Smartphone-powered drone — When you purchase a smartphone-powered drone, it ordinarily comes with its own controller, which is the most practical way to fly the drone. However, many DJI drones can also be operated with a phone or tablet without using the dedicated controller. For one thing, this allows you to pack light without bringing the drone’s controller. But how would you fly your drone using your phone or tablet instead of the controller it comes with?
Download your drone’s dedicated mobile application on your phone or tablet. From there, go to your phone’s settings and connect its Wi-Fi to your drone’s Wi-Fi network. Then return to the mobile application and follow the setup and calibration instructions to configure your drone and prepare it for flight.
Your drone may come with its own controller, but that doesn’t mean you have zero control over it with your smartphone. Drones are increasingly designed to work with smartphones, which is useful when you don’t have enough space to carry a drone controller. This makes learning how to fly a drone with your phone or tablet worthwhile.
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Why Use a Smartphone-Powered Drone to Fly?
Most drones generally have dedicated controllers unless you choose a less expensive model that relies primarily on a smartphone instead of a separate controller.
However, whether or not a drone comes with its own controller, many drones use your smartphone to handle some of the processing and additional functions. You can adjust your drone’s settings and view the camera feed on your smartphone rather than relying entirely on the controller.
In this way, smartphones are useful for drones because they allow the controller to focus more on the essential steering functions. You can also use a phone for the drone’s camera feed, settings, flight information, and other controls.
This means that, with compatible models, you can control the drone using your smartphone without relying entirely on its dedicated controller. For example, the DJI Mavic 2 Pro combines a dedicated controller with a smartphone-based application for camera controls and flight information. You can also learn more about its flight capabilities and battery performance in our guide to the Mavic 2 Pro battery.
Convenience of a Smartphone-Powered Drone
While most drone controllers are relatively portable, there are situations where you want to reduce the amount of equipment you need to carry alongside the drone.
If you use your smartphone to control the drone, you may be able to leave the controller behind and avoid carrying additional equipment. This can be especially convenient when traveling or hiking with a compact drone.
Easy Controls with a Smartphone-Powered Drone
Directing a drone with its controller or adjusting its settings is relatively easy when you are flying. However, the various options and functions available on a drone can sometimes be easier to access through a smartphone’s touchscreen.
Settings such as creating a flight plan or using your drone’s GPS functionality can be straightforward to manage on a smartphone or tablet.
It’s Like Playing a Mobile Game
Many people are already familiar with playing mobile games using their smartphones or tablets. We are accustomed to using touchscreen controls and virtual joysticks, so operating a compatible drone through a mobile device can feel somewhat familiar.
Flying a drone with a smartphone can also be more engaging because you can see the first-person view coming from the drone’s camera while controlling it through your smart device.
For photographers, this can be particularly useful because drones provide a completely different perspective from traditional cameras. If you’re also interested in conventional photography, you can learn the basics of using a DSLR camera and how camera sensors, lenses, and exposure affect image quality.
Data and Diagnostics Are Simpler to Pull
When controlling your drone with a smartphone or tablet, the different flight information and diagnostics can be easier to access and review on a smart device rather than on a basic controller.
It is similar to how adjusting a drone’s settings can be easier through a smartphone or tablet than through a dedicated controller with a smaller display.
How to Connect Your Phone or Tablet to Your Drone
Now that you know some of the reasons why you might want to use your phone or tablet to fly a drone, here’s how you can connect your device to a compatible drone.
- On your phone, go to the App Store or Google Play Store, depending on whether you use an iOS or Android device.
- Search for your drone’s dedicated mobile application. For example, if you are using a DJI drone, use the appropriate DJI mobile application supported by your model.
- Download the drone’s mobile application and allow your phone or tablet to install it.
- After downloading the drone’s mobile application, connect your phone or tablet to your drone’s Wi-Fi network. You can do this by opening the device’s settings and then going to its Wi-Fi settings.
- Connect your smart device to the drone’s Wi-Fi network. If you’re unsure about the network name, check the drone’s manual or setup instructions.
- After connecting your phone or tablet to the drone’s Wi-Fi network, the two devices should be connected. However, the setup process may not be complete yet because you may need to configure additional settings.
- Return to the mobile drone application and complete any setup or calibration required before flying the drone.
- After completing the setup and calibration, you should be ready to fly your compatible drone using your phone or tablet.
How the Controls of a Smartphone-Powered Drone Work
Now that you’ve connected your phone to your drone, you’re ready to use your device as a control interface. You may be wondering how the controls work when you’re using a phone to guide the drone.
In reality, this depends on the drone you’re flying and its manufacturer. Some drones don’t allow you to control the aircraft entirely through a smartphone. However, models that support this feature, including certain DJI and Parrot drones, can provide on-screen controls that work similarly to joysticks.
For some people, it may take time to become accustomed to flying a drone using on-screen joysticks. Physical joysticks on a dedicated drone controller can be easier and more intuitive to use. However, people who are already comfortable playing mobile games with touchscreen controls may find the transition easier.
Smartphone-controlled drones are also different from FPV drones, which are designed around a first-person flying experience. If you’re interested in exploring another way to operate a drone, you can read our guide on using an FPV drone without goggles.
Tips for a Smooth Flight With a Phone Controller
Finally, here are some useful tips that can make it easier to fly your drone using your phone as a controller:
Do not fly the drone excessively far away from you. Remember that you’re using your drone’s Wi-Fi connection to communicate with your smart device. Wi-Fi signals can have a limited range.
To fly your drone farther, use the dedicated controller instead. Radio-based drone controllers can generally provide a more reliable and longer-range connection than the Wi-Fi connection used by some smartphone-controlled drones.
Try to fly your drone in an open area where objects are less likely to interfere with the connection between your drone and your smart device.
Treat the drone and smartphone connection like a wireless link that needs to remain stable. The closer and clearer the connection, the easier it can be to maintain reliable control.
Always fly your drone with a phone or tablet that has plenty of battery remaining. You don’t want your phone or tablet to shut down while you’re flying because losing your display or connection can make controlling the drone difficult and may increase the risk of an accident.
It is a good idea to carry a portable phone charger when flying for longer periods.
You could also carry your drone’s controller in case your phone runs out of battery or something goes wrong with your phone or the wireless connection.
Practice flying your drone using your phone in a safe and controlled environment before attempting to fly it in challenging conditions.
This will help you become familiar with the phone’s controls before you take the drone into more demanding environments.
Conclusion
Many smartphone-powered drones are designed to work alongside an associated smartphone. However, the primary controls for the drone may still be handled by the dedicated controller rather than the application. The application provides useful features, advanced controls, camera access, flight information, and important settings.
Depending on the drone model, you may be able to fly it without an associated smart device, while other models rely more heavily on a smartphone for setup and additional functionality. Before flying, always check the manufacturer’s instructions and make sure you understand the connection, control, and safety requirements for your particular drone.
