Mavic with galaxy note 4

[Krivo]

Hi everyone!

I have just ordered my Mavic Pro and noticed a few posts on this forum saying that it's best to use an iPad mini4 to fly it.

I currently have a Samsung Galaxy note 4 and was planning to use it with the remote.
I do not want to spend more money to buy a tablet as I simply have no need for it

Wondering how compatible the note4 is with the MP is and if there are any risks using it instead of an iPad ?

Thanks

 

[Quad808]

No worries. I have a Note 4 and it works beautifully with the Mavi! No crashes with the app. I also use a Nvidia shield tablet for a bigger screen. Buy a sunshade for the note 4...you will need it in bright sunlight.

 

[westonmavicpilot]

I have a Note 4, had a lot of trouble with the app crashing - as a new'ish pilot I couldnt be doing with that so I bought a used iphone 6s plus for use with the Mavic which works beautifully. Will get an iphone 8 when it comes out and sell the 6splus and Note 4 - will be so glad to get away from android and samsung, not just because of the Mavic app reliability but just to get back to a system thats not flakey!!

 

[I_Like_Drones]

No worries. I have a Note 4 and it works beautifully with the Mavi! No crashes with the app. I also use a Nvidia shield tablet for a bigger screen. Buy a sunshade for the note 4...you will need it in bright sunlight.

Can you recommend any particular sunshade for the Note 4?

 

[westonmavicpilot]

I went with the official DJI one as the top folds back to give full or partial shade, it doesn't get in the way of your fingers using the controller sticks and can be tilted forwards and backwards as its attached over the antenna ariels. Folds flat when not being used. I guess others will have their own preferences but I figured you can't go far wrong with the official product!

 

[I_Like_Drones]

I went with the official DJI one as the top folds back to give full or partial shade, it doesn't get in the way of your fingers using the controller sticks and can be tilted forwards and backwards as its attached over the antenna ariels. Folds flat when not being used. I guess others will have their own preferences but I figured you can't go far wrong with the official product!

Interesting...most of the other shades I have seen seem to be for the phone itself.

The one you refer to covers the LCD on the controller too...and allows easier access to the phone's touchscreen.

 

[Krivo]

Thanks guys!
The first two replies however tell two completely different stories.
I'm not planning on changing my phone to an iphone and in no need for a tablet.
I hope that my device will be as reliable as Quad808 (will be getting asunshade thanks).

westonmavicpilot when the app crashed did the Mavic return to home or did it just wait where it was left when the app crashed?

Just really want to understand if there is a real risk of crashing when flying with the note4?

 

[Steve1966]

Used my note 4 for a while had maybe 2 app crashes then fried my phone. Don't know if it was the dji app or was just time for phone to fry. Picked up a cheap acer iconia one tablet that had GPS in it for $100 have not had problem since. Still on .400 firmware to

 

[westonmavicpilot]

Thanks guys!
The first two replies however tell two completely different stories.
I'm not planning on changing my phone to an iphone and in no need for a tablet.
I hope that my device will be as reliable as Quad808 (will be getting asunshade thanks).

westonmavicpilot when the app crashed did the Mavic return to home or did it just wait where it was left when the app crashed?

Just really want to understand if there is a real risk with flying with the note4?

Luckily I was still in beginner mode at that point and just flying around over my garden... I had it set to hover so it just stayed where it was which was fine until I restarted the app. I would recommend setting it to RTH however as that takes all the worry out of the situation - just make sure the RTH height is set at a sufficient level to avoid any potential obstacles. Also fly close enough that you can see the Mavic in order to bring it home if the screen does go blank...at least until your confidence in it grows!
Don't think there is any real risk using the Note 4, no more so than many other Androids. There are many threads on this forum detailing how flakey the Android app can be compared to teh IOS app but people take precautions and get by fine. Suggest clearing down the cache on all running apps, closing down everything you can and putting it into airplane mode...may help keep it more stable. The note 4 is a decent enough phone with a large bright screen and a good amount of RAM so in theory should make a good display for your controller. Good luck with it and let us know how you get on!

