When shopping for most of DJI’s new digital camera drones, you’re usually offered with two choices so far as the controller goes: buying the drone with the DJI RC, or buying the identical drone with the upgraded DJI RC Professional — which is inevitably dearer. The RC Professional is definitely an total higher controller, however is it price the additional value? Right here’s a information to deciding between the DJI RC Professional vs DJI RC:
DJI RC Professional vs DJI RC: a breakdown of specs
If shopping for a la carte, you’ll pay almost 4x extra for the DJI RC Professional vs DJI RC. However you additionally get method fancier tech within the upgraded model, starting from longer, more-powerful transmission to improved Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection tech.
The RC Professional is larger and brighter. Whereas each DJI RC Professional and DJI RC have a 5.5-inch 1080p display screen, the DJI RC Professional helps display screen brightness as much as 1,000 nits versus simply as much as 700 nits on the DJI RC.
And for folk in search of to attach it with an HDMI, the talk between DJI RC Professional vs DJI RC is straightforward as a result of the cheaper counterpart has no video output port. The cheaper model additionally solely provides storage through your individual exterior microSD card (with no choice for inside storage accessible).
Right here’s a comparability of specs between the DJI RC Professional vs DJI RC:
| DJI RC | DJI RC Professional | |
| Value (when bought standalone) | $309 | $1,199 |
| Drones appropriate with | DJI Mavic 3, Traditional and Cine DJI Mavic 3 Professional and Professional Cine DJI Mini 3 DJI Mini 3 Professional DJI Air 2S |
DJI Mavic 3, Traditional and Cine DJI Mavic 3 Professional and Professional Cine DJI Mini 3 Professional DJI Air 2S |
| Video Transmission System | O3 (DJI Mini 3 Professional and DJI Air 2S) O3+ (DJI Mavic 3 sequence) |
O3+ |
| Max. Transmission Distance (FCC) | 12 km (DJI Mini 3 Professional and DJI Air 2S) 15 km (DJI Mavic 3 sequence) |
15 km |
| Antennas | 2 antennas, 1T2R | 4 Antennas, 2T4R |
| Video output port | N/A | Mini-HDMI port |
| Storage Capability | Expandable storage solely through microSD card | 32GB inside + expandable storage through microSD card |
| Wi-Fi Protocol | 802.11 a/b/g/n | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax |
| Bluetooth Protocol | Bluetooth 4.2 | Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Display screen Decision | 1920×1080 | 1920×1080 |
| Display screen Measurement | 5.5 inches | 5.5 inches |
| Display screen Brightness | 700 nits | 1000 nits |
| Contact management | 10-point multi-touch | 10-point multi-touch |
| Working Time | 4 hours | 3 hours |
| GNSS | GPS + BeiDou + Galileo | GPS + Galileo + GLONASS |
| Weight | Approx. 390 g | Approx. 680 g |
| Mannequin | RM330 | RM510 |
DJI RC: extra to know
The DJI RC takes the previous DJI RC-N1 and provides some main upgrades — most notably a built-in display screen, which implies you don’t want to attach a smartphone with a view to get your drone up and working.
Although, if you wish to get your footage on-line shortly, you’ll nonetheless desire a smartphone close by with the DJI Fly app put in. After flying, you may join it immediately along with your drone via Wi-Fi and use the QuickTransfer perform to obtain footage to your smartphone.
Some key specs on the DJI RC:
- 15km O3+ Video Transmission
- 390g Light-weight Physique
- 5.5-inch FHD Show
- 4-hour Extremely-Lengthy Working Time
- Twin-Spring Management Sticks
One factor you gained’t discover on the DJI RC is the antennas. That doesn’t imply that they’re not there — it’s simply that they’re built-in (tucked contained in the physique of the controller so you may’t see them). As a result of DJI RC adopts built-in antennas you solely must level the highest of the machine towards the route of the drone to make use of it.
