DJI FPV Remote vs. ELRS Controllers: My Take

This month, I had to catch a flight to Bulgaria and needed a remote controller that wouldn’t hog space in my bag. My DJI FPV Remote Controller 3 was small enough to toss in and go, which made it the only option. I have also been using my ELRS upgraded Taranis X9D Plus controllers and it got its own strengths. So, which one’s better for your drone? I’m breaking down what I like about the DJI FPV Remote Controller 3 and generally ELRS options, based on my own flying, and I will end with how to set them up in Betaflight.

What I Like About the DJI FPV Remote Controller 3

The DJI FPV Remote Controller (2 or 3) is my go-to when I need to travel and I am flying quads with the O3 or O4 Air unit or other DJI drones like the Avata 2 or Neo.

Here is why it works for me:

• It’s easy to set up. The DJI O3 and DJI O4 air units have a built-in receiver, so there is no soldering or extra gear to buy. I can get a quad ready in under 10 minutes, compared to soldering an ELRS receiver, which takes me about that long.
• It’s small. That compact size was a big deal for my trip – fits in a backpack pocket, no hassle. Great when you’re traveling light.
• Range is solid. The control range matches the O3 and O4 video link, about 10 km in open areas with FCC settings. If I have got video, I have got control. If video cuts out, I can push the throttle to climb and usually get it back.
• It’s got extras. I can start or stop video recording mid-flight with the remote and O3 & O4. Also, the remote works with Avata 2 and Neo.
• No extra receiver costs. You’re not buying 15-30 EUR receivers like with ELRS or Crossfire, which keeps the upfront cost down. The remote is 149 EUR in Europe.

It’s not perfect. If you’re flying non-DJI quads, it’s useless. And the gimbals feel a bit stiff compared to some ELRS controllers. I had hard time flying the first 4-5 batteries until I got used to it again after flying with my Taranis X9D+ for the past months. After a while I managed to fly Ok.

What I Like About ELRS Controllers

ExpressLRS (ELRS) is an open-source protocol that’s become huge in FPV. I use it for both my quads with O3 and O4 and for those without DJI air units, and it’s got some real advantages:

• Great range and speed. ELRS can push 10-20 km in good conditions, maybe more than DJI’s O3, and the latency is super low – think instant response, which is critical for racing. It supports packet rates up to 1000Hz.
• Lots of options. You can pick from controllers like Radiomaster Boxer or the Jumper T15. I like the bigger gimbals on most models – they feel smoother than DJI’s.
• Works with any ELRS quad. If you fly different setups, one ELRS remote handles them all with cheap receivers (15-30 EUR). No need to be locked into DJI’s world.
• Why ELRS? It’s got lower latency, smaller antennas, and more hardware choices. The open-source community updates it fast.

The downside is setup. You’re soldering receivers and configuring firmware, which isn’t as plug-and-play as DJI. If you’re not into tinkering, it can be a pain.

My Experience

For my trip to Bulgaria via plane, the DJI FPV Remote Controller 3 was the obvious pick because of its size and the fact I was flying an O3 quad (Pavo 20 Pro). But when I’m home flying that one or a custom 5-inch quad or racing, I grab my ELRS upgraded Taranis controller for the better feel and performance. If you’ve got a mix of quads or love tweaking, ELRS is worth the effort.

Setting Up in Betaflight

Both controllers need a proper Betaflight setup to fly right. Here’s how I do it for each for my Betafpv Pavo 20 Pro.

DJI FPV Remote Controller (O3 & O4)

1. Bind: Power on the O3 / O4 quad and DJI FPV Remote Controller 2 or 3. Press the O3 air unit’s bind button (check the manual for the pinhole). Hold the remote’s link button until it flashes, then wait for a solid connection – usually 10-20 seconds.
2. Open Betaflight Configurator: Connect your quad via USB, using the latest Betaflight version.
3. Ports: Set the O3’s UART5 to “Serial Rx” in the Ports tab.
4. Configuration: Select “Serial-based receiver” and “SBUS” for the protocol.
5. Receiver: Check that stick movements match the channels.
6. Save: Hit save, unplug, and test in an open area.

ELRS Remote Controller

1. Bind: Solder the ELRS receiver to your flight controller’s UART RX/TX pads. Update the receiver and remote to the same ELRS firmware using ExpressLRS Configurator. Put the remote in bind mode (e.g., via Lua script). Triple-click the receiver’s button to bind – look for a solid LED.
2. Open Betaflight Configurator: Connect the quad via USB.
3. Ports: Set the receiver’s UART to “Serial Rx” (e.g., UART3).
4. Configuration: Choose “Serial-based receiver” and “CRSF” protocol.
5. Receiver: Confirm stick movements align with channels.
6. Save: Save, unplug, and do a range test.

Wrapping Up

The DJI FPV Remote Controller 3 is my pick for quick trips – it’s small, simple, and just works. ELRS is better when I’m flying different quads or need better performance for. Both are solid, but have different advantages and disadvantages based on the use case. Got a favorite controller? Let me know in the comments or on DroneHiTech’s Facebook and Instagram.