 

[Krivo]

Great feedback! Thanks so much for such quick and detailed reply!
Will update my experience once I get my hands on the Mavic

 

[Johnmcl7]

The performance of the Android app is unfortunately extremely consistent - it's entirely normal for people with the same model of phone and same fw version to report entirely different experiences.

I have a Galaxy Note 4 as my main phone and it crashed every time running DJI Go, instead I used a Sony Z Ultra which crashed occasionally but much less than the note 4. A few people had reported that it was worth clearing out the DJI folders for the new version so I wiped the phone and it hasn't crashed since.

I've upgraded the Note 4 to Android v6 and done a clean install of the DJI Go software plus put new battery in and it's been much more stable, it hasn't crashed since although I should put a big disclaimer on that as I only use the Note 4 when I can't use the Sony.

As others have recommended, for your starter flights it's a good idea anyway to keep the mavic close by and if the app does crash, you still have control of the drone and importantly can see it visually so you can bring it in without the app. You should find out fairly quickly if your Note 4 is fine or unstable and then you can look in troubleshooting options.

 

[MacIak]

Great feedback! Thanks so much for such quick and detailed reply!
Will update my experience once I get my hands on the Mavic

I have a Note4 and it used to work great. I do not use it anymore cause the DJI monkeys would keep draining my battery via the app uploading Loki-knows-what kind of stuff back to mother china. The Moverio is my main interface now so no need for smartphone/tablet.

 

[Quad808]

I can only report my experience with DJI Go...both on my Nvidia Shield tablet and my Note 4...never has crashed once.
I keep my Andorid devices pretty clean, as far as installed apps go and restart them often. The Note 4 is my main phone, so it's on all the time.
The Note 4 will get pretty warm when using it, but I found it working just fine. Android 6.01 and I am on firmware .400 with DJI Go @ 4.07.

Be wary of the Go App, as Maclak posted. I installed a firewall program and the Go App constantly tries to connect and send data non-stop. It doesn't need to be open. Once I force stopped it on the Note 4, all the attempts stopped. DJI wants your flight info and whatever else data pretty badly.

 

[westonmavicpilot]

It's not only the DJI app, I noticed others on my Note 4 doing the same, such as the oculus goggle app that Samsung force on its users which constantly updates and reinstalls itself even when deleted. Come on Apple, when's that iPhone 8 arriving???

 

[jcross]

I used a Note 4 briefly. It seemed to work ok. I need as large and bright a screen as possible. Now using an ipad mini 2
about moving to a 10.5" ipad.

 

[sprtbkrydr]

I use a Note 5 and it works great so I assume the Note 4 would be no different. I have this sunshade and it works great.
Amazon.com: N.ORANIE Remote Controller Phone Monitor Sun hood Sunshade Cover for DJI MAVIC PRO Inspire 1 2/ PHANTOM 3 4/M600 OSMO Accessories(L128mm Black): Home Improvement

 

[Teppwa]

I have a Note 3 and I can't get any video on screen, although it records it to the tablet. I have tried USB debugging and changing the tablet from USB media to video input. Am I missing a setting either on the Mavic or note 3.
BTW it works perfectly on my S8+ but I prefer to use the note 3 as a dedicated screen.

 

[garyd18166]

No worries. I have a Note 4 and it works beautifully with the Mavi! No crashes with the app. I also use a Nvidia shield tablet for a bigger screen. Buy a sunshade for the note 4...you will need it in bright sunlight.

my note 4 is being charged by the remote

 

[Krivo]

So it's been a couple of weeks now since I've got my Mavic and i have been flying with the note 4 without any issues
Also tried it with my friends ipad mini4 and having the big screen is definately a great experience but nothing wrong with using the note4.

 

[Lightsped]

I have a note 4 and have no DJI app (v4.1.3) crashes to report. I always keep my app count to a minimum on my Note 4. I also always use Airplane Mode when flying. So far no crashes with 29 flights.