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How To Connect DJI Drone (Step by Step Guide)
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DJI drones are unquestionably the most dominant drones in the entire drone industry because of their high-quality products. If you have a new DJI drone but are having trouble figuring out how to connect it to your phone or controller, we’ve got an answer for you.
You can connect your DJI drone to your phone by using the compatible DJI flight control app, which can be downloaded on Android and iOS devices. Open the app and follow the steps on the screen to connect the phone to your drone’s own Wi-Fi connection and then complete the setup.
Even though it can be a bit tricky for some people especially if they are still new owners of DJI drones, with a little bit of guidance it shouldn’t be too hard to figure out how to connect your DJI drone with your phone.
One common source of confusion is figuring out which DJI flight control app you need for your drone, as not all DJI drones use the same app. If you’ve got the wrong one downloaded, you won’t be able to make the drone connect to your phone. If this is tripping you up, check out our article on Which App Do I Need for My DJI Drone to find out which app you need to download.
How to connect DJI Mini 2 #
1. Download the DJI Fly app on your phone #
The difference between the DJI Mini 2 and other DJI drones is that the Mini 2 uses the DJI Fly app instead of the DJI Go app. That’s why, if you have a DJI Mini 2, you should download the DJI Fly app on your smartphone or tablet instead. This app is available for both Android and iOS users.
2. Connect the phone to the controller #
After downloading the DJI Fly app on your phone, the next thing to do is to connect your phone to the controller included in the box when you purchased your DJI Mini 2. This should be easy to do as the controller comes with connection cables that are compatible with most phones. Simply use the appropriate cable, connect it to the port of your phone, mount your phone onto the controller, and then turn the controller on.
3. Connect the controller to the drone using the DJI Fly app #
Go to your phone and then open the DJI Fly app. You will be able to see Connect Aircraft at the bottom right of your phone’s screen. Press it and go to the Settings icon. Select the Control tab and Connect to Aircraft, which is at the bottom of the screen. The drone should now be ready to connect to the controller once the LED lights begin flashing.
4. Press the power button on the DJI Mini 2 for 4 seconds #
Press and hold the power button on the DJI Mini 2 for 4 seconds. The LED lights on the drone should be flashing but will stop once the connection between it and the controller has been established. Once the feed of the drone can be seen on your phone, that means that the connection has been successfully established.
How to connect DJI Mavic Mini #
1. Download the DJI Fly app on your phone #
Like the DJI Mini 2, the DJI Mavic Mini uses the DJI Fly app instead of the DJI Go app. That means that you need to download the DJI Fly app on your smartphone if you want to use the Mavic Mini. This app is available for both Android and iOS users.
2. Connect the phone to the controller #
After downloading the DJI Fly app on your phone, the next thing to do is to connect your phone to the controller included in the box when you purchased your DJI Mavic Mini. Look for the appropriate cable that fits your phone as you can use different types of cables depending on the connection type that your phone uses.
3. Power on your DJI Mavic Mini #
After linking your phone to your controller, you should now power on your DJI Mavic Mini. Simply hold the power button on the drone until you see the LED lights blinking. Your phone won’t be able to see the feed from the drone just yet until you have established the connection between it and the drone via the controller.
4. Connect the controller to the drone using the DJI Fly app #
Open the DJI Fly app and go to the lower right corner of your screen. Tap on Connect to Aircraft, which will allow you to connect your drone to the DJI Mini. Allow your controller to scan for 5 seconds for it to detect the DJI Mavic Mini. Once the scan has been completed, press the linking button on the screen of your phone. Go to the Settings icon and select the Control tab and Connect to Aircraft, which is at the bottom of the screen.
From there, hold the DJI Mavic Mini’s power button for 4 seconds until the LED lights start blinking. When they stop blinking, that is when the controller and the drone are now connected. This can be seen when the drone’s camera feed can be displayed on your phone.
How to connect DJI Mavic Pro, Mavic 2 Pro, and Mavic 2 Zoom #
1. Download the DJI Go 4 app on your phone #
While the DJI Fly app is used for the Mavic Mini, Mini 2, and Mavic Air 2, the DJI Go 4 App is for the other drones in the Mavic series. Simply download the DJI GO 4 app on the app store of your phone as it is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
2. Connect the phone to the controller #
From there, connect your phone to the controller using the appropriate cable. Your DJI Mavic Pro controller should have a port that you can find at the bottom, but you can also use the USB port on the bottom of the controller if you have a phone with a different connection port. Use the clamps on the controller to safely clamp your phone into place.
3. Look for the Wi-Fi credentials found on one of the arms of your drone #
Go to your drone and look for the Wi-Fi credentials on it. Those credentials will be used for connecting your phone to your drone via the DJI Mavic Pro’s own Wi-Fi network. You can also simply scan the QR code later on when you are ready to connect the two devices.
4. Toggle the drone to Wi-Fi #
Look for the control mode switch found on the right side of your Mavic Pro. Toggle it to Wi-Fi so that you will be able to connect to it using the drone’s Wi-Fi network.
