DJI RC Pro vs. DJI Smart Controller - What’s the Difference?

The new DJI RC Pro replaces the Smart Controller with plenty of upgrades.

Timestamps:
00:00 - 00:08 - Intro
00:08 - 03:06 - DJI Smart Controller Recap
03:06 - 04:43 - DJI RC Pro Compatibility
04:43 - 07:25 - DJI RC Pro Device Overview
07:25 - 10:09 - DJI RC Pro Software Overview
10:09 - 12:39 - Final Thoughts

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My Gear:
DJI Mavic 3:

DJI RC Pro:

DJI FPV Drone:

DJI Air 2S:

Sony a7 III:

Sony GM 16-25 f2.8:

DJI Mic:

Studio Mic:

EcoFlow Delta Mini:

SanDisk SSD:

MacBook Pro M1 Max:

iPad mini:

Peak Design 30L Backpack V2:

SanDisk SD Cards:

SanDisk Micro SD Cards:

ALL GEAR:

Check out my new DJI Air 2S gear guide on Moment's shop:

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FOLLOW ME:

[cnyphotovideo]

Thanks Billy. One thing I’ve heard mention of is that on the control sticks of the new smart controller the threaded part that screws in is extremely small and some people think it might be fragile. Something to keep an eye on.

[jetsetjoey]

One of his two BIGGEST gripes, for the Smart Controller was poor battery life, YET he did not discuss battery life with the RC Pro (unless I missed it!)...

[RonaldBrown]

Thanks for this excellent comparison of these controllers, I just got the Mavic 3 and very interested in getting the RC Pro. It seems to have a got going for it, and a nice upgrade over the first version.

[MrEyeget]

Support for "other" drones is a deal breaker! You comments about upgrading for a Mavic 3 and DJI RC pro are spot on. I'll wait until laws make me buy new drones!

[petesig]

Great to get a review comparing the controllers. I have just ordered an RC-Pro for my Air2S. It is now backwards-compatible with the Air2S, according to my supplier.

[HeliosDroneWorks]

I’m new to your channel but a genuine thank you for what you do! It’s been really helpful, particularly videoed like this

Thanks!

[BillTheDroneReviewer]

Billy excellent comparison between the Smart Controller and the RC Pro. Really like the improvements especially the range, upgraded internals, and the ability t connect to a mobile network.

[PascalSupply]

Thanks Billy for the clear review. On November 2022, we still cannot connect 2 RC's to 1 drone with the DJI RC Pro. On the DJI Smart Controller it was standard and was a good function for teaching or when flying with a camera specialist who could decide on taking the shots or footage. Hopefully this feature will come soon!

[mikebel]

Brilliant. These are all things I’ve been wondering about. Good info well presented. Thank you!

[fletcherbrown]

I could never see the screen clearly using the standard controller any my iPhone Xs Max. I switched to the smart controller and never looked back. As the lyrics go "I can see clearly now". Can't understand why you would want to switch back to the standard controller and phone. Worth every penny i spent on the Smart Controller.

[vonheise]

Thanks, but many of us would like to see a comparison between the RC Pro vs the standard controller that comes with the Fly More Combo Mavic 3. I am torn between the basic controller with the Tripltek 8 compared to RC Pro.

[bobfiore]

Great video! I have the original and I been using the New RC Pro w/M3 for a week now. changes the whole experience in my opinion. For me it’s the way to go. The signal strength and increased battery life Is very noticeable.

[thegman]

Thanks for going over the 3rd party apps. I had the Phantom4 "smart" controller. I love the screen, very bright but if I wanted to use Pix4d, drone deploy, etc I was out of luck. I know everyone raved about the smart controller and I wasn't going to fall for that trick again
I'll wait until apps come out on the rc before I get it.

[noel]

I’ve used both and I could say that the RC pro controller has better range for sure just tested it out today and confirmed. Worth the upgrade for sure

[MrRaymond]

Yeah, I was really hoping for a new smart controller, but compatible with the older models. I still don't think it's going to be compatible with the MA2 which is a bummer. Thanks for sharing Billy, awesome video as always. Thanks again. 👍👍👍

[rodriguezahr]

Thanks for the review. I wish they made the screen a bit bigger as there is plenty of rpm for it. Also I would like to know if the new controller’s battery life is better. Thanks again.

[lightexplorer]

Awesome video. Thank you for the comparison.

[VivoFotografie-DroneInspecties]

Great review! Ill hope de rc pro will be available soon.

[VisionCommunications]

Nice review.. The thing is, I’m not getting a Mavic 3 if I have to buy another smart controller to have freedom from using my phone. I actually like using the current smart controller with my Mavic 2 Zoom and Air 2S. If I need to do something that requires longer range, I get the stock controller. I would get the Mavic 3 if they made it compatible with the old smart controller, even if range was limited.

[billdyer]

I just purchased an Air 2S with the RC Pro Controller and it works just fine. No comparability issues at all.