Now that you have the Google Play store on your device and you're adding app including Gmail and text messaging and all kinds of other personal apps, how do you lock your SC from unauthorized use, any ideas?  Before I start digging into 3rd party security apps (don't want to accidently lock up my SC with an incompatible app), any suggestions on something that work?  How do you hard reset your SC in case things go sideways?

I may have to limit the apps on the device but still, sometimes you don't anyone to access your flight records or even fly your drone.

Hello and good day the_saint. Thank you for reaching out and for the inquiry. I hope that you will get the best recommendation  with regards to this matter from our valued DJI co pilots who has and uses the DJI Smart Controller. In addition to reset the DJI Smart Controller please go to Settings-Personal-Factory Data Reset. Just a friendly reminder that DJI Smart Controller cannot be reset by using the DJI Assistant 2. Thank you.

Just curious, but is there a reason you like to have all of those other non-flying related apps?  As a guy that's been in the software business most of my adult life, I'm always curious to understand other people's usage profiles.

For me, I like the SC precisely because it is my dedicated flying machine and isn't gummed up with other distracting apps.

^whenever you get the play store loaded on a device, there's always the potential to start adding apps.  wasn't my original intention but over time, i'm starting to see it occur with more frequency.  if the smart controller was better and smarter, there would be little need.  anything that helps with your overall flying experience starts to creep in.  only because i've added my gmail do i need to consider a lock function but all devices should be able to lock to prevent unauthorized access, no?  if you can get to the playstore, you're potentially wide open even for apps that aren't yet downloaded, right?

the_saint Posted at 10-15 07:28
^whenever you get the play store loaded on a device, there's always the potential to start adding apps.  wasn't my original intention but over time, i'm starting to see it occur with more frequency.  if the smart controller was better and smarter, there would be little need.  anything that helps with your overall flying experience starts to creep in.  only because i've added my gmail do i need to consider a lock function but all devices should be able to lock to prevent unauthorized access, no?  if you can get to the playstore, you're potentially wide open even for apps that aren't yet downloaded, right?

Yes I do agree with  Kloogee, suggest to keep SC away from all those power consuming apps including screen locks or other security apps. SC is not actually as powerful as ordinary Android phone and at the end may not perform well.
But agree also in this mobile device era ,you may not know where, when and how the intruders encounter with your device. If you installed gmail , then may be only option to protect is  dont select the  remember the log in cridentials.
DJI  also consider this device  as "Controller " rather than "Smart Apps Mobile Device"  may be therefore never considered to add Auto Lock option ( imagine in mid flight device is locked  and does not let u unlock)  

this app called AppLock:  https://play.google.com/store/ap ... om.domobile.applock

will let you lock whichever apps you wish with a passcode even if it's just one app.  perhaps you don't want anyone to tap on and read the Device ID or change the SC settings.  This app will require you to enter a passcode once and then you're in until you powercycle, more or less.  I like it because it's not a screen lock so you don't need to enter a passcode just to use the SC, for me it only protects my Gmail app and it doesn't allow any Playstore install/uninstall without the passcode.  Otherwise, all the same.  Free android app, I haven't fully tested it of course, use at your own risk.  Pretty sure very smart people will figure out how to crack this app so it's not super secret.  Just offering information as a suggestion.  Thanks.
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eta:  personally i'm not able to fully recommend this app because the lockout apparently does not persist thru power cycles which kinda defeats the purpose.

The whole purpose of the SC is customised hardware and software optimised to do one task well.  Diluting that with extras suddenly eliminates most of the advantages of the SC.

The device is running a 4 year old version of android with no security patch updates.  A quick check yields about 150+ critical vulnerabilities since then which is about normal for any mobile OS of that age.
Its not something you WANT to be running 3rd party apps, especially 3rd party connected apps on for that reason alone.
The SC has limited resources and it works excellently provided those resources are allowed to be used solely for the task it was created for - Go4.  Once you start cutting down on its CPU cycles, ram and so on performance will suffer.

I never really saw the point of installing things on it anyway - it lacks its own network so needs WiFi.  Typically this will mean its tethered from a phone or tablet and cannot work online without that.  So that means you have such a device with you in the first place....so why not run the apps on THAT device which is designed and secured for that and leave the SC free to do the job it was intended to do?

gnirtS Posted at 10-27 17:51
The whole purpose of the SC is customised hardware and software optimised to do one task well.  Diluting that with extras suddenly eliminates most of the advantages of the SC.

The device is running a 4 year old version of android with no security patch updates.  A quick check yields about 150+ critical vulnerabilities since then which is about normal for any mobile OS of that age.

so you believe everyone who is installing google play store on their device, that's a mistake?

The Saint Posted at 10-29 13:18
so you believe everyone who is installing google play store on their device, that's a mistake?

Play at least being a google app (assuming the source IS from google, with 3rd party APKs you have no idea in reality) is mainly an enabler.
Its apps they install via the play store create by far the biggest security and performance risks.

Again im struggling to see why anyone needs many apps - the SC needs to be tethered to a mobile device anyway to have internet so why not just use those apps on the mobile device?
Google Photos i can understand to an extent to help sharing but on top of that, i cant think of any apps that need to be on there.

I think that a LOCK of some kind would be nice even if nothing else is installed on the SC.  That could keep others out of launching whatever including the GO app.