You know a release is right around the corner when we get new leaks every day – so many that we actually missed one that came out on Wednesday. It appears that the DJI RC and RC-N1 controllers will become outdated once the Air 3 is announced.
DJI leaker Igor Bogdanov shared SKUs for the upcoming Air 3 release. Similar to all drones released since the Mini 3 Pro, we will have two controller options. With the introduction of the more affordable RC, we have typically seen an option with the N1 smartphone controller and a pricier built-in-screen controller, except for the Mavic 3 Pro, which offered the RC and RC Pro as options.
DJI has had one smartphone controller, the RC-N1, for the past few years, serving as the cheapest and most basic option to fly your drones. And if you don’t mind using your phone as your screen, it works quite well.
According to Bogdanov’s tweet, we should expect an RC-N2 controller with the Air 3. What improvements will it bring? It already boasts excellent battery life and range. Perhaps a small screen for displaying basic information such as battery levels, connection, or range? I’m not sure, but I am eager to see what changes this will introduce.
While an upgrade to the smartphone controller was expected at some point, what wasn’t expected is a possible second-generation RC controller. Bogdanov’s SKU listing shows a Fly More Combo with an RC 2 controller.
The current generation RC is one of my favorite controllers. It is compact enough to fit in almost any backpack or case with additional space. Coupled with its compatibility with nearly every consumer DJI drone available, you don’t have to compromise on video quality when traveling.
What could the RC 2 controller improve upon? I have absolutely no idea. The battery life is pretty good at four hours, and I usually don’t encounter any battery limitations during my flights, although I can see how longer operations might require more.
Anyway, we have not seen any FCC filings for these devices or the Air 3 just yet. That will be the first sign that we are nearing the release.
The rumored launch date is sometime after June 28, which is close enough that we should expect an event announcement from DJI any day. The fact that we haven’t received one yet probably means the launch will occur after that date.
In the comments, let us know what improvements you would like to see in these second-generation controllers.
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