DJI Mavic, Air and Mini Drones
Friendly, Helpful & Knowledgeable Community
Join Us Now

Mini 3 shipped with no IOS Device Connectivity

Conservative Nihilist

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2020
Messages
415
Reactions
303
Age
39
Location
Down the dirt road a ways.
Greetings fellow Mini 3 pilots. I just took delivery of my first Mini 3, and haven't been able to fly it because I cannot see a USB connector on the RC-N1 connector. I fly all my other drones with a 3-foot long USB to lightning connector cable that links the controllers to my iPad, but with the Mini 3, the absence of a USB connector on the controller ended my first flight before it began.

I searched every square inch of the RC-N1 controller trying to locate a USB socket, to no avail. The only cables provided with the Mini 3 are micro USB cables that only fit Android devices, so my next question is whether the Mini 3 is simply incompatible with IOS devices.

Any advice that can be offered that will enable me to fly this drone for the first time will be enormously appreciated. I have several older DJI drones, and have never once in the past found myself unable to fly the drone at all due to cable incompatibilities, so my first outing with the Mini 3 has been exasperating and unproductive in equal measure.
 
Have you looked at the manual? It shows you where the sockets are.
The alternative cables are likely be for micro USB and USB-C. THey probably also have controller like icons on one plug, indicating which plug goes into the controller. The sockets on the controller are USB-C.
Have you checked that the IOS cable is not already fitted to the controller?
DJI tend to fit it to the controller and supply the other two types as included alternatives.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Brian I and Torque
It comes with the cable you need in the package. If you haven't found it open the bag and there is a small compartment under the top part. Unzip it. At least that's where the cables were for my MA2.
 
I am really stumbling about in the dark here. Bought the drone brand new on eBay, but there is evidently NO manual at all, though I can certainly download one. MobileHomer may I ask whether I will need to order a USBC to lightning cable in order to fly this drone?

It really is baffling to receive a drone that at least for now seems completely incompatible with my iPad that I use for all my drones with no problems at all. Tried to download DJI Fly on my Android device, but that failed, so as dusk gathers here, I am none the wise4r as to how to launch the first flight with this drone.

All told, I own a Phantom 3 Standard, a Phantom 3 Pro, a Mavic 1 Pro, a Mavic Pro Platinum, and a Mavic 2 Pro, all of which were intuitive to connect with my iPad, such that they were airborne the minute I'd charged up the first flight battery. The Mini 3 by contrast is proving to be a cumbersome and complicated model that does not lend itself to ease of use for first-time owners.
 
Greetings fellow Mini 3 pilots. I just took delivery of my first Mini 3, and haven't been able to fly it because I cannot see a USB connector on the RC-N1 connector. I fly all my other drones with a 3-foot long USB to lightning connector cable that links the controllers to my iPad, but with the Mini 3, the absence of a USB connector on the controller ended my first flight before it began.

I searched every square inch of the RC-N1 controller trying to locate a USB socket, to no avail. The only cables provided with the Mini 3 are micro USB cables that only fit Android devices, so my next question is whether the Mini 3 is simply incompatible with IOS devices.

Any advice that can be offered that will enable me to fly this drone for the first time will be enormously appreciated. I have several older DJI drones, and have never once in the past found myself unable to fly the drone at all due to cable incompatibilities, so my first outing with the Mini 3 has been exasperating and unproductive in equal measure.
You should have in the package a usb c to lightning cable, usb c to usb.c cable, and a usb c to micro cable. If using a tablet, you may need to get a usb c to whichever plug you have on your tablet extended length cable. Under the antenna, you should see 2 usb c ports. Use the one on the right to plug your cable in. the one on the left is used to wrap and store the other end of whichever short cable you are using for your phone. I can actually use that same cable for my iPad mini 6. The usb c port on the bottom of the controller is for charging the controller.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
It comes with the cable you need in the package. If you haven't found it open the bag and there is a small compartment under the top part. Unzip it. At least that's where the cables were for my MA2.
Unzipped the bag's cover and it was empty. Living time zones distant from the USA and EU it is starting to look like months will elapse before I can figure out which cable I need to order, so as to make that purchase online and then settle in for a wait that might span months as the slow boat from China sets sail with my precious cargo.

