Last Updated: September 2026 | Reading Time: 12 minutes | Difficulty: Beginner–Intermediate | Author: Dannyi Chen
⚡ Quick Answer
The Ronin RS 4 Pro / RS 3 Pro are handheld gimbals — putting one on a heavy-lift/X8 drone traditionally meant wire isolators, quick-release plates, and cheese plates stacked into a heavy, fiddly rig. The DolphinRC Aerial Gimbal Landing Gear solves it with a single carbon-fiber tube structure: just 284g (less than half of typical isolator rigs), a 3kg max payload that covers an RS 4 Pro plus mainstream mirrorless/cinema cameras, a quick-release design for second-level handheld↔aerial switching, TPU shock-absorbing feet that cushion landings, and a custom carrying case (465×180mm) so nothing gets lost between locations. Direct fit for RS 4 Pro / RS 3 Pro; RS 2 Pro works with an adapter (sold separately). Available in our store for $399.00.
Contents
- I. What Is It — and Why Does a Ronin Need It to Fly?
- II. 5 Pain Points of Flying a Ronin — and How It Solves Each One
- III. Specifications & Compatibility at a Glance
- IV. Is 3kg Enough? Weight Math for Common Ronin + Camera Combos
- V. What's in the Box & Setup Tips
- VI. Who Should Buy This Landing Gear?
- VII. FAQ
- VIII. Where to Buy
What Is It — and Why Does a Ronin Need It to Fly?
This is a carbon-fiber aerial landing gear purpose-built for the DJI Ronin RS 4 Pro / RS 3 Pro — and it plays two roles at once: it is the mount that secures your Ronin gimbal under a heavy-lift/X8 drone, and the landing gear that keeps the gimbal and camera suspended safely below the airframe, clear of the ground. The Ronin line was designed as a handheld stabilizer; to put one in the air you need a reliable "aerial base" — and that is exactly what this product is.
DolphinRC Aerial Gimbal Landing Gear: built to carry a Ronin RS 4 Pro / RS 3 Pro under heavy-lift and X8 drones
Why not make do with a generic vibration mount? Because the core conflict of flying a handheld gimbal is weight: the gimbal itself is already heavy (the RS 4 Pro gimbal alone is about 1242g), and every extra 100g of mounting hardware directly eats into your flight time and payload headroom. Traditional wire-isolator rigs (CAME-TV, Proaim, etc.) weigh around 600g for the isolator alone — add quick-release plates and cheese plates and you easily pass 1kg. This landing gear integrates mount + support + damping + storage into one 284g carbon structure. That's the whole point. (RS 4 Pro weight source: DJI official specs)
5 Pain Points of Flying a Ronin — and How It Solves Each One
We've broken down the five pain points aerial crews hit most often when flying a Ronin, and mapped each one to a specific design feature of this landing gear. If you're evaluating mounting options, this checklist is all you need.
Pain Point ① Heavy mounting rigs eat your flight time
Heavy-lift flight time is measured in minutes — a Freefly Alta X at max payload (15.9kg) flies for roughly 15 minutes, and every gram of payload shrinks your shooting window. Mounting hardware is pure dead weight: it produces no thrust and captures no image, yet it competes with your camera for payload allowance. This rig weighs just 284g (gimbal not included) — about half or even a third of a traditional "wire isolator + QR plate + cheese plate" stack. Every gram saved can be traded for a bigger battery or a longer lens.
284g ultra-light design: for mounting hardware, weight saved is flight time earned
Pain Point ② Motor vibration reaches the camera — jello ruins the shot
A gimbal stabilizes movement, but it does not absorb high-frequency vibration from the airframe — motor and prop vibration travels up any rigid connection into the gimbal motors, causing soft footage at best and unusable jello at worst. This landing gear cuts the vibration path at two levels: first, 2mm-wall high-modulus carbon tubes with high stiffness and low resonance that don't amplify frame vibration; second, TPU shock-absorbing anti-slip feet that soak up touchdown impact so a hard landing doesn't send a shock straight into the gimbal and camera.
TPU damping feet: the first cushion at touchdown — and insurance for your gimbal
Pain Point ③ Slow handheld↔aerial switching keeps the set waiting
The Ronin's biggest value is "one gimbal, two jobs": handheld tracking one moment, aerials the next. Traditional rigs make each switch a teardown of small parts — once it's on the drone, going back to handheld is a project. The quick-release design switches the Ronin between handheld and aerial modes in seconds: release to detach, click to mount. Zero waiting between setups — and on a working set, that's the most valuable feature there is.
