DJI Smart Controller 1 Year Later | Still Worth It?

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[@VickersDoorter]

The Smart Controller's most useful asset for me is the live 1080p video out via the HDMI port, streaming live outdoor sports events via a Blackmagic ATEM 4K vision mixer. We have streamed 10-12 hours a day, with zero image or connection issues.

[@northwoodsmediaworks3377]

Exactly. I've done a ton of live broadcast for news and Livestream events and it's been rock-solid. Night and day better performance over P4P+ as far as video connection.

[@MrJooploderus]

Have mine fore a year and working perfectly fine with my pro2. I have a extra screen and with the hdmi connect Love it.

[@RonaldBrown59]

I purchased mine as part of a kit with the Mavic 2 Pro, and I did it based on your reviews and advice. And I want to thanks because I love the Smart Controller, I much prefer it over connecting my phone to a controller. I also love the M2P drone. Great look back on your first year with the SC.

[@carolinares-q4205]

What is your wireless tool that you use And how far away can you go from the controller

[@gd198070]

Got mine as a bundle with the Mavic Pro 2, definitely happy with the product. I always use with a lanyard to avoid dropping it.

[@bobfiore8]

ODB I’m with you. This controller is amazing and never had a range issue either. I did turn on the Quick Fly function from last months firmware update and now it boots up and flying in seconds. Another cool video man, keep them coming.

[@tundrawhisperer4821]

Bob Fiore I flew my drone right along the Pacific Ocean beach, up here in Washington, and went out 3.9 miles never missed a beat, but I was freaked out the whole time I couldn’t see it, but this had great connection the whole time.

[@bobfiore8]

Tundra Whisperer right. Been there with the anxiety at first. lol

[@sjmphotonyc]

I haven’t had any issues. Except for the screen, the gps, the temperature, system updates, slow start up, range, third party apps, won’t let me run benchmark, but I’ve been really happy with it.

[@robbyducati]

What wireless sender are you using for remote viewing?

[@PaulFeinberg]

Just the simplicity of that and not having to worry about charging the controller in your phone and how much battery life is left on your phone after making calls all day just seems really awesome I would love to have one of those for my Next drone purchase

[@bobbrown8661]

Mine is still on it's year old original firmware, runs fine. Installed play store and litchi. Runs fine and I see no reason to update, especially if there are slow downs.

[@omrisilver]

What wireless tool you use for your HDMI?

[@cnyphotovideo]

I’ve been using mine so I got it in the spring and haven’t looked back. It’s absolutely terrific for my needs.

[@AxisImagery]

Are you tethering via your cell phone or cacheing maps? Which do you prefer?

[@guysofly4315]

Hi do you think i could connect it to a switcher so i can livestream the feed? Through the hdmi slot

[@Doc.Holiday]

Received mine Fly More bundled with a 2S. Second day the Back Button detent turned to mush and wouldn’t function. Ordered a replacement and returned. Yet to be determined if the replacement gets the job done. Will advise…

[@Joeteck]

Can you screen record for KZbin videos??

[@Time2FLYAlDiaz]

Greatest DJI accessory to date. Well...when it was $649. love mine...Well done! Ken

[@ronbarbosa06]

Mine is a year old and I love it. I don't have a screen protector and it still looks and works great!!!

[@canadiandronepilot7535]

Wish that DJI would integrate more drones to use this controller. I love mine but for now can only use it for my Mavic Pro 2 . Cheers from Waterloo Ontario Canada 🇨🇦

[@victorokeahialam8925]

Kool, I'm from Waterloo London England.

[@canadiandronepilot7535]

Victor YPTV Love this hobby ! It connects us from all over our amazing world 🌎 Cheers

[@MrEddieNunez]

Smart controller is still a beast 2020. Range does suck in NYC. So I added a mod to it.

[@ottosun12]

I am on the fence... What I like about the original controller is that when the android app crashes you have the controller on screen guidance for backup. Could you please tell me/us what action you take when the app crashes?

[@ottosun12]

Thanks!

[@mikeysmith4909]

I feel the same way about that smart controller. what happens when it does crash, that extra screen on the regular controller feels much safer.

