It’s a good day, you take your drone out. It’s a beautiful place, the sky is clear, everything is perfect, and then you get your drone up in the air. When you look at your screen to try to take some footage.
Damn! You can’t see anything even though you have turned up the brightness of your phone or tablet.
If you often fly a drone outdoor, you may have been in this kind of awkward moment once. A monitor hood or sunshade for your phone or tablet is one of the small things that can make your flying experience much better. In this article, we will be discussing the best sunshade for Mavic Pro and other popular drones in the market.
Our picks:
DJI Mini 2 and Mavic Air 2 Exclusive:
DJI RC-N1 Remote Controller Monitor Hood
Best Choice: Favrison Monitor Sun Shade
Budget pick: RC GearPro Monitor Sunshade
Best for devices smaller than iPad Mini:
DJI Mavic Remote Controller Monitor Hood
Why you need a sunshade for your Mavic Mini/Air/Pro or Spark drone?
Safer and better flying experience, especially for new pilots.
When the drone is far away from you, it’s hard to tell the directions although it’s in your line of sight, the better way is to look at your phone or tablet screen so that you can learn the status of the drone, then bring it back safely. If you can’t get a clear view, it might increase the chance of a crash, especially for beginners.
Easier to take better aerial photos and videos.
If you are to take some stunning aerial photos or footages, you won’t be able to get the best scene if you can’t see the screen.
Things you need to know about drone remote sunshades
- Make sure to adjust your screen brightness so it doesn’t automatically go dim when the hood is on.
- Know the size of your smartphone or tablet before you buy, if you are not sure about the compatibility, contact the customer service
- If you are using a tablet holder to mount your device, communicate with the seller to make sure the sunshade is compatible.
- Sometimes, the shade can’t not 100% block the glare so you may still have reflection issues, but it does help you to see the screen in the bright sun.
How did we pick?
After doing some research, watching YouTube videos, and talking to a few experts, we have figured out the following criteria that we use to find out the best sunshades.
Is it lightweight?
Your hands may easily get tired if you hold the remote for a long time, especially when you fly with a big tablet. So a lightweight sunshade won’t be a burden.
Is it easy to use?
A better monitor hood should be mounted and taken off easily so you only need to spend a few seconds to setup.
What is compatibility like?
When it comes to compatibility, it
Is it durable?
Quality and durability are paramount for pilots. Those can only last for a few times is not only a waste of money but also ruins your flight.
Is it easy to carry?
A good sunshade should be foldable so that it won’t take too much space in your drone backpack or case. It’s better to be folded up completely flat.
The Best DJI Drone Sunshade Review
DJI Mini 2 and Mavic Air 2 Exclusive:
DJI RC-N1 Remote Controller Monitor Hood
Unlike the other DJI Mavic drones, both DJI Mini 2 and Mavic Air 2’s remote controller uses a completely new design. DJI also released an exclusive monitor hood for this new remote controller.
Please note that this monitor hood does not compatible with tablets. If you use an iPad or a larger Android tablet, you will need to use a tablet holder to mount your device, and this hood won’t be able to cover it.
Best option: DJI Mavic Remote Controller Monitor Hood
Specs
- Dimensions: 181.94×140.39×111.78 mm
- Weight: 91 g (2.88 ounces)
Compatibility
- Mavic 2 Remote Controller
- Mavic Pro Remote Controller
- Mavic Pro Platinum Remote Controller
- Mavic Air Remote Controller
This sunshade is made by DJI, so you don’t need to worry about the quality and durability.
One thing users liked is easy to use. You can quickly mount it on your remote in a few seconds by hooking it to the antennas. When not in use, you can fold it up completely flat and put in your drone backpack or case.
People also commented that it works well for blocking the glare from the screen so everything is clear. They feel safe when flying their Mavic in sunlight with a shade.
One thing you need to pay attention to is compatibility. If you are using a smartphone or tablet that fits the remote controller (No need to mount a tablet holder), then this is a good choice. If you are using a big iPad or tablet which requires a tablet mount, then you can skip it.
Favrison Monitor Sun Shade
Specs
- Compatible device screen size: 4.7 inches to 12.9 inches
- Weight: 1.76 ounces – 11.5 ounces (depending on which model you choose)
Drone Compatibility
- DJI Spark
- DJI Mavic Air
- DJI Mavic 2 Pro / Zoom
- DJI Mavic Pro / Pro Platinum
- Inspire 2 / 1
- Phantom 3 Series
- Phantom 4 Series
The Favrison Monitor Sun Shade covers almost all the device sizes from 4.7 inches to 12.9 inches. No matter what phone or tablet you use, you will be able to find the right size.
