Build an Airborne Relay 3.0 workflow

Choose one of four relay topologies

The relay aircraft supports the communication path while the main aircraft performs the task. DJI demonstrates four combinations of controllers and aircraft. The arrangement determines who can control each aircraft and which signal information appears on each controller.

Choose the topology around the crew and the planned signal path. Sketch the controller, relay and main-aircraft positions before setup, and label each physical aircraft so its on-screen role is easy to confirm.

1. Single-Relay, Single-Controller: one controller, one relay and one main aircraft.
2. Single-Relay, Dual-Controller: two controllers, one relay and one main aircraft.
3. Single-Relay, Dual-Controller, Triple-Aircraft: two controllers, one relay and two main aircraft.
4. Dual-Relay, Dual-Controller: two controllers, two relays and one main aircraft.

Open Relay Network Setup and identify controller roles

Power on the devices and place them together near the controller. The tutorial builds the triple-aircraft arrangement and explains that the other topologies use the same setup process with different device counts.

A Main RC controls only its main aircraft. A Relay RC controls the relay aircraft. A Main & Relay RC can switch between its main and relay aircraft. Make these responsibilities explicit before connecting the network.

The most complex arrangements shown contain three aircraft and two controllers: up to five devices are selected together during setup.

1. Open Relay Network Setup on the DJI Pilot 2 homepage.
2. Select the usage scenario that matches the intended topology.
3. Identify the Main RC, Relay RC or Main & Relay RC responsibilities in the selected arrangement.

Put aircraft into findable mode

Press each aircraft's power button three times in quick succession. Sequential blinking of the power indicators confirms findable mode. On the device-search page, the controller continuously searches for nearby discoverable devices.

Discovery order initially assigns the roles. That makes the next step important: the first aircraft found is not automatically the aircraft your crew intended for that role.

The on-screen note states that restarting the device exits findable mode. If you restart during preparation, repeat the discovery step before continuing network setup.

A device that is not detected for five seconds is treated as offline and disappears from the device list. Keep the devices powered and together while completing discovery.

1. Press each aircraft power button three times quickly.
2. Confirm its power indicators blink in sequence.
3. Open the device-search page and wait for the aircraft to appear.

Assign and physically verify aircraft roles

Drag the aircraft icons on the controller screen to change their roles. To identify a particular physical aircraft, press its power button once; its app icon flashes brightly for three seconds. Use this check for every aircraft before moving on.

1. Drag icons into the intended relay and main roles.
2. Press one aircraft's power button once.
3. Match it to the icon that flashes for three seconds.
4. Repeat until the crew can identify each aircraft and its role.

Join the second controller and finish linking

On the second controller, open Relay Network Setup and join the network. The tutorial uses Join Networking, shows the aircraft icons, and confirms successful setup with Linking Successful. Follow any setup-failure prompt before continuing.

Keep the joining controller on its linking page and continue on the controller that initiated network setup. The joining controller is now discoverable by that network; leaving the page interrupts this setup stage.

1. Open Relay Network Setup on the second controller.
2. Tap Join Networking and confirm the displayed aircraft.
3. Complete the prompted setup and look for Linking Successful.
4. To leave the established network, follow the demonstrated five-second aircraft power-button hold to relink, or restart network setup.

Read the signal for the selected topology

On a Main RC, the video-transmission indicator is the Composite Signal for the aircraft being operated. When controlling a relay, the display exposes the relevant link segments. This lets the pilot distinguish an overall working-aircraft link from the individual sections that support it.

In the single-relay arrangements, the relay view shows controller-to-relay and relay-to-main links. In the triple-aircraft arrangement, each controller operates one main aircraft, and the Main & Relay RC can also switch to the relay.

In the dual-relay arrangement, the Main RC's overall signal is the weakest of the three segments. Relay Aircraft 1 shows Relay RC-to-Relay 1 and Relay 1-to-Relay 2. Relay Aircraft 2 shows Relay 1-to-Relay 2 and Relay 2-to-main. Review the weak segment before changing a relay position.

Switch aircraft and open Relay Split Screen

Tap the main or relay aircraft icon at the bottom of the screen to switch control where the controller role permits it. The camera view and signal display change with that selection. Confirm the selected aircraft before giving an input.

1. Tap the intended aircraft icon to switch control.
2. Verify the camera view and signal display changed to that aircraft.
3. Hold R3 to open Relay Split Screen and view the other aircraft's auxiliary video stream.

Monitor the complete network during the mission

The tutorial shows AR positions when the two aircraft are more than 500 metres apart. HMS information and battery levels appear at the bottom centre, while the map shows aircraft positions and signal quality. These displays answer different questions: where each aircraft is, how it is doing, and how the link is performing.

As the main aircraft moves farther away, adjust the relay position as needed. Keep watching the signal bars and maintain a clear physical path between the controller and relay. Include relay battery state in the same scan as the working aircraft's battery.

Start and supervise Smart Relay

Smart Relay automatically adjusts the relay aircraft's position as the main-aircraft-to-controller distance changes. In the demonstrated sequence, enabling it in relay mode starts automatic relay takeoff; the pilot then switches to main-aircraft mode and takes off.

1. Select relay mode and enable Smart Relay.
2. Observe the relay aircraft's automatic takeoff.
3. Switch to main-aircraft mode and take off.
4. Monitor the relay signal bars and take over manually if the signal becomes poor.

Return from farthest to nearest

Return the farthest main aircraft first, then recover relay aircraft in sequence. In a dual-relay network, the order is main aircraft, Relay Aircraft 2, then Relay Aircraft 1. This preserves the supporting communication path while the distant aircraft comes back.

In Smart Relay mode, initiating RTH on the main aircraft makes the relay follow it back and hover above the home point. The relay still needs enough battery to support that return. If the relay initiates its own RTH, Smart Relay disables automatically; monitor the main aircraft's signal closely at that point.

1. Recover the farthest main aircraft first.
2. In dual-relay mode, return Relay 2 before Relay 1.
3. Monitor all battery levels throughout the recovery.
4. Confirm each aircraft's return and landing before closing the operation.