Ronin Thumb Controller - Remote control DJI - Free user manual and instructions

Brand	DJI
Model	Ronin Thumb Controller
Category	Remote Control
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 hours
Standby Life	20 hours
Operating Temperature	-4°F to 122°F (-20°C to 50°C)
Battery Type	LiPo
Battery Voltage	3.7 V
Battery Capacity	1150 mAh
Charge Time	2 hours
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, 128 × 64 dots
Control Interface	Pressure-sensitive thumb stick
Functions	SmoothTrack modes (Off, On, Auto Center), Follow Speed (Fast, Normal, Slow), Axis calibration, Channel mapping, Direction reversal, Sensitivity adjustment
Connectivity	Micro-USB for charging and firmware updates; Wireless binding via internal receiver (Ronin-M) or external receiver (Ronin)
Safety Precautions	Read disclaimer before use; user responsible for proper use; avoid touching during calibration; follow local regulations

Frequently Asked Questions - Ronin Thumb Controller DJI

How to bind the Thumb Controller to a Ronin-M gimbal?

Turn on the Ronin-M. Press the Bind button on the Ronin-M once (LED blinks green). Turn on the Thumb Controller. When both LEDs glow solid green, binding is successful.

How to bind the Thumb Controller to a Ronin gimbal?

Turn on the Ronin. Press the Bind button on the external receiver once (LED blinks green). Turn on the Thumb Controller. When both LEDs glow solid green, binding is successful.

What is the battery life and charging time?

Battery life is approximately 18 hours, and standby life is 20 hours. Charging time is about 2 hours via the Micro-USB port.

How to calibrate the gimbal axes?

From the Main Menu, go to Gimbal > Calibration > Cali System. The process takes about 90 seconds. Alternatively, use Auto Tune (about 20 seconds) to adjust motor stiffness. Do not touch the gimbal during calibration.

How to change SmoothTrack mode or Follow Speed?

Enable Shortcut in Settings. On the home screen, double-tap the thumb stick: right for ST Off, left for ST On, down for Auto Center, up to cycle Follow Speed (Slow, Normal, Fast). Or use the menu: Gimbal > Mode and Gimbal > Follow Speed.

What do the LED indicators mean?

Solid green = connected. Blinking red = not connected. Solid red = updating. Blinking green = update complete. Solid yellow (Thumb Controller) = fully charged.

How to update the firmware?

Use the Micro-USB cable to connect the Thumb Controller to your computer. Open the DJI PC/MAC Assistant. Click 'Update' and follow on-screen instructions. Disconnect after completion. Repeat for the gimbal or external receiver.

What to do if the Thumb Controller fails to update?

Press and hold the override button (small button on the device), then connect the USB cable to the computer. Release the button after connection. The Assistant should recognize the device; then click 'Update'.

Can the thumb stick controls be reversed?

Yes. Go to Channel > Direction, then select 'Reverse' for up/down or left/right input. For normal direction, select 'Low' (actually 'Normal' is the term; the menu shows 'Low' and 'High' but direction setting uses 'Normal' and 'Reverse' according to manual).

How to adjust sensitivity of the thumb stick?

Go to Settings > Sensitivity and choose between High (more responsive) or Low (less responsive).

USER MANUAL Ronin Thumb Controller DJI

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 final interpretation of this disclaimer.

As DJI has no control over use, setup, final assembly, modification, 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.

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

Specifications 20

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:

Line drawing of a handheld electronic device with a circular button and ports (no text or symbols)

Thumb Controller×1 Quick Release

Accessory Mountx1

Micro-USB Cable×1 Step-down

Adapterx1

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

Line drawing of a handheld electronic device with a circular button and ports (no text or symbols)

Thumb Controller×1 Quick Release

Accessory Mountx1

Micro-USB Cablex1 Step-down

Adapter×1

External Receiver ×1

4-Pin Cable×1 Adhesive Tapex1

Introduction

The Thumb Controller is designed specifically for DJI Ronin series handheld gimbals. It provides a simple, intuitive interface for controlling the gimbal's pan, tilt, and roll motions. The pressure-sensitive 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

Concentric circles diagram with radial arrows, no text or symbols present

[1] Power Button 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-Sensitive Thumb Stick Transmits the user's input to the pressure sensor.

Line drawing of a device with a labeled component [5] (no text or symbols on the device itself)

[5] Micro-USB Port For charging the Thumb Controller and upgrading its firmware.

[6] Override Button Allows a reset of the Thumb Controller following a failed update process.

External Receiver (For Ronin Only)

Illustration of a rectangular electronic device with labeled ports and a label [4] (no text or symbols on the device itself)

[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 firmware.

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.

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

Mechanical device with articulated arms and mounting base (no visible text or symbols)

Diagram showing a device being processed from a left-side view, with no visible text or symbols.

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.

Technical illustration of a mechanical device with attached wiring and a close-up inset showing internal components (no text or symbols)

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.

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.

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.

Indicator Status

Thumb ControllerLED Indicator Status	Description
H — Solid Red The Thumb Controller is being updated.
R · Blinking Red	The Thumb Controller is not connected to the receiver.
G — Solid Green	The Thumb Controller is connected to the receiver.
G · Blinking Green The update process is complete.
Y — Solid Yellow The Thumb Controller is fully charged.

External Receiver LED Indicator Status	Description
— Solid Red The receiver is being updated.
Blinking Red	The Thumb Controller is not connected to the receiver.
— Solid Green	The Thumb Controller is connected to the receiver.
Blinking Green The update process is complete.
Blinking Green Quickly Binding.

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:

[1] Signal Strength

[2] Pan/Tilt/Roll Axis Position

[3] SmoothTrack Mode

[4] SmoothTrack Follow Speed

[5] Battery Level

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

graph TD
    A["Menu"] --> B["Gimbal"]
    A --> C["Channel"]
    A --> D["Settings"]

    B --> B1["Mode"]
    B --> B2["Follow Speed"]
    B --> B3["Calibration"]
    B1 --> B1a["ST On ST Off Auto Center"]
    B2 --> B2a["Slow Normal Fast"]
    B3 --> B3a["Cali System Auto Tune"]
    B1a --> B1a1["Up/Down"]
    B2a --> B2a1["Left/Right"]
    B3a --> B3a1["Pan Roll Tilt None"]
    B3a --> B3a2["Pan Roll Tilt None"]
    C --> C1["Mapping"]
    C --> C2["Direction"]
    C1 --> C1a["Up/Down"]
    C1 --> C1b["Left/Right"]
    C2 --> C2a["Low High"]
    C2 --> C2b["Sleep 1min 5min 10min Never 10min 30min 60min Never"]
    C3 --> C3a["Shortcut On Off"]
    C3 --> C3b["Default Setting Restore Version **"]

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

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.

Sleep

If the Thumb Controller has been idle for longer than the specified amount of time, the OLED display will be turned off.

Power Off

If the Thumb Controller has been idle for longer than the specified 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 firmware version that is currently installed on the Thumb Controller.

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 specific 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.

DJI PC/MAC Assistant Tuning

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

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

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

Updating the Thumb Controller and the Receiver

You can find the latest firmware version information on this page and update the firmware 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 finish.

4. Click "Update" again and then click "Confirm."

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 firewalls.
• 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.

Specifications

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

The content is subject to change.

Download the latest version from http://www.dji.com/product/ronin-thumb-controller/download

If you have any questions about this document, please contact DJI by sending a message to [e-mail].

© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.