Looking to get into FPV

WindJewel

New member
So, new girl here. I'm looking to get into FPV RC airplanes (maybe drones too, though they're not as much my interest). I've flown a little bit of RC in the past, including a high-wing trainer and a 4-channel P-51 RTF model, and one helicopter that gave me fits. While I found flying RC aircraft fun, I've been a huge flight simulator nerd since I was probably 5 or 6 years old, and so the lack of FPV really killed some of what I was looking for in aviation. Now that there have been some pretty amazing advances in FPV, and in my income/free time, I'm looking to get into FPV airplanes.

Does anybody have any recommendations on good starter FPV aircraft and equipment? I'm very interested in getting a headtracker set-up, as I'm really used to my trackIR from flight sims, and would love something like the FatShark Trinity, assuming it does what I think it does and allows you to move the camera to match your head position. What cameras work well with this set-up, and how hard is it to get set up and working properly?

Thanks for any help anybody can offer.
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
I have been dabbling with head tracking on and off.

Its pretty simple to set up and use. I have skyzone goggles that have head tracking built in and I run that thru a Taranis x9d plus radio.

I have no confirmation but I believe the fatsharks require add on modules for everything it "can" do so read up on that before deciding to throw money at them when there are other viable far less expensive but functional gear.

Remember you will need two spare channels beyond any functions for your aircraft on the receiver you use.

Most radios these days can and do have a port for head tracking.

Let us know what gear you have or plan on and it should be fairly painless to get set up.
 

Merv

Site Moderator
Staff member
I would recommend a trainer type aircraft. A tractor or a pusher is a matter of personal preference. Do you want the prop in your video or not. My preference is not, so I’ve chosen a pusher. Equipment will depend on your country, some are far more restrictive than others. I’ve got a 200mW Tx and get all the range I want, about 2 miles. I have no desire to go any further. Your antenna is far more important than power. When you start look at equipment, pay attention to the voltage it needs. Life will be much easier if everything can run off your flight battery voltage, then you can just tap the balance lead for power.

I'd recommend you watch all 8 of the videos from IBcrazy - Success in FPV
 
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Flite Risk

Well-known member
Just my suggestions,

Plane-any Bixler because its a pusher with a good payload.

Goggles- Eachine EV200d they are cheaper than FatSharts have the same if not more/better features.

Antenna - Anything made by ibcrazy (Alex Greve(VideoAerialSystems)) omni directional
videoaerialsystems.com/

and spend lots of time watching the FT beginner series on FPV.

just some thoughts
 

Flite Risk

Well-known member
I forgot to say those have been my experience. I think most people here would stress that, the more thorough your research, the better your experience will be.

Alex is a super cool guy, I spoke with him at length this past Flite Fest Ohio '18.
 
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sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
Let me ask too - Do you wear glasses? If so, some of the Box style headsets, while bigger, may offer a better viewing AND will fit over glasses. In addition, many of them are far cheaper than the Eachine and Fatshark goggles. For example, you can pick up a pair of Quanum Cyclops v2 goggles for around $60 from HobbyKing, and they're a decent quality goggle. I personally like my Fatsharks better, but the Quanum Cyclops goggles are really decent for the price if you're not too sure you want to keep going in FPV.
 

WindJewel

New member
Let me ask too - Do you wear glasses? If so, some of the Box style headsets, while bigger, may offer a better viewing AND will fit over glasses. In addition, many of them are far cheaper than the Eachine and Fatshark goggles. For example, you can pick up a pair of Quanum Cyclops v2 goggles for around $60 from HobbyKing, and they're a decent quality goggle. I personally like my Fatsharks better, but the Quanum Cyclops goggles are really decent for the price if you're not too sure you want to keep going in FPV.

I do wear glasses, but also contacts, so I can always wear contacts when flying. As far as keeping into FPV, I obviously haven't started yet, so we'll see how I like it, but I think FPV would be the only way that I would really aggressively pursue an RC hobby, because it's just so much the experience I've always been after.
 

Merv

Site Moderator
Staff member
I do wear glasses, but also contacts, so I can always wear contacts when flying.

You will not know if you can use goggles until you try them. I don’t wear glasses, but I can’t use goggles, my old eyes just will not focus with the screen so close to my face. I’ve got to use a monitor.
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
There are several places now that will make custom lens tailered to your prescription.

There are also generic ones as well. Some makers send a set of those with their goggles.
 

Mode 1

Active member
Hey all. I too am looking into Fpv but know nothing about the hardware. Between the cyclops v2 and ev800d is there a clear reason to do one over the other? Hdmi would be nice to easily connect to ext monitors for watching post flight dvr footage. But at the end of the day it's all about the better flying experience, range, antennas, image quality etc..

Will probably order some in the next day or two.
 
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sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
Well, the Cyclops 2 does NOT have DVR capability. But, that's a big reason why it's much less in cost than other options - it's a way to view live footage. It does that very well for the price, and it's relatively light. It also has a way to attach to an external monitor, like a TV, so you can have someone else seeing a bigger screen version of what the person wearing the headset is seeing, but it only does it via composite (yellow video, white audio).

I have since bought a pair of Fatsharks because I like the fit AND the DVR functionality, but for a bargain pair of goggles, say for the kids in the family or if you're not sure FPV is for you, the Cyclops are a really decent price. The one big thing I would add to the Cyclops would be a new Antenna, one of the mushroom style. The simple dipole antenna it comes with is poor when it comes to picking up signal, but it's one of the ways they cut costs to get you in at a less expensive price point.
 

Merv

Site Moderator
Staff member
Hdmi would be nice to easily connect to ext monitors.
With most HD equipment there is an issue with latency. A delay between what the camera sees and what you see. If your trying to fly in a gusty wind or through the tree branches, latency will be an issue.
 

Mode 1

Active member
just ordered the ev800d's. Seems like a decent quality rig for dipping our toes into FPV w/o breaking the bank.
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
With most HD equipment there is an issue with latency. A delay between what the camera sees and what you see. If your trying to fly in a gusty wind or through the tree branches, latency will be an issue.

That may be the case, but within the goggles themselves, there usually isn't a noticeable amount of latency. Going from the goggles out to an external monitor, then, those people who are watching may experience the latency you refer to..I haven't seen latency with the latest equipment that requires a HAM radio license in North America. Pretty much all of the Wifi stuff, though? 1-2 second lag, enough to where you can't fly via the video and must fly line of sight.
 

Mode 1

Active member
Hey All,

Now that i've sorted through the goggles i'm looking for a bit of help in regards to FPV cameras and other required electronics. What do I need to make all of this work and what products would you recommend that would be considered a good value? Gonna be used primarily in Mini Arrow's, Mini Scouts and a Goblin.

As always, thanks!