Why don't more FPV users use Head Trackers?

[Ducky84]

Kind of an odd question, and I haven't gotten into FPV just yet, but when I look at the system I want to build out, it seems like a head tracker should be a given considering what it can add to immersion.

When I see the flitetest guys or others do FPV, I'm always surprised at the lack of head tracking, and I was just curious why it's not more popular to have something like this installed.

Only think I could think of is the additional channels required, but why else wouldn't you want to use this?

 

[LitterBug]

I have wondered this myself. I have a few birds to add it to.....

 

[tamuct01]

I added it to my Durafly T-28. I don't have many flights on it yet, so I'm scared to fly it FPV, but I've given a few people rides under the goggles and they thought it was incredibly cool to be able to look around the cockpit.

 

[Hondo76251]

Awesome in theory but its a little more complicated than it seems on the surface... but I love watching the guys that do it! I get by just fine by having multiple cameras and/or manual pan tilt. You know, if you have a camera looking straight off your left wing and a bit down you can circle an object counter clockwise and look right at it like a drone would do...

 

[The Hangar]

Kind of an odd question, and I haven't gotten into FPV just yet, but when I look at the system I want to build out, it seems like a head tracker should be a given considering what it can add to immersion.

When I see the flitetest guys or others do FPV, I'm always surprised at the lack of head tracking, and I was just curious why it's not more popular to have something like this installed.

Only think I could think of is the additional channels required, but why else wouldn't you want to use this?

I'd love to do something like that, but I don't think I have the knowledge or patience to set it up...

 

[JasonK]

other reasons to not do it ->
- needing to face my head at the craft so the directional antennae is faced at it.
- more weight for the extra servos to run the pan/tilt (most of my stuff is sub 250g)
- loosing visual orientation to craft orientation (could be solved with a FC with some sort of heading overlay or having bits of the craft in view)
- needing head tracking capability on the headset
- needing a way to hook up headset to TX to send the tracking info

Yes I know/can easily figure out ways around most of the above, but that is a good set of reasons to chew on.

 

[LitterBug]

I have a set of goggles with head tracking built in. I was testing it on the bench last fall with my TXes. I use a ground station with an omni and long range directional antennas, so no need to keep my head facing the bird. could easily set up a switch to enable/disable head tracking on my taranis. could also make it switchable to use sliders instead of tracking. Several of my RMRC birds have servo mounts built in for the pan servo. The Surfer1500 is rigged and ready to go. Something I will be playing with this year.

 

[DEflyBy]

Kind of an odd question, and I haven't gotten into FPV just yet, but when I look at the system I want to build out, it seems like a head tracker should be a given considering what it can add to immersion.

When I see the flitetest guys or others do FPV, I'm always surprised at the lack of head tracking, and I was just curious why it's not more popular to have something like this installed.

Only think I could think of is the additional channels required, but why else wouldn't you want to use this?

I think its from the berrier to entry, most of us are at our technical limit just getting a plane to fly lol its pretty tough. Ive been struggling for a while tring to find a head tracker that i can use with my dx6e (no wired trainer port only wireless) cant find info on what tracker works wireless and with spektrum

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Limited channels in RC transmitter is a limiting factor. But with TX like RadiomMaster TX16S that is so capable yet relatively affordable, that barrier to entry is easier to overcome. To make the HT flying experience immersive and enjoyable, selecting the right plane is important. Something that is stable, forgiving yet has great handling qualities to hang with other great planes and not too small. Like this T-28 for example, it’s truly great fun to fly:

 

[DEflyBy]

Limited channels in RC transmitter is a limiting factor. But with TX like RadiomMaster TX16S that is so capable yet relatively affordable, that barrier to entry is easier to overcome. To make the HT flying experience immersive and enjoyable, selecting the right plane is important. Something that is stable, forgiving yet has great handling qualities to hang with other great planes and not too small. Like this T-28 for example, it’s truly great fun to fly:

I had been wondering if i could just use a seperate transmitter and reciever for the ht.
Anyway i do know it can be done easily with a dx6 because they have a trainer plug but what do i do about my wireless trainer dx6e besides throw 250 smakers in the corner and use a totally different trans and receiver. There has to be a way to make the wired head trackers to connect to the dx6e.

