Growing drone controllers

[User Name]

Looks like drone remotes are following the same path smartphones have - growing to a stupidly large size.

This is the remote for the Yuneec Typhoon H. While I sometimes wish the Solo controller had one or two more user-configurable switches, this thing is just insane.

The remote control for Yuneec's latest drone is bonkers

 

[Tamj]

I still very much appreciate how 3DR designed the Solo's controller to be as simple as possible. Configurable buttons are on screen if needed and only shown when appropriate.I In times of panic, there's less things that get in the way.

Screens can be swapped out easily and an option to connect to a TV or any external display with HDMI.

It's just very well thought out and not intimidating which is exactly what 3DR was trying to achieve.

Looking at Yuneec's controller, I can't imagine how or why you'd need all that. The only thing that interest me is the Intel chip that it boasts. What are they up to?

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Folks who have never been in the DIY would would probably find that controller to be excessive. But I love my buttons and switches.

 

[Tamj]

My only experience with controllers are the cheap toy drones and the Solo. I know about the trim near the sticks but what do the rest do?

Are they just mappable to whatever pins you have connected on the board?

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Whatever your creative little heart desires

• Up to six flight modes, rather than the two (A & B) that the solo controller has.
• Dedicated switches for things like RTH or LAND, just like the solo.
  
• Control of accessories, retractable legs, camera shutters, payload release, etc
• Changing the curve of the stick outputs to alter the min/max and rate of change
• Trim control, camera gimbal, etc
• Configured via that on-screen menu and buttons.

 

[User Name]

On a DIY controller, I totally get tons of buttons, dials and switches. On a consumer product though, I think simple will most often be better. But it's the sheer size of that thing that surprises me, who would want to carry that thing around in addition to the actual drone?

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Oh I agree. The consumer mind works much differently than the DIY mind. Simple means better, and they generally do not care for the complex crazy options. This is why, for example, the button on the solo controller is called FLY. Does it get any more obvious than that? Nope. On any other DIY project, you have to set a bunch of switches to just the right settings, and hold the stick down and left, then take off, then switch modes, etc etc.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

The actual SIZE of the Yuneec controller is not bad. Because think about it... it's replacing the fact that you need a smart phone or tablet attached to a solo controller. When you look at the size of the Solo controller, plus the mount arm, plus the size of the phone/tablet, it's actually much bulkier than the Yuneec controller. There is something to be said for having only one thing, not a bunch of connected things.

 

[PdxSteve]

I'd much rather use my own device, which is also used for many other useful things outside of flying a uav, than be tied to something locked in with a single dedicated purpose. I bet that controller is quite spendy too compared to a regular controller.

However, there is also something to be said for using a single device from a support standpoint - they aren't going to be having massive device compatibility problems with updates or differences in hardware. Their updates will always work. Supporting 2 (or more) different os's and many different versions of said os's and different versions of hardware is a support and development nightmare. All of the various combinations you have to account for are obscene.

 

[User Name]

You definitely have a point on the support aspect. I still like the Solo's approach for the reasons you gave - I'm already carrying my phone capable of serving as the screen, I can choose if/when I want to use a larger screen and if I need to replace the controller for whatever reason, it's not going to be astronomically expensive.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

I generally am with you guys. I like using my phone too. But I wouldn't dislike an all-in-one either as long as it had all the same easy to use functionality.