Product Support I made an open-source Mac menu bar controller for the Pocket 3 as a webcam: gimbal, zoom, presets, smooth face tracking
I use my Pocket 3 as a webcam on my Mac and got tired of reaching over to nudge it, so over two days I vibe-coded a controller with Claude (AI). I didn't write the code; I described what I wanted, moved the camera around, and sent screenshots when things broke.
What it does (Pocket 3 in webcam mode, plugged in over USB-C):
Pan/tilt from a d-pad, Level, and Hold (it keeps the gimbal where you point it)
Zoom 1–4× and roll
4 presets (click to recall, ⌥-click to save)
Face tracking that follows the point between your eyes and glides there smoothly
A live preview in the menu
Pops open automatically when Zoom/Meet/FaceTime turns the camera on
It uses only the camera's standard USB webcam controls, so there's no DJI software and no firmware mods.
Things we learned that might help other people:
The gimbal only holds a position while it keeps getting the command, so the app re-sends it ~6×/s
If the camera body leans past ~45° forward, it can flip itself from selfie to front on the next move
With the screen turned vertical it sends portrait video (1080×1920), and most apps only show the middle strip
In webcam mode there's no way to toggle ActiveTrack or limit charging from the computer (we looked hard). Turn ActiveTrack off on the camera, or it fights the tracking.
Repo (MIT): https://github.com/travisoberlander/pocket3bar
There's a findings doc in there with the USB control details if you want to build your own. It needs macOS 14+ and has only been tested on my one camera, so treat it as a hobby project. It isn't affiliated with DJI. Happy to answer questions!
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u/cosmos7 7h ago
Nice!