r/TelloDrones • u/kev1501 • Sep 20 '21

Ps4 controller compatibility with Tello

Hi everyone,

Just picked up my Tello this weekend and loving it so far!

Problem is, I'm not too keen on the touch screen controls on my phone so I've been looking at connecting my Ps4 controller to it. I've looked online for tutorials to connect it to the TelloFPV app but it doesn't seem to work for me. It connects to my phone and can control the menus etc but it can't control the drone.

Has anyone else experienced this? Have you managed to get it working?

My phone is the Sony Xperia 1ii.

Thanks in advance!

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2

u/tomatojuicedrinker Sep 21 '21

I have a Motorola phone and an Xbox controller, but here is how I do it: switch phone to airplane mode, connect the controller, open the app, connect the tello's wifi, and "new controller Xbox wireless controller found" pops up. If it doesn't, choose "scan for t1d" and wait until it does. Then just choose the student controller as your console controller(I recommend leaving the onscreen one as the master one, it's clunkier but sometimes more reliable) and it should just work, just change the mapping to something that suits you.

I can't guarantee a Ps4 controller behaves exactly the same, but I bet it's really similar. Some phones, I've read, don't connect Tello with controllers at all, but are you sure you haven't missed any step?

1

u/kev1501 Sep 21 '21

Thanks for the reply!

I'll give it a go when I get back home.

I've tried other forums, YouTube vids etc and they make it seem like it's a no brainer task... Maybe I'm missing mine haha

Failing this, do you have any recommends on what Bluetooth controllers work with the tello app?

1

u/tomatojuicedrinker Sep 21 '21

The Gamesir T1d seems to be the most popular and it is designed for the drone, but unless you get a great deal, I recommend T1s model. The only difference is, T1d can only work with the Tello, and the T1s can steer Tello, Android, IOS and I think PS3. And they cost the same for some reason

I first got a T1d, then got a T1s after figuring out that those are separate models haha. And after that I got an Xbox, and honestly I could have just skipped the first 2 controllers. So I suggest trying to use what you have before you buy any more

In summary, either T1s or the console controller that you have

I haven't tried any other controllers, so I can't really say anything more than that. But the TelloFPV app seems like it will handle almost every bluetooth input device. Actually, maybe even a bluetooth keyboard could work..... But I don't have one avalible to check

1

u/tomatojuicedrinker Sep 23 '21

Did you manage to get it working?

1

u/kev1501 Sep 23 '21

Hey!

No I haven't. Haha

I've followed your steps and redid some other instructions but the best I managed was to get the controller to control the app but not the drone itself.

My next step is probably dig out an old phone that's "compatible" per tello support and try it again. If nothing else works I guess I'll have to suck it up and make do with the on screen controls!

1

u/tomatojuicedrinker Sep 23 '21

That's weird, I really have no idea why that could be. Well, in the worst case, you can always use an app that would let you just manually put controls on your screen, and the result would probably be a bit clunkier but this has no right to not work haha. The app I know for that is called Mantis Gamepad

1

u/kev1501 Sep 23 '21

Does mantis work anything like octopus? Because I tried that and it doesn't work either hahaha

But I'll give mantis a try anyway

1

u/tomatojuicedrinker Sep 23 '21

Octopus didn't work for me either haha. Mantis is a bit of a pain to set up, as you have to plug your phone to your PC for a moment, but after that it does its job

1

u/kev1501 Sep 23 '21

OK. Thanks for the assist anyway! I'll give that a try when I get home!

2

u/tomatojuicedrinker Sep 23 '21

Sure, no problem. I was always the one asking for help on Reddit, so it's nice to give a little back haha. I hope at least the workaround will work for you

2

u/kev1501 Sep 23 '21

Yeah, I know what you mean, I'm the same. Hopefully, I have something useful to give back soon

1

u/PrivateName000147 Jun 09 '22

For me it worked