When shopping for most of DJI’s new digital camera drones, you’re sometimes 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 actually an total higher controller, however is it price the additional price? 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 manner fancier tech within the upgraded model, starting from longer, more-powerful transmission to improved Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection tech.
The RC Professional is greater and brighter. Whereas each DJI RC Professional and DJI RC have a 5.5-inch 1080p display, the DJI RC Professional helps display brightness as much as 1,000 nits versus simply as much as 700 nits on the DJI RC.
And for folk searching for to attach it with an HDMI, the talk between DJI RC Professional vs DJI RC is simple as a result of the cheaper counterpart has no video output port. The cheaper model additionally solely affords storage through your personal exterior microSD card (with no choice for inside storage out there).
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 suitable 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, which suggests you don’t want to attach a smartphone with a purpose to get your drone up and operating.
Although, if you wish to get your footage on-line rapidly, you’ll nonetheless desire a smartphone close by with the DJI Fly app put in. After flying, you may join it instantly along with your drone by Wi-Fi and use the QuickTransfer operate 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 have to level the highest of the system towards the path of the drone to make use of it.
DJI RC Professional: extra to know
Whereas the RC is a large improve over the RC-N1, the RC Professional in flip affords an enormous improve over the DJI RC. The display is brighter, which might be handy to point out to shoppers or for flying on vivid, sunny days.
Some key specs on the DJI RC Professional:
- 15 km Video Transmission
- 120 ms Extremely-Low Latency
- 5.5-inch 1080p Excessive-Brilliant Show
- Brightness As much as 1000 nits
- 3-hour Max Working Time
The DJI RC Professional is supplied 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.
In contrast to the built-in antennas on the RC, the antennas are seen on the RC Professional. And relatively than the 2 antennas on the RC, the RC Professional is supplied with 4 antennas.
It additionally helps third-party apps, which might be useful for extra diversified enhancing 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 operate to make use of the drone’s digital camera view for direct live-streaming or different sorts of instantaneous sharing of quick movies. You may obtain third-party apps by the built-in browser or set up APK information from a microSD card (although simply word that DJI doesn’t declare legal responsibility ought to something go mistaken since you used a third-party app).
Utilizing the HDML port, you may join a second display for extra viewing, resembling by FPV goggles.
DJI RC Professional vs DJI RC: which ought to I purchase?
So with all that info, which is the perfect 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 major classes:
- Inside storage (solely your personal microSD storage out there on the RC)
- HDMI output (no video output port out there on the RC)
- A brighter, nicer display
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 truly 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 rather more compact it’s.
The RC weighs simply 390 grams, versus the 680 grams that the RC Professional weighs. A 290-gram distinction may not look like loads (it’s about 0.6 kilos) however for drone pilots who worth portability, resembling photographers who regularly journey (and wish 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 healthier, as it will probably 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 operating an expert aerial pictures operation will need to improve to the DJI RC Professional, which makes use of the latest-generation processor, affords expanded storage capability and is constructed with {powerful} O3+ video transmission know-how.
Extra antennas means a stronger, extra dependable connection over higher vary, which might be essential for business functions. In that vein, the built-in HDMI ports and inside storage may unlock new use circumstances that the RC is incapable of, and that inside storage is usually a live-saver, notably when you’re frightened about shedding (or utilizing a corrupt) microSD playing cards.
Maybe most significantly for business functions is the truth that DJI RC Professional helps third-party apps, whereas DJI RC doesn’t. For those who depend on apps for functions resembling live-streaming, then shopping for the DJI RC Professional over the RC is non-negotiable.
In brief, the DJI RC Professional is a large improve over the usual DJI RC (and the older DJI RC-N1). However for a virtually $900 value distinction, it may not be price it for everybody.
Between the DJI RC Professional vs DJI RC, which controller do you assume is finest (account for the value distinction)? Go away a remark under!
