DJI Ronin MX Release - Stabilisation on land or in the air

Sunday's DJI Ronin MX release was a surprise. It was paired alongside the Matrice 600, a multirotor designed to carry and operate the gimbal whilst in flight. It offers quite a few improvements over the Ronin-M but with only a $200 price hike.

Ronin MX Release - What's new?

• Motors now 50% more powerful than the Ronin-M
• Extra external battery pack for powering cameras and accessories
• Intelligent batteries with 3 hour life
• New short range wireless transmission for video downlink
• DJI Focus and thumb controller compatible for remote operation
• New Auto Tune Stability tech to finely balance gear
• Full 360 rotation, increased tilt angle to 135°

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwG1Hf1COlI

Updated Design

The Ronin MX release brought several design updates. The universal mounting plate has been adapted to take a wide range of cameras within the payload and size limits. It is now affixed to the Ronin-MX via a vibration absorber, the two point mount reducing camera shake. The motors and ESC's have been upgraded to make the Ronin-MX 50% more powerful than the Ronin-M. The main battery has now been moved from the back to the front, increasing the Ronin's ability to handle rapid movements. This has allowed a secondary battery to be mounted in its place, powering additional rigged hardware via the 12V P-TAP connectors. A slip ring allows the Ronin MX to rotate around and around its vertical axis when mounted to a vehicle or aircraft. Extensively constructed out of lightweight magnesium, the Ronin-MX weights in at just 2.77kg.

Controlling the Ronin MX

As per the previous edition, the Ronin MX supports the usual flexible modes of operation. Underslung for ease, upright, for raised shots  and briefcase mode for narrow hallways. It also still comes with a wireless 2.4Ghz remote control for a second operator. Compatible with Lightbridge 2 providing long-range HD video transmission up to 3miles. A focus expansion module is available and when combined with a DJI Focus controller you can pull focus from afar. A further add-on will reportedly allow you to stop and start shooting (with support for a wide range of cameras) whilst in the air. When mounted to the M600 it communicates with the A3 flight controller to actively stabilise against the drone's movements.

Cost, availability and shipping

Retailing for £1359 (including tuning stand and remote control), the Ronin-MX should be in stock from the start of June and we are taking pre-orders now. Expansion wise, the camera remote is reported to retail at £129 and the SRW-60G wireless unit for £219. Keep an eye on our Facebook or Twitter feeds for further information.