Welcome DJI Spark Pilot!
Jump in and join our free Spark community today!
Sign up

iPad Mini

Highflyer

Well-Known Member
Join
Nov 10, 2018
Messages
360
Age
63
Loc
Sanborn, Mn (USA)
Anyone using the Apple New iPad mini? if so does it work great with the spark? I have the iPad 9.7 and want something smaller. I also have a smartphone but that's too small/
 
  • Like
Reactions: wilcoxads
I recall pmshop purchased a mini5 and likes it.

If I have to fly with a remote ID in the future, I'll probably purchase a mini5 with a sim card, or whatever may be available.

The mini4 that I have now is WiFi only, and like you, a phone is too small.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Highflyer
I have a Mini 4 that I bought on eBay a while back. It works great for me. The size is just perfect for the tablet holder I bought and the screen size is just right for me. I also bought an OTG cable to use with it. I imagine that you could pick a used one up for a good price these days since the mini 5 came out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Highflyer
I have a Mini 2 and seems to do the job just fine (although mine has a slightly compromised battery that I am working to address). Regarding your comment about needing an iPad with cell connection for upcoming Remote ID requirements, I don't think that is going to satisfy the proposed FCC regs. Your UAS will need to have its own internet connection. As proposed it will not be sufficient that the drone's location is communicated to a controller with an internet connection. Ugh.
 
I have a Mini 2 and seems to do the job just fine (although mine has a slightly compromised battery that I am working to address). Regarding your comment about needing an iPad with cell connection for upcoming Remote ID requirements, I don't think that is going to satisfy the proposed FCC regs. Your UAS will need to have its own internet connection. As proposed it will not be sufficient that the drone's location is communicated to a controller with an internet connection. Ugh.

From what I understood, the telemetry will be sent with your Remote ID to your controller. Then you upload that to a service to broadcast your position in real time.
 
That would be great if that were the case, but I do not believe that to be true. Do you have an authority or source to cite to for that? The proposed reg that I saw says:

* * *​
I. REMOTE IDENTIFICATION OPERATING REQUIREMENTS
Under the proposed rule, a person operating a UAS in the airspace of the United States would have to meet the remote identification requirements in one of three ways, depending upon the capabilities of the UAS, on or before the 36th month after the effective date of the final rule.

A. STANDARD REMOTE IDENTIFICATION UAS

For purposes of this proposed rule, a “standard remote identification UAS” is a UAS with remote identification equipment capable of both: (1) Connecting to the internet and transmitting through that internet connection to a Remote ID USS; and (2) broadcasting directly from the unmanned aircraft. Standard remote identification UAS are discussed further in section X.A.1 of this preamble. [Emphasis added]

* * *​

If your UAS does not meet this standard, your device is considered to have Limited Remote ID capabilities and the unmanned aircraft would be "designed to operate no more than 400 feet from the control station."

Under these definitions, I do not believe that my Spark, Mini, Air or Anafi would be permitted to operate without a firmware update that places an imposed, non-unlockable 400 foot geofence around the RC.

Absent qualifying as a Standard or Limited RID capable UAS, we'll be constrained to flying only within designated "drone parks."

(See Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft Systems)
 
If the FAA is going to restrict my flights to 400 feet then I can live with that. It is going to be interesting to see where this ends up. There may be thousands of rogue pilots out there in a few years.
 
Just to be clear, I am not talking about 400 feet high. I'm talking about 400 feet away. Think about that. That's a pitching wedge. Think about the shortest real Par 3 you could possibly imagine. Now think about the fact that you could not fly from tee to green under the proposed reg with a limited RID drone. Wow.
 
I'm good with 400 feet in any direction. That distance is beyond my LOS as it is, and I don't have anyone to be my spotter anyway. I could see plenty and then some of what I want to see from that distance horizontally and vertically in respect to where I launch from. Long distance flying is fine for some but it is not my thing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: McCloudSpark
Hi get the old ipad mini 2 it's brilliant I got mine from CEX store for £120 warranty for 2 years as all of there stuff is.
 
I got the mini 5 and it works great with my MP. I haven't tried it with the Spark yet, but expect equally good results.

Perfect size in portability and larger screen than my phone so I can see so much better.

Recommended!

@Highflyer I think you will like it very much. I recommend you get a mount for it to sit above your controller with a lanyard. This is what I got:
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
14,593
Messages
118,799
Members
17,988
Latest member
KguaooNex