[@sallutz]

Love mine, and bought it used for $450...so even better. They are quite pricey, but well worth it. Really hope that it continues to work with new drones....would sorta suck on Dji’s part, if it only works with the Mavic 2 and no future lineup.

[@Issac_G]

Only con I have is if your into mapping this controller falls very short....can't use top mapping apps and ofcourse screen size, but for my regular videos and pic flying I love it

[@brenthealy7014]

Hey Ken. As always good stuff. What is the wireless tool that you use? I have separate screen that I use a 10’ hdmi cord to so my wife can see what’s going on so she isn’t trying to look over my shoulder but if I’m able to do that wirelessly that would be better. Thank you

[@annastayziaa]

thank youuuuuu!

[@nickpsar]

I really appreciate your unbiased, and always spot-on reviews. After watching your review carefully, I am now convinced to purchase this amazing accessory for my M2P. By the way, which wireless sender are you using for remote viewing?

[@laurencegrant2882]

I have a question:) You know the files (photos and videos) stored on the SD card inside the Smart Controller. Is it right they are ONLY for viewing on the SC (including screen recordings) and they can't be loaded onto a computer? ie they are sort of 'image' files and the 'real' files have to been taken off the Drones SD. Thanks in advance.

[@tyalderdice4980]

Hey, question for ya. Do you ever fly a phantom anymore? I picked up a P4P obsidian with a screen on the remote. What’s your take on this? Do I need to empty the cache in that often? I’m excited to get it in my hands sometime this week.

[@Sir_Hubris]

did you update while connected to power supply ? I also like that grey DJI thing on your wrist! where to get that?

[@chrisbee9164]

Hi I'm about to buy an air 2s and want this kind of controller with it but I don't know whether to get it with the smart controller, IE this model, or with the RC Pro. Some people say that this can do things the RC pro can't. But I am concerned that this will be unsupported soon. What are your thoughts now on which one to buy to go with the air 2s? Thanks

[@OriginaldoBo]

Do not buy this one , get the RC Pro

[@LoveisthekeyDRE]

DOES THIS HAVE TO BE CONNECTED TO WIFI TO FLY A ZOOM? OR CAN I JUST FLY THE ZOOM WITHOUT WIFI/INTERNET??

[@richard8031]

will this work with the Mini 2 ... eventually .??? I'm hoping.!!!

[@ajcaptures2787]

Works now!

[@CincyPhotography]

The only thing i DONT like about this remote, is that there is no WARNING meter to show you how far you can fly before losing reception. It will just completely lose reception and lose total control of aircraft without any warning at all and you worry the entire time wondering when it will drop signal.

[@roberts.9342]

Got mine with the Mavic 2 Zoom bundle and I have enjoyed it! So convenient versus a phone or tablet. I don't own a phantom but I wish I could use it with my Spark...lol. Keep up the good work Ken, always love your honesty! Be well and have a good week.

[@mikeysmith4909]

with a 7inch Crystal sky monitor you can fly the zoom&spark both on it. The smart controller is just the regular controller with a built-in 5inch Crystal sky lol.

[@roberts.9342]

Yes the smart controller has it's own screen which is what I love. I don't have to hookup another accessory like the Crystal Sky plus just by touching which drone I want to fly I can switch between my Mavic 2 Pro or Zoom without having to reconnect to the drones...something you can't do with the Crystal Sky. It's just much convenient to use and that's why I love my Smart Controller.

[@pierresakr1811]

@@roberts.9342 you are right , but it was perfect if the SC has bigger screen , hope in the near future that Dji releases a new version with 7.85 inches as the Crystal Sky

[@roberts.9342]

@@pierresakr1811 I agree a larger screen would have been nice but I'm very happy with my SC and love how easy it is to switch between my M2P and M2Z.

[@TriniWeekes]

hey Dobo the device that you spoke about allowing people to view what you are viewing. what is it? can you provide a link? Great work once again

[@kirbyvacuummadman1814]

I'm on the fence about getting the smart controller, or the goggles so I can get a clear view while flying. The smart controller may be a better choice considering I normally fly alone, and by law you need a spotter when using the goggles.....what say you?

