Best Tablet For Mavic Pro To Ensure A Problem-Free Flight

​Introduction
DJI's Mavic Pro isn't really an unfamiliar name in the drone industry. However, having the drone is one part, but leveraging its camera capabilities to the fullest is another. And to do that, you need a good screen. Fret not, as this article is here to your help as we suggest the best tablet for Mavic Pro.

The Mavic Pro is arguably one of the best commercial as well as personal drones out there in the market. The drone, while giving you a stable and uninterrupted flight, also provides you perhaps the best build quality amongst all the others available.

Best Tablet For Mavic Pro - Reviews & Buying Guide

Before going ahead and understanding which will be the best tablet for DJI Mavic Pro drone, it is important to understand the minimum configuration required for the drone.

There are quite a few recent models of both the iPad and a bunch of Android devices that you can use with the Mavic Pro. It would be recommended to use a tablet device approved by DJI themselves to ensure a problem-free flight. 

However, if you just took one different from the ones in this article, it would be best to try it in an area free of obstacles to make sure it works properly.

So without further ado, let us start with our list of best tablet devices that are not just configured for Mavic Pro, but are also top of the line in terms of other tasks that you might want to carry out with them.

A part of one of the most popular tablet series in the electronics industry historically, the iPad Mini 3 64 GB version with 4G cellular and Wifi support is easily the most affordable, yet a top of the line tablet for your Mavic Pro.

And it is the recommended version with the cellular network that gives you GPS compatibility as well.

The device starts at an affordable price on Amazon if you wish to buy an unlocked version. The device runs with Apple iOS 8 powered by 7.9 inch Retina LED Display, with an amazing 2048x1536 Resolution.

While it does not have the latest A12 Bionic chip, it packs enough punch with Apple's best-selling A7 Chip. The A7 runs with 64-bit Architecture and M7 Motion Coprocessor. 

In case you need to click photographs, it comes with a 5MP iSight Camera with FaceTime HD Cam in the front.

While affordability is certainly a factor that works in favour of the iPad Mini 3, its outdatedness is what puts it behind others. The tablet is powered by Apple's lesser used chips and architecture.

Nevertheless, if you are looking for a high quality, affordable tablet for your Mavic Pro, iPad Mini 3 should be your choice. The tablet also provides the size of a good screen and has a long battery life to support long hours of flight. In the case of storage, there are multiple options to choose from, and an ideal choice could be 128 GB.

There is a 64 GB variant also available in the market, but may not be useful enough for making long flight videos.

The latest mini-device from Apple's tablet stable, iPad Mini 4, has come out after a fairly long time of its predecessor's release. It’s the perfect balance of size, cost and features and the reliability of the iPad Mini with the DJI GO app is unrivaled.

The device is powered by top-of-the-line Apple specs. It comes powered by Apple's latest chip for its mini-series of tablets, the A8x. The device has a 7.9 inch (diagonal) liquid retina display. For additional security, the device comes with Apple's proven Touch ID for secured authentication and Apple Pay.

The rear snapper is an 8MP camera with HDR and 1080p HD video, while the front snapper is a 1.2MP FaceTime HD front camera with HDR.

There are multiple factors that work in favour of the iPad Mini 4. As part of the drones, it has been critically acclaimed for its compatibility with the Mavic Pro. It gives you some of the best viewing angles in direct sunlight, which is important considering that your Mavic Pro will fly mainly during the day.

The build quality is unquestionable, and it gets its power from an updated Apple chip. The only downside could be its slightly expensive pricing as compared to other tablet devices.

Apple iPad Mini 4 2018 - Video Review

Yet another affordable option from Apple is the iPad Air 2nd generation. While the tablet failed to gain as much popularity as the other iPad models, its larger screen size, high brightness, maximized sunlight visibility and sturdy build quality make it an ideal fit for your DJI Mavic Pro.

The iPad Air 2 was announced on October 16, 2014, and is the first Apple tablet to have the Touch ID feature. Coming to the hardware, the iPad Air 2 inherits it's under the hood specs from both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

The only major change is the chip. The iPad Air 2 gets Apple's A8x chips, which is a high-end 3-core variant of the Apple A8. In terms of RAM, the iPad Air 2 set itself apart since it was the first iOS device to have more than 1 GB RAM.

This device uses the Apple M8 motion co-processor with barometer included and is the first iPad that adopts the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, derived from the iPhone.

While large screen-to-body ratio and high quality build work in favour of the iPad Air 2, the mere fact that Apple has stopped updating this line of tablets features in its biggest con. The iPad Air 2, however, is still one of the best, most powerful and lightweight tablet built by Apple, and could be just the right fit for your Mavic Pro drone.

Apple iPad Mini 4 2018 - Video Review

Tablet And iPad Options From Top Brands

Tablets are now by and large manufactured majorly by Apple and Samsung. Off late, Asus too pushed a line of tablets, but not with the same success.

Apple has been around in the tablet computer industry for over two decades now, with the "Newton Message Pad" being its first commercially produced tablet, launched in 1993.

Since then, the iPad has taken multiple forms, most of which have been successful because of Apple's approach towards the tablet.

