DJI FPV Opinions?

[dronemaster]

The DJI FPV had a LOT of hate when it was first released. Looking at the climate now I think the community has warmed up a bit to this drone and only the most hardcore FPV purists are the ones that are still strongly against this product. I'm guessing that users have now come to understand what DJi FPV can and can't do, so the product is now being accepted for what it is supposed to be and who it's actual market is. Traditional FPV guys also no longer see it as a threat (again, hardcore guys excluded). I myself have built my own quads and I also own the DJI FPV and I treat and use them differently.

Hopefully DJI FPV will gain a larger acceptance and FPV vets would show more support to those who actually like this product. It would be fun to have some wholesome competition between this drone and custom-built quads in the field one day and not be a pissing contest.

 

[A.O.]

The DJI FPV had a LOT of hate when it was first released. Looking at the climate now I think the community has warmed up a bit to this drone and only the most hardcore FPV purists are the ones that are still strongly against this product. I'm guessing that users have now come to understand what DJi FPV can and can't do, so the product is now being accepted for what it is supposed to be and who it's actual market is. Traditional FPV guys also no longer see it as a threat (again, hardcore guys excluded). I myself have built my own quads and I also own the DJI FPV and I treat and use them differently.

Hopefully DJI FPV will gain a larger acceptance and FPV vets would show more support to those who actually like this product. It would be fun to have some wholesome competition between this drone and custom-built quads in the field one day and not be a pissing contest.

Well my opinion (you asked) is that I so far love it! I come from the world of Mavics and am pretty new there also. Like I’ve said before I’m not a dronographer nor am I a racer (although it looks like great fun) I’m just an old guy looking to have some fun, take a few videos and experience the world of flying. And this guy makes me feel like I’m in the cockpit doing just that. The MA2 I had didn’t do that.

 

[GateFather]

I just got my DJI FPV on Friday and I've gone for 2 flights. I spent around 40 hours in the Velocidrone Simulator before I went on my flights and it is so much fun IRL. I did crash it my second flight trying to do an inverted yaw spin (which I pulled off no problem in the first flight). Just getting into FPV, and solely because this drone finally lowered the barrier to entry for me. It wasn't that I couldn't learn the DIY stuff, it was just that I didn't have the time (twin 3 year old's and a 5 year old). The DJI FPV finally let me put my foot in the door. Now that it's in - I plan to head down the DIY path as well!

 

[thetechnobear]

I think its fantastic, Ive really been enjoying it... loads of flights.


however, now having crashed it... (about an hour ago , still sad!) , I will say the critcism on fragility/non-repairability is valid.

I was just practicising, low level manual flight, at really low speeds, probably < 10 k/mh (not checked logs yet), I think i caught the ground, which through it upside down into the ground.(unfortunately, not a soft space to land) ... and cracked the front right arm on the plastic - nothing else damaged, but it obviously twisted and cracked the plastic.
its kind of infuriating, as its wasn't a dramatic crash - just a simple clipping of the ground and it flipping. (*)

Im asking them to just repair the arm, but the 'annoying thing' is , I could easily do this myself IF there were parts available, and for < 20 euros.
but now it has to go all the way to the Netherlands to be repaired, which Im guessing if Im lucky is going to take 2-2.5 weeks - that I cannot fly.

... of course, its all my fault - but it goes to show, its pretty easy for it to happen, even if you are being reasonably cautious.
(Ive actually done something like 60 flight on the FPV, and Id say probably 40 of those have been manual mode)


anyway, back to original post - its a fantastic drone, really fun flying and filming, really immersive. (just becareful)



---------
(*) also, Ive been waiting for the Arm Bracers to come back in stock, which I think probably saved this one!

 

[GateFather]

I think its fantastic, Ive really been enjoying it... loads of flights.


however, now having crashed it... (about an hour ago , still sad!) , I will say the critcism on fragility/non-repairability is valid.

I was just practicising, low level manual flight, at really low speeds, probably < 10 k/mh (not checked logs yet), I think i caught the ground, which through it upside down into the ground.(unfortunately, not a soft space to land) ... and cracked the front right arm on the plastic - nothing else damaged, but it obviously twisted and cracked the plastic.
its kind of infuriating, as its wasn't a dramatic crash - just a simple clipping of the ground and it flipping. (*)

Im asking them to just repair the arm, but the 'annoying thing' is , I could easily do this myself IF there were parts available, and for < 20 euros.
but now it has to go all the way to the Netherlands to be repaired, which Im guessing if Im lucky is going to take 2-2.5 weeks - that I cannot fly.