[@peterjb49]

Thanks Ken! I also love my SC, it was worth the $$ for me for sure! Maybe you can help me with one issue, how do I access within the SC the mechanism for live streaming, particularly FB?

[@peterjb49]

@@OriginaldoBo Thank You!

[@ozymandias7940]

It's a shame it is not compatible with the Spark (Obviously no occusync on Spark). Love my spark but using a cell phone is a PITA.

[@davidandrews6915]

Can it be used with the mavic pro platinum.

[@UncleTrapperMedia]

It works with the re-released Phantom 4 V2 Pro with ocusync

[@sallutz]

It does?? Doesn’t seem to with my v2 p4p.

[@GeorgePapadopoulos11]

With the latest firmware update it doesn’t support anymore the P4P V2.0, I don’t know what’s going on with the dji.

[@BradHenderson]

Hey Ken, I'm debating on investing into the controller to go along with my M2Z. Any thoughts on the maps being cached on the smart controller versus being through cellular LTE & using Google maps?

[@ebikemaine]

Remember to set the display to not shut off for 30 minutes before updating! Hopefully 3rd time works.

[@pierresakr1811]

Hello , i appreciate this useful review , question : in case i need to download an App. from play store & you said SC does not support Play Store , what is the alternative ? Thank you

[@airinspectservices9102]

Can anyone tell me how to disable the Auto take off on the SC?

[@suazzz3070]

Is it only for the Mavic?

[@avijitbanerjee5869]

Is it.... support dji MavicAir??

[@blackydon]

I love the SC as I never like flying with my phone. Thanks for the info.

[@hover-fly5668]

Good follow up, it just works, and yes, the update system is ...interesting. It could be so much easier. I pair mine with a set of Epson BT-35e via HDMI and the experience is superb. Cheers.

[@t-eighthundredtwo-thousand2711]

Hi Dobo !!, I’m trying to find a wireless HDMI adapter that works with dji smart controller, can you please give me any suggestions ?, Thank you for your videos !! Staying original Bro !!Peace !!✌️😎👍

[@danbogart]

It looks awesome, but I just can't justify paying $750 for it.

[@catastrophicnature]

Cost can only be justified as a part of a package with the Mavic 2 zoom or pro. As stand alone purchase however, it’s not justifiable

[@nullx8]

a standard controller is like half of that plus a phone is going to be around the same price. minus the hazzle ;)

[@danbogart]

Mario Hennenberger Right, but the standard controller comes with the drone at no additional cost, and I’m pretty sure you can’t make phone calls with that smart controller.

[@DungarooTV]

Just take the plunge. It's worth it!

[@farkoffcnt]

@@danbogart that's not true, you don't get the standard controller when buying the mavic 2 with smart controller

[@uasflightservicesllc3552]

Love my Smart Controller, for me it’s fast, reliable and durable another good informational video, wish I could use it with my P4PV2

[@brianphillips3718]

Hey ken its Brian from lakeland , just curious do you buy most of your products or do the companies send All or Some of them for promotion

[@OriginaldoBo]

Most I always buy somethings are sent tho. I have a drone store so really I just grab what’s on the shelf

[@ZachMRutledge]

Been dealing with this controller disconnecting from my M2P during flight! Anyone else having this issue?

[@sully4875]

Hope this works with the new Phantom??

[@OriginaldoBo]

It should

[@SimplyBrilliant65]

Thanks Ken, good video. Your are right, Drone deploy don’t work on it, instead I use PX4D and recently I even could use DJI Pilot, Regards

[@vagabondmike5870]

Is this as buggy as the crystal sky? My CS crashes far too often with my p4p v1, especially when using intelligent flight modes.

[@vagabondmike5870]

@@OriginaldoBo thanks for the reply. I do a lot of very close orbit work with my mavic 2 and after the crystalsky I've been skeptical of trying this unit. Maybe I'll see if my local shop will let me do a test flight with a demo unit.

[@vagabondmike5870]

@@OriginaldoBo Yeah, dad got my entire p4p kit handed down to him. Now the damn CS won't crash so I can show him how to handle that situation. I also gave him my old Huawei tablet that worked flawlessly, but was just dim in the FL sun.

