How one can Setup DJI Distant Controller 3 and O4 Air Unit in Betaflight FPV Drones

For Betaflight FPV drones geared up with the DJI O4 and O4 Professional Air Items, you’ll be able to conveniently use the DJI Distant Controller 3 (RC3) while not having a further receiver or radio. On this tutorial, I’ll present you the way to configure Betaflight to work with the RC3, together with radio-related settings you’ll be able to regulate utilizing DJI Goggles 3 and Goggles N3.

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New to DJI O4? Take a look at my full setup information: https://oscarliang.com/how-to-setup-dji-o4-lite/

Can You Use DJI Distant Controller 3 with Betaflight FPV Drones?

Sure, the DJI Distant Controller 3 (RC3) is totally appropriate with Betaflight FPV drones when paired with DJI Goggles 3 or Goggles N3. Please observe that RC3 doesn’t work with DJI Goggles 2 and Integra. The RC3 helps DJI O4, O4 Professional, and O3 Air Items.

You should purchase the DJI Distant Controller 3 from:

The RC3 eliminates the necessity for a separate receiver as a result of DJI’s O3, O4, and O4 Professional Air Items function built-in receiver performance through an SBUS wire on to the flight controller.

Professionals and Cons of DJI Distant Controller 3

You could be questioning in regards to the benefits and downsides of utilizing the DJI RC3 in comparison with an ExpressLRS radio:

Professionals:

The RC3 is very compact and moveable—one of many smallest FPV radios accessible.
Simplifies your drone construct and lowers general price, as no further receiver is required.
Superb for micro drones: reduces weight and area necessities, making small builds simpler and lighter.

Cons:

ExpressLRS usually affords larger vary than DJI’s system. DJI’s radio management shares the video hyperlink, which means when you lose video sign, you additionally lose radio management.
The minimalist design of the DJI RC3 would possibly really feel restricted for some pilots, particularly these wanting superior options or exact management. ExpressLRS affords a broader vary of radio decisions which can be extra highly effective and feature-rich.
No telemetry accessible: SBUS is a one-way protocol, which means you gained’t get RSSI, hyperlink high quality, or different telemetry info. This isn’t often a dealbraker, as video bitrate on the bottom-right nook of your goggles’ display offers a sensible indication of sign high quality. You may as well show many telemetry information on through Betaflight OSD.

General, for FPV drones that don’t require loads of vary or penetration, the DJI Distant Controller 3 is a wonderful selection—particularly for micro drones benefiting from easier, lighter setups.

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Step 1: Backup Betaflight Configuration

Earlier than making massive adjustments in Betaflight, at all times again up your present configuration. This ensures you’ll be able to restore your settings simply if one thing goes flawed.

Right here’s an in depth information on the way to backup and restore your Betaflight settings: https://oscarliang.com/backup-restore-betaflight-config/

Step 2: Confirm If SBUS is Working

In Betaflight Configurator, go to the Receiver tab.
Beneath “Serial Receiver Supplier,” choose SBUS.
Click on Save and Reboot.

Now, return to the Receiver tab and if the web page appears like this, you might be able to proceed to the subsequent step.

Nonetheless, if the channels are clean/empty, this implies SBUS won’t be included in your present firmware construct. You’ll then must flash Betaflight once more with SBUS chosen because the Receiver Protocol. To verify if that is certainly the case, observe this information to verify your Betaflight construct choices: https://oscarliang.com/check-betaflight-build-options/

Vital: Be sure you again up your Betaflight configuration earlier than flashing firmware, which generally resets all settings to default. To simplify restoration, take into account flashing the identical firmware model at present put in in your FC. Restoring configurations throughout totally different Betaflight variations might not at all times work reliably. Right here’s my full information on flashing Betaflight firmware: https://oscarliang.com/backup-restore-betaflight-config/

Right here’s my tutorial on the way to flash Betaflight: https://oscarliang.com/flash-update-betaflight/

Step 3: Configure UART Port for SBUS

Decide which UART port in your flight controller is linked to the SBUS wire from the DJI O4 Air Unit. Confer with your flight controller’s wiring diagram supplied by the producer. It’s easy, if the SBUS wire is linked to RX1, it’s UART1; If the SBUS wire is linked to RX2, it’s UART2, and so forth.

In Betaflight:

Navigate to the Ports tab.
Beneath the column labeled Serial RX, allow the UART port that your SBUS wire connects to.
Disable Serial RX on all different UART ports.
Click on Save and Reboot.