... of course, its all my fault - but it goes to show, its pretty easy for it to happen, even if you are being reasonably cautious.
(Ive actually done something like 60 flight on the FPV, and Id say probably 40 of those have been manual mode)


anyway, back to original post - its a fantastic drone, really fun flying and filming, really immersive. (just becareful)



---------
(*) also, Ive been waiting for the Arm Bracers to come back in stock, which I think probably saved this one!

I crashed mine on the second flight and I'm worried that I will be too cautious now to fly it "properly" as an FPV drone. Luckily the quad survived unscathed even though it was an inverted 45m high dive and only the battery dislodged and is now reading as "Battery Communication Error" - I'm considering buying a more durable fly and buy for scoping out shots etc. and then using the DJI FPV purely for the cinematic FPV stuff instead of freestyle as well.

 

[A.O.]

I think its fantastic, Ive really been enjoying it... loads of flights.


however, now having crashed it... (about an hour ago , still sad!) , I will say the critcism on fragility/non-repairability is valid.

I was just practicising, low level manual flight, at really low speeds, probably < 10 k/mh (not checked logs yet), I think i caught the ground, which through it upside down into the ground.(unfortunately, not a soft space to land) ... and cracked the front right arm on the plastic - nothing else damaged, but it obviously twisted and cracked the plastic.
its kind of infuriating, as its wasn't a dramatic crash - just a simple clipping of the ground and it flipping. (*)

Im asking them to just repair the arm, but the 'annoying thing' is , I could easily do this myself IF there were parts available, and for < 20 euros.
but now it has to go all the way to the Netherlands to be repaired, which Im guessing if Im lucky is going to take 2-2.5 weeks - that I cannot fly.

... of course, its all my fault - but it goes to show, its pretty easy for it to happen, even if you are being reasonably cautious.
(Ive actually done something like 60 flight on the FPV, and Id say probably 40 of those have been manual mode)


anyway, back to original post - its a fantastic drone, really fun flying and filming, really immersive. (just becareful)



---------
(*) also, Ive been waiting for the Arm Bracers to come back in stock, which I think probably saved this one!

I was curious if you had the arm bracers or thought they might have helped, I have a set but have not installed them yet. Looks like I will.

 

[Sayenah]

For all you gents who are crashing their FPV drone, fear not, State Farm’s no deductible 60/year theft/damage/loss coverage is here.

Besides if you crash this drone you can get another one for $739 directly from DJI (or CloudCity), which is quite reasonable.

HOWEVER GET THE INSURANCE!

 

[A.O.]

For all you gents who are crashing their FPV drone, fear not, State Farm’s no deductible 60/year theft/damage/loss coverage is here.

Besides if you crash this drone you can get another one for $739 directly from DJI (or CloudCity), which is quite reasonable.

HOWEVER GET THE INSURANCE!

It cost me $75

 

[thetechnobear]

I'm worried that I will be too cautious now to fly it "properly" as an FPV drone.

yeah, that has always been a concern of mine too....

unfortunately, this has reinforced it, the reason I was flying low/slow in M, was to build skill in low level flying , which I still feel is a necessary step...

I am also planning to get a 5" freestyle, and will use it for more risky shots - but still, Id like to be able to fly low to the ground with the dji fpv


my hope is we will see some spare parts become available, if I could have just bought an arm, this would have reasonably quick and cheap repair.

I was curious if you had the arm bracers or thought they might have helped, I have a set but have not installed them yet. Looks like I will.

Given it was quite a mild hit, I do believe it would have helped... the damage was caused by twisting the arm - so very unlikely it would have taken out the rear arm (imo).


@Sayenah , not all of us are in the US
anyway, this would not be worth claiming on insurance - I have DJI care refresh, but this is a pretty minor damage.
really the biggest 'pain' is the inconvenience of getting it repaired... not the cost of the repair.

