Mini 3 coming Saturday (hopefully). One quick question

[Skybuyer]

B&H Shipped my Mini 3 with smart controller today and FedEx says it will be here Saturday.
At this moment I have no plans to sell my Mini 2 having waited so long for the SDK and 3rd party apps. One accessory that I own is a DroneMask which doesn't require a special app to fly VR/FPV. But it does require being hard-wired to a controller.

I know that the RC-N1 standard controller is compatible with the Mini 3 as well as the MIni 2. Am I able to use it with both drones without a lot of hassel and switch back and forth. How does that work? Does the controller remember/bind to both drones? How do you set that up?

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

With no insurance i.e. no care refresh and or no flyaway, you should be able to swap drones as you choose BUT you will have to link the incoming drone to the controller every time.
That means doing whatever is necessary on the drone itself and, via the app or using the button sequence on the RC231/RC-N1, triggering the linking process on the controller.
I swap mini 2s and their controllers all the time using the button pressing method. It takes only a few seconds.

I will leave dealing with insurance bound drones to others.

 

[rgarjr]

I believe a controller can only be linked to one aircraft. So you need to re-pair every time you switch.

 

[Skybuyer]

I believe a controller can only be linked to one aircraft. So you need to re-pair every time you switch.

Yeah... Another left out feature; being able to connect a phone or tablet or have HDMI out from the Mini 3's smart controller. It's probably best that I just don't even mess with it, keep the Mini 2 and use that for VR/FPV. I waited long enough for the SDK and 3rd party apps. I suppose I could link up the standard controller if need be, but I bought the Mini 3 with smart controller for rapid deployment.

As an aside, I just aquiesced and bought the fly more combo plus with the extended batteries and the charger. Few ala cart accessories are in stock right now and I would have bought one extended battery, but then I'd have to order separate prop replacements and eventually buy a charger. Purchased ala carte all the extra stuff comes out to about the same money except I get another silly-small DJI bag like the one I got with my Mini 2. I'll use it for something like FPV goggles. I didn't think I'd be in for a Mini 3 so soon.

GROMMETS TO CLIP LANYARDS ONTO ANYONE???

 

[MacGyver1019]

The problem is that the plus batteries run $95.00 ea , so if you buy 2 batteries your almost at the price of the combo plus kit.

 

[Skybuyer]

The problem is that the plus batteries run $95.00 ea , so if you buy 2 batteries your almost at the price of the combo plus kit.

That's why I opted for the FMC plus. My original plan was to add one extended battery and possibly a charger, DJI or 3rd party, which would have added $145. However, the ala carte piece are not currently available and as I really don't care about a 250g limit I didn't see a reason not to have two extended batteries with one regular one in case I come into weight limits while traveling next year. I can always get one more regular battery for $65 when the supply shortage becomes less limiting.

I like the idea of the extended batteries because often a mission has to be curtailed to insure that the drone can return to home, especially in strong winds. I'm also beginning to explore hyperlapses, so the extra battery power will come in handy. The case that the Mini 2 and 3 come in really isn't all that great and I use the Mini 2 case to store VR goggles, but never use it for the Mini 2 itself. I think it's the one extra accessory in the kit that adds $9.... but that's all it's worth IMO.

 

[Torque]

B&H Shipped my Mini 3 with smart controller today and FedEx says it will be here Saturday.
At this moment I have no plans to sell my Mini 2 having waited so long for the SDK and 3rd party apps. One accessory that I own is a DroneMask which doesn't require a special app to fly VR/FPV. But it does require being hard-wired to a controller.

I know that the RC-N1 standard controller is compatible with the Mini 3 as well as the MIni 2. Am I able to use it with both drones without a lot of hassel and switch back and forth. How does that work? Does the controller remember/bind to both drones? How do you set that up?

LOL, I still have my Mini 1 setting on a shelf in its display/charging dome! Haven't flown it in a few years. I decided to keep the Mini 2 just because I can use litchi with it.
But my question is regarding the drone mask. Is this the one that uses your phone as the viewing screen - like the original Oculus VR units?
I love my DJI FPV drone and wished I could connect all my drones to the FPV goggles!
So how do you like the Drone Mask? I've seriously considered buying one. I'd love to hear your opinion.

 

[Skybuyer]

Well... FedEx has screwed up two delivery dates, Saturday and Sunday. I waited all day Saturday and called at 5:15 and they said "attempted delivery was made at 3:15pm. Nonsense. With direct signature he would have had to come into the building. I'm on the 2nd floor overlooking the parking area. No FedEx truck on Saturday.

I then received notification that it would be delivered "early" Sunday. Ok. So I'm waiting. I had to run out to do an errand but my wife was not only home, but sitting in front of a plate glass window that looks out to the driveway lane by our building- only 12 feet from where she was sitting, waiting, looking for the FedEx truck

At about 1:05pm, while she is sitting there the FedEx truck drives right by, DOES NOT STOP as she is watching is pass 12 feet in front of her! Lo and behold I get yet another, text exception message that the 2nd DELIVERY ATTEMPT HAD BEEN MADE SUNDAY AT 1:07PM!!!!

How can FedEx claim delivery attempts when they never show up or stop when they do??? So I called B&H who said they changed the deliver to hold for pickup at the nearest FedEx Kinkos a few blocks away. As of noon Kinkos didn't have my package(s) and nobody can tell me where the package with my Mini 3 is!!! Oh... And whenI talked to customer service at FedEx all they could and can tell me is what they see on their computer screen, which is what I can see on mine. Can they call dispatch and ask where the package is or what happened? NO! I haver in my life seen a company so communication lobotomized... and I had 10 years in the air freight business in my younger days. A missed delivery would have gotten a drive fired on the spot. Honestly, for all the bad press USPS gets, at least I can call my local PO, talk to the manager and he can and has put his hands on my packages for me when things didn't go as planned.