Mavic Air 2 with Smart Controller or iPad Mini?

[Repaid1]

I myself run a iPad Pro 9.7" and a SC and I MUCH prefer the SC over the iPad. There is nothing more to add to a SC...32 bit or not, it is a stand alone for DJI systems not a Tablet for shopping Apps or running Farcebook or whatever kids these days use their phones and tablets for. It took DJI little time to adapt the Fly App...a 64 bit App to work on the SC and it works fine. Add Litchi to the SC and what else do you need? It runs Go 4 now the Fly App and toss in UAV Forecast....you can even shop on Amazon with it if you need drone parts. You can bet it will run the M3 if it ever appears as well.

I can assure you from all power down to power up to App Launch to auto to camera screen and launch drone (if it is done booting) can be done in under a minute, The sequence of using/booting my iPad is close to that time, but much more involved. I simply press one button on the SC and it does the whole sequence for me. I don't edit with my iPad.. I have a much nicer system 17.3" Laptop for that purpose. But as said everyone has their own Work flow and needs. But in 4 years of owning 4 DJI's I have never been happier with any product they made than the SC and it makes flying a Mavic 2 a real joy. YMMV & IMHO And let's just throw in HDMI out too for goggle fliers or a 65" big screen so the family can watch you fly, you ain't doing that with a Apple device

Edit: And I spent more on my iPad than I did on my SC Now I use it to cruise the forums and track the ISS on the 5% of the time I don't have my laptop

 

[DanMan32]

There are pros and cons on both options. Here are some considerations.

I wouldn't call SC new. It's about 2 years old already.
It seemed to take 6 months for it to become compatible with MA2, and we're still waiting for MM2 compatibility.

SC and iPad Mini screens seem comparable. Mini fits in the traditional Mavic remotes without adapter, though for MM1 you'll need a proper USB cable. You're not limited to compatible drones with Mini.

There is less setup with the SC, being it combines the remote with the tablet.

It used to seem DJI favoring iOS over Android, but for some time updates have arrived for Android before iOS. To be fair, there's less variations to iOS hardware/firmware than Android to contend with.

 

[Rankat1]

OK, watched some more videos on the potential firmware issues with the SC flying the MA2. Looks like there is an orientation issue with the SC vs. the standard controller. SC seems to have an issue not calibrating correct aircraft orientation for the MA2. MRKENTDOTCOM videos on YouTube really show this well. Now starting to lean back toward just buying the MA2 fly more combo vs. the MA2 fly more combo with the SC. Would really like to utilize all the cool features of the SC, but issues like orientation cause me some pause. The price difference between the two FM combo packages is $400 which make it seem like a good deal to get the SC vs. paying $750 separate later. Now I am thinking of getting the standard FM combo for $988 and maybe adding an iPad mini. Have been flying my P3S with my wife's older iPad mini, but with the new MA2, I think I may need a more current iPad mini. Still pondering my decision for a few more days (plan to purchase before Christmas) as I continue to consider whether the SC is worth it or not...Thanks again for all the great feedback!

 

[DanMan32]

Remember, if you get the SC combo, you won't get the standard remote. That's why it's only $400 more while the SC itself is $750. If you get the SC separately, you still have the standard remote to fall back on. Effectively the standard remote is $350

 

[aokusman]

Its amazing that apple refuse to put gps in a $400 tablet when cheap garbage tablets have had gps for years.

 

[Rankat1]

Remember, if you get the SC combo, you won't get the standard remote. That's why it's only $400 more while the SC itself is $750. If you get the SC separately, you still have the standard remote to fall back on. Effectively the standard remote is $350

Yes, that is the trade off of the SC vs. standard remote. Was considering going ahead and getting the SC combo and maybe buy a standard remote separately, which I think I see online around $80-$90. That combo would still provide around $250 savings vs. SC later at $750. Just not sure if the DJI is worth it now not knowing when DJI will correct the MA2 issues.

 

[z28lt1]

My reason for avoiding the SC is that it runs a 32-bit version of Android. That means it's already obsolete and fewer and fewer apps will be able to run on it going forward. A very short-sighted decision by DJI IMO.

I predict a 64-bit SC2 at some point, and that I'll consider.

The smart controller is running 64 bit hardware. I've read some people say it is running a 32 bit version of Android, but have not seen any actual proof of that, and there are some people who have run 64 bit apps (including side loading a version of the Fly App before the Smart Controller was compatible -- the app would run but not connect to anything), which is only possible if it was a 64 bit O/S as well. The anecdotal evidence points heavily to it running a 64 bit operating system (unless people were lying) -- and other than a bunch of forum posts by people saying it is 32 bit, there seems to be no evidence of that.

All that said, it is running a couple of year old processor that wasn't a super high end processor to begin with, so at some point I suspect they'll update it, but if 64 bit is the only thing holding you back, I think the time to buy one is now.

 

[elborak]

The smart controller is running 64 bit hardware. I've read some people say it is running a 32 bit version of Android, but have not seen any actual proof of that, and there are some people who have run 64 bit apps (including side loading a version of the Fly App before the Smart Controller was compatible -- the app would run but not connect to anything), which is only possible if it was a 64 bit O/S as well. The anecdotal evidence points heavily to it running a 64 bit operating system (unless people were lying) -- and other than a bunch of forum posts by people saying it is 32 bit, there seems to be no evidence of that.

