything in the case. At some point the left stick started canting slightly to the inside. I had to "strap" it in the other direction for a day or so to get it to straighten itself out. No more. I take the sticks off in storage.

Thanks for that heads-up! Greatly appreciated.

 

[Lister]

Don’t have the DJI RC, but I don’t remove the sticks on my RC Pro. I just use a modular case that accommodates the controller with the sticks on.

Right now winter is taking hold so the prospect of screwing on controller sticks in sub zero temperatures or dropping them in the snow and trying to find them would be difficult at best.

Chris

I dropped my Mini 2 control stick in the snow but didn't realize it until an hour later. Returned to where I'd previously parked (easily visible because snow) and there it was, half an inch deep in the white stuff.

Made rule: NEVER REMOVE STICKS. Haven't lost them since, including on my Mini 3.

 

[Rchawks]

I tried not using the sticks and it didn't seem to work for me not sure why. Last weekend I dropped one stick on the ground and was lucky as there wasn't a lot of grass, unlike my icon there and it was easily found. It's easy to see how you could lose it forever. So, thinking about getting some spares just in case, but haven't got around to it yet. They are tiny coming from a mini or MA2. Most of the time I tend to have the sticks in place ahead of time using the case it comes with. Seemed kind of chintzy not to include a power adapter. But I did know that before the purchase.

 

[vindibona1]

The sticks on the DJIRC controller are much more delicate than those on the RCN1. Much more easily fumbled.

As far as spares go, we all know the adage; “ it’s better to have it, and not need it, than need it and not have it”.

 

[Rchawks]

So true.