Quick-release: second-level switching between handheld and aerial, zero downtime on set
Pain Point ④ Gimbal and camera sit inches from the ground — one hard landing costs thousands
The gimbal and camera are the most expensive and most fragile part of the whole system. Without landing clearance, the gimbal motors and lens sit centimeters from the dirt — one tip-over or one rock can mean a four-figure repair bill. Deployed, this landing gear provides 360mm of ground clearance (unfolded footprint 595×590×360mm), with a three-point stance and TPU anti-slip pads that keep the gimbal and camera suspended at a safe height — even on uneven ground.
Pain Point ⑤ Scattered small parts get lost — packing for a location move is a headache
Carbon tubes, connectors, and screw kits scattered across a gear bag turn every location move into a nightmare — lose one specialty screw and the whole system is grounded. The product ships with a custom carrying case (465×180mm) with molded compartments that give every tube and connector its own slot: open and build, close and go. Crews can throw it straight onto the gear cart.
Custom case: molded slots keep every part in place — no lost hardware between locations
Specifications & Compatibility at a Glance
The core specs in one line: 284g self-weight, 3kg payload, and three materials each doing its own job — carbon tubes, CNC aluminum, and TPU. Full parameters below:
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Product Name | Ronin Gimbal Landing Gear (Aerial Gimbal Landing Gear) |
| Materials | Aluminum alloy + carbon fiber + TPU |
| Weight | 284g (gimbal not included) |
| Max Payload | 3kg (camera and gimbal included) |
| Carbon Tube Wall | 2mm reinforced carbon tubes |
| Connectors | 5-axis CNC-machined aluminum alloy, anodized finish |
| Unfolded Size (L×W×H) | 595 × 590 × 360mm |
| Carrying Case | Custom case 465 × 180mm (included) |
| Gimbal Compatibility | DJI RS 4 Pro / RS 3 Pro direct fit; DJI RS 2 Pro via adapter (sold separately); compatible with mainstream gimbals and X8 multirotor frames |
| Color | Black |
Source: SoarSky official product page
2mm-wall reinforced carbon tubes: lightweight without giving up rigidity
5-axis CNC aluminum connectors: anodized for wear and corrosion resistance, built for frequent assembly and outdoor work
Is 3kg Enough? Weight Math for Common Ronin + Camera Combos
Yes — 3kg is the combined limit for gimbal + camera. The RS 4 Pro gimbal itself is about 1242g, leaving roughly 1.7kg of budget for camera and lens, which covers mainstream mirrorless bodies and compact cinema cameras. Let's do the math (gimbal weights per DJI official specs; camera weights are body-only with battery, no lens):
| Combo | Gimbal | Camera Body | Lens Allowance | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS 4 Pro + Sony A7S III | 1242g | ~699g | ~1059g | ✓ Comfortable |
| RS 4 Pro + Sony FX3 | 1242g | ~715g | ~1043g | ✓ Comfortable |
| RS 4 Pro + RED Komodo 6K | 1242g | ~952g | ~806g | ✓ Workable (with compact primes) |
| RS 3 Pro + BMPCC 6K Pro | ~1143g | ~1238g | ~619g | ⚠ Tight (needs light lenses) |
Gimbal weight sources: DJI RS 4 Pro official specs / DJI RS 3 Pro official specs; camera weights are official body-only figures. Always re-check against your actual lens weight.
What's in the Box & Setup Tips
Ready to build out of the box: the kit includes 4 carbon tubes, 3 connector sets, a screw kit, 3 TPU feet, and the custom carrying case — no extra structural parts to buy.
Packing list: every structural part plus the custom case, all in one box
| Part | Qty |
|---|---|
| 430mm carbon tube | × 1 |
| 360mm carbon tube | × 2 |
| 250mm carbon tube | × 1 |
| Rear carbon connector set | × 1 |
| Left/right aluminum connector set | × 1 |
| Central carbon connector set | × 1 |
| TPU anti-slip foot pads | × 3 |
| Mounting screw kit | × 1 |
| Custom carrying case | × 1 |
Setup & Flying Tips
- Balance before you mount: complete the Ronin's balancing in handheld mode, then quick-release it onto the landing gear — you can't re-balance in the air, so get it right on the ground;
- Confirm the center of gravity: once mounted, the aircraft's CG should sit near the landing gear's geometric center — fine-tune via battery position if needed, so the drone isn't burning battery compensating for a nose-heavy attitude;
- Check the quick-release lock: before every takeoff, manually confirm the quick-release is fully locked and no connector screws have loosened (re-check after frequent assembly/disassembly);
- Gimbal mode: for aerial work we recommend Pan Follow (PF) or a custom FPV mode, and re-running the motor-strength auto-calibration in the Ronin app at the full mounted weight;
- Landing surface: 360mm of clearance covers most flat or mildly uneven ground, but still avoid deep grass and gravel piles — let all three TPU feet touch down together.
