Wrong connector, could cause damage to controller, intermittent communcations. iPhone to controller cable.

[Flyboy202]

Got this Mavic Mini for Christmas. I set it up with iPhone and Ipad. First flight could not lock onto GPS. Had it on for 40 minutes and still no lock onto GPS. On second day of use I could not get iPhone or iPad to communicate with controller. Manual mode with controller works with drone. I work on aircraft simulators for 10 years. I am electronic Eng/Tech. I know connectors. Next day I look at the three short cables that was furnished with unit. Notice that iPhone has different plug compare to the other two cables that plugs into the controller. iPhone cable has the pins overlay to the edge and other two cables has no overlay(photos). On top of connectors(where to locking pins are located), most mfgs will mark them to identified was type of connector it is. There is two indents between the locking pins. The iPhone cable indent is spread apart more compare to the other two cables. I believe what happen is that when I plug this cable in, that it did connect onto the controller female plug, but in the process it damage the controller plug. Then when I pull the plug out, the connection then open and when plug was push in again, the connector pins were damage on controller side. I notice how hard to to push connector in the first time. Here pictures of the connectors and the controller. I hope this will help others out there. These connectors need to be in spec. You cannot be out tolerance on these small connectors.

Pictures below shows the middle cable is the iPhone with pins going to the edge and bottom picture shows the indents, the bottom one is iPhone cable , notice the spacing is wider than the top two.

UPDATE: Today I play around the cable with iPhone and controller. Kept cable out of the phone clamp on controller. Just a little twist movement on connector of cable going to controller made communication between controller and iPhone. I believe now that the cable with this wrong connector cause damage to the female connector on controller. I believe DJI has bad cable in inventory and other models using this cable (with the iPhone) could be causing intermittent or no communications between controller and iPhone or iPad.

 

[Flyboy202]

Back again, only way I can make sure that the Female connector on the controller has not be damage is to used Android device with one of the other cables. But I do have android tablet but is using Kit Kat version software (older operating system , but works with most all apps). I did download but message advise of software error. Also when I did this last test inside house , when vision came up on iPhone after little twist that it did show on display of picking up a weak GPS signal. But unit is inop and don't trust it till its fix. The intermittent lost of information on iPhone might cause erratic drone movement .

 

[Flyboy202]

Once more I am back. Looking at white USB cable that used for charging and other two cables for other type of phones that iPhone (or RC to lighting cable) cable connector to controller has smaller width slot than the other cables, seems the pins are closer together also. That would explain why it had more force to push it in the first time. This connector is wrong on the cable. Someone out there know name brand and mfg of this square USB connector. Need to find the specifications the cable connection. Looks like I need have this unit to be replaced. I wonder how many other units out there have these defected cables ?

 

[Flyboy202]

The story goes on. Now my controller will not charge. Its intermittent , but also is shorting out USB power supply. Plug it into my computer and it shut down all of my USB power and msg came up with drawing to much current. And try with USB wall power pack and does not work . If you move the connector around it comes and goes. Most likely its shutting down power source also. Could damage computer or wall power source. I had to reset computer to get USB power back up.

 

[wjkrysak]

If not already, you may want to share this with DJI support, while still under warranty. I fly my MM with a Note 8 and recently with an Ipad, with no concerns. I use these extended cables OTG cables. But to be sure, I agree, you have to be careful with the controller connector. Ironically, I have my Mavic Air connector in for DJI repair/replacement now.

 

[jorgenn]

Sadly I also have defective lightning cable. My son bought 2 Mavic Mini's, one for him and one for me. His failed with another problem and he exchanged it at the store, mine has the faulty cable.

These are our first 2 DJI products, so not a good start. Quality control very poor, with 2 products purchased and both defective, with different problems.

I know it's the cable, because I have linked the remote with my phone (iPhone 11) using the micro-usb and a micro-usb-> lightning adapter. Problem is I do not trust the adapter to fly the aircraft (scared it loses signal) so I cannot use the aircraft until I get a new cable...

 

[Flyboy202]

Sadly I also have defective lightning cable. My son bought 2 Mavic Mini's, one for him and one for me. His failed with another problem and he exchanged it at the store, mine has the faulty cable.

These are our first 2 DJI products, so not a good start. Quality control very poor, with 2 products purchased and both defective, with different problems.

I know it's the cable, because I have linked the remote with my phone (iPhone 11) using the micro-usb and a micro-usb-> lightning adapter. Problem is I do not trust the adapter to fly the aircraft (scared it loses signal) so I cannot use the aircraft until I get a new cable...

I sent my back to factory in CA yesterday. That bad connector had mess up the female (chassis connector ) on controller also. I try to charge controller with computer and kill power supply to the USB items on computer and came up with msg on screen of too much current. Luckily I restart computer and USB is working. Try it with wall USB power supply and no go(lights on top is blank). Then twist a little on cable going on chassis made it come at intermittent times. This bad connector on this cable must of push controller chassis connector off it s soldier connection or damage the connector. I had marine electronic business for 16 years and was service center for Garmin, Raymarine, Apelco, Autohelm and Lowrance products before I work on aircraft simulators, I seen what happens if connector is not right. This connector is small so there high tolerance on specs . If this controller connector is directly soldier to board any bad movement will push the connector off the PCB board. What marine manufactures did to solve this problem is encase connector with the plastic casing and have board in high specs slots , then soldier connector to board , or have connector with some movement with plastic case and have wires coming off connector and soldier to board. They will have more issues with controller because only way to charge is to remove cable from controller to hook up to the other USB cable to charge it. On the aircraft if you bought the charger unit and spare batteries , no problem. But if you didn't get the charger and spare batteries and charge aircraft with USB cable , you could wear down the chassis connector sooner or later.
They need separate charger input on controller. They are using Micro USB A/B chassis connector in which if you hook up with Micro USB B connector to charge controller , you could mess up chassis connector if you don't plug it right position . The Micro USB A/B connector will work with both Micro A or B plugs. The A is what DJI has on is short cables to the phones. I don't know why they did this. Maybe they are not using standard wiring for these cables or they just don't want you to buy an off the shelf cable ? Sorry rambling off with tech things. Try to charge your controller and just slightly move the cable around the controller side. Oh yes I only just had one flight with Drone and GPS was not working .