I am beginning to regret this particular purchase already. One should not need to consult online forums and place orders in order to fly a brand-new drone for the first time. This is a first-ever experience for me without question.
 
Unzipped the bag's cover and it was empty. Living time zones distant from the USA and EU it is starting to look like months will elapse before I can figure out which cable I need to order, before making that purchase online and then settling in for a wait that might span months as the slow boat from China sets sail with my precious cargo.

I am beginning to regret this particular purchase already. One should not need to consult online forums and place orders in order to fly a brand-new drone for the first time. This is a first-ever experience for me without question.
Under the cover on the inside.
 
  • Like
Reactions: maggior
You should have in the package a usb c to lightning cable, usb c to usb.c cable, and a usb c to micro cable. If using a tablet, you may need to get a usb c to whichever plug you have on your tablet extended length cable. Under the antenna, you should see 2 usb c ports. Use the one on the right to plug your cable in. the one on the left is used to wrap and store the other end of whichever short cable you are using for your phone. I can actually use that same cable for my iPad mini 6. The usb c port on the bottom of the controller is for charging the controller.
Looks like my drone was shipped with NONE of the required cables. I am NOT a happy camper at this point, and am already giving thought to selling off this drone, and reverting back to my trusted workhorses
 
You actually pull the antenna assembly UP, it telescopes up, revealing connector. I think it is a special USB-C to Lightning connector. I'm sure you can buy them on Amazon, but the guy who sold it to you should have included it.
Ah, I think you have found the problem. Trying this now. Could not pull up that antenna assembly thus far. I am tempted to try brute force but find it hard to believe that is the required method of telescoping the antenna
 
Ah, I think you have found the problem. Trying this now. Could not pull up that antenna assembly thus far. I am tempted to try brute force but find it hard to believe that is the required method of telescoping the antenna
That also holds your phone/tablet in place.
 
Wow, that is really shocking to contemplate. This is my first ever brand-new drone, and I never envisioned this sort of game-ending problem materializing right off the bat.
If you bought it from eBay, it's probably an open box. If they didnt include the 3 cables, I'd have them send them to you. If that doesn't work... amazon has plenty of what you need to use.
 
Got the antenna to telescope up, and inside that recessed area, there are two sockets already connected together by a short length of cable terminating in a variant of the USB connector. The function of that cable and those two connectors remains a mystery for now, so I just left it as is until I have a better understanding of this new-to-me controller.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: Torque
If you bought it from eBay, it's probably an open box. If they didnt include the 3 cables, I'd have them send them to you. If that doesn't work... amazon has plenty of what you need to use.
It is an open-box deal but I had no idea it would NOT be ready to fly until I placed further online orders and waited for weeks for those missing items to arrive. I am tempted to write a truthful review about that seller, but cannot bring myself to do so because he shipped the drone very quickly, which was a nice change in comparison to previous online purchases I've made on eBay. If only the seller had informed me that several cables were missing, I'd have ordered them at the same time.

I've already got a standard USB to lightning cable that I use for all my other drones, but the absence of a standard USB connector on the RC-N1 controller really complicates matters. I am not a happy camper at this point. My Mini 3 experience has been decidedly underwhelming thus far
 
Got the antenna to telescope up, and inside that recessed area, there are two sockets already connected together by a short length of cable terminating in a variant of the USB connector. The function of that cable and those two connectors remains a mystery for now, so I just left it as is until I have a better understanding of this new-to-me controller.
The left side is a dummy/blank port just to hold your cable during storage. You disconnect the left side and attach that end of the cable to your phone/tablet.
 
The left side is a dummy/blank port just to hold your cable during storage. You disconnect the left side and attach that end of the cable to your phone/tablet.
This clarification is appreciated, sir. I am downloading DJI Fly on my Android device and will try to fly this drone with that device first thing tomorrow. I'd have preferred to fly the drone with my iPad due to its larger screen, but at this point, any means to get this drone airborne will be better than having it gather dust brand new on a shelf.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tufargon
Lycus Tech Mavic Air 3 Case

DJI Drone Deals

New Threads

Forum statistics

Threads
130,599
Messages
1,554,240
Members
159,603
Latest member
refrigasketscanada