DJI Mavic Controller and iPad Holder

thingiverse

As great as the DJI Mavic drone is, its controller is designed to hold only a smartphone or a small tablet. I use an iPad Air 2 and find the view is so much better than my iPhone that I wanted to switch instead. There are iPad holders available on the market, but they require holding them up and can't be easily used with neck straps. Just the controller and iPad weigh almost two pounds and get heavy when held out in front of you while flying. If you use a neck strap, it will block the iPad, defeating the purpose of using it. This design solves these problems by using one part to hold the iPad and the controller and another part to guide and restrain the straps against your chest. Even if you let go of the controller, everything stays in place. The base part hooks over the lip under the controller display for more stability. There is a 10 degree back tilt on the iPad and controller for the optimal viewing angle. You can also use a sunshade on the iPad as long as it fits inside the G10 mount. I found some straps from camera and computer bags that fit nicely in this holder. A wide, padded one is best to distribute the weight across your neck. Because this holder is made in two parts, it is easily collapsed for traveling. I used a 1/4-20 standard for all the hardware so that extra nuts and washers would work in both places. Here is the bill of materials: 1) iShot G10 Pro Universal iPad Tablet Tripod Mount https://www.amazon.com/G10-Universal-Tablet-Tripod-Monopod/dp/B00ZDPPIR2/ 2) One 1/4-20 threaded rod, 70mm (2.75") long 3) One 1/4-20 x 1 in machine bolt 4) Three 1/4 in flat washers 5) Two 1/4-20 wing nuts I suggest packing spare hardware in case something is misplaced. Print Settings: Printer Brand: MakerBot Printer: MakerBot Replicator 2 Rafts: Yes Supports: Yes Resolution: 0.2 Infill: 15% Notes: I used the raft just for the base part as I had trouble with adhesion in one area and without a brim so it would fit on my printer. I used four layers on the top, bottom and sides to increase the strength. Post-Printing: Cleanup and Assembly I lightly sanded some areas to smooth them out, especially the parts that will slide into the sides of the controller. Assemble the two printed parts with the 1" bolt, wing nut and two flat washers. Screw the threaded rod into the G10 holder first, then slide the bolt through the base and use a flat washer and wing nut to hold it in place. Once that is assembled, add the controller and then the iPad. Make sure the threaded rod isn't too long or it may interfere with the USB connector on the bottom of the controller. How I Designed This Design Process My first version was made in cardboard and tape. Although it was crude, I was able to rough out the positions of the devices. Then I used Autodesk Fusion 360 to design multiple iterations. Each time I printed the parts, assembled them and then tried out the ergonomics. After all those designs, I tried flying with it and tweaked the design several more times after that. I estimate I made at least a dozen different versions before I ended up with this final one. Update August 16, 2017: I uploaded the Fusion 360 file for those who want to work directly with the design. Please keep in mind the licensing terms.