Litchi on Mini 3 Pro with new controller?

[bobmoore1954]

I understand the new controller (with built in video screen) will not allow installation of third party apps (e.g. Litchi). Will there be a way to otherwise use Litchi or other flight management apps or is this a compromise of opting for the new controller?

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

How would anyone know?

 

[bobmoore1954]

Huh?

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Huh?

No one has the drone/controller apart from those chosen by DJI, so how would anyone who does not have the controller in their possession know what, in terms of adding apps, can and can not be done with it?

 

[z28lt1]

No one has the drone/controller apart from those chosen by DJI, so how would anyone who does not have the controller in their possession know what, in terms of adding apps, can and can not be done with it?

You may have missed some guy got his hands on one and has been doing reviews and has stated that there isn't a way to install other apps. Makes sense, the separation between the RC Pro and the new remote is that the new remote is fly app only, while the Pro runs a full/open version of android with the storage and processing to run other apps.

The new remote will do what a large percentage of people use the RC Pro for (the bright screen and the easy no-phone setup), but they can cut cost on not having it be a full blown android tablet as well.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I have seen at least one genuine looking test flight, I don't remember if he commented on other apps but he did say that some features seem impossible to activate as in incomplete/unfinished software.
But at a guess no one here has their hands on an Mini 3 or its controller. Taking that to be true how would anyone here know of a way to instal Litchi etc. since the only way to find out is by trying it, isn't it?

 

[z28lt1]

I have seen at least one genuine looking test flight, I don't remember if he commented on other apps but he did say that some features seem impossible to activate as in incomplete/unfinished software.
But at a guess no one here has their hands on an Mini 3 or its controller. Taking that to be true how would anyone here know of a way to instal Litchi etc. since the only way to find out is by trying it, isn't it?

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At the moment, no way to install other apps discussed just pass the 5 minute mark. Maybe that changes with a firmware update, we'll see, but seems unlikely as DJI we'll need to differentiate this from the RC Pro.

You are very correct, we only have the one person's statement at the moment so as more people get their hands on it, the more we'll know and maybe someone discovers something. Couple of USB ports so maybe possible to connect a phone or something. That said, I'm not sure I agree that each individual person needs to try it for themselves though if enough qualified people have already done so (not the case yet).

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Right now the only App to run on the RC pro is the DJI Fly App but when DJI came out with the Crystalsky monitor it had the same problem. Trying to load Apps on it you would get an error that said it was not DJI approved.
All it took was some smart hacker to locate a simple list somewhere in the filesystem of approved apps, and modify it to accept different Apps.
This could be that simple or DJI could modify it them selfs to allow Apps that run on their SDK.

 

[Daybreak98]

Very simple. Come back and visit thread in about 3 months after the true release.

 

[surfbird]

The sdk hasn't even been released for the mavic 3 yet, so your up for a long wait for the mini3
I will check how hard it is hack it when I get one. The sdk is hackable, but the remote can be quite locked am afraid.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

The sdk hasn't even been released for the mavic 3 yet, so your up for a long wait for the mini3
I will check how hard it is hack it when I get one. The sdk is hackable, but the remote can be quite locked am afraid.

Of course you are right, Litchi will need to have the SDK for the Mini 3 for it to work anyways. The question was not how long the SDK will take but how to add 3rd party Apps. Like I said it would take DJI to make a change to allow for Litchi App to work on their new controller. Yes it might take months, probably not till next year but it will happen. Just like it did with the Air 2\Air 2s.

 

[RetiredInFL]

Of course you are right, Litchi will need to have the SDK for the Mini 3 for it to work anyways. The question was not how long the SDK will take but how to add 3rd party Apps. Like I said it would take DJI to make a change to allow for Litchi App to work on their new controller. Yes it might take months, probably not till next year but it will happen. Just like it did with the Air 2\Air 2s.

Any probably not even then if there needs to be a major "geek" type of hack to get root access in order to enable the home screen (if there is one) assuming it has the needed basic Android utilities. There probably are many reasons why this new controller is relatively inexpensive and this seems to be one. Hopefully that will all change after "official" release. DJI can also black access to sideloading in their firmware

 

[test2000Anafi]

It only has 8GB internal storage, or is that the same for the pro?

 

[z28lt1]

It only has 8GB internal storage, or is that the same for the pro?

The RC Pro has 32GB of internal storage.

 

[test2000Anafi]

The RC Pro has 32GB of internal storage.

that could explain it then.

the way I see it; the pro and non pro RC controllers are the same thing and the same price as well. The difference is the plastic color, back button, 5d button, ability to install apps other than dji, 24GB less internal storage, and the HDMI out.

you do get a free (air2s image quality beating) DJI mini 3 pro drone with the grey rc pro controller so I think it’s still a good deal

 

[TT3023]

And yeah, keep in mind it took over a year for DJI to support the Mini 2 in the SDK after the Mini 2's release. Of course, they *could* be faster this time. Or not. Yes, there is a way to get some units unsupported directly by the SDK to work with the SDK with QGroundControl for example. But that code isn't currently Android 12 compatible and hasn't been rebuilt since DJI added actual Mini 2 support to the SDK. I might look at this again at some point but am not particularly inspired to do so given I don't have any intention of spending the kind of money required for a Mini 3 to test with.

 

[surfbird]

And yeah, keep in mind it took over a year for DJI to support the Mini 2 in the SDK after the Mini 2's release. Of course, they *could* be faster this time. Or not. Yes, there is a way to get some units unsupported directly by the SDK to work with the SDK with QGroundControl for example. But that code isn't currently Android 12 compatible and hasn't been rebuilt since DJI added actual Mini 2 support to the SDK. I might look at this again at some point but am not particularly inspired to do so given I don't have any intention of spending the kind of money required for a Mini 3 to test with.

> Yes, there is a way to get some units unsupported directly by the SDK to work with the SDK with QGroundControl for example

How is that possible? Do they get a prerelease or do they hack the sdk?

 

[TT3023]

it involves code that convinces the SDK into thinking that it's connected to a drone version that the SDK actually supports. There are some compromises involved but it worked with the Mini 2 before the Mini 2 was supported in the SDK. It's essentially a MAVLink compatibility layer, so that the wide variety of open source MAVLink compatible programs and systems can be used. But it's not trivial.

 

[surfbird]

it involves code that convinces the SDK into thinking that it's connected to a drone version that the SDK actually supports. There are some compromises involved but it worked with the Mini 2 before the Mini 2 was supported in the SDK. It's essentially a MAVLink compatibility layer, so that the wide variety of open source MAVLink compatible programs and systems can be used. But it's not trivial.

Very interesting, thanks.
I did something similar for the mini2. Planning to do the same for the mini3 if I get it to work.

 

[TT3023]

I may go ahead and do the Android 12 compatibility work, but I'm not going to spend any time on Mini 3 support without an actual Mini 3 in hand.