In May 2025, a DJI Fly update introduced a flight Simulator that I found very interesting, not only for beginners, but also for other users who want to improve their skills or to have a chance to practice flying on a rainy day
Recently, an update for the simulator itself has been added, featuring numerous new and interesting functionalities. So, let’s see all about it
Update the Simulator
The Simulator is compatible with the RC2 controller and the new RC2 Pro, released with the Mavic 4 Pro. I will show how to use it with the RC2, the most widely used, as the Pro version is much more expensive, and it is apparently not available for our friends in the United States
To use the Simulator, it is not required to connect a drone. We can switch on the RC2 controller and tap the icon DJI Simulator on the top right of the screen. A message will inform us that a new version 1.1.1 is available
We can hit Download to start the process. A message informs us that we cannot install apps from this source, so we tap on Settings to access a window where we can check Allow from this source, then tap on the arrow next to Install unknown apps, and finally tap on Install
Back to DJI Simulator, we hit the three dots on the top right to access the Settings, then tap on About, where we can check for updates. We have the latest one available, 1.1.1(688)
Basic Courses
On the landing window of DJI Simulator, we select Drone Hangar, where we can choose the model we want to simulate:
- The Air 3s
- The Mavic 4 Pro
I will use the Air 3s, as it is a similar flight experience to the Mini 4 Pro and the Flip, apart from the double lenses. The Mavic 4 Pro has only a couple of extra functionalities
After choosing the model, tap on the arrow on the top left to land on this page with a choice between Basic Courses and Immersive flight
On the Basic Course, we can only access the Basic guide, which has been enhanced with a few additional functionalities. This is a walkthrough for beginners on the speed modes, control sticks, shutter controls for photo and video, and the Return to Home feature. Some other courses will come soon
Stonhenge
With the RC2 controller, we have two locations available:
- The Skatepark, which was already in the previous version
- A 3d reconstruction of Stonehenge in England that can be downloaded
With the RC2 Pro, four more settings are available, probably due to the larger memory
Let’s start from Stonehenge. We select a suitable place for takeoff. We can move around using the two sticks of the controller until we choose a spot and hit Place Aircraft
We can now take off by pulling the two sticks of the controller inside towards the lower side at the same time, the left one to 5 o clock and the right one to 7 o clock. Alternatively, we can use the icon with an arrow to the left of the screen
We can then hone our flying skills using the two sticks of the remote controller; however, before performing complex maneuvers, let’s review all the different settings we can adjust
We can cycle through the three Speed Modes, Cine, Normal, and Sport, using the switch in the middle of the controller
The Exposure can be set to Auto or Manual by hitting the icon on the lower right of the screen, which will turn from Auto to Pro. Then we can access the exposure window through the next icon to the left, where we can set the values for ISO and Shutter Speed. The value MM below indicates the difference compared to the optimal exposure computed by the app
The button on the lower left of the window accesses the two sliders to adjust the White Balance
To the left of the shutter, we can toggle between the two lenses of the Air 3S, the wide-angle and the medium telephoto. Through the icon above the shutter, we can select Photo or Video mode to shoot photos or record video clips
We access the Settings via the three dots at the top right of the screen
In the Safety tab, we can choose the Obstacle Sensing Action between Bypass, Brake, and Off. The status will be reflected by the icon on the top right, which will be white when the obstacle detection is activated and red when it is off
Further down, we can set the Advanced Return To Home between Optimal and Preset, and the Return to Home altitude. We can also choose the action to be taken in case of signal loss. I will analyze the Return to Home later on in this video
In the Control Tab of the Settings, we have two other main adjustments
In Gain and Expo Tuning, we adjust the response of the two sticks of the remote controller independently for three different speed modes. I prefer a very low speed for Cine mode, to use in confined spaces and when flying near the target. I also like to set a very low tilt speed and a high tilt smoothness for the gimbal
Further down, we find Adaptive Camera Motion, which can be set to Adaptive or Fixed; when using the telephoto lens, Adaptive yields a slightly smoother response when orbiting around a target
In Button Customization, we can assign specific tasks to the two buttons and the right dial of the controller, as well as to the combination of each button with the dial. I set the right button to Cruise Control and the right dial to Zoom
In the Camera tab, at the moment, we can only set the Gridline Overlay. The cross in the middle is useful as a reference point, especially when flying through small gaps
Now that we have adjusted the behavior of the drone, we can have fun flying around and maybe try different classic moves, like orbiting around a target, revealing shots, or the screwdriver move, a top-down rotation while ascending or descending
Cruise Control may help to achieve precise results in complex moves. I can start with a diagonal ascending move, and then hit the right button to activate Cruise Control. The aircraft will continue performing the same move, and I can focus on the left stick of the controller and the dial of the gimbal to maintain the target at the center of the frame
We can also try some dangerous moves that we probably don’t do in real life, like flying through tiny enclosures. If the obstacle sensors are on, the aircraft rises in altitude to avoid the obstacles or breaks in front of them, according to the action chosen. Let’s turn them off
I select Cine speed mode for slow and precise moves, and we can try to go through the gaps in the stones. The cross overlay in the center of the screen helps. In case of a crash, we can watch s short clip of the accident, and the good news is that we don’t need to send the drone back to DJI for repairs
Skatepark
Let’s move to the other scene available with the RC2, the Skatepark. It is an urban scenario with skyscrapers, it will be handy to test the Return To Home functionality
We notice other functioning indicators like Battery Life and Signal Strength. I have noticed that when obstacles like buildings are between the aircraft and the home point, the signal indicator switches to yellow or red
At the bottom right of the screen, we find the Map. We can access Vision Assist by clicking the small icon on the bottom right, which provides a view from the obstacle sensors
Let’s try how Return to Home works. I fly past a few buildings and descend to a low altitude. In the Safety Settings, I choose the Optimal mode. I hit the RTH button, and the aircraft tries to find the shortest route to the home point, avoiding all obstacles
However, something goes wrong, and the drone crashes to the ground. This is quite surprising, so let’s check the clip of the crash to see what went wrong. As we can see, the aircraft hit some electric lines. I did not expect that
Let’s try again, this time making sure no lines are around. The aircraft avoids all obstacles and finds the shortest line to the Home Point for landing
Let’s try the other option for RTH, Preset. We can set the RTH altitude further down; the aircraft will rise to that altitude, fly until the Home Point, and then descend and land. I select 70 meters, which should be enough to get over the buildings, and the drone comes back home safely
During the flight, you can pause by clicking the pause icon located at the top left of the screen. A menu will appear, allowing us to switch views for an unusual perspective of the aircraft, seen from behind, or to hit Retrieve to return to the starting point
The only major functionalities missing are Waypoint and the three intelligent flight modes of Focus Track: Spotlight, Point of Interest, and Active Track. Future upgrades might add them, but they are not missed, as the simulator is very helpful to practice all the moves manually