DJI FPV buyers POLL

[mrmund]

Who bought the DJI FPV and then got something with a carbon fiber frame?
I'm curious how many people got into FPV through the DJI aircraft.
I own a handful of DJI camera drones and found FPV through a Tinyhawk combo. I see here a lot of pilots starting out with the DJI FPV, I'm curious how many of you have moved on.
Doesn't matter if you built a naked GoPro, hand built something from scratch or bought something from Iflight. I wonder how many people DJI turned on to FPV.

Respond here and be counted!

 

[timeless35]

I'm currently looking for a toothpick or 3.5" quad to practice after a small mishap with my DJI FPV (thanks for care refresh). I'll keep the DJI FPV for more long range, cinematic and easy freestyle. The more advance flying will be with carbon fiber frame quads.

 

[thetechnobear]

5" based around Diatone Roma F5 frame, 6s, crossfire, dji air unit, Radiomaster TX16s

it was a really great decision, my flying skills have improved alot, since I can now fly really low, and hit gaps - that I was way to concerned about with the DJI FPV (after a visit to DJI repair centre!) - Ive crashed the 5" quite a few times, had it fall out the sky - and ony damaged props- its also looking abit more 'worn'

but its really different to the DJI FPV...
yesterday, I went to a new remote spot to fly, and just took the 5", I had a really fun time diving the valleys, and abandoned buildings.

however, at the end I really wished Id also brought the DJI FPV along, it'd have given me a lot of extra flying time, and also some of the cruising stuff I did with the 5" would have been much better suited to the DJI FPV, as I could have taken it much further away. due to range of signal and also confidence in RTH.
(yes, I have gps rescue on the 5", but I dont trust it as much as DJIs.)


really the idea that 'diy quads' are better is nonsense, they are different...
yes, the 5" is way more durable, and so are a whole lot of fun bashing around things, and they are super light and agile.
but the dji fpv drone feels better to casually fly, and when you want just that extra bit of range, and just want to enjoy the view.

all that said, really the 5" + accessories , cost basically the same as the DJI FPV drone... and only thing thing I could reuse were the googles.
(and now im hankering after another set of v2 googles, so I could use for other in spectator mode )

on the DJI side, Ive now added arm bracers to DJI which makes me feel a bit more confident in the case of minor knocks - and my hope/belief is the 5" is giving me skills, so I can push the DJI FPV more... though, I'll still take it a bit conservatively ... perhaps until last month of my care refresh

 

[Tomk_]

I've had an X7 Microlight for several years. No camera of any kind. Strictly LOS.

Got a DJI Mini 2 for Christmas.

Now also have Mobula 6 and Tyro119

 

[dougcjohn]

Haven't moved to smaller traditional FPV crafts yet... but high interest due to flying the DJI FPV.
Have picked up a 2nd goggle and will probably be getting the FPV Transmitter. I'm not ventured into Manual Mode yet, still enjoying Sport mode. Once Manual mode is obtained, I'll pickup a small FPV and that was due to purchasing a DJI FPV kit.

 

[bluesgeek]

Oh wow. A chance to talk about myself.

First, I may as well get it out of the way. I love this drone. I know the naysayers will swoop in to advise getting a 5-inch. In fact this week while I was flying in a field someone walked over and it seemed couldn’t help but advise me to that effect. Well, he’s sick at home with the flu now, so… (Okay, wishing my new friend a speedy recovery.)

After 5 years of flying stabilized drones as part of my video production business, and oblivious to the emergence of cine FPV, just seeing the video of the DJI FPV Drone product release was the game changer for me. As a 70-yr-old, I became acutely aware of how easily I could become a dinosaur if I didn’t keep current with what is already becoming the new aesthetic for aerial work.

So I was among the first to buy and try. After 10 hours or so getting seasick in the DJI sim, I braved two outings with my one battery in normal and sport mode to get acquainted with unsprung throttle, and with goggles flight.

I then flew two packs in manual (angle) mode, the second of which ended with the ground getting in the way. No damage —just needed a cleaning — but I knew I wasn’t ready. So everything went on the shelf and I lived in sim for the next ten weeks. Luckily I found Liftoff, where the physics seem to be very close to real life. (DJI’s sim is just horrible.) I set out to get some facility with the two YouTube skills videos from TheTomJon and going through the Christian Mollica book. And I bought the Flymore kit (and arm bracers).

Fast forward to this week and I’ve been going out every morning and evening burning six packs a day (full manual of course), taking care to not try anything I can’t do repeatedly and with confidence in the sim — focusing on throttle management, rudimentary drills and maneuvers, and trying to keep it smooth. Did I mention throttle management? Did I mention smooth? Oh, and there’s the added elements of wind and prop wash.

Do I expect to escape what is certainly the crash fest destiny of every FPV pilot? No. I plan to crash as much as I can… in the sim. And I hope to minimize risk, IRL.

As you may have noticed, I don’t have any short stories, but to address the question at hand, the next step in my best laid plan is to purchase another DJI FPV Drone. If (when) I do crash, I will have a spare to put into service. (This is a requisite for any commercial camera work, isn’t it?) And I will use the extra goggles for a starter BNF cinewhoop (a different tool altogether), with which I may find myself willing to take more risk. Just to mention, I’ll be mounting a GoPro for any professional project.

At my advanced age and for my basic cine needs, I find the trade-off between the out-of-the-box convenience of the DJI model and the higher cost of batteries and repair to be preferable to the conventional FPV approach… for now.

