With the holiday season quickly approaching, more and more first-time drone owners are joining the community. Included in these would be the new DJI Mini 3 Pro owners group.
There is nothing more daunting for new users than getting a first-time electronic device or piece of equipment and having to figure out the correct sequence of inputs to power on/off that device.
With that said, we’ll be going through the steps needed to turn on/off the Mini 3 Pro, as well as the RC-N1 and DJI Pro remote controllers.
Preparing the Mini 3 Pro to Fly (Charging the Batteries)
Although many of us want to open the Mini 3 Pro box up and fly immediately, there is a very important step that must be taken prior to flying for the first time.
That would be charging all of the batteries.
RC-N1 and DJI RC Batteries
When unboxing the included remote controller, whether either the RC-N1 or DJI RC, although it will have some charge to it, generally about 25-50%, it is important to charge the RC before first-time usage.
If you own the RC-N1 controller, plug the USB-C cable into the bottom of the RC (Remote Controller). The LED indicator lights will begin to blink, signifying the remote controller is charging.
If you have the Mini 3 Pro with the DJI RC, the USB-C charging port is located on the bottom of the RC, to the right of the Micro SD card and Host slots. Plug the USB-C cable in and the controller will immediately charge.
Mini 3 Pro Batteries
With the Mini 3 Pro, there are 2 ways to charge the batteries.
The 1st Way: This method is for those that only have 1 drone battery, and not 3, like those that might have purchased the Flymore combo. The Mini 3 Pro battery will need to be charged while installed in the Mini 3 Pro.
The USB-C charging port is located at the rear of the drone. Insert a UBS-C cable into the Mini 3 Pro and then into a 30-watt charger.
The 2nd Way: If you have purchased one of the Flymore combos, you will be able to charge all 3 of the batteries, one after another, in the included charging hub.
To do this, snap the batteries into the Flymore combos charging hub and connect the included USB-C cable to a 30-watt charger. The batteries will then charge individually, one after another.
Note: Although there is an included USB-C cable, there is not an included 30-watt charger. While it is recommended to use a DJI-branded charger, you can use any high-quality 30-watt charger for maximum charging speeds.
Tip: If you have purchased an additional battery with your Flymore combo, you can charge 3 batteries in the charging hub and use a separate USB-C cable and charger to charge the additional battery in the Mini 3 Pro itself.
The Power-up/On Sequence
One question that many new drone owners have is: In what order should I turn on my drone and remote controller?
The recommended power-up sequence by DJI is as follows:
Turning on the Mini 3 Pro
- Turn on the Remote Controller
- Turn on the Mini 3 Pro
- Open the DJI Fly app
If you own a DJI RC, then the steps for turning on and off the controller and app are just 1 all-inclusive step.
Note: The sequence mentioned above is only the recommended sequence by the manufacturer. Many drone owners turn their drones on first, followed by the RC and then the DJI Fly app.
Turning on the Mini 3 Pro (and RCs)
As mentioned in the power-up sequence, it is recommended that the remote controller be turned on first.
To turn on the RC-N1:
- Press the power button once, then immediately press+hold the power button. When you press the power button the first time, the battery charge will be displayed via the LED lights. The second press+hold then powers on the remote controller. You will also get an ascending audible one, indicating the controller is powered on.
Note: Many smart devices connected to the RC-N1 controller will “screen on” once the controller boots up, followed by a dialogue box asking to launch the DJI Fly app. You can choose to launch the DJI Fly app at this time.
To turn on the DJI RC:
- Like with the RC-N1, press the power button once, then immediately press+hold the power button. The DJI splash screen will appear (with the same ascending audible tone as the RC-N1). After about 10-20 seconds you will be at the DJI Fly home screen, ready to connect the drone.
To turn on the Mini 3 Pro:
- First, it is imperative you remove the gimbal cover that is on the camera. If this step is forgotten too many times, the gimbal may eventually suffer from gimbal failure and break.
- Next, press the power button once (towards the rear of the Mini 3 Pro). Similar to the RC the LEDs will light up, letting you know how much battery power there is. Immediately press+hold the power button.
- The motors will adjust slightly, followed by an auditory tone, after which the gimbal will self-test.
The last step would then be to start up the DJI Fly app IF you are using an RC-N1 and the DJI Fly app did not self-start when the controller powered on.
Turning off the Mini 3 Pro (and RCs)
After you are done flying for the day, turning off the Mini 3 Pro and remote controller are done in the reverse order of turning everything on.
Turning off the Mini 3 Pro sequence
- Turn off the Mini 3 Pro
- Turn off the Remote Controller
- Shut down the DJI Fly app
To turn off the Mini 3 Pro:
- Press the power button once and then immediately press+hold the power button.
To turn off the RC-N1:
- Press the power button once, then immediately press+hold the power button. You will hear a descending audible tone, indicating the RC is powering off.
To turn off the DJI RC:
- Press the power button once, then immediately press+hold the power button. Like with the RC-N1 you will hear a descending audible tone, indicating the RC is powering off. The DJI Fly app will shut down at this time.
The last step is to exit the DJI Fly app. That’s it, pretty easy and cut and dry.
Image Credit:
Photo by Ruvim Kerimov on Unsplash