 

[Sayenah]

yeah, that has always been a concern of mine too....

unfortunately, this has reinforced it, the reason I was flying low/slow in M, was to build skill in low level flying , which I still feel is a necessary step...

I am also planning to get a 5" freestyle, and will use it for more risky shots - but still, Id like to be able to fly low to the ground with the dji fpv


my hope is we will see some spare parts become available, if I could have just bought an arm, this would have reasonably quick and cheap repair.





Given it was quite a mild hit, I do believe it would have helped... the damage was caused by twisting the arm - so very unlikely it would have taken out the rear arm (imo).


@Sayenah , not all of us are in the US
anyway, this would not be worth claiming on insurance - I have DJI care refresh, but this is a pretty minor damage.
really the biggest 'pain' is the inconvenience of getting it repaired... not the cost of the repair.

Your story made me curious so I checked on eBay, and lo and behold, there are a TON of cheap genuine repair parts available. Of course I only have access to the American eBay but I am seeing genuine DJI FPV arms for $77 for a complete set of arms and the landing gear

Genuine DJI FPV Arm Part Left/Right Arm Front/Rear Arm Shell / R/L Landing Gear | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Genuine DJI FPV Arm Part Left/Right Arm Front/Rear Arm Shell / R/L Landing Gear at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[Chris_A]

Traditional FPV guys also no longer see it as a threat (again, hardcore guys excluded).

Hopefully DJI FPV will gain a larger acceptance and FPV vets would show more support to those who actually like this product. It would be fun to have some wholesome competition between this drone and custom-built quads in the field one day and not be a pissing contest.

Who see's it as a threat and what is it a threat to? It's in it's own catagory and I believe its like comparing apples to oranges. I don't dislike it, but it's not marketed to, or designed for people like me. I see it as a "sport" model, more or less. How would you like us to "support those who actually like the product"? I don't understand. I've never owned a DJI product and don't plan on it in the near future. Maybe the tech will bleed down, and that would be awesome, but I won't support it with my own money. I think it's great so many people love it, I really do, but to say anyone is against it is a stretch. Why would anyone be against the product itself?

 

[rktman]

I think many of the veterans in the traditional FPV camp have forgotten what "FPV" stands for.

Not racing. Not acrobatics. First Person View.

FPV to the veteran crowd is a tool -- a means to an end.

For the vast majority of existing non-FPV drone owners, FPV is the end in itself for this new drone. That's a thrill, skill challenge, and entirely new experience all by itself, and there is a large market of us out there.

DJI thought this through. I think the crash risk has been way WAY overblown because the existing FPV community can't contemplate being jazzed about simply flying FPV without performing in a way that puts the machine at risk. I wouldn't be surprised if a significant portion of users never touch manual, ever, and absolutely love their purchase.

 

[thetechnobear]

Your story made me curious so I checked on eBay, and lo and behold, there are a TON of cheap genuine repair parts available. Of course I only have access to the American eBay but I am seeing genuine DJI FPV arms for $77 for a complete set of arms and the landing gear

this probably should be another topic...

unfortunately, as I understand it, no-one has yet actually receieved parts when order from ebay or cloudcitydrones... I thnk everyone one is waiting on them.
also as per your link, all the pictures look very much the same - as if its from a drone that someone has stripped down for the purpose of spare pics, and then these have been spread around.
Im not saying, they wont arrive.. but I suspect at the moment, your drone might be on the bench for a while if you wait for spares

I will say, Im pretty certain a couple of months from now, it will be a very different story... and spares will be alot easier to come by.
and if thats the case, the moral of the story is ... take it a bit easy for now, until we have a few more repair options
(or of course, crash it badly, so its worth doing a dji care refresh claim!)

 

[Starz]

head down the DIY path

Coming this week.

Chimera7 6S LR w/ DJI Air Unit HD System - BNF

Introducing what has been requested for too long already! A super efficient iFlight 7inch Long-Range bird that can go where you couldn't go before and can carry bigger batteries to get the flight time to surf the swiss alps if you want!

shop.iflight-rc.com

 

[GateFather]

Coming this week.

Chimera7 6S LR w/ DJI Air Unit HD System - BNF

Introducing what has been requested for too long already! A super efficient iFlight 7inch Long-Range bird that can go where you couldn't go before and can carry bigger batteries to get the flight time to surf the swiss alps if you want!

shop.iflight-rc.com

Nice enjoy!

