How do I start this sport without spending insane money?

[CookFLHX]

I’m sure this question comes up a lot, and if I’m being redundant, I apologize.

I want to get started in this sport. I currently fly DJI camera drones and though they are cool, they are kinda boring too.

I want to build a FPV drone. I want to try it, but I’ve been told the best way is go is a 5” drone, and starting from scratch, it looks like it’s going to be a minimum of $600-$700 for a quad, radio controller, and goggles.

What if I spend that kind of money but don’t like it? I know there is a big learning curve, and I’m currently practicing on a simulator. DRL on an Xbox One. Not the best, but better than nothing.

Any advice on a way to break into this any cheaper? I know the first purchase is a radio controller. I was told I needed a Radio Master TX16 and that’s $200 right there.

My questions are, what are good budget equipment that will be just fine for now? I need the basics
Radio Controller
Goggles
Drone build

I have a cheap eMax EZpilot kit. Cost about $100 but it came with a pair of 5.8Gz goggles and an EZpilot controller.

Will those goggles work for now on a custom drone? What about the controller? Does the EZ pilot controller use a special protocol or can it be bound to a custom setup? Are they junk and not worth trying to use?

It would be great if they could run a 5” build well enough to convince me it’s worth the investment.

Gotta be a way to experience this on the cheap.

Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 10023]

You could get something like this and find goggles that work with it. I don't see this taking much abuse though. My first FPV was a nazgul evoque f5 which is built like a tank. I've had serious crashes and this thing has not skipped a beat. Most I've changed has been props. The total kit cost me around $1700 for drone, goggles, radio, charger, and batteries.

 

[Druid63]

I built my own drone and had a lot invested, but since they break often, ie. we crash often. Swapping components is a godsend. When I got divorced I took all my drone **** and sold it for 1000 dollars. I had the fat shark goggles, top of line controllers and flight component. I even through in the variable temp soldering iron and myriad of chargers. So all you needs is that proverbial disgruntled wife married (temporarily) to a quality builder brother.

There’s an old joke about a man contacting his ex wife and asking her to sell his corvette and send him the money. She sold the car for 50 dollars.