 

[Halifax]

I've been an all-around RC builder and pilot for > 40 years. I flew homebuilt and BnF FPV quads for many years before the DJI FPV came along. I liked the physical building part and the flying part but hated the PID tuning and all that. I wasted too many hours of this short life on tune-fly-tune cycles ... no thanks. I love the DJI FPV that lets me focus on the flying. As a matter of fact, I'm selling off all of my whoops/tinywhoops. I still fly fixed-wing FPV and RC heli FPV, the former being the mother of all of this FPV stuff. To me, the worst part of the recent popularity in drones was the loss of BVLOS flying to the new regulation set. We had an active fixed-wing FPV community in the Berkshires and it was great. My longest fixed-wing BVLOS flight was almost 16 miles. Miss playing with that stuff at long range. But I digress.

 

[dougcjohn]

@bluesgeek you've taken a more wise direction than myself. Years with Matrice 600 down to Mini's, the FPV is a joy... not sure if I'll use cinematicly or just enjoy..

Heeding advice, I tried the Sim (DJI and other) and didn't find it worthwhile or I was to anxious to fly the DJI FPV. The Sims I've tried don't mimic the true flight or one was all manual... and I haven't taken spring pressure off stick yet so that Sim wasn't working as intended. Being my 1st FPV... I have flown RC Heli's... old nitro and now 3 electric which are a joy but more driveway hover and a little yard maneuvers... not FPV, visual.

What Sim did you find nice... and did the DJI FPV controler work nicely with it? Was it PC or Mac based?

I jumped to the Normal mode w OA off and Sport. I've gotten pretty good at zipping around yard, around-under-between bushes, trees & evergreens at 2-3ft off ground. Lift up and over fence, back down to ground. What a fun de-stressor! I can get in 5 batteries per outing with ease... picking a tree to circle tightly pushing tail around to keep nose toward tree & front.

Confidence much better now, ready for manual attempts, but would like to try on a Sim. Thus question of what Sim works nicely with controller?

If I understand, you can fly manual and have a bail out hitting brake returning to Normal mode. I've pondered if that would help prevent early learning mishaps.

 

[spikemixture]

Where's the POLL?

1.
2.
3.

 

[bluesgeek]

@bluesgeek you've taken a more wise direction than myself. Years with Matrice 600 down to Mini's, the FPV is a joy... not sure if I'll use cinematicly or just enjoy..

Heeding advice, I tried the Sim (DJI and other) and didn't find it worthwhile or I was to anxious to fly the DJI FPV. The Sims I've tried don't mimic the true flight or one was all manual... and I haven't taken spring pressure off stick yet so that Sim wasn't working as intended. Being my 1st FPV... I have flown RC Heli's... old nitro and now 3 electric which are a joy but more driveway hover and a little yard maneuvers... not FPV, visual.

What Sim did you find nice... and did the DJI FPV controler work nicely with it? Was it PC or Mac based?

I jumped to the Normal mode w OA off and Sport. I've gotten pretty good at zipping around yard, around-under-between bushes, trees & evergreens at 2-3ft off ground. Lift up and over fence, back down to ground. What a fun de-stressor! I can get in 5 batteries per outing with ease... picking a tree to circle tightly pushing tail around to keep nose toward tree & front.

Confidence much better now, ready for manual attempts, but would like to try on a Sim. Thus question of what Sim works nicely with controller?

If I understand, you can fly manual and have a bail out hitting brake returning to Normal mode. I've pondered if that would help prevent early learning mishaps.

I like Liftoff. Using on a Windows machine with the DJI FPV controller. I’m I’m using the AK Mistral with these rates.

I don’t see how you can easily have a good manual experience without an unsprung throttle.

Yes there’s a brake button and it works well. Whether I’ll hit it fast enough to prevent a crash will be the real test.

I’d say you definitely don’t want to fly manual until you have some good hours in the sim in acro mode. And keep the attitude limiter on (angle mode) in the settings for your first few flights when you do venture out to fly in manual. Do you have an understanding of how the gimbals work differently than in stabilized mode?

I’m happy to help but I’m not the best to offer advice, as I’m a pisspoor beginner.

 

[dougcjohn]

I like Liftoff. Using on a Windows machine with the DJI FPV controller. I’m I’m using the AK Mistral with these rates.

I don’t see how you can easily have a good manual experience without an unsprung throttle.

Yes there’s a brake button and it works well. Whether I’ll hit it fast enough to prevent a crash will be the real test.

I’d say you definitely don’t want to fly manual until you have some good hours in the sim in acro mode. And keep the attitude limiter on (angle mode) in the settings for your first few flights when you do venture out to fly in manual. Do you have an understanding of how the gimbals work differently than in stabilized mode?

I’m happy to help but I’m not the best to offer advice, as I’m a pisspoor beginner.

Thanks... I'll take a look... and the AK Mistral Rates.
Yes, understand the gimbal difference.
In a comparison, FPV is flown in controls more similar to RC Heli's than GPS Stabilized Drones. Using Yaw & Pitch more to control craft and not just positional for camera angle.

 

[mrmund]

Where's the POLL?

1.
2.
3.

I wasn't sure how you guys put together the polls that I've seen here so maybe someone could set one up proper. I'd be happy to rename this thread if someone could do that. There was a lot of talk when the DJI FPV came out, "it's going to ruin FPV", "it'll bring more people into the hobby" I was curious how it is affecting the industry and I wanted to find what people thought.

 

[bluesgeek]

Thanks... I'll take a look... and the AK Mistral Rates.
Yes, understand the gimbal difference.
In a comparison, FPV is flown in controls more similar to RC Heli's than GPS Stabilized Drones. Using Yaw & Pitch more to control craft and not just positional for camera angle.

I should be more clear. I’m using these rates in the sim only at this time, since I just changed them in the past two days since the rains started here. I was using for everything:

1.06. 482 .15 which was performing very similarly IRL.

That gave me a smooth flight but with no snap and a throttle that had to really be pushed.