When and why to use head tracking with the Avata 2

Xitor · Sep 21, 2024

Still training for manual mode, but loving my ability to get most of the cinematic shots I need with the motion controller. I see a lot of discussion on the avata 1 on head tracking, but I'm wondering with the Avata 2 and hopefully some improvements, for those that have spent some time mastering this, what do you use it for? I was thinking you are zooming by something, parallel, but you want to look at it. With the motion controller alone that wouldn't work, but seems like one of the use cases with head tracking. Wondering if anyone has fallen in love head tracking and if so what you are your use cases and drawbacks.

Kilrah · Sep 23, 2024

Anything you'd want to look at that isn't straight ahead, or just the experience of having something reacting to your head movements I guess.

rktman · Sep 30, 2024

It's an interesting gimmick to play with and go "ooooohhhh!" and then gets pretty boring fast.

It's a total hazard for trying to fly FPV.

Flystr8 · Oct 27, 2024

Xitor said:
Still training for manual mode, but loving my ability to get most of the cinematic shots I need with the motion controller. I see a lot of discussion on the avata 1 on head tracking, but I'm wondering with the Avata 2 and hopefully some improvements, for those that have spent some time mastering this, what do you use it for? I was thinking you are zooming by something, parallel, but you want to look at it. With the motion controller alone that wouldn't work, but seems like one of the use cases with head tracking. Wondering if anyone has fallen in love head tracking and if so what you are your use cases and drawbacks.

I got an Avata 2 last week. Personally I'm a big fan of head tracking. It takes great video but the trick is getting real comfortable with slow, gentle head movements. A lot of times when you look "hard" left or right or even BACKWARDS

the drone, naturally, will "twitch" as it's trying to do a really odd uncoordinated maneuver. Stabilization ON or editing software(if recorded in WIDE) will smooth that out. I find getting smooth with head movements is "easier" than using the camera rotation and yaw movements. It can seem a bit odd looking in one direction and trying to keep straight flight in another but it gets easier. As a Part 61 Commercial pilot I think it helped with this A LOT. One thing I do wish is the Goggles 3 could display an "Attitude Indicator" like it does Grid Lines. It would make off-center viewing while flight a lot better. PRACTICE WITH H/T!! It takes a "minute" but it really is more than a "gimmick" I think.