dji RONIN TC User Manual

RONIN THUMB CONTROLLER

User Manual

V1.0 2015.6

Disclaimers and Warnings

Congratulations on purchasing your new DJI product. Carefully read the manual
and all disclaimers before using this product. By using this product, you hereby
agree to this disclaimer and signify that you have read it in its entirety. You agree
that you are responsible for your own conduct, for all content that is created using
this product, and for any consequences that may arise from either. You agree to
use this product only for purposes that are proper and in accordance with local
regulations, stated terms, and all applicable polices and guidelines.

By reading this disclaimer, you also agree that:

1. Any part of this disclaimer is subject to change without prior notice. Refer to
www.dij.com for the latest version.

2.  DJI reserves the right of nal interpretation of this disclaimer.

As DJI has no control over use, setup, nal assembly, modication, or misuse of 

its products, no liability shall be assumed or accepted for any resulting damage
or injury. By using, setting up, or assembling the product, the user accepts
all resulting liability. DJI assumes no liability for damages or injuries incurred
directly or indirectly from the use of this product.

DJI and Ronin are registered trademarks. All names of products, brands, etc.
appearing in this manual are trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective owner companies. This product and manual are copyrighted by DJI,
with all rights reserved. No part of this product or manual shall be reproduced
in any form without the prior written consent or authorization of DJI. No patent
liability is assumed with respect to the use of the product or information
contained herein.

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1

Content

Disclaimers and Warnings 1

In the Box 3

Introduction 4

Thumb Controller 4

External Receiver (For Ronin Only) 5

Installation 6

Installing the Thumb Controller 6

Installing the External Receiver (For Ronin Only) 7

Binding the Thumb Controller to the Gimbal 8

Binding to the Ronin-M 8

Binding to the Ronin 8

Indicator Status 10

Using the Thumb Controller 11

Gimbal 13

Channel 14

Settings 14

DJI Assistant App Tuning 16

DJI PC/MAC Assistant Tuning 17

Settings 17

Updating the Thumb Controller and the Receiver 18

Specications 20

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2

In the Box

Check to ensure that all of the following items are included in the package. If
any items are missing, contact DJI or your local dealer.

The following items are included with the Thumb Controller for the Ronin-M:

Thumb Controller×1 Quick Release

Accessory Mount×1

Micro-USB Cable×1 Step-down

Adapter×1

The following items are included with the Thumb Controller for the Ronin:

Thumb Controller×1 Quick Release

External Receiver ×1

Accessory Mount×1

Micro-USB Cable×1 Step-down

4-Pin Cable×1 Adhesive Tape×1

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Adapter×1

3

Introduction

The Thumb  Controller is  designed specically for  DJI Ronin  series handheld 

gimbals. It provides a simple, intuitive interface for controlling the gimbal’s pan,
tilt, and roll motions. The pressure-sensative thumb stick and the easy-to-read
OLED display give Ronin users more control than ever before.
The Thumb Controller communicates with the Ronin-M via a preinstalled internal
receiver. An external receiver is needed when the Thumb Controller is used
with the Ronin.

Thumb Controller

[1]

[3]

[4]

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4

[1] Power Button

[2]

Press and hold the power button to
turn on/off the Thumb Controller.

[2] Status Indicator

Indicates the status of the Thumb
Controller.

[3] OLED Display

Displays the menu of the Thumb
Controller.

[4] Pressure-Sensative Thumb Stick

Transmits the user’s input to the
pressure sensor.

[5]

[6]

External Receiver (For Ronin Only)

[1]

[3]

[4]

[2]

[5] Micro-USB Port

For charging the Thumb Controller

and upgrading its rmware.

[6] Override Button

Allows a reset of the Thumb
Controller following a failed update
process.

[1] CAN Ports

Connects the receiver to the Ronin.

[2] Bind Button

Connects the Thumb Controller to
the Ronin.

[3] LED Indicator

Indicates the status of the receiver.

[4] Micro-USB Port

For upgrading the rmware.

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5

Installation

Installing the Thumb Controller

1. Install the quick-release accessory mount by clamping it around the handlebar
of the Ronin and tightening the screw. Only use the step-down adapter when
installing onto a Ronin-M.

