Anyone flying the Ronin MX?

[MombasaFlash]

With the Ronin-MX DJI has finally produced a RED/Alexa Mini capable gimbal with a drone friendly weight. But a couple of things are confusing me if anyone out there has the answers. I have not been able to get sensible answers from the dealer.

The dealer claims that the MX is only compatible with the A3 Flight Control - if you want to take advantage of the claimed better drift performance via the CAN-Bus link. There would seem to be some substance to this because in DJI World the MX should be paired with the Matrice 600 and the A3 FC - which has a new type of CAN-Bus connector, different to the A2 and WKM.

However, the new Matrice 600 is also marketed as being a Zenmuse Z15-GH4 carrier and that gimbal is definitely A2/WKM compatible and has old style CAN-Bus connections. So why is the MX not A2/WKM friendly?

Then it occurred to me that perhaps this is nothing to do with electronic compatibility and is merely a connector issue. Remember the Zenmuse issue where it has to be tethered via CAN-Bus just to be able function? The general consensus then was that it was just a marketing restriction designed to promote sales of WKM's. This was actually a really stupid 'smart business tactic' because the Zenmuse was the only gimbal out there that actually performed well at the time and DJI lost out on God knows how many thousand sales to drone operators with non-DJI FC's.

Anyway, after a little checking I see that the A3 is supplied with a special cable for the Z15-GH4 that has an old style CAN-Bus plug on one end and a new style one on the other end. I am wondering whether this cable could be reversed in order to connect the MX to an A2 ... or WKM ! (See the attached pic showing the contents of the A3 box -- with the old/new CAN-Bus cable highlighted).

Also, the Ronin-MX was released before the A3, and would presumably have been compatible with the A2. If so then there should also have been old > new CAN-Bus cables involved somewhere.

So .... the point of all this is to ask whether anyone has flown a Ronin-MX on anything other than an A3 controlled Matrice 600, i.e. with an A2 or WKM ?

 

[Ross Mackay]

Hmmm I had the same question, also just the performance without it linked via can-bus. Trying to figure out if this is a viable option vs the gremsy H7 or Movi M5 in the air. They are all pretty much the same on the ground...

 

[ovdt]

From the DJI Ronin MX page:

Designed to resist high G-forces using powerful motors and IMUs, the Ronin-MX is engineered to maintain stability and hold horizon when mounted to an aircraft or a vehicle. When mounted to the M600 aerial system, it communicates directly with DJI’s flight controller and when attached to vehicles, it connects to an optional GPS module allowing it to stabilize actively for a smoother shot.

I believe we need to get that optional GPS unit for non DJI systems. When Ronin MX first announced, it was written as "it has internal GPS for horizon correction". So there is a bit confusion on this matter.

Another note: It is almost impossible to balance Alexa Mini on Ronin MX with top bar and focus motors.

He managed to balance Alexa Mini on Ronin MX later but he had to take out the top bar and focus motor. I would take a look to Gremsy H16.

 

[Ross Mackay]

I've hunted high and low for the "optional GPS module" but can't find anything about it. I think they really want everyone on the A3/LB2 setups for aerial...might be interesting to try the cable shown above on WKM/A2/Naza see if there is data transfer. Its still a heavy gimbal ption for the air though.