Smart Controller ~ Connect to Mac/PC?

Jumpyman · 2025-06-29T18:12:40-0400

Hi!
I just got a Mavic 2 Pro w/smart controller from Facebook Marketplace. Seems to be in great shape and everything appears to work correctly (on the smart controller that is). It had no SD card and there are about 1200 pictures/videos on there. I'd like to be able to download them by connecting the controller to either my Macbook Pro or Dell (PC) Laptop. I connected the USB A (wide, flat connector) to the top of the Smart Controller and the USB C to my Macbook. . nothing. No sound, no pop-ups, doesn't show up in Finder. When I connect to my PC Laptop (Windows) I get a couple of confirmation beeps that something has been connected and recognized, but, again, no pop ups, doesn't appear in File Manager anywhere. Do I need another program in order to get the the file system on the Smart Controller? I was using a cable that I had laying around but figured on the off chance that it may have been a Charge-only cable and ordered to Data Cables from Amazon and used those. . no luck. Thanks in advance for any insight!

Felix le Chat · 2025-06-29T18:59:37-0400

You may find all the 'images' are nothing more than very low-res thumbnails of shots already removed.

Jumpyman · 2025-06-29T19:13:18-0400

Hey Felix ~ Thanks for the reply ~ All I'm really trying to find right now is if I'm able to connect the smart controller to either a Mac or a PC and view the files that are on there natively, if I need another app/program to do that or if this smart controller isn't functioning the way it's supposed to. I got it used off of Facebook Marketplace and it's my first smart controller and, again, I'm trying to determine if, like when I connect the DRONE to my pc, I basically get another "hard drive" that pops up that I can browse with File Explorer. No such luck when I connect the smart controller. A couple of beeps/tones showing that the computer knows something was connected, but I don't see any way to "browse" the controllers files. Anyone out there with a Smart Controller that can verify exactly how this is SUPPOSED to work? Thanks again

PS I'm gonna guess that they ARE low-res files. . would still like to be able to access them

Starz · 2025-06-29T19:48:15-0400

More information.

Jumpyman · 2025-06-29T21:20:59-0400

Starz said:
More information.

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Thanks Starz ~ So, I see that if I pop in an SD Card, I can transfer file from the internal storage of the Smart Controller to the SD Card. So, to be clear, there is no way to connect the Smart Controller directly to a PC or Mac and transfer files via a cable or wifi? If that's the case, then what's the purpose of the USB connection on the top of the controller? Thanks again

Johnmcl7 · 2025-06-30T05:38:56-0400

Jumpyman said:
Thanks Starz ~ So, I see that if I pop in an SD Card, I can transfer file from the internal storage of the Smart Controller to the SD Card. So, to be clear, there is no way to connect the Smart Controller directly to a PC or Mac and transfer files via a cable or wifi? If that's the case, then what's the purpose of the USB connection on the top of the controller? Thanks again

You need to use the USB-C connector on the bottom if you want to transfer files, not the USB-A port on the top. When you connect a PC to the USB-C port the controller should prompt you to to choose charge only, transfer files or PTP file transfer - if you choose the middle option (transfer files) it should appear as an MTP device and allow you to copy files.

Jumpyman · 2025-06-30T08:36:05-0400

Johnmcl7 said:
You need to use the USB-C connector on the bottom if you want to transfer files, not the USB-A port on the top. When you connect a PC to the USB-C port the controller should prompt you to to choose charge only, transfer files or PTP file transfer - if you choose the middle option (transfer files) it should appear as an MTP device and allow you to copy files.

Hey Johnmcl7! Awesome suggestion, thanks so much for that! I was told directly from DJI support to use the TOP USB A port! Not sure why but every time before when I tried the bottom USB C port, no dialog box on the transmitter popped up (that I noticed?). Now, the dialog box that you describe DOES come up when I plug the into the BOTTOM UCB C port! I thought I was home free. . BUT when I tried to select anything other that the first Radio Button (which is "Charge") it won't allow me to select any other option. I tried to select one of the other 2 options. .with my finger on the screen, with the "joystick" on the controller.. no luck. . can't engage either of the other 2 options. Maybe there's a setting that's off? The touch screen functions fine. . not sure why it's not allowing me to choose either of the other two options. Can I post a video here? Thanks again. .I'm a LOT closer than I was. . maybe I should just pop the SD card in there but this SHOULD work, right? Thanks again for your excellent answer

. UPDATE! I tried a few more times. . while I STILL wasn't able to SELECT "transfer files", I kept trying and even though the radio button didn't get "selected", a dialog box did eventually pop up on the laptop regarding "what I wanted to do when this device was connected", I selected "view files" and Voilà! It worked!! Not sure how repeatable it is or why it's not allowing me to actually "select" the radio button but hey, can't argue with success. .thanks again Johnmcl7!! PS I'm AM going to pop an SD card in there regardless.

Johnmcl7 · 2025-06-30T14:27:33-0400

DJI were unfortunately giving you bad advice here. a USB-A port should always be on the host device (like your PC or whatever you are connecting another client device to). I'm not sure what this port is for on the smart controller although in theory it should allow the smart controller to be the host device to connect a USB memory stick although I couldn't get it working. Occasionally client devices do use a USB-A port and a USB-A to USB-A cable but these are not proper USB devices as this isn't part of the spec.

The UI on the controller isn't great when you connect the cable because you don't select the radio button then confirm, when you press the option you want the screen will just disappear and look like it hasn't worked. If you've chosen the option you should see a stylized N appear at the top left and the smart controller should appear on your PC/Mac.

I've recorded a quick video showing the process on my smart controller to see if your device is behaving the same or there's something up with your setup:

The first time I connected it the smart controller almost immediately disconnected again although it behaved itself after that.