DJI RC Professional: extra to know
Whereas the RC is a big improve over the RC-N1, the RC Professional in flip provides an enormous improve over the DJI RC. The display screen is brighter, which might be handy to indicate to purchasers or for flying on shiny, sunny days.
Some key specs on the DJI RC Professional:
- 15 km Video Transmission
- 120 ms Extremely-Low Latency
- 5.5-inch 1080p Excessive-Shiny Show
- Brightness As much as 1000 nits
- 3-hour Max Working Time
The DJI RC Professional is provided with the latest-generation processor, providing stronger efficiency and decrease energy consumption. And it affords high-speed downloads, supporting Wi-Fi 6 protocol and obtain speeds of as much as 80MB/s.
Not like the built-in antennas on the RC, the antennas are seen on the RC Professional. And moderately than the 2 antennas on the RC, the RC Professional is provided with 4 antennas.
It additionally helps third-party apps, which might be useful for extra diversified modifying and sharing choices. That additionally means the controller is able to live-streaming, assuming you’re utilizing a third-party app with a live-streaming perform to make use of the drone’s digital camera view for direct live-streaming or different forms of instantaneous sharing of brief movies. You may obtain third-party apps via the built-in browser or set up APK recordsdata from a microSD card (although simply be aware that DJI doesn’t declare legal responsibility ought to something go improper since you used a third-party app).
Utilizing the HDML port, you may join a second display screen for added viewing, resembling via FPV goggles.
DJI RC Professional vs DJI RC: which ought to I purchase?
So with all that info, which is the very best controller for you?
Clearly the Professional model has all of the bells and whistles that the DJI RC doesn’t essentially have, however all these extras don’t come low cost. In brief, count on the RC Professional to supply considerably higher specs in these essential classes:
- Inside storage (solely your individual microSD storage accessible on the RC)
- HDMI output (no video output port accessible on the RC)
- A brighter, nicer display screen
Who the DJI RC is finest for
Given it’s far cheaper price ticket, the DJI RC is clearly higher for budget-conscious drone pilots. However that’s not the one motive why the RC may really be higher total, and that’s measurement. There aren’t any exterior antennas on the DJI RC (they’re built-in) which provides to how way more compact it’s.
The RC weighs simply 390 grams, versus the 680 grams that the RC Professional weighs. A 290-gram distinction won’t look like so much (it’s about 0.6 kilos) however for drone pilots who worth portability, resembling photographers who often journey (and need to have the ability to maintain their controller with them of their carry-on luggage) or who’re out working within the area on tasks that require lengthy hikes, each gram can actually add up.
And the RC additionally has an extended battery life. For conditions the place you’ll want a full cost for hours on finish, the RC is best, as it may possibly run fours hours on a full cost versus three hours for the RC Professional. Once more, these movie periods in a distant wilderness with no entry to energy may demand the RC over RC Professional.
Who the DJI RC Professional is finest for
Most folk working an expert aerial images operation will need to improve to the DJI RC Professional, which makes use of the latest-generation processor, provides expanded storage capability and is constructed with {powerful} O3+ video transmission expertise.
Extra antennas means a stronger, extra dependable connection over better vary, which might be essential for industrial purposes. In that vein, the built-in HDMI ports and inside storage may unlock new use instances that the RC is incapable of, and that inside storage could be a live-saver, notably if you happen to’re fearful about dropping (or utilizing a corrupt) microSD playing cards.
Maybe most significantly for industrial purposes is the truth that DJI RC Professional helps third-party apps, whereas DJI RC doesn’t. In case you depend on apps for purposes resembling live-streaming, then shopping for the DJI RC Professional over the RC is non-negotiable.
In brief, the DJI RC Professional is a big improve over the usual DJI RC (and the older DJI RC-N1). However for a virtually $900 value distinction, it won’t be price it for everybody.
Between the DJI RC Professional vs DJI RC, which controller do you assume is finest (account for the worth distinction)? Go away a remark beneath!