Smart Controller for Mavic Air 2

Bwill211 · Oct 14, 2020

I am pondering on buying the smart controller for my Air 2, wondering if anyone who has flown one with the Smart Controller, and if you had any glitches with the drone not responding to commands, I would hate to destroy my drone due to a sudden failure by the controller.

Thanks,
Bob

tom29928 · Oct 14, 2020

I've got 10 flights on the smart controller with my MA2. I started with a MA in 2019, then added the MA2 in August. The MA2 smartphone controller was a major disapppointment (taking RTH control with no warning, teeny battery meter, etc). So, I hated to spend the money for the smart controller, but I had already used one MA2 Care Refresh and I did not want to be buying a new MA2.

Anyway, the smart controller is all good so far. My next test will be to exhaust the battery and let it come home on its own, probably from 500 ft away at 200 AGL.

InvisibleName · Oct 14, 2020

tom29928 said:
I've got 10 flights on the smart controller with my MA2. I started with a MA in 2019, then added the MA2 in August. The MA2 smartphone controller was a major disapppointment (taking RTH control with no warning, teeny battery meter, etc). So, I hated to spend the money for the smart controller, but I had already used one MA2 Care Refresh and I did not want to be buying a new MA2.

Anyway, the smart controller is all good so far. My next test will be to exhaust the battery and let it come home on its own, probably from 500 ft away at 200 AGL.

Maybe a safer test would be to turn your SC off, rather than exhaust the battery

tom29928 · Oct 14, 2020

Good idea! I'll do that test separately. Thanks.

Bwill211 · Oct 14, 2020

Thanks Invisible Name & Tom29928 for the feedback. Hate to be flying and the controller goes haywire and lose my drone.
I'm doing small flights also 25-50' altitude and 300-400' distance right now, with no trees or wires around.

zeusfl · Oct 14, 2020

I have flown probably over 50 times with my Mavic Air 2 with the smart controller and I have zero issues.

mavicpro@2018 · Oct 14, 2020

I love my Smartcontroller it´s like night and day compared to the original controller/smartphone or iPad ?

?

zeusfl · Oct 14, 2020

Without mention the simplicity and convenience when you go flying. You can be in the air in 1 minute or less.

Bwill211 · Oct 14, 2020

Welcome, From East Texas (Houston area).

Sheppie · Oct 14, 2020

mavicpro@2018 said:
I love my Smartcontroller it´s like night and day compared to the original controller/smartphone or iPad ??

I understand that the SC is nice but I can't see it being the difference of night and day vs. the Ipad Mini 5. Hard to beat the Ipad mini 5.

zeusfl · Oct 14, 2020

I pad Mini 400 nits (once is hot will decreases) VS Smart controller sustainable 1000 nits because has an internal fan.
That makes it much better than even my Ipad Pro 11 that s 500 nits.

For screen size, I give the iPad the win.

Sheppie · Oct 14, 2020

zeusfl said:
I pad Mini 400 nits (once is hot will decreases) VS Smart controller sustainable 1000 nits because has an internal fan.
That makes it much better than even my Ipad Pro 11 that s 500 nits.

For screen size, I give the iPad the win.

Don't want to ruffle any feathers but the Ipad mini 5 is 500 nits.

Kyle76 · Oct 14, 2020

zeusfl said:
Without mention the simplicity and convenience when you go flying. You can be in the air in 1 minute or less.

Not putting down the Smart Controller, but getting in the air with the regular A2 controller is not exactly tedious, especially considering that unlike the crab claw controllers of other models, I don’t even have to remove my phone case. I noticed one of the new iPhone models has 1200 nits of brightness.

Sheppie · Oct 14, 2020

zeusfl said:
Without mention the simplicity and convenience when you go flying. You can be in the air in 1 minute or less.

Sounds like we have a new Olympic event. Lets see who can get in the air the fastest. If every starts doing that we are going to have a lot of crashed drones. Take your time and be safe no matter what controller you use.

zeusfl · Oct 14, 2020

Kyle76 said:
Not putting down the Smart Controller, but getting in the air with the regular A2 controller is not exactly tedious, especially considering that unlike the crab claw controllers of other models, I don’t even have to remove my phone case. I noticed one of the new iPhone models has 1200 nits of brightness.

Peak brightness in HDR mode. only 800 max brightness and is not sustainable. This is the same display as the iPhone 11 basically and testing demonstrates that is more a 680 nits after 2 minutes and a half in max brightness. If you sum you will be flying in sun will be even less because of the heat.

source: iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max - Technical Specifications

Both models:

HDR display
True Tone
Wide color (P3)
Haptic Touch
2,000,000:1 contrast ratio (typical)
800 nits max brightness (typical); 1200 nits max brightness (HDR)
Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously

zeusfl · Oct 14, 2020

Sheppie said:
Sounds like we have a new Olympic event. Lets see who can get in the air the fastest. If every starts doing that we are going to have a lot of crashed drones. Take your time and be safe no matter what controller you use.

This is call convenience. If you don't mind the setup time and carry extra stuff I will go with my Ipad 11 Pro. I use both. When i hear the train coming to be recorded believe me the smart controller faster setup win all day long.

Sheppie · Oct 14, 2020

zeusfl said:
This is call convenience. If you don't mind the setup time and carry extra stuff I will go with my Ipad 11 Pro. I use both. When i hear the train coming to be recorded believe me the smart controller faster setup win all day long.

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Very Nice!

Claretcass · Oct 14, 2020

Flown over 25 flights with SC and MA2 without any issues, over water and over rough terrain with no signal loss. Thought I would have difficulty reducing screen size from iPad mini 5 on IOS down to SC screen (Android) but the extra brightness compensates for that. I have fitted one of the SC rubber covers with the partial sunshade on it along with a lanyard and it is secure and very easy to handle.
I have also found a use for my original dji goggles by connecting them directly to the hdmi outlet on the SC to allow anyone with me (grandchildren) to watch the flight FPV.
The SC allows very quick set up and fly, no wires, no brackets, just up and away.

tom29928 · Oct 14, 2020

I discovered this today - tap the battery level icon at the top of the sc screen, and it displays time until RTH, until Forced Landing, and until Battery Depleted. The pop-up display stays on the screen and updates. Tap it to hide it. I love it!

Phantomrain.org · Oct 14, 2020

Nothing beats the Smart Controller in the Rain or the Snow or the extreme heat or cold even hail for that matter.
Considering how many flights we have on the Smart Controller on both the Mavic 2 and the Mavic Air 2 in the Pouring Rain.

Not to mention how well it does from flying inside the car, and if you happen to have a Camera monitor its an instant HDMI hook up.

I cant tell you how many times I caught myself with low battery on the Iphone while making a video when I was flying the Air 2 but
that never happens on the SC.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your Air 2 in the Rain and Float on Water.