So if i did go with a tx16s what HT would i use and do i have to use a flight controler as3x like or can i just use the tx16 reciever alone?

It just seams like it would be easier to just find a wireless HT or a way to convert a standard HT to wireless

What do you think?

 

[joelspangler]

The reason I haven't is barrier to entry as someone else stated before - it seems like A LOT of work to make it work right. I don't know of any reasonably priced "off-the-shelf" options to make it work. You need both the head tracking module for on goggles, as well as the physical setup for mounting the cameras with servos on at least horizontal and up/down axis.

I've been considering the DIY approach with some fairly cheap hardware https://headtracker.gitbook.io/head-tracker/ but getting over the trepidation of starting to solder and flash programs, etc has kept me from starting. I purchased the electronics I need about 6 months ago, but never "found" the time to actually even attempt to start soldering.

 

[FPVAirCombat]

We make the open source head-tracker for sale so people can just buy one and put it to use in minutes. Same as for the pan and tilt gimbal. Both are very high quality, and reliable, but they are not cheap.
Motionsic BAG - BadAss Gimbal
https://fpvdogfight.com/products/motionsic-b-a-g-badass-gimbal

Head-tracker
https://fpvdogfight.com/products/tally-ho-head-tracker

As for making the head-tracker to bind wirelessly with DX6E wireless trainer mode. Lemon makes a DSMX/DSM2 module that would allow you to transmit the head-tracker PPM output so DX6E can receive wirelessly. Soldering wold be required.

 

[DEflyBy]

We make the open source head-tracker for sale so people can just buy one and put it to use in minutes. Same as for the pan and tilt gimbal. Both are very high quality, and reliable, but they are not cheap.
Motionsic BAG - BadAss Gimbal
https://fpvdogfight.com/products/motionsic-b-a-g-badass-gimbal

Head-tracker
https://fpvdogfight.com/products/tally-ho-head-tracker

As for making the head-tracker to bind wirelessly with DX6E wireless trainer mode. Lemon makes a DSMX/DSM2 module that would allow you to transmit the head-tracker PPM output so DX6E can receive wirelessly. Soldering wold be required.

Yes thank you that is what i have been looking for, ill try googling lemon dsmx module

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Setting up head-tracker is not hard, just takes someone that knows the ropes to show you the way. Here it is:

FPV Head-tracker setup is similar for all brands of air transmitters using trainer mode. It’s convenient to look at videos instead of digging out the info on transmitter users manual. So I made a couple to help beginners out. There are plenty of videos for FrSky and Open TX based radios. So these are for other major brand TX’s:

HT setup on Futuba radio:

HT setup on Graupner radio:

HT setup on Spektrum radio:

After one can see signal on transmitter servo monitor screen. Simply plug in pan and tilt servo leads of camera gimbal into corresponding receiver channels onboard RC vehicle and voila! You have a working head-tracking FPV setup. Easy-peasy!

 

[DEflyBy]

Setting up head-tracker is not hard, just takes someone that knows the ropes to show you the way. Here it is:

FPV Head-tracker setup is similar for all brands of air transmitters using trainer mode. It’s convenient to look at videos instead of digging out the info on transmitter users manual. So I made a couple to help beginners out. There are plenty of videos for FrSky and Open TX based radios. So these are for other major brand TX’s:

HT setup on Futuba radio:

HT setup on Graupner radio:

HT setup on Spektrum radio:

After one can see signal on transmitter servo monitor screen. Simply plug in pan and tilt servo leads of camera gimbal into corresponding receiver channels onboard RC vehicle and voila! You have a working head-tracking FPV setup. Easy-peasy!

Thank you very much for the excellent videos and im sure they have helped so many folks, i have watched your spektrum video like at least ten times but i always hit the same brick wall with my dx6i with the (wireless trainer) … no where to plug the head tracker arduino into and nobody seems to know how to get around this. Do i just buy a dx8 for my fpv flying?