2. Clip the Thumb Controller into the quick-release accessory mount and
ensure that it is secure.

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6

Installing the External Receiver (For Ronin Only)

1. Use the 4-pin cable to connect the CAN port on the Ronin to the CAN 1 or
CAN 2 port on the receiver.

2. Use the provided adhesive tape to secure the receiver on the Ronin.

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7

Binding the Thumb Controller to the Gimbal

Binding to the Ronin-M

1. Turn on the Ronin-M.

2. Press the Ronin-M’s Bind Button (shown below) one time. The LED indicator
on the Ronin-M will rapidly blink green.

3. Turn on the Thumb Controller. If the LED indicator on the Ronin-M and the
LED indicator on the Thumb Controller both glow solid green, they have been
successfully connected.

Bind Button

Binding to the Ronin

1. Turn on the Ronin.

2. Press the Bind Button on the receiver one time. The LED indicator on the
receiver will rapidly blink green.

3. Turn on the Thumb Controller. If the LED indicator on the receiver and the
LED indicator on the Thumb Controller both glow solid green, they have been
successfully connected.

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Bind Button

The binding process only needs to be performed one time, unless the
bind button is pressed or the Ronin/Ronin-M needs to be connected to
another Thumb Controller.

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9

Indicator Status

Thumb Controller
LED Indicator Status

Description

— Solid Red The Thumb Controller is being updated.

Blinking Red

Solid Green

—

The Thumb Controller is not connected to
the receiver.

The Thumb Controller is connected to the
receiver.

Blinking Green The update process is complete.

Solid Yellow The Thumb Controller is fully charged.

—

External Receiver LED
Indicator Status

Description

— Solid Red The receiver is being updated.

Blinking Red

Solid Green

—

The Thumb Controller is not connected to
the receiver.

The Thumb Controller is connected to the
receiver.

Blinking Green The update process is complete.

Blinking Green Quickly Binding.

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10

Using the Thumb Controller

The OLED screen displays information about the Thumb Controller and gimbal
when it is turned on. The main user interface of the device is shown below:

[3] [4]

[1]

[2]

[5]

[1] Signal Strength

[2] Pan/Tilt/Roll Axis Position

[3] SmoothTrack Mode

[4] SmoothTrack Follow Speed

[5] Battery Level

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To enter the Main Menu, press and hold the center of the thumb stick. The
default settings are underlined on the diagram below.

Mode

Gimbal

Menu

Channel

Settings

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Follow Speed

Calibration

Mapping

Direction

Sensitivity

Sleep

Power off

Shortcut

Default Setting
About

ST On
ST Off
Auto Center
Slow
Normal
Fast
Cali System
Auto Tune

Up/Down

Left/Right

Up/Down

Left/Right
Low
High
1min
5min
10min
Never
10min
30min
60min
Never

On
Off

Restore
Version

Pan
Roll
Tilt
None

Pan
Roll
Tilt
None

Normal
Reverse

Normal
Reverse

**

The Main Menu contains three tabs: Gimbal, Channel and Settings.
Press up/down on the thumb stick to select an item. Press right to view and
select options, and press left to return to the Main Menu.

Gimbal

Mode
ST Off: SmoothTrack is off. The Thumb Controller is free to control the pan axis.

The gimbal will stop and hold the last position determined by the pan axis control
stick, without applying SmoothTrack.

ST On: SmoothTrack is on. The Thumb Controller is free to control the pan axis.
The gimbal will stop and hold the last position determined by the pan axis control
stick, while applying SmoothTrack.

Auto Center: SmoothTrack is on. The gimbal will apply SmoothTrack when
reorienting and resetting the pan angle to the forward-facing direction after the
pan axis control stick is released.

Follow Speed

The Follow Speed tab allows you to select the SmoothTrack speed.
There are 3 possible speeds: Fast, Normal, and Slow. The value of each speed
can be adjusted in the DJI Assistant app or the PC/MAC Assistant.

Calibration

“Cali System” should be used if there is perceptible drift on any axis. The
calibration procedure should take approximately 90 seconds to complete.
Selecting “Auto Tune” will automatically adjust each motor’s stiffness settings
to achieve an optimal balance. This process should take approximately 20

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seconds to complete.
The gimbal cannot be controlled by the Thumb Controller or the remote controller
during calibration. Do not touch or move the gimbal during either process.

Channel

Mapping

Allows you to assign control of the pan, tilt, or roll motion of the gimbal to the up/
down or left/right input of the thumb stick.

By default, the up/down input on the thumb stick controls the tilt axis

movement of the gimbal and the left/right input on the thumb stick
controls the pan axis movement of the gimbal.

If you reassign the control input of either axis, only the most recent

assignment will be valid.

