First day out with my new Mavic 2 and Smart Controller. The sky was way too hazy for any decent videos and photos; but the Smart Controller definitely worked in direct sunlight. Didn't get hot the way my phones did, and didn't need to worry about its battery going flat like the phones did. And as a bonus, it frees up your phone for taking the all important selfies!!!

Fantastic shot mate. It really is an amazing little drone and glad the SC is working for you too

A J Posted at 4-30 02:34
Fantastic shot mate. It really is an amazing little drone and glad the SC is working or you too

Thanks.  The M2p is awesome as it is; but could be even better once I have the FCC mode happening. Did a back to back flight with my Platinum and the M2p was unable to go as far, before it lost the HD video feed.

Very nice capture!

Monkey007 Posted at 4-30 03:12
Thanks.  The M2p is awesome as it is; but could be even better once I have the FCC mode happening. Did a back to back flight with my Platinum and the M2p was unable to go as far, before it lost the HD video feed.

Interesting one on the range. I believe the stock transmission that the SC uses is not as strong as the standard controller. In CE the max distance with the SC is 4KM (same as the MPP with OcySync 1.0) but 5KM with the standard RC. Make sure the antennas are pointed down on the SC and are perpendicular to the drone.

M2P with standard RC:

Smart Controller:

Looks like the dBm is slightly more powerful (20 dBm on the standard RC vs. 18.5 dBm dropping to 12.5 dBm in 5.8 on the SC) so this will explain the extra 1-3KM range and stronger signal.
I find selecting 2.4GHz rather than Auto in the app helps unless you are very close to interference whereby 5.8GHz will be better but massively reduces the range/signal quality in CE (2KM on the SC - that may expalin the signal being lost quicker). It's 8KM in either frequency in FCC but I've never had an issue with signal. In fact, I've never experienced a signal drop on my M2P even when a few hundred metres from a nearby town using the standard RC with my iPhone Xs.

Cool shot.

Nice shot, glad to know you like Mavic 2 and the Smart Controller, hope you enjoy flying.

A J Posted at 4-30 04:20
M2P with standard RC:
[view_image]
Smart Controller:

Any reason for the lower CE range? Regulatory or technical reasons?

dancopter Posted at 4-30 08:08
Any reason for the lower CE range? Regulatory or technical reasons?

I believe regulatory as CE covers the whole of Europe

A J Posted at 4-30 08:09
I believe regulatory as CE covers the whole of Europe

But why is CE mode on the smart controller less power than CE mode on the normal RC?

dancopter Posted at 4-30 08:16
But why is CE mode on the smart controller less power than CE mode on the normal RC?

No idea - may be send an e-mail to DJI and ask the people who built it the question

Honestly never knew what I was missing before I had my Platinum tweaked to operate in FCC. I mainly shoot landscapes so being able to fly further away makes it possible to frame my shots  wider. For some reasons the radio interference here in Australia is quite unpredictable; I've had the Platinum 5km away (in FCC) at a different location and the connection was still good. But at the location yesterday it started to fade at just over 3km, while the M2p (in SRRC, I believe), lost signal at 2.9km and went into RTH briefly.

A J Posted at 4-30 04:06
Interesting one on the range. I believe the stock transmission that the SC uses is not as strong as the standard controller. In CE the max distance with the SC is 4KM (same as the MPP with OcySync 1.0) but 5KM with the standard RC. Make sure the antennas are pointed down on the SC and are perpendicular to the drone.

Having used NLD's 'patched' GO app with the Platinum for a few months has made me aware of the extra flexibility and convenience I was missing. Really hope NLD can come up with a version for the SC soon, otherwise I will seriously consider buying an extra standard remote.

Monkey007 Posted at 4-30 14:12
Having used NLD's 'patched' GO app with the Platinum for a few months has made me aware of the extra flexibility and convenience I was missing. Really hope NLD can come up with a version for the SC soon, otherwise I will seriously consider buying an extra standard remote.

You can get standard remotes from Ebay I believe mate - DJI don't currently sell them as standalone products.

dancopter Posted at 4-30 08:16
But why is CE mode on the smart controller less power than CE mode on the normal RC?

LOL, government hypocrisies are never the easiest to understand, could never understand why governments allow car manufacturers to produce cars which can  travel at 3 times the legal speed limits...

jacksonnai Posted at 4-30 04:04
Very nice capture!

Thank you. But I was there for the scenery in the far background! The sky was so hazy, and there was massive radio interference so I wasn't able to fly the M2p anywhere close enough to take some decent shots. Wish it was in FCC mode!!!!!!!

This was taken just before it lost connection, at just under 3km, would've been much nicer if the sky was clearer too...

A J Posted at 4-30 14:14
You can get standard remotes from Ebay I believe mate - DJI don't currently sell them as standalone products.

Thanks, not looking forward to buying one, as it would be my last resort. But you would hope DJI comes up with a firmware update for the SC, or at least explains why the SC's signal is weaker.

Monkey007 Posted at 4-30 14:44
Thanks, not looking forward to buying one, as it would be my last resort. But you would hope DJI comes up with a firmware update for the SC, or at least explains why the SC's signal is weaker.

The SC is still a relatively new product mate so almost a work in progress. I'm sure they will continue to improve it with FW over time though it is still a great looking bit of kit. Enjoy.

Monkey007 Posted at 4-30 14:29
This was taken just before it lost connection, at just under 3km, would've been much nicer if the sky was clearer too...

[view_image]

Awesome shot

Monkey007 Posted at 4-30 14:12
Having used NLD's 'patched' GO app with the Platinum for a few months has made me aware of the extra flexibility and convenience I was missing. Really hope NLD can come up with a version for the SC soon, otherwise I will seriously consider buying an extra standard remote.

Oh, the NLD patch does not work on the Smart Controller?   I was considering it since I'm two miles from a university football stadium and that can restrict flying at my home on my 5,000 sq ft lot.  The last time I could not get the permission to fly working.  I was hoping that the NLD patch might work.

Great photo Distant background is nice too

ff22 Posted at 4-30 18:16
Oh, the NLD patch does not work on the Smart Controller?   I was considering it since I'm two miles from a university football stadium and that can restrict flying at my home on my 5,000 sq ft lot.  The last time I could not get the permission to fly working.  I was hoping that the NLD patch might work.

The latest version of the patched GO 4 is 4.1.22, which is 14 months old. I am happy with what it can do with my Platinum but to me it is completely useless on the Mavic Air, and next to useless on the Mavic 2, unless you're happy to roll back 2 firmware versions in order to remove the NFZ restrictions. But in doing so you loose all the new features including Waypoint 2.0, plus all goodies which might come in future updates.

Newbie here...what is FCC and all the other modes talked about?

djiuser_ZsdTJgmnQKmv Posted at 5-1 05:27
Newbie here...what is FCC and all the other modes talked about?

If you live in the USA then you're already on FCC, happy days. But you'll be just as happy if you're not in the USA, and haven't discovered what you're missing out on.

Monkey007 Posted at 4-30 14:23
Thank you. But I was there for the scenery in the far background! The sky was so hazy, and there was massive radio interference so I wasn't able to fly the M2p anywhere close enough to take some decent shots. Wish it was in FCC mode!!!!!!!

You're welcome mate

Monkey007 Posted at 5-1 14:13
If you live in the USA then you're already on FCC, happy days. But you'll be just as happy if you're not in the USA, and haven't discovered what you're missing out on.

Im in the USA, so I'll just smile...even though I don't knoe why.  Haha.