[@glenncharles6622]

Mike G Crystal Sky was just horrible... Looking to grab this unit now once one of the bundles are back in stock

[@vagabondmike5870]

Glenn Charles I’ve been flying with the smart controller for 2 weeks now, about 30 flights. I’ve had 1 crash, otherwise it has been rock solid.

[@glenncharles6622]

Mike G Thanks for the feedback. I have a unit on back order, so looking forward to things becoming available.

[@michaelripple8371]

If only the screen was bigger I went with the crystal sky 8 inch and I love it even though it is a little buggy sometimes.

[@wenyanwang219]

can use in mini 2? thanks.

[@OriginaldoBo]

Not as of yet

[@tvz857]

Simplicity is probably the only nice thing about it. I really wish I could download apps such as DroneDeploy, Kittyhawk, airmap, etc..

[@bryancarter07]

Will the DJI Smart Controller work with the new Mavic Air 2?

[@feelgooddany]

On the DJI website they confirm it themselfs

[@jorgeignacio79]

the only thing missing, is being able to run drone deploy or any other mapping apps :-(

[@commonsenselogic]

How will it work with standard Remote ID? Can it connect to cell towers?

[@commonsenselogic]

@@OriginaldoBo That's the limited mode. The standard is the drone transmitting and the phone connected to a third party site. Don't see why the phone has to be connected to anything but that is the FAA's standard mode.

[@commonsenselogic]

@Lon Denard Good to know. We have to now think ahead when buying any thing from the drone industry.

[@normanbeyer4975]

Does anyone have laggy video feed with this? My feed is choppy sometimes, and I hate it

[@stianjarnass]

If the Air 2 can use this it will be great for tracking on mtb 😁

[@josephpuchel6497]

If I can pickup Mavic 2 package deal I buy it. But then might wait for Mavic 3. I agree my phone is for calls. Nice update.

[@jagoodman84]

New sub good video man!

[@vinceflores9422]

Would you say it’s reliable?

[@OriginaldoBo]

I’ve had mine since it came out and love it. I beat the hell out it

[@vinceflores9422]

Hell ya I just ordered a Amazon renewed one hope it holds up I usually take care of my stuff so will see

[@tundrawhisperer4821]

GREAT CHECK IN REVIEW! Love mine too! 👍🏻 Thx

[@davidgarrison1988]

I absolutely love my smart controller/ mavic 2 pro combo , no trouble here either

[@carborundable]

Excellent!

[@stadsimkerijhengeloe.o.4300]

It nice but screen to small and battery life is much to short.... Bummer.

[@vinceflores9422]

I’m thinking of grabbing one

[@yomango35]

Should I wait for a DJI Smart controller 2 ????

[@GeorgePapadopoulos11]

Man you are going to wait at least another 2 years.

[@yomango35]

@@GeorgePapadopoulos11 I can wait ..:))))

[@antricemccarroll2958]

@@yomango35 lmao

[@JAYBIRDAERIALPHOTOGRAPHYLLC]

Due to mixed reviews early on I waited until last summer before getting the smart controller. I wished I had gotten it sooner. It’s a perfect fit for the Mavics. My up and flying time was probably cut in half. I hear the Matrice 300 will be compatible with it so I am also hoping the other new drones will be to!

[@mtcbeemer]

Hi Ken, when can we fly, JMo from Spring Hill

[@2222ut]

I would not buy it for my Mavic 2 Pro. Rumor is Mavic 3 might have Ocusync 3, and if so, this will be outdated. (Just rumors I know, but this is not compatible with many of their other drones). But, the biggest issue is that if you lose your drone, you can not buy a replacement Mavic 2 just by itself. You have to buy a Mavic 2 with another controller. Really poor on DJI for this.

[@tundrawhisperer4821]

2222ut really? Did not know that. Why would they choose to do that? Probably to sell more “product”! Thx

[@GeorgePapadopoulos11]

You are totally wrong, first of all you can buy just the drone only if you lose yours without the controller and the charger and second the smart controller can work with all the ocusync systems even with the first mavic pro it’s just a firmware upgrade.