5. Turn the drone on #
Turn your DJI Mavic Pro on by pressing and holding the power button. After releasing it, press it quickly once again to hear the drone making the initializing sound, which means that the drone is now ready to be connected to your mobile device.
6. Connect the drone to your phone via the DJI Go 4 app #
Open the DJI Go 4 app on your phone. On the app, select the correct drone model (Mavic Pro, Mavic 2 Pro, etc) at the top left side of the screen. After selecting the model, look for the menu button on the top right corner of the screen. Choose Scan QR Code to easily connect your phone with your DJI Mavic Pro.
You can now connect to your drone’s Wi-Fi by pointing your phone’s camera to the QR code located on one of the arms of your Mavic Pro. Hold steady to capture a clear image. Once the code is scanned and the connection has been established, your phone is now connected to your DJI Mavic Pro.
How to connect DJI Phantom 3 and DJI Phantom 4 #
1. Download the DJI Go app (for Phantom 3) or DJI Go 4 app (for Phantom 4) on your phone and power up your drone #
The Phantom 3 runs with the older version flight control app, so you should download the DJI Go app for your Phantom 3. If you’re flying a Phantom 4, you should download the DJI Go 4 app. The two apps are basically the same, but with a few upgrades to the latter. Both apps are available on Android and iOS.
Phantom 3
Phantom 4
Once the correct app is installed, power up your drone by pressing and holding the power button for 3 seconds.
2. Connect the phone to the controller #
After downloading the app, the next thing you need to do is to connect your DJI Phantom 3 or Phantom 4 controller to your phone. You do that by looking for the appropriate cable connector depending on the port that your phone is using. When you have connected the phone to the controller, you will have to select the exact DJI Phantom drone model on the app.
From there, attach the phone to the controller and make sure that it is clamped safely and properly. You will notice that the camera button on your DJI Go 4 app will turn blue the moment your phone has been connected to the controller.
3. Activate your DJI Phantom 3 or Phantom 4 #
The next thing you need to do is activate your DJI Phantom 3 or Phantom 4 on your DJI Go or Go 4 app. You will be prompted to do so the moment you connect your device to your controller. Simply click on next and you will be prompted to name your drone and the control mode you will be using. We suggest that you use the default, which is Mode 2.
Leave everything else as is and then click continue. Click your preferred video output. You will be asked to do a lot more things such as entering your DJI account details and connecting to the server. Simply do so and you will then be asked to confirm your account to activate your drone successfully and to update the drone’s firmware.
4. Calibrate the drone #
After activating your DJI Phantom 3 or Phantom 4, you will now be asked to calibrate the drone using the app. Simply follow the instructions on the screen to calibrate the drone according to what the instructions tell you to do so. After you have successfully calibrated your drone, you are now connected to your DJI drone.
How to connect DJI Spark to phone #
1. Download the DJI Go 4 app on your phone #
The DJI Spark also uses the DJI Go 4 app. The first thing you need to do is download the app on your phone. The DJI Go 4 app is available on both Android and iOS in their respective app stores.
2. Turn on your DJI Spark #
After downloading the app, turn your DJI Spark drone on by holding onto the power button with a long press. Release the button and do a quick press on the same button, and you will hear the fans initializing.
3. Connect the drone using the DJI Go 4 app #
From there, connect your DJI Spark through the DJI Go 4 app. Make sure that your phone is connected to the controller and that you set the app to Connect to a DJI Spark. Enter the password of the Wi-Fi credentials found on the drone. Or you can make things easier by simply scanning the QR code using the DJI Go 4 app.
Whatever the case may be, the important thing to take note of is to connect the app to your DJI Spark. Make sure that you turn off your mobile data so that you will be connected to your drone’s Wi-Fi network only.
4. Activate your DJI Spark and update the firmware #
After connecting your phone to the DJI Spark drone, the next thing you need to do is follow the on-screen instructions to activate your drone. Activating your drone will require that you log in using your DJI credentials and that you register the drone under your name. From there, you will also be asked to calibrate the drone. This will only require you to follow the instructions, and you will then be prompted to update the drone’s firmware for you to fly your drone.
Why won’t my DJI drone connect to my phone? #
If you are seeing some connection issues regarding any of the abovementioned drones, here are some possible causes to look into:
- For those who want to connect to their drones via Wi-Fi, hold the power button for six seconds to turn the Wi-Fi on or toggle on the Wi-Fi connection type. That’s because some DJI drones previously connected to controllers will have their Wi-Fi connection turned off.
- Turn off mobile data. You want your phone to focus on the Wi-Fi connection between it and the drone.
- Close all of the other background apps to make sure that your phone’s processing power is focused on the drone.
- Make sure that you charged the drone’s battery to full when trying to establish a connection. Some drones will need to have a lot of power during the initial connection between it and the phone.
- Try checking the USB cable you are using to connect your phone to the controller. In many cases, connection problems can be caused by a faulty USB cable.