Build quality -- with all iPads now coming in Aeroplane Grade Aluminum -- and the amazingly lightweight has worked in Apple's favour.

However, another player -- Samsung -- has targeted the segment where Apple has traditionally been weak, making affordable tablets with the same specs as those of Apple's.

Samsung has pushed out multiple tablet ranges, all of which have mostly been successful.

What Specifications Should I Consider When Selecting The Best Tablet For Drones

Now that we have talked about the tablets and the brand manufacturing them, let us now talk about the basic specifications that you need for making sure that the tablet works fine with your Mavic Pro. 

• The first thing to consider is the power of the processor (CPU). Recommended power of the CPU is not less than 1300 MHz. Although Apple is strongly recommended, DJI's Go App still crashes a few times on the iPad Mini, largely because of lack of CPU resources.
• Operating system - Android 4.1.2 or later / iOS 8.0 and later. Now, even though the DJI Go app runs greatly on Android, it is widely recommended to run the same on Apple devices since they run it better. For a seamless, non-stuttering experience, it's best to use the iOS operating system for your Mavic Pro.
• Storage capacity: While this factor isn't applicable to all, but if you do wish to record long-haul flight sequences with the drone, make sure that you have a minimum of 64GB of storage available for yourself.
• Size - Size matters because you want the best viewing examples and you want to view the most out of your DJI Mavic Pro's camera. Hence, the best tablets for Mavic Pro are those which have up to 8 inches of diagonal screen size. If you still plan on buying a larger tablet, you can always buy an adaptor.

Choose The Right Tablet Mount For The Mavic Pro Drone

Choosing the best Mavic tablet holder is as important as buying the best tablet for your drone. The stock Mavic Pro controller can pretty much hold a smaller Pad pretty well.

For larger iPads or tablets, you'll require a tablet mount for your controller so as to utilize a bigger device with it. There are heaps of choices available for the same.

KUUQA Update Version 4-12 inch Tablet Holder

Make a point to get a decent quality mount as you'll be depending on the mount to hold your costly tablet on your Mavic Pro controller.

Wi-Fi only or Cellular Tablet?

When buying a tablet you will need to choose between a Wi-Fi and a cellular tablet. To do so, it is crucial to understand the pros and cons of each type of the tablet so that you know which of them will work.

Let's examine why a cellular table is preferable, due to the below limitations encountered with Wi-Fi tablets:

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  • Lack of Internet connection: It is clear that Wi-Fi only tablets will always need a Wi-Fi network to connect to. You have to cache what you need on the app before leaving Wi-Fi range. In case of Cellular Tablets, since you have a 4G sim inserted, you will never feel the need to run for connection points and can keep tracking and updating your maps on the go.
  • No GPS: Your Mavic Pro comes with a Follow Me feature. This feature will only work if you have a GPS chip in your device. By definition, Wi-Fi tablets do not come with the same and hence the Follow Me feature will not work.
  • Maps: In a Wi-Fi only tablet, you cannot reset your home point to your current location (it will always use your take-off point). Maps will not be updated.

Tablet vs Smartphone - Why Tablets are Better?

Before buying a tablet, you might think that your smartphone can work just fine with your drone. 

Well, while they can, tablets have multiple added benefits as compared to a smartphone. Utilizing a tablet with the Mavic Pro remote controller brings benefits around perceivability, battery life, and screen estimate.

1. Although smartphones are progressively versatile and promptly accessible, that also acts against them. What happens when a call interrupts your drone flying experience? Tablets can help you get rid of that!
2. Also, going ahead with a smartphone can be fine when you need to set up quick and catch some fast filming. However, it is better to lean towards the tablet when you are out flying your Mavic Pro for longer periods or catching goal film.
3. But the most obvious advantage of a tablet is the screen size. Tablets offer you clearer visibility as compared to a smartphone. The viewing area is considerably larger compared to a smartphone, thus providing clearer flight visibility. Tracking and filming are also easier and multi-tasking can be done on a tablet much easier, due to the larger screen size that a tablet offers.

FAQs

As often happens for the technical aspects of computers, there is a lot of user feedback regarding some critical and common questions. Let's start with the most basic of them.

Where can you find the DJI Go app?

The app is available on the Android Play Store and Apple App Store. Apart from that, you can also get the DJI GO app here:
dji.com/ee/goapp

There are three other important factors that users need to keep in mind: weight, thickness and clarity of images in the presence of intense sunlight. 

• Weight - For good portability, the tablet device should not weight more than 1lb.
• Thickness - Choose a tablet within 0.30 inches.
• Vision - Consider buying a sun-shield. When you fly your drone on a sunny day, you may not be able to see anything on the screen.

HeiyRC 7.9 inch Tablet Monitor Sun Hood Sun Shade for DJI Mavic Pro

Conclusion

In conclusion, the best iPad for Mavic Pro turns out to be the Apple's iPad Mini 4. It is fast, powered by some top of the line specifications from Apple, gives you a wide viewing angle and it is especially good in day sunlight. The iPad Mini 4 also has long battery life. 

Alternatively though, you can also look at the iPad Air 2nd Generation. The price is cheaper and it comes with a larger display when compared to the iPad Mini 4. The only downside is the older processor.