All that said, it is running a couple of year old processor that wasn't a super high end processor to begin with, so at some point I suspect they'll update it, but if 64 bit is the only thing holding you back, I think the time to buy one is now.

Anecdotal evidence points both ways - you dismiss the people who've claimed it's 32-bit saying "no actual proof" but then accept the word of "some people who have run 64 bit apps".

It's easy enough to confirm: How to Find Out If Your Device Is Running 32-Bit or 64-Bit Android

 

[z28lt1]

Anecdotal evidence points both ways - you dismiss the people who've claimed it's 32-bit saying "no actual proof" but then accept the word of "some people who have run 64 bit apps".

It's easy enough to confirm: How to Find Out If Your Device Is Running 32-Bit or 64-Bit Android

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear enough. The difference for me is anecdotal evidence is based on actual evidence. People are claiming they have installed 64 bit apps. I noted in my post that I can't rule out they are lying, but seems to be an odd thing for multiple people to lie about. Other people are simply saying "It is a 32 bit OS", without offering any statement on why they believe that its us true. No screen shots, no statement of something that happened to make them believe that no anything other than "it's 32 bit".

As a guess, the 32 bit stuff all started when an early user ran Z-CPU that incorrectly identified the chip it was using, and a bunch of people saw that post in a search or something, and did not see (or look for) any updated information. So, maybe I'll correct myself ---in this case, there was some actual evidence that it was 32 bit -- it's just that was later shown to be incorrect and new evidence (including Z-CPU) shows it as 64 bit.

I don't have one to run anything to confirm, or I would have. I have been shopping for one though, hence my research on it.

 

[elborak]

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear enough. The difference for me is anecdotal evidence is based on actual evidence. People are claiming they have installed 64 bit apps. I noted in my post that I can't rule out they are lying, but seems to be an odd thing for multiple people to lie about. Other people are simply saying "It is a 32 bit OS", without offering any statement on why they believe that its us true. No screen shots, no statement of something that happened to make them believe that no anything other than "it's 32 bit".

As a guess, the 32 bit stuff all started when an early user ran Z-CPU that incorrectly identified the chip it was using, and a bunch of people saw that post in a search or something, and did not see (or look for) any updated information. So, maybe I'll correct myself ---in this case, there was some actual evidence that it was 32 bit -- it's just that was later shown to be incorrect and new evidence (including Z-CPU) shows it as 64 bit.

I don't have one to run anything to confirm, or I would have. I have been shopping for one though, hence my research on it.

I'm not saying anyone is lying, but that's not the only explanation. People can be, and often are, mistaken.

There's definitely contradictory information out there. Yes, some of the early reports were due to CPU-Z misreporting, but followups to that are not in agreement, with some stating it's a Rockchip RK3288 (32-bit) and others contradicting this.

So we're all guessing at this point, despite the SC having been announced almost 2 years ago.

 

[z28lt1]

I'm not saying anyone is lying, but that's not the only explanation. People can be, and often are, mistaken.

There's definitely contradictory information out there. Yes, some of the early reports were due to CPU-Z misreporting, but followups to that are not in agreement, with some stating it's a Rockchip RK3288 (32-bit) and others contradicting this.

So we're all guessing at this point, despite the SC having been announced almost 2 years ago.

I believe a tear-down showed it was the RK3399, and the Geekbench scores match exactly what you would expect an RK3399 to be. It is definitely much faster than the RK3288, so that can't be it. The RK3288 is the Crystal Sky chip, and was 4.5 years old by the time the Smart Controller came out. I certainly can't be surprised if DJI goes cheap and reuses old stuff, but I'm hoping t they wouldn't go that old...

 

[dcpmark]

SC and iPad Mini screens seem comparable.

As someone who has both an SC and a Mini 5, they are not comparable in the only thing that truly matters outdoors......screen brightness. HUGE difference. In fact, even my 2016 iPhone SE is brighter and easier to see outdoors than my Mini 5.

 

[rinocaserta]

I own air 2 and I started my experience with iPad mini 5 and I was very happy with this pairing. The only limitation was the brightness under the strong summer sun. So the last week i bought the SC reading everywhere great things about brightness. Now my experience: about brightness ..Yes it is true but in a percentage of 20/25 %, and other nice features are the HDMI port and a slot for sd card, but the downsides there were many. First all the radar indicator that we all trust on the centre bottom of the screen it's absolutely unreliable as so many others web guys report on web forum, and you're flying noth knowing where you are. The second big problem is the android version of Dj fly ...wich often crash during the flight. The sensitivity of the touch screen it's bad and it's slow to respond to fingers input. In addition both the controllers original and SC have Oculsync 2 but is not the the efficiency is not the same. I tested the maximum distance and in the same location with SC 5.8 GHz was 2,7 Km, 2.4 GHz 3,2 Km and with original RC 4,7 Km. What more to say?
Yes I know there will be new firmware updates in the features but for now there is no doubt about it I sent my back with a lot of sadness because I get attached to my toys. I hope I was helpful to the forum...