[@barrypelphrey2463]

If you update you will have the dreaded out of line of sight warning if you go past 4000 ft. It won’t go away. Don’t update!

[@randydehne8866]

Best money I've spent..

[@davidandrews6915]

Is it worth the investment my friend:)

[@antricemccarroll2958]

I love yo vids

[@knightflyer909]

Another reason to buy smart controller (or stay away from DJI altogether) is the fact that tabletsDJI Fly app doesn't work with MOST Android phones or !

[@flyingabrams]

I think smart controller have better processor than crystalsky

[@geezerlife4375]

I am leaving this same comment in everyone's comment section of the skydio2 video creators that I have been following and subscribe to since October 2019. Some of you have already sold yours .... some have kept theirs. All of you are drone enthusiasts and own and still fly the Mavic 2 Pro. As a first time owner/purchaser/pilot (pure recreational purpose) of a Drone, I can only choose one The Skydio2 or the Mavic 2 Pro If you were in the same situation and circumstance and under the same constraints which one would you choose?

[@sallutz]

Geezer Life skydio2 is a limited purpose drone....if you’re only into autonomous tracking, then it’s the one to go with. If you want a complete drone, great for actually flying, long distance flights, and fantastic video feed, then mavic 2 all day long. Comparing the Mavic 2 and the Skydio 2 is like comparing apples and oranges. Totally different machines with different purposes.

[@Voidroamer]

0:38 nope, you forgot about me! I have to buy this stupid ass thing cause i fly the DJI digital FPV system and want to share it with friends..

[@gustavomolina4537]

Great

[@supersevenfour]

Sorry Ken, gotta politely disagree again. People should save their $700 (my refurbished Mavic Pro was only $700ish) and use an iPad mini LTE. I’m even still using a mini 2. It has a larger screen, plenty of storage, fits perfectly in the DJI controller and can be used for MANY other tasks. The DJI Smart Controller is a one-trick-pony and an overpriced one at that.

[@Darth_Yavin]

Do you own one? Probably notn

[@supersevenfour]

Oscar Gonzalez Own what? A Mavic Pro, iPad Mini 2 LTE or Skydio 2? You’d be wrong for all three.

[@ValConB]

Pithom - Do you use a screen shade with your iPad mini LTE? I was wondering if using the iPad with a shade is as easy to see as the smart controller screen. Or is your iPad bright enough in full sun without needing a screen? I don't have a drone yet, thinking about getting the Mavic Air 2 but haven't decided if the smart controller is worth the extra coinage.

[@antricemccarroll2958]

Parrot drone is illegal it's has built sum in drone

[@sir_awny]

I just get my smart controller and I could upgrade it without DJI assistant.

[@sbr345]

I like the idea but the price is way too high... 350$ no more

[@TheBigb1973]

I use a galaxy tab s4. the screen is twice the size of this POS lol

[@tropicaldany9306]

Overpriced, but still very good controller from what I've seen and tested myself. I don't think it's future proof for any potential updates of OcuSync, but then again so is not your Mavic 2 drone. We might see a new version of the controller this year.

[@eagleeyeviewimages]

👍😁👍

[@johnhenderson8869]

THATS TO MUCH MONEY FOR ME , I BUY A IPAD MINI

[@dailangoodman1541]

Don't own a compatible drone

[@davidjd123]

so this shit is 3 years old?

[@dronescape9991]

This "smart controller" does not feature a RTH to the actual hand set. So if you launch your drone from a moving boat and need to use the RTH to bring the drone back to you .....Plop! I'm astonished that such a useful feature, available on the Go4App installed on any other device, is missing on this over priced piece of screen. That's all it is. An overpriced screen. Stick with your iPhone/iPad/Android phone. Avoid this. Waste of $700+ dollars

[@nengstro]

Just you talkning and some shots of the device where you barely can seen the screen? Seriously, why do you all youtubers think we are interested in seeing you talking :-D

[@OriginaldoBo]

When do you viewers ever learn I don't give a fuck?

[@mannmike5477]

It’s not worth the money at all