 

[Flyboy202]

I posted the article on DJI Forum. They took it off the major page of all the posts are located about 40 minutes after after I posted it. I copy link before they did that and still is on there database and but no one can see it except DJI. So I came to this forum and posted of what I found out so far. Just one item got past quality control and which it causes more problems with consumer and the manufacture .

 

[jorgenn]

We just came back from shopping trip to try to buy new connector cable. Nobody has stock, it seems many shops sell the drones but do not keep any spares.

We then found a company on the telephone that normally keeps spares but they sold out the lightning connector cables, but they have stock of all the other s (Type C and micro USB) so in a way that is confirming suspicion that many of the lightning cables are defective. I am stuck now because they tell me they only getting stock in 4 weeks time. Not good.

 

[atsphenomenon]

Or you could use one of the micro usb to micro usb wires (1 of the 3 you got in the box) with an adapter that converts micros usb to lightning

Primedeal IOTGP2 Micro USB to 8 Pin Lighting Metal OTG Adapter (Random Colour) Primedeal IOTGP2 Micro USB to 8 Pin Lighting Metal OTG: Amazon.in: Electronics

 

[miker570]

I agree that there is a risk of damaging the micro USB OTG/charging port on the RC if you use cables not specifically designed for the DJI RC. Many of the generic adapter cables have a 90 connector that sticks out too far that creates leverage that could break the RC port if dropped or bumped accidentally.
I prefer the cables designed for the DJI RC which are low profile and designed with a square insert that fits securely in the RC port. There are many DJI RC specific cables available in lengths up to 20cm but I have been searching for longer 30cm + OTG <> Lightning and charging cables without success.

 

[Flyboy202]

My daughter bought Mavic Pro I believe. The bigger one which has 4 k video and more sensors. She bought this several years ago and she bought later an adapter that you can use iPad with unit. It came with a 12 inch cable. Its bracket clamps your iPad and then comes down to a base that is the size of phone so you clamp with the controller. They don't use a Micro A USB plug , instead a Micro B USB plug. She been using it for awhile with iPhone. She got tired using the short cable with controller. She had no problem with it. Ebay or Amazon should have this accessory. The more likely sale the cable by itself. Just make sure you plug it in correctly into controller. The controller has Micro A/B receptacle USB connector (or chassis connector). It can use both types of plugs ( A or B). But the A version has a angle on upper corners so it prevents from not insert cable in the wrong way using a A version chassis connector. But with controller it uses Micro A/B receptacle , it possible that you could insert plug into chassis connector, not all the way but could damage connectors if force is applied.

 

[miker570]

The MM RC only has a micro USB OTG port. Yes RC with USB A port had more options. I already have a 30cm micro USB OTG <> lightning cable, but as I explained it does not have the desired DJI type RC connector.

I am looking for a 30cm OTG with the DJI type end and also a charging cable with the same secure end would be nice too. I nearly broke my RC port once by picking it up and accidentally jerked the cable hard when it was connected to a charger without realizing it when the room was dark.

 

[DanMan32]

You probably won't ever find an OTG cable/adapter that is micro-A on the OTG side.

 

[miker570]

You probably won't ever find an OTG cable/adapter that is micro-A on the OTG side.

How is this relevant to the discussion?

 

[miker570]

Perhaps pictures will help you understand. Which connector do you think is more likely to damage the RC port on the MM RC if it hits something?

DJI specific or the generic?

I’m look for 30cm DJI RC micro usb type connector to lightning.

Generic:

DJI RC specific:

 

[Maxxpsoft]

The MM RC only has a micro USB OTG port. Yes RC with USB A port had more options. I already have a 30cm micro USB OTG <> lightning cable, but as I explained it does not have the desired DJI type RC connector.

I am looking for a 30cm OTG with the DJI type end and also a charging cable with the same secure end would be nice too. I nearly broke my RC port once by picking it up and accidentally jerked the cable hard when it was connected to a charger without realizing it when the room was dark.

You mean like this one
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KP4L1WV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Looks like it sticks out on apple end just like the dji one

 

[miker570]

Yes that appears to be the only choice. Thanks!

 

[jorgenn]

I can confirm that using the micro-usb cable, together with a micro-usb to lightning adapter is working...as per this pic https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51TImTaReQL._SL1000_.jpg

 

[Flyboy202]

Perhaps pictures will help you understand. Which connector do you think is more likely to damage the RC port on the MM RC if it hits something?

DJI specific or the generic?

I’m look for 30cm DJI RC micro usb type connector to lightning.

Generic:

DJI RC specific:

Can you take a picture of the DJI connector pull out of controller. I swear my unit with the DJI was sticking further out and was unit solid rubber coating for cable.