 

[Rankat1]

I own air 2 and I started my experience with iPad mini 5 and I was very happy with this pairing. The only limitation was the brightness under the strong summer sun. So the last week i bought the SC reading everywhere great things about brightness. Now my experience: about brightness ..Yes it is true but in a percentage of 20/25 %, and other nice features are the HDMI port and a slot for sd card, but the downsides there were many. First all the radar indicator that we all trust on the centre bottom of the screen it's absolutely unreliable as so many others web guys report on web forum, and you're flying noth knowing where you are. The second big problem is the android version of Dj fly ...wich often crash during the flight. The sensitivity of the touch screen it's bad and it's slow to respond to fingers input. In addition both the controllers original and SC have Oculsync 2 but is not the the efficiency is not the same. I tested the maximum distance and in the same location with SC 5.8 GHz was 2,7 Km, 2.4 GHz 3,2 Km and with original RC 4,7 Km. What more to say?
Yes I know there will be new firmware updates in the features but for now there is no doubt about it I sent my back with a lot of sadness because I get attached to my toys. I hope I was helpful to the forum...

Very helpful detail which confirms some of my concerns. Looks like I may be going the direction of using the iPad Mini 5 instead of the SC which is somewhat sad as I think the SC has a lot of very nice features and advantages, but it looks like DJI needs to update some of the internal guts to current standards. Thanks again for the feedback!

 

[fullbore]

I have regular controller wits iPad mini 5, and the SC. I prefer the SC.

 

[Jaldrich]

I have the original remote, iPad mini 5, and the smart Controller.

I have never lost any signal strength with either of the three controllers. I have never had the fly app crash either.

In the end it’s gonna have to come down to what you think is going to be the best for you. What is your comfortable price point? What kind of trade-offs are you willing to sacrifice or gain depending on the type Controller you use? And where do you believe you’re going to be doing a majority of your videoing/photography at.

For me I mainly use it in the fields for metal detecting and for surveying sites before I go to metal detect. Therefore there’s not a lot of shade and I appreciate the Smart controllers bright screen.

Also I have my cell phone service through Sprint. And in the area I live it’s hit or miss with good data and cell phone signal coverage especially where I go metal detecting a lot of open area and pour signals not very good if I want to just use my regular controller or use the Wi-Fi off my phone.

In the end for me I’ve never had any issues other than the screen brightness and maybe a couple times my phone and iPad overheating but other than that all three are great. I just prefer to use the smart controller the most I like the way it feels in my hands it’s not too small and it’s not too bulky. However I also bring my original remote with me all the time just in case I need a back up because you never know.

Good luck with your decision and happy flying

 

[rinocaserta]

I have the original remote, iPad mini 5, and the smart Controller.

I have never lost any signal strength with either of the three controllers. I have never had the fly app crash either.

In the end it’s gonna have to come down to what you think is going to be the best for you. What is your comfortable price point? What kind of trade-offs are you willing to sacrifice or gain depending on the type Controller you use? And where do you believe you’re going to be doing a majority of your videoing/photography at.

For me I mainly use it in the fields for metal detecting and for surveying sites before I go to metal detect. Therefore there’s not a lot of shade and I appreciate the Smart controllers bright screen.

Also I have my cell phone service through Sprint. And in the area I live it’s hit or miss with good data and cell phone signal coverage especially where I go metal detecting a lot of open area and pour signals not very good if I want to just use my regular controller or use the Wi-Fi off my phone.

In the end for me I’ve never had any issues other than the screen brightness and maybe a couple times my phone and iPad overheating but other than that all three are great. I just prefer to use the smart controller the most I like the way it feels in my hands it’s not too small and it’s not too bulky. However I also bring my original remote with me all the time just in case I need a back up because you never know.

Good luck with your decision and happy flying

Thanks, I want to clarify my thinking... When I wrote my post I was really discouraged about my "not so cheap" purchase. Today I've suspended my return to amazon because I realise that is a firmware issue and I appreciate all features of SC so I have time until the end of January to evaluate any firmware fixes. Happy flying to you too.

 

[z28lt1]

Just wanted to update from the earlier discussion on the Smart Controller. Since I got one for myself, I can confirm

1 - Rockchip RK3399
2 - 64 bit version of Android.

​

 

[quasarchris]

I own both and I like much more the Smart Controller. The signal dropping rumor is not true. I got the same if not better with the Smart Controller.

You will love the simplicity using the Smart Controller.

Have to disagree on the signal dropping issue. Mine happens all the time with my MA2. Also the aircraft direction indicator is of something like 120 degrees all the time. I tried recalibrating everything multiple times and even had the contoller replaced and I still have the same problem. Love the bright screen though!

 

[dirkclod]

Have to disagree on the signal dropping issue. Mine happens all the time with my MA2. Also the aircraft direction indicator is of something like 120 degrees all the time. I tried recalibrating everything multiple times and even had the contoller replaced and I still have the same problem. Love the bright screen though!

You need to post a thread on your issue instead of repeating this
in differant threads . That might get your issue fixed. ?