Direction

Under the ‘Normal’ setting, the gimbal moves in the same direction of the input
of the thumb stick. (Default settings: up/down tilt, left/right pan)
Selecting ‘Reverse’ for the up/down or left/right input will reverse the controls
respectively.

Settings

Sensitivity

There are two sensitivity settings for the Thumb Controller: High/Low.

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Sleep

If the  Thumb Controller  has been idle  for longer  than the specied  amount of 

time, the OLED display will be turned off.

Power Off

If the  Thumb Controller  has been idle  for longer  than the specied  amount of 

time, it will be turned off.

Shortcut

Enabling this allows you to switch SmoothTrack modes and change the
SmoothTrack speed quickly by double tapping the thumb stick.

On the Home Screen:
Double tap right to select ST (SmoothTrack) Off. Double tap left to select
ST (SmoothTrack) On. The “ST” icon will appear. Double tap down to select
Auto Center. The “STA” icon will appear. Double tap up to change the Follow
Speed. The icons “S>>>”, “S>>” and “S>” represent Fast, Normal, and Slow
respectively.

Default Settings

Restores all settings to the factory defaults.

About

Displays the rmware version that is currently installed on the Thumb Controller.

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15

DJI Assistant App Tuning

You can adjust various parameters in the DJI Assistant app.
Turn on the Thumb Controller and the gimbal, then launch the DJI Assistant app.

To meet  your specic requirements,  you can  also access advanced  functions 

through the Assistant app. In the Control Menu, you can adjust the Deadband,
Maximum Speed, Smoothing, and Controller Priority.

Controller Priority: If both the Thumb Controller and a remote controller

simultaneously send control signals to the gimbal, the input from the
selected controller will take priority.

Refer to the Ronin/Ronin-M User Manual for more details.

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N/A

Mode：

Control

Wizard

Deadband Maximum Speed

Smoothing Endpoint

Channels Settings

Gimbal Control Viewer More

DJI PC/MAC Assistant Tuning

The DJI PC/MAC Assistant allows you to tune the Thumb Controller and update

its rmware.

The tuning procedures offered through the DJI Assistant app are the same as
those offered through the DJI PC/MAC Assistant. There is no need to adjust the
settings in both applications.
The DJI Assistant app and the PC/MAC Assistant program cannot be connected to
the Thumb Controller at the same time. If you are running the Assistant app on your
mobile device, do not connect the Micro-USB cable to your computer.

Settings

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In the Control Menu, you can adjust the Deadband, Maximum Speed,
Smoothing, and Controller Priority.

Updating the Thumb Controller and the Receiver

You can  nd the  latest rmware version  information on  this page  and update 
the rmware by following the steps below:

1. Use the Micro-USB cable to connect the Thumb Controller to your computer,
then wait until the indicator in the Assistant blinks blue.

2. Click “Update.”

3.  Wait for the download to nish.

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4.  Click “Update” again and then click “Conrm.”

5. After the update is complete, turn the Thumb Controller off and then on
again.

6. Repeat this process with the Ronin-M or the Ronin External Receiver.

Ensure your computer is connected to the internet.

  Close all antivirus programs and network rewalls.

Ensure the device is turned on before beginning the update process.
Do not disconnect the USB cable until the update is complete.

If the Thumb Controller fails to update, follow the steps below:

1. Press and hold the override button.

2. Use the USB cable to connect the Thumb Controller to the computer.

3. Now, release the override button and wait for the connection to be
established.

4. Click the “Update” button after the Thumb Controller has been successfully
connected to the DJI PC/MAC Assistant. The Thumb Controller will be
operate normally after the update is complete.

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Specications

Type RONIN TC

Supported Devices Ronin, Ronin-M

Operating Frequency 2.415 GHz ~ 2.454 GHz

Working Current <100 mA @ 3.3 V

Communication Distance 200 ft. (60 m)

Battery Life 18 h

Standby Life 20 h

Operating Temperature -4˚F to 122˚F (-20˚C ~ 50˚C)

Battery Type LiPo

Battery Voltage 3.7 V

Battery Capacity 1150 mAh

Charge Time 2 h

Weight 1.75 oz. (50 g)

Size 2.7×1.4×0.9 in. (68×36×23 mm)

Mounting Bracket Diameter 1.0 in. or 1.2 in. (25 mm or 30 mm)

Display White OLED, 0.96 inch, Dots: 128×64

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The content is subject to change.

Download the latest version from
http://www.dji.com/product/ronin-m

If you have any questions about this document, please contact DJI by sending a

[e-mail]

message to

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.