Users commented that the quality, durability, and ease of use are all great. You can attach it to your device fast and conveniently. It is lightweight also folds up easily for storage. It really keeps the glare and reflection of the screen and makes the flying experience safer and better.
When used with the iPad, it’s no problem to access the home button.
Some users complained that the rubber straps that used to attach the hood to your phone or iPad are fragile. Also, some people have a problem installing it because there is no picture showing how to attach.
HeiyRC Monitor Sun Hood
Specs
- Dimensions: 4.9 x 4.6 x 0.7 inches to 8.7 x 7.5 x 0.6 inches
- Weight: 2.08 – 7.5 ounces
Compatability
- DJI Spark
- DJI Mavic Air
- DJI Mavic 2 Pro / Zoom
- DJI Mavic Pro / Pro Platinum
- Inspire 2 / 1
- Phantom 3 Series
- Phantom 4 Series
The HeiyRC Monitor Sun Hood provides a wide range of sizes from 4.7 inches to 9.7 inches so you can choose according to your device.
It’s made of PU leather and silicone band which allows you to fold up flat.
Installation is pretty simple, you just need to attach it to your phone or tablet with the straps.
Users commented that it’s a compact and durable product, easy to install, and works great. Their iPad mini now has better visibility in direct sunlight.
One thing you should consider is the device you use to fly your drone, there are a few sizes available, you need to measure the dimensions of your phone or tablet to get the right one.
Some people said this product is more compatible with iPhones or phones with large bezels because you need to use straps to attach. If you are using an android phone like Galaxy S9, it will cover too much of the screen.
Hoodman Sunshade Hood Base Plus Extender Kit for iPad Mini and 8-inch Tablets
Specs
Dimensions: 14 x 10 x 2 inches
Weight: 14.4 ounces
Compatibility
- iPad Mini
- 8-inch phone or tablet
- DJI Spark, DJI Mavic Pro / Air / 2 (Only compatible when using a separate tablet holder to mount your tablet on the remote)
The Hoodman Sunshade is different from the others. It comes with a 4-sided hood and extender so pilots can get the best view even in strong sunlight.
It also features a slot for you to access the touch screen.
Users really liked the fact that it can actually cut out all the light, providing a dark theater view so you won’t get any glare and reflection.
One thing people feel annoying is when you put your face on the hood, it gets warm inside. But you can change the position and try to keep your nose out of it to avoid this problem.
People also complained that it is a bit difficult to attach it to the RC controller with the iPad in place, and it takes some time to mount and unmount because the hood uses 3 thin nylon straps across the back to hold it.
It also cuts off the edges of the iPad mini screen so you may not be able to access some important information.
Budget pick: RC GearPro Monitor Sunshade
Specs
- Weight: 2.08 ounces – 3.52 ounces
- Dimensions: 4.8 x 4.6 x 0.8 inches – 8.7 x 7.5 x 0.8 inches
Compatibility
- DJI Mavic Air / Mavic 2 / Pro / Spark / Phantom / Inspire / Osmo /
- Parrot Anafi
- RC Drones with Phone / Tablet holders
Similar to the Favrison Monitor Sun Shade, this one is pretty much the same in terms of material, design. It also offers a few sizes that can fit different devices, but the price is the lowest among these five reviewed in this article.
Users said this a well made and compact product, it’s easy to take on and off.
People do have problems when using Android tablets like Galaxy 10.1. Some also said it doesn’t shade the screen very effectively.
Final thoughts
As a drone pilot myself, I have to say that this little thing does help to increase the visibility of your screen in bright sun, it also has some small problems like it can’t 100% remove the glare, there might be compatibility issues, but it’s no problem for most of the drone pilots.
If you often use your phone or iPad mini or something that fits the DJI Mavic or Spark controller, I think the DJI Remote Monitor Hood is the best choice. The Hoodman sunshade performs better but it’s heavier than the others. The other 3 are pretty much the same, you can go with any of them.
If you are using your drone for professional photography, you may need to consider a better solution like the DJI Smart Controller. It comes with a built-in 5.5” ultra-bright display which allows you to see clearly under direct sunlight. It also features Easy Mobile Transfers, Livestream, built-in microphone and speaker, and HDMI Port Outputs. The only reason that would stop you is the price. This is only for pro users or those who really want to get a better flying experience.
Have you ever used a sunshade for your drone, let us know which one you think is the best sunshade for your Mavic Pro or Spark or any other camera drones.
You did not list a sunshade for the Mavic Mini. You only listed sunshades for the Mini 2.
Hi Brian, DJI Mavic Remote Controller Monitor Hood works with the Mavic Mini controller.