 

[Starz]

The long range part was the hook. Go to YouTube and Google that particular quad. Some really amazing flights that these guys are putting up.

 

[dronemaster]

Who see's it as a threat and what is it a threat to? It's in it's own catagory and I believe its like comparing apples to oranges. I don't dislike it, but it's not marketed to, or designed for people like me. I see it as a "sport" model, more or less. How would you like us to "support those who actually like the product"? I don't understand. I've never owned a DJI product and don't plan on it in the near future. Maybe the tech will bleed down, and that would be awesome, but I won't support it with my own money. I think it's great so many people love it, I really do, but to say anyone is against it is a stretch. Why would anyone be against the product itself?

Go to Facebook groups related to FPV. Some guys even create memes about pilots who like DJI FPV. It's sad really. I agree that it's apples to oranges which is why it's a shame that other FPV hobbyists hate on this so much. " I don't dislike it, but it's not marketed to, or designed for people like me. " - I'm actually quite happy that you see it this way. There are certainly some good ones like you in the pack.

 

[venomoussvt]

I was curious if you had the arm bracers or thought they might have helped, I have a set but have not installed them yet. Looks like I will.

i've been trying my best to get a set

 

[venomoussvt]

Who see's it as a threat and what is it a threat to? It's in it's own catagory and I believe its like comparing apples to oranges. I don't dislike it, but it's not marketed to, or designed for people like me. I see it as a "sport" model, more or less. How would you like us to "support those who actually like the product"? I don't understand. I've never owned a DJI product and don't plan on it in the near future. Maybe the tech will bleed down, and that would be awesome, but I won't support it with my own money. I think it's great so many people love it, I really do, but to say anyone is against it is a stretch. Why would anyone be against the product itself?

i can genuinely relate to this opinion as im in the same boat, to an extent. Ive got a handful of racing drones and have flown for a few years, but took a couple year off the sticks as i had gotten bored with it. I do like DJI products, and have owned a few of them including the Osmo and the osmo mobile (go pro clone, which i hated). But I do 100% agree that this drone is really a "sport" quad with manual capabilities. It 100% will cook when running all out, but its really like having a pickup truck with 800hp and stock drum brakes. This thing is heavy and sluggish compared to a typical 5" quad hands down, not arguable. With that being said, I still like the drone a lot, but I think, for me, that its the most "fun" using the motion controller. It flies Ok in Acro, but it is crazy drifty compared to something with a good power to weight ratio, and i think this is why most of the original FPV guys hate on it so much. Everyone secretly hoped for a crazy premium Emax Hawk 5" or something, and it is a premium unit for sure, but its not what we are used to flying.

 

[GateFather]

i can genuinely relate to this opinion as im in the same boat, to an extent. Ive got a handful of racing drones and have flown for a few years, but took a couple year off the sticks as i had gotten bored with it. I do like DJI products, and have owned a few of them including the Osmo and the osmo mobile (go pro clone, which i hated). But I do 100% agree that this drone is really a "sport" quad with manual capabilities. It 100% will cook when running all out, but its really like having a pickup truck with 800hp and stock drum brakes. This thing is heavy and sluggish compared to a typical 5" quad hands down, not arguable. With that being said, I still like the drone a lot, but I think, for me, that its the most "fun" using the motion controller. It flies Ok in Acro, but it is crazy drifty compared to something with a good power to weight ratio, and i think this is why most of the original FPV guys hate on it so much. Everyone secretly hoped for a crazy premium Emax Hawk 5" or something, and it is a premium unit for sure, but its not what we are used to flying.

Being brand new to the hobby and only having the DJI FPV to base my experience on, I struggle a little bit with the descriptors more seasoned quad pilots use to describe it. "Floaty", "Drifty", "Underpowered". "Sluggish" I'm not necessarily disagreeing on any of that, because I wouldn't know at this point. It may be that the only way I will understand those terms is to buy a 5" typical FPV drone (eyes are on the Nazgul 5 HD S6 version with DJI V1 Transmitter).

But until then, would you care to elaborate on those terms a bit to help me understand what they mean in a little more detail? Again, not challenging them at all, just trying to understand better.