Step 4: Configuring the Receiver

In Betaflight Configurator:

Go to the Receiver tab.
Beneath “Serial Receiver Supplier,” choose SBUS.
Click on Save and Reboot.

Step 5: Updating DJI Distant Controller 3

Earlier than continuing, guarantee your DJI Distant Controller 3 (RC3) firmware is up-to-date so it helps the DJI O3 and O4 Air Items, by connecting your DJI RC3 to both the DJI Fly App in your telephone or the DJI Assistant (Client Drone Sequence) software program in your laptop.

Step 6: Binding the DJI RC3, Goggles, and O4 Air Unit

Not like conventional radios that bind on to the drone, the DJI RC3 binds first to your goggles, which act as a bridge to the drone. You have to bind within the following order:

Bind radio with the Goggles,
Then bind goggles with the drone.

First, bind the RC3 to your goggles:

Flip in your DJI Goggles 3/N3 and DJI RC3.
In your goggles, press and maintain the ability button till it begins beeping (bind mode).
In your RC3, press and maintain the ability button till it additionally begins beeping (bind mode).
After just a few seconds, the LEDs on each the goggles and RC3 ought to cease blinking and change into strong, indicating a profitable bind.

Subsequent, bind your goggles to the DJI O4 Air Unit:

Energy in your drone by connecting a battery, you would possibly need to use a fan to stop the air unit from overheating.
Wait till the LED on the O4 Air Unit turns crimson. Press the bind button on the air unit; the LED will begin flashing, indicating it’s in bind mode.
Place your goggles into bind mode once more by urgent and holding the ability button till steady beeping begins.
After just a few seconds, the goggles will cease beeping, and the LED on the air unit will flip inexperienced, confirming a profitable bind.

Step 7: Setting sbus_baud_fast Mode

The DJI O4 system helps a sooner SBUS known as “SBUS Baud Quick.” To allow it:

In your goggles, navigate to Settings → Management → Protocol and choose “SBUS Baud Quick”.
In Betaflight CLI, kind: set sbus_baud_fast = ON, hit enter, after which enter save.

To disable SBUS Baud Quick:

Set the goggles’ Management → Protocol again to Customary.
In Betaflight CLI, kind: set sbus_baud_fast = OFF, hit enter then enter save.

Step 8: Confirm the RC3 Is Working

Test that your DJI RC3 is correctly speaking with Betaflight:

Go to the Receiver tab in Betaflight Configurator.
Transfer the sticks in your RC3 controller and make sure that the corresponding channels reply appropriately.

Step 9: DJI RC3 Switches Mapping

At present, the DJI RC3 doesn’t permit customized button mapping. Right here’s how every button/change corresponds to Betaflight AUX channels by default:

AUX1 – M/S/N Mode change (top-left 3-position toggle)
AUX2 – High-right 3-position toggle
AUX3 – Return-to-Residence button (top-left push button)
AUX4 – Begin/Cease button (top-right push button)
AUX5 – C1 button (subsequent to neck strap attachment)

Troubleshooting: RC3 Doesn’t Work in Betaflight?

In case you’re having hassle getting the DJI RC3 to work together with your Betaflight drone, take into account the next points:

Firmware Replace: Make sure that your RC3 firmware is up to date through the DJI Fly app or DJI Assistant to make sure compatibility with the O4 Air Unit.
Incorrect UART settings: Confirm you’ve chosen the proper UART port in Betaflight’s Ports tab.
Receiver Configuration: Make sure you’ve appropriately chosen SBUS because the receiver protocol in Betaflight,
SBUS isn’t included within the construct choices: Flash Betaflight once more with SBUS chosen within the Receiver Protocol if doubtful.
Incorrect SBUS Baud: Attempt toggling the sbus_baud_fast setting each ON and OFF in Betaflight and goggles.

Closing Ideas

That’s the way you arrange the DJI Distant Controller 3 (RC3) with any Betaflight FPV drones geared up with the DJI O4 Air Unit (Lite and Professional). Widespread binding points usually relate to outdated RC3 firmware or misconfigured settings in Betaflight, similar to incorrect UART choice or SBUS baud price settings. In some circumstances, you would possibly must re-flash Betaflight to put in SBUS receiver protocol as a result of cloud construct choices. Comfortable flying.