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 general higher controller, however is it value 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 practically 4x extra for the DJI RC Professional vs DJI RC. However you additionally get means 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 people searching for 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 affords storage by way of 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 | |
| Worth (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 collection) |
O3+ |
| Max. Transmission Distance (FCC) | 12 km (DJI Mini 3 Professional and DJI Air 2S) 15 km (DJI Mavic 3 collection) |
15 km |
| Antennas | 2 antennas, 1T2R | 4 Antennas, 2T4R |
| Video output port | N/A | Mini-HDMI port |
| Storage Capability | Expandable storage solely by way of microSD card | 32GB inside + expandable storage by way of 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 Decision | 1920×1080 | 1920×1080 |
| Display Measurement | 5.5 inches | 5.5 inches |
| Display 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 implies you don’t want to attach a smartphone so as 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 way of 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 gadget towards the course 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 will 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-Vivid 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 slightly than the 2 antennas on the RC, the RC Professional is supplied with 4 antennas.
It additionally helps third-party apps, which will 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 operate to make use of the drone’s digital camera view for direct live-streaming or different sorts of on the spot sharing of brief movies. You’ll be able to obtain third-party apps by way of the built-in browser or set up APK recordsdata from a microSD card (although simply notice that DJI doesn’t declare legal responsibility ought to something go unsuitable since you used a third-party app).
Utilizing the HDML port, you may join a second display for extra viewing, akin to by way of 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. Briefly, anticipate the RC Professional to supply considerably higher specs in these predominant classes:
- Inner storage (solely your individual microSD storage accessible on the RC)
- HDMI output (no video output port accessible on the RC)
- A brighter, nicer display
Who the DJI RC is greatest 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 purpose why the RC may really be higher general, and that’s measurement. There are not any exterior antennas on the DJI RC (they’re built-in) which provides to how far 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 rather a lot (it’s about 0.6 kilos) however for drone pilots who worth portability, akin to photographers who regularly journey (and need to have the ability to preserve their controller with them of their carry-on luggage) or who’re out working within the subject 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 greatest for
Most folk operating knowledgeable aerial pictures operation will wish 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 larger vary, which will be essential for business purposes. 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 generally is a live-saver, notably in case you’re anxious about shedding (or utilizing a corrupt) microSD playing cards.
Maybe most significantly for business purposes is the truth that DJI RC Professional helps third-party apps, whereas DJI RC doesn’t. In the event you depend on apps for purposes akin to live-streaming, then shopping for the DJI RC Professional over the RC is non-negotiable.
Briefly, the DJI RC Professional is a large improve over the usual DJI RC (and the older DJI RC-N1). However for an almost $900 value distinction, it won’t be value it for everybody.
Between the DJI RC Professional vs DJI RC, which controller do you assume is greatest (account for the value distinction)? Depart a remark beneath!