Who Should Buy This Landing Gear?
In one line: anyone who owns a Ronin RS 4 Pro / RS 3 Pro and has (or is building) a heavy-lift/X8 drone — it closes the gap between a handheld gimbal and an aerial platform. Find yourself below:
Strongly recommended if you —
- Run a film/commercial crew: your Ronin is already in the kit, and quick-release switching between handheld and aerial is pure productivity;
- Fly heavy-lift: your X8/large-payload platform is ready and you need a light, reliable gimbal mount with real ground clearance;
- Move between locations constantly: the custom case + quick-release design is built for a "three locations today" pace.
Hold off if you —
- Only fly DJI's integrated camera drones (Mavic / Inspire series) — the camera is already built in, no external Ronin needed;
- Use a gimbal older than the RS 2 Pro (e.g., the original Ronin-S) — the RS 2 Pro needs a separately sold adapter, and older models are not on the compatibility list;
- Need more than 3kg of payload (Ronin + full-size cinema camera + heavy cine primes) — look at a DJI Ronin 2-class large gimbal system instead.
FAQ
Does this landing gear fit the DJI RS 4 Pro and RS 3 Pro directly?
Yes — both are direct-fit, no adapter needed. The DJI RS 2 Pro also works but requires a separately sold adapter. Older Ronin models are not on the official compatibility list.
Is the 3kg max payload enough? What cameras can it carry?
3kg is the combined gimbal + camera limit. The RS 4 Pro itself is about 1242g, leaving roughly 1.7kg for camera and lens — covering the A7S III, FX3, RED Komodo, and similar bodies with compact lenses. Heavy cinema-camera combos need their own math.
Will 284g really affect my flight time?
Barely — and that's the point. Traditional wire-isolator stacks often exceed 600g or even 1kg; 284g leaves more payload budget for batteries and lenses. On a heavy-lift machine that manages ~15 minutes at full load, every gram counts.
Can it fix jello effect in aerial footage?
It cuts the main vibration paths: 2mm high-modulus carbon tubes offer high stiffness with low resonance, and the TPU feet absorb touchdown shock. Jello also depends on prop balance and motor condition — this rig solves the "mount must not amplify vibration" part of the equation.
Is it easy to pack and transport? Will I lose parts?
Very easy. The included 465×180mm custom case has molded compartments — every tube, connector, screw kit, and foot pad has its own slot. Open and build, close and go, with nothing left behind.
I mostly shoot handheld with occasional aerials — is it worth it?
Yes. The quick-release design switches your Ronin between handheld and aerial in seconds, and it's zero burden when you're shooting handheld. Compared with letting the gimbal sit idle or buying a dedicated camera drone, one landing gear doubles the utilization of gear you already own.
Can I use it on a non-X8 frame?
The product is designed around mainstream gimbals and X8 multirotor frames, but any heavy-lift frame with matching mounting points and space (unfolded 595×590×360mm) can use it. Check your frame's baseplate dimensions before ordering.
Where to Buy
The DolphinRC Aerial Gimbal Landing Gear is in stock at the official SoarSky store:
284g carbon-fiber mount + landing gear in one: 3kg payload, quick-release design, TPU damping feet, custom case included
$399.00More Reading from SoarSky
- How to Choose an FPV Drone Frame: Size & Layout Guide Frame size sets your payload and prop limits — read this before any mounting mod.
- How to Choose the Right FPV Motor: Every Spec Explained Building a heavy-lift powertrain? Every motor parameter, explained.
- The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Building Your First Drone From parts list to first flight — the complete zero-experience build walkthrough.
- SoarSky RC Parts Buying Guide From motors to mounting accessories — complete your aerial kit in one stop.
References: DJI RS 4 Pro official specs (gimbal weight 1242g, payload 4.5kg); DJI RS 3 Pro official specs; Freefly Alta X payload & flight-time data; product parameters from the SoarSky official product page.
Copyright: This article is original content by SoarSky. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. | Disclosure: This article is based on official product specifications and hands-on editorial experience. DJI, Ronin, RS 4 Pro, RS 3 Pro and RS 2 Pro are trademarks of DJI; this is an aftermarket accessory guide, not affiliated with DJI. | Last Updated: September 2026
Tags: DJI RS 4 Pro, DJI RS 3 Pro, Ronin Gimbal, Aerial Landing Gear, Gimbal Mount, X8 Drone, Heavy-Lift Drone, DolphinRC, Carbon Fiber Landing Gear, Aerial Filming Accessories